TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Spooky House]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning, but the chord progression sounds a bit bizarre (maybe it’s partly because there’s a big pitch jump between each note). The part at :07 is a bit atonal, but I like the smooth, mellow synth pads. The mix seems a bit off balance - I think the main synth riff should be a bit louder, and the glitchy rhythmic elements should be a tad quieter. You might even consider adding a bit of reverb to the glitchy elements so that they blend into the atmosphere a bit more. The bridge with the creepy bells at 1:02 is cool, if a bit minimal after 1:16.

Overall, I have a few suggestions. First, this piece could use some more traditional drums (in addition to the percussive elements you already have) to give it a stronger sense of energy and continuity. Second, it’s worth smoothing over some of the rough transitions in this piece, like at :41 and 1:36. There are many ways to do that, but the stop-start one at :39 feels a bit unnecessary, and at 1:34 or so the synth pads could simply play a bit of a melodic filler riff in advance of 1:36 to signify that they’re about to play a more prominent role in the texture (which they do at 1:36).

Third, in retrospect, the four chords at the intro feel out-of-place, and you could probably just delete them and dive right into the action at :06, especially if you expect this song to loop in the video game you’re making. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, I would play up the idea that the mid-range synth pads are the “main thing” going on at a time, both by making them louder in the mix relative to the other elements, and potentially also by moving them up an octave for dramatic effect at some point.

This piece is definitely a good start between the ominous mood and neat sound design, though. Keep at it, Zhane9IsLame! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6/10

[FALLING IN]

I like the breathy vocals at the beginning. The sidechaining at :11 is VERY heavy, to the extent that it makes the mix sound more distorted than anything else. I like the beat at :48 a lot, but it ducks under the mix often. I would ease back on the compression here, and also maybe unwind the reverb until the mix sounds less distorted. It’s seriously detracting from my enjoyment of the piece - I just can’t hear all the instruments clearly throughout. Also, the composition could use a tad more variety, especially melodic development, but the sound design and rhythmic content are really cool. Meanwhile, the section at 2:49 sounded like the start of a completely different piece.

Overall, I’d encourage you to focus less on the loudness of the mix and more on balance and clarity. There are some good compositional ideas here, and I want to hear them without having to hyperfocus. :) Keep at it, xFebruaryx! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.25/10

[ORANGE FENTA]

I like the string drone and soothing, airy synths at the beginning. The bass slide and crash at :25 sound really nostalgic to me somehow, although the piece is a bit slow to develop. The lead synth at :49 is pretty cool, but the piano chords there sound a bit flat in the mix, and overall the melodies could’ve been a tad bolder in places. The timing of the vocal sample at 1:55 didn’t quite mesh with the phrase structure - seems like the bridge at 1:55 was already well underway by the time the vocals dissipated, which was a bit of a bizarre choice in my view. The second half of the piece is a bit repetitive - would love to have seen some more melodic development, or at least a second big “point of arrival” to hit the piece home. I also think that the production could be louder and punchier in general. The mix is clean, but sometimes sounds a little thin. See if you can open up a tad more space in the equalizer for some of your leads and maybe push some more reverb or other “atmospheric” mixing effects. Overall, for an unfinished piece, this is a strong entry. Compelling sound design, great harmonic content, smooth progression, and some really catchy individual riffs. A bit more variety later in the piece and some bolder production choices would really take this piece to the next level, but I already like it a lot. Keep at it, WoogLord! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[Super Cool Grunge Song]

I like the smooth guitar at the beginning. The guitar that comes in at :13 definitely has more of an edge to it, and it could stand to be pulled back in the mix a bit more, especially since the volume levels are a bit extreme. Rhythmically, the guitar parts don’t line up perfectly well at around :40, but the solo at :46 is really nice. This piece has a few jarring transitions, and it seems like the “call and response” action between the heavier and lighter guitars at 1:21 was re-cut rather than recorded anew, which makes the whole section sound a bit artificial. In general, this piece could also use a bit more harmonic variety and melodic development. The entire mix is also very bottom-heavy - some vocals or atmospheric additions could help balance that out and fill in the texture more. Overall, I can certainly tell that you’re a talented guitarist, but the post-production is a bit rough around the edges, and the composition could be a bit more fleshed out here. Reining in the volume levels during the amped guitar parts should probably be priority #1, honestly. After that, you could easily gain another point or two back from me by making some bolder compositional choices, especially later in the piece. Keep at it, Wizard-Man-Animation! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6/10

[Sleepless]

I like the energetic synths at the beginning. The pads distort the lead a bit when they come in, though. Some stricter equalizing could help separate out those frequency ranges a bit more. Ideally, each harmonic instrument would have a “slot” in the frequency range that other instruments rarely impede on. The transition at :41 also could be a bit smoother, but I like the melodies there. There’s a bit of atonality in the texture, but the mix bothers me more. Please make sure that the harmonic instruments (so, everything but the bass and kick) have frequencies below 200 Hz or so eliminated with an equalizer. That’ll help clean up the muddy quality and make your drums in particular sound louder.

The distorted bass riff at :55 was a pretty sudden change in the texture, as was the transition back to the pensive synths at 1:08. The drop at 1:25 was catchy, if a bit minimal, and the callbacks to the beginning of the piece (1:32, 1:46, etc.) sound a bit out-of-place. There’s another pretty sudden switch in the sound design at 2:24 after a brief build-up, and the transition at 2:51 is just as jarring. By contrast, 7:02 was a pretty cool transition that didn’t feel as rough, in large part because the instrumentation is more similar on either side of it.

The breakdown at 3:30 or so was good for some structural variety, and I like the slower pacing and emphasis on atmosphere there. The mellow “B” melody at 4:13 is really nice, but again, more of a gradual transition back into the crunchy bass at 4:40 would be ideal. The rhythmic section at 5:06 feels a bit too much like filler to me, especially since it drags on for a good 45 seconds. The final cadence at 7:18 is pretty cool, though.

In short, I think you need to consolidate some of your compositional ideas and focus on making the arrangement of the piece more cohesive and flowing. Right now, the structure of the piece is just really choppy and hard to follow. Gradual build-ups, more consistent rhythmic section patterns, and filtering and reverb automations to foreshadow major changes to the texture would all be welcome.

Even the melodic content in this piece is disorienting at times. Take the synth from 3:05 to 3:19 for example, or the one that begins at 5:52. It has so much ornamentation that it’s hard to follow the contour after a while. Ornamentation in melodies is like curse words: you want to use them sparingly so that they have more impact when you do use them. Simplifying the melodies, as in literally fewer notes, would help. That said, the good thing about your melodies is that they feel loose and dynamic - they cover a lot of ground pitch-wise and generally feel like they’re leading somewhere.

Overall, the sound design and harmonies are good here. Some simplified melody writing, a smoother arrangement, and a sharper mix would really help take this piece to the next level, but until then it’s a catchy track with a lot of creative energy behind it. Keep at it, VersaTileNoise! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.25/10

[Evenin' Sunset]

I like the clear, bright-sounding piano at the beginning, even if the fade-in could’ve been a bit more creative. The stop-starts at :26 kinda interrupted the flow of the build-up in my view, and I found it a bit bizarre that the entire song suddenly gets a bit quieter at :51. During the drop, the drums could’ve come through the mix a lot more strongly. Sounds like you might want to reprioritize what you’re compressing here. The bass is also very quiet during the drop, while the pads are very loud. I like the switch-up in the beat at 1:22, although the snare especially still isn’t coming through very distinctly. Harmonically, this piece could also use a lot more variety - variations on the main chord progression, or at least a more prominent melody during one of these downtempo sections with the piano chords. The tempo automation at 2:21 comes on too suddenly, and the fade-out ending also comes across as a bit lazy.

That said, I like the sound design, rhythmic content, and a lot of the individual compositional ideas. This piece just needs some bolder melodies, more variety later in the piece, and a rebalancing of the frequencies to play up the rhythm section. The arrangement here is also a bit choppy at times - I would strongly suggest finding ways of foreshadowing the sudden transitions, including when the pads get quieter during the refrain at :51 and 1:55. Also, the minimal sections in the middle of the piece with just the piano chords don’t do much for me - try fleshing out some atmospheric elements or “B” melodies to maintain interest and give these breakdowns a little more shape.

Overall, you have some good instrumentation and catchy riffs to build on, but I still think the composition could use some fleshing out and the mixing could be punchier. Keep at it, V1XTEZz! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[untitled03 - dreambed]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. The synths have a bit of a grating quality to them, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming all the time. At the very least, it would be nice to automate some of the volume levels and/or equalizers a bit more here to take the edge off of the top end of the frequency range occasionally. Love the descent into pure atmosphere at :51. I think the synth chirping at 1:06 drags on for just a tad too long without many other changes to the texture. The entire piece has a great wavelike quality to it, though, and when it “resets” at 1:42 it feels like a homecoming. There’s a nice build-up into 2:05, and the explosion of energy at 2:36 is a welcome “point of arrival” after a lot of pent-up tension in this piece. The fade-out ending isn’t my favorite choice, especially since it comes on so quickly after the big climax. I still think the volume levels/compressors in this piece could use a bit of loosening at times, and I didn’t quite get my fix of strong melodic content here either. The sound design and use of mixing effects are very creative, though, especially during the transitory moments. Really evocative piece, untitled03! You’ve earned a scout. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Pulse]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The rhythmic content is certainly catchy, even if the sidechaining is a bit heavy for my tastes, especially towards the beginning when there’s not much else going on besides the squishy synth chords. The piece comes together nicely at :30, although I would’ve liked to hear a tad bit more of the lead in the mix. The texture still sounds a bit thin with all the pizzicato-y synths, though - some mid-range pads or something to add a more legato element would be nice. This piece could also use some more harmonic variety after a while. The breakdown section at 1:00 was a missed opportunity for a powerful “B” melody or otherwise something more dynamic and memorable. That said, the cute plucked melodies of the final refrain and the return of the squishy-sounding chords help hit the piece home nicely. Overall, this is a super catchy piece with some neat sound design and solid production quality. The arrangement and chord progression are a bit generic, and I would’ve liked to hear some bolder compositional choices in general. Still, it’s going to be stuck in my head for a while. Keep at it, ttempaa! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[JustSohappy]

I like the blissful mood and quirky synths at the beginning. The mix sounds a bit distorted, with the synths having a very strong pattern of emphasis that’s a bit unnatural-sounding. The acoustic bass and vocal stabs at :30 are also cute, and overall the sound design is probably my favorite element of the piece. That said, the harmonic content is a bit repetitive, and later in the piece the percussion is a bit too loud. I’d encourage you to continue fleshing out the structure of this - a nice “B” melody or an atmospheric bridge would be good for some variety, and also make the piece into more of a complete story, if that makes sense. Great start, though. Definitely puts a smile on my face. Keep at it, TransmitPictures! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6/10

[QUANTUM]

The distorted effects at the beginning were pretty cool, and I like the energy and spacey synths at :07. The drums sound a bit thin, and also struggle to stay on top of the mix at times. The harmonic content is very repetitive during the refrains, although the breakdown at 1:14 was good for some contrast. I also like the ghostly “B” melody at 1:33. By 1:46, the mix sounds a bit muddy again. I would make sure that you’ve removed the frequencies below around 200 Hertz in the harmonic instruments with an equalizer.

The transition at 2:00 is a bit abrupt, and there’s a bit of dissonance in the texture at 2:09. I like how you brought the piece full-circle at the end with the distorted vocals, but I would’ve liked to hear some more melodic development later in this piece. Aspects of the composition could’ve been bolder, and the production could use some polishing in places. That said, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, sound design, and rhythmic content of this one. The lead synth certainly has an engrossing quality, and reminds me of a lot of classic 2000s-era trance (F-777, Dimrain47, etc.). Keep at it, ThoughtsThoughts! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10