TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Nasty GUACamole - NGUAC 2024 Knockout Round]

Very bold choice to have all those jazzy chords at the beginning. The rolled chords are especially nice, but the 2nd and 5th ones sound a bit clunky. Some wider spacing of the notes might help solve that. I like the busier texture at :14, but the mix sounds really distorted there. Sounds like the piano is causing some of the other instruments to duck under. I would try to separate out the frequency ranges of the different instruments a bit more with an equalizer. Also, make sure the harmonic instruments (i.e., everything besides the bass and the kick) don’t have any frequencies below 200 Hz or so. A lot of low frequencies in the texture can muddy it up really fast.

Anyway, I like the build-up into :32 and the frantic piano riffs at :33. The rhythmic content there is really catchy, and the slap bass at 1:01 was a fun surprise. The return of the piano at 1:30 in a higher register was also a nice touch. There’s a bit of dissonance in the texture at 1:43, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it was also hard to make it out because it sounds very faint and distorted in the mix. The high-octane synth and piano content in this piece is really awesome, though, and you’ve covered a lot of ground harmonically as well.

Overall, the composition of this piece is creative, catchy, and has a great narrative appeal too. The production could be a lot cleaner, although the sound design, transitions, and rhythmic content are also really good.

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

NotLeLee responds:

I just knew I would get deducted points for soundtrap automix
welp

edit: I just realised how high score I got for everything but mixing. Wow. Soundtrap really funked me up >:(

[Go Forth]

I like the groovy bass line and spacey atmosphere at the beginning. The sound design is really engrossing, actually, although the arrangement feels a bit formulaic, with very regular changes in the texture every 16 bars. The piece is pretty slow to progress, although the lead riff at :57 helps give the piece a stronger sense of drive. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies and some more variety in the harmonies. The production could also be a bit cleaner - the bass struggles to come through during the busier sections. Just make sure that the pads and lead don’t have any frequencies below 200 Hz or so in the EQ. The stripping away of the beat at 2:15 and subsequent re-intro at 2:19 was really smoothly done, although the harmonies were a bit bland for the next minute or so - that was a missed opportunity for a “B” melody or other major shift in the texture. The second half of the piece in general doesn’t have much variety, and in general I think the composition could be a lot bolder here. That said, I really like the mood, instruments, and atmosphere of this one. It’s a moody and smooth-flowing piece, but it doesn’t quite feel complete yet. A more memorable melody and some variety later on would easily bring up your score by a point or two. Until then, keep at it, MusicBySpektral! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

[It's Getting Real (NGUAC 2024 Knockout Round)]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning. The kick at :07 has a lot of wet reverb on it, so it doesn’t quite sound as sharp once the rest of the instruments come in. That said, the sound design and rhythmic content are really neat here. Love the stumbly two-pronged snap at :27. The piece really changes directions a lot, but it still flows smoothly. The texture is pretty minimal, though, and after a while I think the piece needed some more harmonic depth. That said, 2:05 was a clever place for a re-intro, and I especially like the watery pitter-patter effect that first plays at 2:13. There’s a lot of tension in the texture at 2:40 (and throughout these 197 seconds in general), and the tension doesn’t quite feel resolved by the end of the piece. At some point, a big climax or moment of arrival that hit the piece home would’ve gone further to make this piece sound more like a cohesive narrative. Still, I appreciate the experimental texture, fun sound design, and creative rhythmic content of this one. After a while it needed some core harmonic content for the listener to hold onto a bit more, but for what this is you executed it very well. Oh, and overall, the production quality is rather clean. Keep at it, Lumiflag! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

["Happy Pills" (Demo)]

I like the organic sound design and clever, relatable lyrics here. The production quality is pretty good - I can hear the instruments clearly throughout, although the vocals sound a tad dry at times. Some more reverb, compression, and chorus effects might help. Also, there are times when it doesn’t sound like the mic is picking up your voice very well, even if it’s just for a split second. The start of the refrain (“I didn’t ask…”) is a good example of that. The vocal delivery is really good, though - soothing and conversational, despite the lyrical content. It feels like there’s so much variety in where you place the vocal lines within the phrase (for example, it feels like a long time between “nothing’s ever planned” and “the sky”). Also, the solo at :56 is killer. It feels so dynamic, cathartic, and refreshing, like it’s washing away all the angst and introspection evident in the vocals from the previous phrase. Overall, I think this would be a top-tier piece with some slightly better recording quality and a more polished production. The composition, sound design, and vocals are all really great. Keep at it, LANPartyAnimal! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

[Recheck [NGUAC '24 KO]]

I like the ominous atmosphere and grouchy bass at the beginning. The bass is a little loud relative to the drums, but the rhythmic content and huge jumps in the bass line’s contour are really creative and fun. The mix is a bit distorted at times - especially at :55, you can tell some of the pads and atmospheric details are ducking under when other instruments play a note. The piece also peters out in energy a bit as it goes on, and with the constant frantic beats, an atmospheric or melodic breakdown at some point might’ve made for some good variety. That said, I really like the sound design, mood, and catchy beats here. Keep at it, Kz-N! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

Kz-N responds:

thanks a lot!!!!

[Lightspeed]

I like the bright, airy tone of the pads at the beginning and the vocal sample shortly thereafter. The bubbly synth lead at :22 is a nice touch, and the atmospheric details and crisp drums are also really pleasing sound design details. The compression is a bit heavy for my tastes at :44, with the pads getting pigeonholed into tiny gaps in the texture. The beats are catchy, but the harmonic content is very repetitive. It helps add some variety to introduce new instruments, like the piano at 1:50, but overall I was craving a B melody or other major switch-up in the texture. The breakdown at 2:12 is a nice change-of-pace, but it doesn’t quite feel new enough to constitute a “major switch-up.” The funky arpeggios at 3:45 are a nice way of adding a little variety during the second major refrain, and the piano melody towards the end helps hit the piece home. Overall, I really like the sound design, atmosphere, and rhythmic content here, although the mix is a bit distorted at times and the composition could’ve been a bit bolder and more variational. Still, you’ve got a smooth-flowing and catchy track here, Joe. Keep at it! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[3_0_3 - BREACHING]

I like the distorted synths at the beginning and the gradual build-up into :22. The chord progression is a bit cliche, and the mix is a bit distorted. By :33, the melodies and pads are seriously distorting the mid-range bass and drums. I would double-check to make sure that the harmonic instruments (other than the bass) don’t have any frequencies below 200 Hz or so in the EQ. That said, the breakdown at 1:05 was a nice change-of-pace, and I love the filtering work on the bass (like the build-up into 1:16 and other places). The soaring melodic solo at 1:34 is great, too, although much of the rest of the piece is a bit too minimal and could use some more harmonic variety. The filtering and other compositional details help keep things interesting, but some more variation on some of the core riffs and melodies later on could really help take this piece to the next level. Still, overall this is a really catchy and fun track. The distorted, unwieldy mix is my main concern. Otherwise, the sound design, melodies, and foreboding mood are great. Keep at it, Joecoustic! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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

Joecoustic responds:

Thanks for the feedback, I had a lot of fun partecipating in this contest and I wish good luck to everyone in the finals ^^

[Autumn Girl]

I like the mellow guitar at the beginning. The kick is very heavy for a piece with such a tranquil mood at first. I like the high-energy section at :37, and how you intersperse the rhythmic and melodic elements there. The change in the meter at 1:00 is a bit clumsy - some of the drum patterns there might need to be re-recorded - and the transition at 1:10 is pretty abrupt. I like how you slow down slightly at 1:41, though - it was a nice, subtle way of foreshadowing the breakdown at 1:44. Overall, the frantic guitar riffs and sound design here are really enjoyable, and the mixing is solid, but the arrangement feels a bit disjointed, and lacks a strong sense of overarching direction. Some smoother, more gradual transitions might help in that regard, and also more distinction between the high-energy sections. Still, this piece has some killer rhythmic content and a great, engrossing mood. Keep at it, itskosama! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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
8.25/10

itskosama responds:

Thank you! It was a blast participating in this!

I'll definitely practice on those transitions! I also really enjoyed time constraint of the event! It was really good on getting me going to make something! Super grateful to everyone! 

[Keep Them Coming! (NGUAC Knockout Round)]

I like the ghostly synth riff at the beginning and the Old West-inspired harmonic content. The melodies are killer here, although at times the mix is a bit muddy in the lower frequency range. It’s often hard to make out the contour of the bass line, and at around :50 the cute synth arpeggios in the background are also a little buried. The bridge at 1:07 where you strip the beat away was a nice change-of-pace, and you transition smoothly back into the busier texture at 1:38. The second half of the piece seems like nearly a straight copy-paste of the first to me, which leaves some room for some more variety in the melodic contour and phrasing. That said, the loop is very smooth, including at the end, and there’s a lot of fun phrasing and ebb-and-flow within the 98-second loop itself, so it doesn’t bother me too much. One thing that really impresses me about this piece is how much you rely on what I call “melodic transitions,” where you’re using an entire harmonic phrase to smooth over a major transitory moment (example: 1:24 to 1:38) instead of just a sweep, riser, drum fill, reverse crash, or other cliched sound in electronic music. Melodic transitions are a very advanced composition skill to have, my friend, and you absolutely nailed the ones in here. Overall, I like this piece a lot. It has some top-tier sound design and composition. Keep at it, Interloping! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9.25/10

Interloping responds:

I think one of my favorite parts of participating in these events is seeing how you break down my work and let me know what I'm doing right and wrong, I'm glad that you picked up on the amount of effort that I have put into my melodic transitions, as most of my time and effort, if not put into the drums and diversifying them, is how my scales flow with each other in such a way that matches the overall tone of the piece. I really wish I could convey the sounds that I hear in my head onto FL studio in such a way that I could let the world hear them, but that will only come with time. I was worried about the volume of the baseline providing too much gain because it is specifically a slap bass sound font, and if it's too loud it almost sounds like a percussive instrument that drowns out the drums. That being said, I wasn't sure how to make it blend in such a way that it wouldn't just become noise. I'll try to keep this in mind for my next piece, should I actually contribute one, because I have no idea if I can pull something out of my ass that was nearly as great as this piece was :P

Maybe, just maybe, I will have another submission ready before the deadline. If not, just know how grateful I am not only for your open-hearted criticisms, honest opinions, and most importantly the opportunity to be front paged as a result, and showcase that I am absolutely capable of moving outside of my comfort zone and composing in the sound font that breaks the barriers of square wave.

Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to prove myself in this community, and I look forward to next year when I have more knowledge of FL studio!

[Geekum - Laced]

I like the flashy synths and catchy beats at the beginning. The rhythmic content and sound design are really solid here, but the composition could use a bit more structuring. The production quality is also really solid, although at times the atmosphere could’ve been a bit more filled out, with some reverb on the clap for example. Some vocals or other more dynamic melodic content would really take this piece to the next level, and the arrangement could use some more fleshing out as well. Until then, I’m still scoring this high for instrumentation, mood and atmosphere, mixing, and catchiness. Keep at it, Geekum! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10