TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Τα ναυαγια της ψυχης(The Shipwrecks of the Soul)]

I like the crisp drums and soulful guitar riff at the beginning. The guitar isn’t always synced up to the beat perfectly, but maybe you could fix that with tempo automations on the drums. The vocals at :27 are a bit too far back in the mix at times, and also could use some more mixing effects to fill out the atmosphere. Based on the translation, the lyrics are really well-written, and I like the escalation in intensity in the vocals starting at around 1:30. At times, the delivery on the vocals is a bit thin, though, especially when you’re in the higher range. Singing with some taller vowels might help with that. There are also some times where you’re not really holding out the tonal center of the note very well, like at 3:26. That said, I especially like the solo at 4:00 - the subtle build-up to 4:20 is just really nice. The piece could also use some more fill in the texture at some point - most of the time, the mix is pretty minimal, especially for a relatively long track. The ending is also a bit sudden here. Overall, I really like the emotion in the vocals and the melodies of this track. The vocal delivery isn’t perfect, and the composition could use a bit more harmonic depth at times, but the organic sound design is a great treat. Keep at it, thetakis! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
6.25/10

[Catacombs]

I like the catchy bass riff and beat at the beginning. The filtering on the bass is particularly nice, and the quirky percussion at :11 helps set the scene nicely. I think you start going a tad overboard with the rhythmic effects starting around :30, especially since the piece doesn’t have much else going on harmonically. There are flashes of more tonal content, like the bass riff at 1:07, but overall the texture sounds a little too experimental, and more importantly like it’s not really going anywhere. I wanted to hear a stronger sense of narrative development, especially if you’re going to stick with very minimal and atonal content for the entire piece. The rhythmic content is enjoyable, though, and elements of the sound design sound pretty cool. The composition just needs a lot more depth and variety. Keep at it, TheRealMrPeoples! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.75/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
4/10

TheRealMrPeoples responds:

I agree with everything you wrote. I will keep at it. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to listen and give feedback. I so seldom get any that it actually means quite a bit to me. I expect that my making pieces in essentially a vacuum made me complacent. Expect to hear something more complete on my next offering.

Thank you,

Mr. Peoples

[Prowler's Polka]

I like the cute synth melody at the beginning. The mix is very quiet, though - you might need some more compression, or maybe just some volume level adjustments. The bass line at :11 is catchy, but the organ at :22 sounds a bit too harsh and loud relative to the other instruments. I’d suggest using an equalizer to scale back some of the treble tones in the organ. Also, you might want to reduce some of the really low frequencies (200 Hz or less) in the organ and piano as well - that might make it so that you can hear the drums more clearly. Right now, the drums get a little distorted at times, like when the organ is really loud at :43.

That said, I like the church bells at :57 and the quirky synths at 1:08. The transition at 1:08 was a bit rough, and the synth sounds pretty distorted at 1:25 when the bass comes in - that might also be because you left a few too many bass tones in the synth in the equalizer. That said, the structure where you return to the main melodies later on was very effective. It might be nice to vary the melodies more the second time around, but otherwise the composition is pretty enjoyable here. My main concern is the mixing and mastering - the texture of this piece could sound a lot clearer, louder, and more well-balanced. Idk what DAW you use, but please PM me if you want some tips that are particular to either FL Studio or Logic Pro.

Still, this is a catchy piece with some fun sound design and strong melodies. Keep at it, ThePhreshPhrog! You earned my scout. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

ThePhreshPhrog responds:

Thank you for the in depth breakdown, I really appreciate it. I’ll admit I knew the mix was lacking heavily going into it but I’m really new to FL Studio and was unsure how to fix the problems I heard. I’ve composed a few more tracks since then that are probably a step in the right direction. Hopefully by this time next year I’ll be more capable. Thanks for hosting this contest though, I was glad to be a part of it.

[Rainbow Nightsparks]

I like the bright, upbeat mood at the beginning and the cute synths. The chord progression, arrangement, and drums are a bit cliche, but there’s a good sense of build-up over the course of the first 40 seconds or so. The piece could use a bit more variety, especially in the harmonic content, although the breakdown/re-intro part at 1:36 was a good idea. The strongest element of this piece is probably the mixing - I can hear all of the instruments clearly throughout, and the frequencies are well-balanced between bass, mid-range, and treble. The melody at 2:31 is probably the most notable bit of variety in the piece, and putting it towards the end did help give the piece a sense of closure. I found the key change after that to be a bit cheesy, though - I don’t think it added much to the piece at that point. That said, you’ve made a catchy, well-produced, and smooth-flowing track here, Thelxinoe! You could take this track to the next level by using your good sense of harmony and progression to carve out a “B” melody or bridge with a different chord progression at some point. Keep at it! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[TheBroox2000 - SEIZURE (DIRTY Deathstep)]

I like the ominous synth riffs at the beginning. The mix sounds a bit distorted and over-compressed, though. I would’ve liked to hear more of the drums, especially. The build-up into 1:05 is pretty cool, but the drop at 1:06 doesn’t add much in the way of novel harmonic content, and, while elements of the sound design are enjoyable, a lot of it sounds way too loud and distorted in the mix. The bass re-intro at 2:15 was a good idea, and the higher-pitched wubs at 2:38 sound pretty cool. In general, this piece needs a lot more harmonic depth and variety, though - it’s really the same 2 or 3 main riffs for 4.5 minutes, which despite the decent amount of variation in the instrumental palette, is not quite enough. My main problem with the piece is the mixing, though - I seriously think you need to ease back on the compression and rely more on equalizers to help each instrument sound more distinct. Otherwise, the piece is catchy and has a nice, foreboding mood about it. Keep at it, TheBroox2000! ^_^

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

[Me when I fart a little bit too hard]

The instrument selection here is pretty cool. I like the jazzy flair this has, but the rhythm is very hard-to-follow and the harmonies are rather dissonant. The mix is also extremely harsh and distorted at times - during the busy sections, like 1:50, it’s very difficult to hear the drums, and often the lead synths are way too loud relative to the harmonies. The grating synths in the upper register in particular are a bit overwhelming - you can soften them a bit with some wet reverb and maybe remove some of the treble tones with an equalizer. In general, the piece lacks coordination and an overarching narrative appeal too. There’s definitely potential here with the funky instrumental palette and wonky mood, but you need to scale back the experimental doodling and give this piece a less jarring arrangement if you’re going to get any more points out of me. Sorry! Keep at it, TBMME. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
0/1
Composite score
3/10

TheBestMusicMakerEvr responds:

Lol

[EXPACEDIA]

I like the catchy synth riffs at the beginning. The harmonies are a bit dissonant starting at around :14, and the build-up and transition into :26 could’ve been smoother. Pitch automations, tempo automations, and dissonant elements are all fine ways to foreshadow a change in the texture, but doing them all at once sounds a bit jarring. The synth riff at :27 sounds nice, albeit very different than the one at the intro, and there are more dissonances by around :40. I’d also challenge you to expand your instrumental palette a bit - most of the leads here are 8-bit synths, which is not bad, but branching out more could be a good way of creating variety.

The harmonies start to get better at around the 1-minute mark. I like the thicker texture and the addition of the piano by 1:20. The mix sounds a bit distorted there, though. Just make sure you have an equalizer cutting off all of the frequencies below 200 Hz on every instrument besides the bass and kick - that’ll make the entire texture sound way sharper and less muddy. Otherwise, I like the melodies, rhythmic content, and atmosphere of this middle section a lot. The breakdown at 2:13 was a good idea too, although it would be nice if it had a bit more shape to it, maybe gradually increasing in volume until the rest of the harmonies came back in at 2:35 or something like that. I also like the hierarchically flat distribution of sound here, where there isn’t one particular riff or instrument that captures my attention much more than the others.

The dissonances return at 3:28, though. A lot of those chords just seriously clash with the melody, and the ending sounds pretty abrupt too. I’d encourage you to go back and check to make sure that every note that’s playing at a given time in this piece is part of the chord corresponding to that measure. If not, it’s probably best to either delete or transpose the dissonant note. Mixing effects and rhythmic instruments are usually a better source of creating atmospheric appeal than dissonant harmonies.

Overall, this is a fun and catchy piece that grows on me as I hear more of it. Some of the compositional details are a little too experimental (whether harmonically or otherwise) for my tastes, and the mix could be a tad sharper, but the rhythmic content, progression, melodies, and mood are all well-done here. Keep at it, ThatMatt! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

[-[{WANNABEWALMART}]-]

I like the smooth guitar and bass lines at the beginning. The static and, later, the drums are a bit too loud relative to the harmonic instruments, though, and the entry and cut-off of the instruments can be really sudden at times, like the drums at :45. The beats are catchy, and I like the mood and atmosphere. Otherwise, this piece just needs a much more fleshed-out structure, with more variety in the harmonies, energy level, and instrumentation. The pitch/tempo automations at 2:15 are really cool, though, and besides the overly loud drums, the production quality is pretty clean throughout. Keep at it, TEN8mystery! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
5.5/10

[WOBA - BECAUSE (TAIKON REMIX)]

I like the quirky atmosphere at the beginning and the bottled-up, frantic percussion. The synth riff at :28 is cute, and I’m enjoying the build-up into 1:03. The drop is catchy, but the mix sounds a bit tight and over-compressed, with not a lot of room in the equalizer for the snare and bass. The arrangement and chord progression are also a bit generic. That said, I like the “B” melody at 2:31, which in turn transitioned back into the second build-up well. The rhythmic content here is strong, and in general I like the sound design too. I would’ve liked to see you vary the drop a bit more the second time around, but that’s more of a missed opportunity than anything else. Overall, it’s a fun and catchy track with some flashy synths and a rich atmosphere at times. Letting the mix breathe a bit more and making the arrangement a bit less predictable would really take this to the next level. Keep at it, TAIKON26! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[Dreamly Depths]

I like the beat at the beginning and the triumphant-sounding melodies at :10. Some of the effects are a bit cheesy-sounding, like the unpolished bass that comes in every 4 bars starting at :04. Some parts of the piece, especially the first 90 seconds, could also use some more harmonic depth - a bass line, pads, or other harmonies to fill out the texture a bit more. You do create a good amount of variety throughout the piece, but sometimes the transitions between themes are a bit abrupt, like at 1:31. That section, at 1:31, is probably my favorite of the piece, though. The melodies are really catchy and dynamic, and the chords backing them up create a richness in the mix that’s lacking during other parts of the piece. You also transition nicely back into the main melody at 2:32.

At some point, it would be nice to strip away the beat or otherwise switch up the instruments a bit more than you’ve done here. An important variable to use to create contrast in your song is the energy level, and the same beat playing for 5 minutes makes the entire piece seem a bit stagnant after a while. Otherwise, there’s not much in the way of novel content during the last couple of minutes of this piece. It almost sounds like a straight loop of the piece after 2:31, other than the first 10 seconds where it’s just the beat. Either way, varying the melody slightly or adding some additional harmonies towards the end could be a great way to give your piece a sense of overarching development.

Still, I like the sound design, mood, and mixing here. I think the composition could be a tad more fleshed-out and well-varied, but there are a lot of fun and catchy riffs here. Keep at it, Stilverguy! You’ve earned a scout. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.75/10

Stilverguy responds:

Thank you for the critic! It's nice to get advice from someone with a deep understanding of music! (usual ppl that give me critiques, are my friends that don't really give me much) I'm considering making an update with the advice you gave me. Thanks again