TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[SICK]

I like the cutesy harmonies at the beginning and the smooth guitar and rich atmosphere. The drums are pretty loud at first, but once some of the other harmonies fill in the texture around them, they sit nicely in the mix. I really like the sound design, btw, especially that woodwind instrument at :57 that almost sounds like a mellow train whistle. The heavily compressed guitar riff at 1:22 sounds really cool, and the filtering on the drums at 1:43 was also well-done. The arrangement feels a tad choppy during the middle section, and the harmonies are a tad dissonant briefly at around 2:13 and again at 2:28. The disjointed glitches at 2:35 or so also didn’t really work for me - it seems like the middle section of the piece was dragging on for a tad too long by that point, and overall the piece seems to lack a point of arrival and/or conclusion towards the end. It felt like the emotional height of the piece came at around the 1-minute mark, which didn’t leave much room for that sense of arrival later on. That said, I really admire the production quality, sound design, atmosphere, and harmonic structure of this piece overall. Strong work, Samlrc! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

[Gone (Trap)]

I like the powerful piano chords at the beginning and quirky snare at :14. There’s a bit of harmonic dissonance at around :30 when the synth melodies and bass line are playing at the same time, but I like the build-up into 1:07 and the gritty descending synth that plays every 4 bars during the drop. The mix is clean and loud, and the piano gives the piece a fun, jazzy flair. The melodies at 1:59 are a bit jumpy in pitch, and don’t feel as dynamic and expressive as they could. The rhythmic content and sound design are neat, and the dramatic pause at 2:59 is a nice touch. I think the second drop could’ve been more distinct from the first one, but the beat itself and the mood changes throughout the piece also give the piece a good deal of variety. Overall, solid work, Reddyfu! Keep at it, man. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

reddyxu responds:

Thanks a lot for giving feedback, Andrew! I'll keep in mind what you said in the future.

[Table Scraps]

I like the lyrics and energy right off that bat, although the piece probably could’ve used more of an intro just to get the listener oriented a bit.

The mix feels a bit thin and constrained at times, especially the guitars and vocals. Did you equalize out the bass tones in the guitars? You might consider putting more of the mid-lows back in there, because otherwise they sound pretty constrained and artificial. It also might be the mic that’s making the output sound that way - it’s hard for me to tell.

Also, the vocals are a bit dry - I’d suggest layering on some reverb, compression, and maybe other mixing effects that give them some power. Your voice also sounds a tad strained at times - it might be that you’re singing near the top of your range, but even so a vocal coach could probably show you some exercises that make it easier to open up the sound even at a high register.

Like I said, I’m enjoying the lyrics, but sometimes you squeeze in a few too many syllables in one line (example: at :38, the frantic delivery of “you expect us to be okay with this” doesn’t really fit with the other lines in that phrase). I find it helpful to practice using fewer words when you need to in other writing contexts, even writing haikus.

The harmonic content gets a tad repetitive after a while. The spoken word vocals at 2:20 are a nice way of switching things up, but the overall chord progression and layout of the texture is pretty constant throughout. A solo or bridge earlier on could really help break up the long sections of similar vocal phrases and backing guitar. Part of the problem might also be that there isn’t a huge amount of contrast (in energy level, instrumentation, etc.) between the verses and the chorus here. That said, the keyboard solo at 3:18 is a great moment of structural relief, and I like that you are faintly talking through it in the background. I just wish it came a little earlier in the piece, which I think would give you a good opportunity to hammer home the message in the final chorus and layer on the guitar and keyboard at the same time.

Either way, the piece comes together well at the end. You have a good sense of progression, harmony, and mastering, and I can’t help but identify with the generational angst you express here. :) Keep at it, Realmaskband!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

realmaskband responds:

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks a ton for the feedback!

[The Stars]

I like the upbeat mood at the beginning. The string samples sound pretty fake, but I like the crisp drums and clean mix. The spoken word vocals don’t quite work for me, though - I think part of the problem is that they aren’t calibrated to the beat very well. Have you tried quantizing the recording to the beat in your DAW? The lyrics themselves are really good, with a fun rhyme scheme and some evocative imagery. The instrumental track could use some more variety. In particular, it’s missing some bass tones, and some additional harmonies or instruments would be welcome. At times, the mix gets a bit distorted, probably because it’s too loud. The little staticky blips you can hear at 1:45 and other places are a good indicator of that. Most DAWs have some sort of gauge on the mixer that turns red if the audio output is getting overwhelmed by the signal - it’s called “clipping,” and it’s definitely something you want to avoid. That said, the guitar solo at around the 3-minute mark was a good idea, and the repetition of the chorus at the end helped give the piece a good sense of closure. Overall, I think the composition is what could use the most help here. The vocals could use some more careful editing, and the instrumental track isn’t really making use of the bottom part of the frequency range. Still, the upbeat mood, energy, lyrics, and rhythmic content are all pretty good. Keep at it, R0botSqu1d! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
0/1
Composite score
3.5/10

[jafol]

I like the heavy synth bass at the beginning. The percussion is a little loud, and the clicks layered on the kick instrument were a bit strong for my tastes. More importantly, the frantic synth harmonies often clash with the bass line later on in the piece. The synth lead’s melodies themselves are pretty cool, but it seems like you tried to do a bit too much with the progression after a while, layering on harmonies that don’t really complement each other. I’d suggest choosing a certain set of pitches (up to 7, but as few as 5) in advance, and then writing all of the notes of the piece using those pitches. Also, make sure that all of the notes that are playing at a given time fit into the same chord. I find it helpful to put all the harmonies in one instrument’s piano roll first, and then assign them instruments later. That way, you know the harmonies sound good together before you have too many different tracks to work with. Other, smaller problems in this piece include the cheesy instruments and somewhat aimless structure. That said, I enjoyed the cute mood, melodies, and rhythmic elements, and developing your sense of harmony is the most important next step for you going forward. Keep at it, PeculiarAlfred! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.75/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
4/10

PeculiarAlfred responds:

i understood about 20% of your response, but thanks!

[Answers]

I like the bass drone and frantic synth arpeggios at the beginning. The airy beats and grating percussion at :28 work well together, and the rhythmic content is certainly a highlight. The distorted piano melodies at 1:02 or so help provide some contrast to the gritty rhythmic elements from earlier, but I would’ve liked them to be a little more up-front in the mix. The string arpeggios at 1:40 were pretty unexpected, as was the drop that comes shortly thereafter. The structure of this piece feels a bit disjointed, and I’m further confused by the mood change conveyed in the blissful piano line at the very end. Overall, you’re clearly a talented producer with a strong sense of progression, harmony, and mixing, but the composition didn’t quite come together for me here. You’ve certainly done enough to earn a scout in my book, though. Keep at it, Paper-Money! :)

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

Paper-Money responds:

sorry for the late reply but thanks:>

[Miami Sunset]

I like the pulsing pads and groovy bass at the beginning. There’s a rich atmosphere, although the reverb and compression may both be a tad excessive at times. I wasn’t a huge fan of your snare sample - it’s a little staticky for my tastes. That said, the cute melodies at 1:02 are keeping me engaged, as well as the rhythmic content and airy sound design. I would’ve liked to see a little more variety later on in this piece. The structure feels pretty cyclical and repetitive after a while, and the melodies in particular could use some variation later on. That said, you still won me over here with the blissful mood, quirky instruments, solid mixing, and fun melodies. Keep at it, OriginalTultraP! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Dragon Warrior Modified]

The riser at the beginning sounds cool, if a tad unpolished and out-of-place in the context of the relaxed riffs that follow it. Nice job with the filtering on the synth line at :14. The mix is also pretty clean and well-balanced here, as exemplified by the crisp drums and broad frequency range. The piece is a tad slow to progress after :14, and the chord progression is a bit cliche. My main complaint here is probably that the piece needs more harmonic variety and a richer texture later on. The jumpy riff at 2:33 was good for some variety, but it was short-lived and was playing in a pretty minimal context, which didn’t help give the piece a sense of conclusiveness. This piece has a lot of changes in the energy level and dynamics, which is good, but little overarching sense of direction over the entire piece. As a smaller detail, it’s also bothering me that the drums are a little buried in the mix at 1:23, especially since not much else is going on there. Overall, you have a strong sense of progression, harmony, and mixing and mastering. The composition could be a tad more varied and dynamic here, though. Keep at it, OliRO! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

OliRO responds:

Thank you so much for this in-depth review! I already feel like I won a prize. Getting such good quality reviews on my music is on my top tier list of things that my music could bring me. :D

[Passed the Past]

I like the airy pads at the beginning. There’s a bit of harmonic dissonance in the texture with those electric piano riffs, and the mix is pretty muddy and indistinct. I’d suggest taking some of the reverb off of the pads and doing more with panning and compression. The percussion at 1:19 is a bit cheesy and unpolished, but I like the dreamy melodies at 1:38. The injection of energy at 2:20 was a welcome change to the texture, and the rich atmosphere at 3:20 or so is especially nice. You have a strong sense of progression and harmony, although as a whole the piece seems pretty dragged-out, and the sound design is full of cliche and preset-quality choices. I also would’ve liked to hear more melodic content later in the piece - I felt like the track needed a more distinct climactic section to tie it together. That said, overall the mood, rich texture, and phrasing help sell me on this piece. A tad more attention to mixing and sound design next time could help you move this track into the 8-range or higher. Keep at it, OddaSykes! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

['LOVELY' by SoundVorteX (André C. Kalipke) of NTtHBM]

I like the quirky mood at the beginning, but the dissonance is a little strong for my tastes. I’m enjoying the progression once the texture starts to smooth out at :17. The percussion sounds a tad cliche and dry, although the rest of the sound design is quite enjoyable. After that, the piece gets quite repetitive, and seems like it could use some lyrics and/or melodies to keep the listener engaged. I think the strongest element of the piece for me was probably the production quality, although without a very busy texture it’s not necessarily the most ambitious production job I’ve ever heard. Flesh out the structure and harmonies a tad, and this piece would easily earn another point or two from me. Until then, I’m enjoying the mellow atmosphere and blissful keyboard riffs here. Keep at it, NtTHBM! :)

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10