TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Inside]

I like the rich atmosphere at the beginning and the filtering at :45. The piece is pretty slow to progress throughout, but the bass line and beats at :45 help me stay engaged. The piano chords at 1:33 are nice, but the rhythm is a little square. I really like the mood and sound design throughout, but the composition felt a bit too safe here. It would’ve been nice to feature some of the melodic content more prominently towards the end, just to give the piece more of a narrative arc. Still, the progression is smooth and the mix is really clean despite all the reverb. You really won me over with the atmosphere and instrumentation here. Keep at it, ImSoAlive! :)

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

[Re;Surface]

I like the cute melodies at the beginning and the smooth progression. A lot of the synths are a bit cheesy, and the drum samples are also pretty generic. The build-up into :55 felt like it didn’t lead much of anywhere, but I’m enjoying the arpeggios there. The transition into 1:22 was pretty sudden, and I wish there was some more variety in the harmonic content in the second half. The strongest element of the piece is probably the production quality. The mix is a tad over-compressed, but I can hear the instruments loud and clear throughout. I enjoyed the melodies too, although the composition might need a bit more shape and variety to give the piece a stronger sense of narrative and direction over time. Overall, it’s a catchy and well-mastered piece, but the sound design and some of the compositional details are a little bland. Keep at it, iChrono21! :)

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
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

iChrono21 responds:

I'm glad to hear that you liked the piece somehow. I was going for a long break at the time I was making this so I put a lot of effort more than usual. Thank you so much for inviting me to NGUAC, even though I, at least, wanted to get through the Tryouts for a fresh experience. But I will definitely try again next year!

[Centrifuge]

I like the quirky percussion and bass riff at the beginning. The drums might need a tad more reverb just to fill out the texture toward the beginning, and the progression is a little slow-paced for the first minute or so. By around the 1-minute mark it’s starting to come together well, and I’m enjoying the bluesy chords too. The synth that comes in at 1:37 is cool, but I think it’s distorting the pads in the mix. I’d suggest using a little more filtering to eliminate some of the low-pitched tones in the instruments besides the bass and kick. Otherwise, instruments playing in the same frequency ranges as others will tend to make each other sound less distinct, which I think is what’s happening here. There’s a great sense of climax into 2:15, though, and I like how you aimed for some dynamic contrast in the next section. The clave at 2:54 sounded a little dry and out-of-place - maybe it deserves a fade-in? The texture is pretty minimal in here, but the majestic melody at 3:20 is a great touch. The piece comes together really well at 3:57. I’m loving the injection of melodic content and energy, all while keeping the mysterious mood of the breakdown section alive. The mix might’ve gotten a tad overwhelmed by 4:17, and it might help to tone down the reverb there. I would’ve liked to hear a more proper outro, but in a way the sudden ending adds to the sense of mystery with this piece. Overall, the composition of this track is really strong. I love how it’s structured, and the sound design and flow of it are great too. Some of the mixing details are my main concerns here, and I think the bass is also a little too loud throughout. Otherwise, keep up the good work, Glassedhouse! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

Glassedhouse responds:

Thanks! I think that for the next rounds of the competition, I will focus more on acoustics and the orchestra since as you might be able to tell, my strengths are compositional, and I'm very new to electronics/production. Thanks for the criticisms! Very well stated and helpful.

[Europa [Charity Album]]

I like the quirky bass riff at the beginning and the spacey synths at :11. There’s a tad too much reverb in the texture, especially on the drums, and the drum samples themselves are also pretty generic. I’m really enjoying the rich harmonies by around 1:20, and the breakdown at 1:42 is great for some variety. The pitch-bending on that synth at around 2:05 is nice, and the drawn-out phrasing there builds a good sense of anticipation into the return of the main theme at 2:35. I might’ve liked to hear a little more variety on some of the main melodies later on, but the rich atmosphere and full texture help me stay engaged. Solid work! The sound design, pensive mood, and progression are all especially nice here. Keep at it, GizmoDude8128! :)

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

GizmoDude8128 responds:

Wow, thanks for providing such in-depth feedback! And thanks for organizing NGUAC, it's a really cool competition. I'm glad you liked the track!

[Ghost Warriors - Zero Chance]

I like the pensive piano riff at the beginning and the low strings. The vocals at :20 are wonderful - they really blend in well with the atmosphere. The kick drum at :56 sounds a little too sub-bassy for a piece like this, but once the snare comes in I’m acclimated to it. The uplifting piano chords at around the 2-minute mark were nice, and the guitar at 2:14 was a pleasant surprise. The drawn-out, atmospheric outro was really neat too. I think some more melodic content later on in the piece would really help hit it home, but this piece still has a nice narrative arc to it. Good job with the sound design, mixing, and progression. Strong work, GhostWarriors! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

GhostWarriors responds:

Thank you very much for such a detailed assessment!
I am glad to hear that you like this composition

[Elise of the East]

I like the nature sound effects at the beginning. The guitar riff at :07 sounds a little overly contained, which dampens the easy-going vibe of the beat and vocals. Maybe it’s the recording quality? Or the acoustics in the space where you recorded it? I really like the soothing vocals and smooth pads at :23, though. The chorus at :57 is well-written, but the production sounds a little indistinct and the main guitar still sounds like it needs more breathing room in the mix. If you used a DAW to put this together, I’d suggest slapping an equalizer on the guitar and making sure that all the frequencies are coming through on the recording. Something sounds off there. Anyway, it was nice to hear you break the verse-chorus structure by 2:43, although the different vocal passages don’t really blend super well together there - again, it’s more of a mixing problem than a compositional one. Either way, I like the drum fill at the end and the overall mood of this one. I can tell you’re a talented singer and songwriter, and you’ve definitely earned a scout. Keep at it, Gald! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
7.5/10

Gald responds:

Thank you for the very detailed and honest response!
This is the kind of response that makes me feel good about what I'm doing.

[On the way to the sun]

I like the spacey arpeggios at the beginning and the atmosphere. The beats are catchy and the mix is clean. The melodies at :46 are nice, and the filtering effects at 1:08 were pretty cool. The second half of the piece doesn’t have a ton of variety compared to the first, though. The harmonic content here gets very repetitive, and the chord progression and arrangement of the piece are both pretty generic. Overall, I admire the high production quality, atmosphere, and progression of this piece. The composition just needs a stronger sense of ebb-and-flow and storytelling over time to really make it sound out. Keep at it, Frankpresents! :)

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[Epic Celebration]

I like the bright-sounding strings and atmosphere at the beginning. Sound design here is really interesting, actually. The vocals at :16 are super cool, and the rhythmic content gives the piece a fun danceable flair. The harmonic content is really repetitive, but the mixing is strong. The ride cymbals you use at times, like at 1:46, were another good choice orchestration-wise. Overall, my main problem with the piece is the repetitive riffs. You did a good job of varying the instrumentation and energy levels, especially with that furtive-sounding breakdown at 2:40, but the entire structure is basically the same 15-second riff on repeat for 5.5 minutes. Especially in such a long piece, I really wanted to hear some new chord progressions, melodic ideas, and rhythmic patterns at some point. Still, you’re clearly a talented producer with a good sense of sound design, rhythm, and progression. Keep at it, FLAVOUR-STAR! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7.25/10

FLAVOUR-STAR responds:

Thanks for the detailed rating. You're right, a little more melodic variety would have done the piece good and was responsible for the narrow failure. Cheers. :)

[Remorse]

I like the catchy riffs at the beginning - almost sounds jazzy in a way. It could use a little more percussion to move it along towards the beginning, but I’m really enjoying the crisp hats at :38 and the sense of climax up to that point. The progression is a bit slow-paced at times, and I would’ve liked to hear a tad more harmonic depth early on. The drop at 1:35 was cool, and had some fun melodic variations to boot. Some of the synths you used in there sounded a bit cheesy, notably the harmonies at 1:18, but the smooth pads during the breakdown at 2:15 are really nice. There’s a tad too much reverb in the texture at some points, notably 3:15, which makes the mix sound a bit distorted and indistinct. There was a good sense of build-up into 3:50, and I like how you mimicked the first drop in the section at 4:10. Overall, this is strong work! Most of my concerns are with the sound design and mixing, but the composition is really good. Keep at it, Farah2017! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[EverythingYouWish - Divided]

I like the ominous synth riffs at the beginning. The mix sounds a bit muddy by :17 - maybe there’s a bit too much reverb in the texture? You might also need to get a little stricter with the equalizers - seems like a lot of the distortion comes from the bass range. The sound design at :45 is pretty cool, but the compression is a bit too heavy for my tastes and the harmonic content is a little repetitive and bland, which only continues in the second half. Overall, I enjoyed the rhythmic content, mood, and the catchy riffs, but I think the mixing needs a little more attention and the composition is pretty underwhelming. I think it would help the listener to stay engaged if you tried to contrast these apprehensive beats with a section that was more melodic, or maybe just atmospheric, at some point. That way, there would be more variety in the arrangement. Still, I think this piece is worth a second version. PM me if you ever get around to it, and I’ll drop you another review. Keep at it, EverythingYouWish! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.75/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
4.5/10

EverythingYouWish responds:

Thank you TaintedLogic! You opened my eyes to what was not obvious before, and now that I am aware I can make better music. Glad you had the chance and time to review me. ;)