TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Puzzle]

I like the quirky chopped vocals at the beginning and the rhythmic content. The smooth pads in the background add a refreshing vibe to the texture. The section at :29 has a nice sense of climax, but also might need some more mid-range frequencies to balance out the texture. The same problem occurs at around 1:25 and other sections of the piece. The vocals at 1:06 have a nice and soothing vibe, while also hinting at the energy of many of the other sections of the piece. This piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing, and also has a good sense of harmony and rhythm. That said, I think you could’ve maximized the emotional appeal a bit more with some more fill in the texture at times. You may have overused the high-pass filters or equalized things in a bit of an unbalanced way here. I wanted to hear a little more bass at times, and definitely more mid-range frequencies. It also gets a tad repetitive towards the end, although the additional harmonies on top of the vocals at 3:43 help alleviate that issue. Overall, solid work with the structuring, melodies, sound design, and catchiness! Keep at it, icantpronouncethis. ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

icantpronouncethis responds:

Thank you for your awesome critques. I was wondering if you can clarify what you mean by "I think you could’ve maximized the emotional appeal a bit more with some more fill in the texture at times" I also noticed the lack of bass and mid-range a little too late in the game, but I'm making the fixes now. Though I didn't make it to the finals this year, this was a great chance for me to explore and see where I am now.

[Latitude]

I like the somewhat somber mood at the beginning and the atmosphere. There’s a tad too much reverb in the texture, although the mix holds up pretty well regardless. The drum samples are a bit cliche, but I like harmonic content and the subtle sense of climax into :45. The transition at :45 could’ve been smoother, but the injection of energy at 1:00 was a nice touch. The melodies at 1:15 sound blissful and light, if a tad repetitive. The transition at 2:04 could’ve been a bit more gradual, but I enjoyed the re-intro with the emotional appeal of the piano. The second half of the piece is very similar to the first half. I would’ve liked to hear a little more variety in the melodies and transitory content leading into the last refrain. Still, solid work overall with the harmonies, rhythmic content, energy, sound design, and production. Keep at it, HactasticBeast! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
8/10

Benji-G responds:

Thank you so much for the feedback! I will look back at this in my future work so I can fix the things you said. :)

[You Aight? [Future/Glitch]]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. Some of the aspects of the texture sound a bit harsh, like the distorted chords at :11. The reverb also may have been a tad excessive, and the drums sound pretty over-compressed. Still, the beats at :38 are catchy, and I’m enjoying the melodic content at :56 as well. Nice job with the build-up into 1:17, and the production quality is really strong here overall. I like the seductive melody synths and the harmonies. Some of the drum samples are a bit cliche, but otherwise the sound design here is top-notch. The glitchy bridge at 2:59 was great, and the rhythmic content here in general is rather creative. There’s still a bit too much reverb in the texture, but the mix holds up pretty well and the frequencies seem well-balanced. The spacey outro was a nice touch too. Despite my criticisms of the production and compositional details, this piece is really strong overall. Really fun and unique sound design, melodies, and atmosphere. Keep it up, H20ghost! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.25/10

H20ghost responds:

I really enjoyed making this and I dont plan to give up.I will continue to practice :).Thank you for your feedback I really need it so I can build up from the mistakes and create something new and better.Gl for the others :D

[Grand Tourer]

Fun idea with the homegrown car sound effects. I’m not sure it was quite worth a 30-second solo in the texture, but I like the atmosphere at :26 and the dissonance in the chords. The tambourine on the off beats is a tad too prominent in the mix, and the mix as a whole is very quiet. It sounds like there’s some more melodic content in the texture at a higher register, but it gets very lost beneath the minimal pads and drums. I think the mixing here needs a lot of polishing to bring out the different elements of the sound design. It would be cool if the presence of each instrument in the mix was oscillating a bit more, because otherwise there’s not much structural variety to keep me engaged. Overall, the instrumentation, atmosphere, mood, and rhythmic content are really good, but I think you need to flesh out the arrangement more and solidify the compositional details. At the end of the day, the piece doesn’t feel complete, unfortunately. Still, I’d encourage you to keep working on this one. It has a smooth, mellow vibe that seems perfect for a hot summer day. :) Keep at it, G4CEsz-Official!

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

[Maelstrom]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning and the quirky synths and automations. The piece is a little slow to develop, and the sweep at :47 sounds a little harsh in the upper register. You might want to get a little stricter with the equalizer there, and maybe also add some more effects to the sweep. Still, I like when the texture starts to fill out at :48. There might be a tad too much reverb in the texture, because the mix sounds a bit distorted. Another problem could be too much bass. Try using high-pass filters to cut out some of the muddy lower tones. Otherwise, I think this piece has very little harmonic variety, and most of the transitions are either abrupt or simple fade-ins. The result is that the arrangement feels a bit formulaic, and there isn’t a strong sense of dynamism in the composition by the end. I also thought you could’ve done more creative work with the drums here, and you begin to overuse the sweeps by the end as well. I like the atmosphere, mood, and harmonic content here, but the composition is a bit underwhelming and the structure feels too stagnant. I’d encourage you to keep working on this track - it would be really neat if you could go for a bigger climax to capitalize on the ominous tension in the piece. Keep at it, Electronox! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

[To Be Well]

I like the smooth, bluesy vibe at the beginning and the transition into :16. The texture by then has an unstable, anxious feel that fits the lyrics well. I think your vocals have gotten a lot cleaner since I last heard you sing - especially in terms of the recording/production quality. The vocals also have a nice conversational tone. The call-and-response pattern starting at 1:07 came across as a bit cliche and overdone, and occasionally the articulation is a little bizarre, like at “but” at 1:29. I like the addition of the organ to the texture by then, and the content of the lyrics themselves is also pretty enjoyable and really tells a story. Sometimes, the syllables don’t fit inside the beat perfectly, like at the “you will control me until I’m out” line. The breakdown at 2:32 was a nice break from the intensity of the sections around it, and the lead at 2:58 has a strangely blissful vibe that I really like. I like how you reach only the conclusion of the lyrics in its entirety (“I deserve to be well”) at the very end, and the cough was a nice thematic touch. :) Overall, despite my complaints with the compositional details, I think this is a very strong piece overall. The mix is crystal clear, the texture is energetic and catchy, and you have me thoroughly convinced that the narrator should break up with his SO. Keep it up, dude2312! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
9/10

[Newgrounds Round 2 Submission]

I like the contained sound at the beginning - sounds like you recorded a song that was playing through the speakers at the mall. :) The texture at :11 has a smooth, mellow vibe, and I like the well-balanced drums and sound design too. The progression is a little slow-paced, and by the 1-minute mark I was really itching for some variety in the harmonic content. Some more dynamic melodic content would also have been nice. Despite the clean production and good use of effects, the mix is a tad quiet throughout. The minimal piano section at 1:40 was good for some structural contrast, but also didn’t do much to switch up the simple chord progression that forms the root of this piece. I like the subtle, gradual climax into 2:13, but I would’ve liked to see you aim for a stronger escalation to really hit this piece home. There’s a great sense of atmosphere, progression, and balance in the texture, but the composition is rather underwhelming at the end of the day, and that’s the main thing holding the piece back imo. More variety, more ebb and flow, more risks - that’s what you needed here. Otherwise, nice work with the mixing and mastering, instrumentation, and mood of this one. Keep at it, ChristopherReeves! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[Between Space]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning and the rich texture. The melodic flair and wave-like quality are both really nice. The piece is a little slow to progress, although I’m enjoying the more ominous elements at around :53. I think you needed a lot more dynamism in the composition here. The instrumental hierarchy is almost exactly the same throughout, and at some point it would’ve given the piece a stronger sense of direction if there was a more regular rhythmic component. I really like the solo at around 2:40, as well as the shimmering pads at around 3:30. I also think you didn’t have a lot of prominent movement in the bass range for a lot of the piece. The ending feels pretty inconclusive, which is likely a product of the rather flat structure of the piece. There were moments of slightly increased intensity, but overall the piece lacked a strong sense of ebb and flow that could really help maximize the emotional quality of these haunting pads and airy synths. Overall, wonderful job with the atmosphere, sound design, and harmonic content. The arrangement and compositional details could use a bit more fleshing out. Keep at it, BasiatordeCoronatus! :)

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

[AstronautX9-Some Bits]

I like the progression towards the beginning, although there might be some more creative ways of starting a piece than with the gradual fade-in here. The piano sample itself sounds a bit generic and inauthentic, as do the strings at :48. I think you could’ve used a smoother transition into :48. Some drums would really help move this piece along a little more, as the pacing is pretty slow here. There’s also a bit of dissonance in the texture at 1:30 between the bass and the rest of the harmonies. I like the bright piano melody at 1:35, but the flat, undecorated drone at 1:35 didn’t add a lot of value to the texture. The progression of the piece feels very formulaic after a while, and you could’ve used a lot more mixing effects, phrasing, automations, filtering, and other techniques to maximize the impact of the climax into 2:50. I was a little thrown off by the prominence of the synths in the texture at 2:52, and the pause at 2:54 was a bit awkward. The energetic section at 2:58 sounds nice, although it doesn’t feel very connected to the orchestral music of the first 3 minutes of the piece. You begin to solve that problem by around 3:45, but at that point I think it’s a little late. The transition at 3:58 was pretty jarring given that the sound almost completely dissipates from the texture (without even reverb or other effects) before the new section begins. The fade-out ending at the end came across as a tad lazy too. Overall, my favorite parts of the piece are the harmonic content, production quality, and rhythmic components. I think this piece sounds like you rushed some of the overarching compositional considerations, including the arrangement, sense of cohesion, and depth of melodies. Still, there are a lot of individual riffs in here that sound cute and catchy, and the first half of the piece has a really nice emotional appeal. Keep at it, AstronautX9Music! :)

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
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.25/10

[Odoroki Ruins]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The string samples aren’t of the best quality, but I like the eastern-sounding instrument at :39 and the harmonic content. The texture is a bit thin, and at times I wished the drums had a more prominent role in it. I like the powerful brass at 1:47, but I’m not sure I like how the note cuts off right before the next one starts. The mix is a little muddy in the low end at times, especially with the strings, and also sounds rather quiet overall. Sometimes, the harmonies are even a bit quiet relative to each other. The arrangement is a bit choppy, too, with sudden transitions (like at 3:03) and not much of an overarching sense of direction. The structure of the song feels a bit cyclical after a while, and I really wanted the texture to be a bit richer at times. The piece is missing a moment of climax or arrival at the end to really hit it home, despite having a lot of mysterious tension throughout. That said, there’s a pleasant atmosphere and harmonic content here. I think the unfamiliarity of a new DAW is affecting the quality of this piece, unfortunately, and that was apparent in the mixing and sound design. Still, I appreciate your resolve to make a track despite these setbacks. Keep at it, ARealGhost! :)
Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

ARealGhost responds:

Thank you for the feedback and for the opportunity, Tainted! I will keep pushing forward.