TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Prismatic Skies]

I like the emotional appeal of the piano and strings at the beginning. The piece is a little slow to progress, but you’ve really set the composition up for contrast nicely. I think you could’ve foreshadowed the injection of energy at :42 a bit better, and I also would’ve liked the balance to favor the melodic content a little more. Right now, the harmonies at :42 are relatively too loud. There was a great sense of climax at 1:13, but it didn’t quite reach a distinct point of arrival before 1:22 came. The tranquility at 1:22 is nice. A lot of the texture throughout the piece is pretty minimal, but the sound design, atmosphere, and harmonic content here are all beautiful. The male choir and female lead towards the end are especially valuable additions to the instrumental palette. Once again, though, the piece sounds like it’s on the verge of a cathartic moment when it suddenly becomes much more reserved in character (at 3:02). I also thought the little fade-out at the very end came across as a bit lazy. Overall, I think the overarching sense of structure here could be a bit stronger, and I also wanted the percussion to be a bit crisper in the mix. Still, wonderful job with the phrasing, instrumentation, atmosphere, melodies, and flow. Despite my structural complaints, there are a lot of advanced compositional techniques in here. Keep it up, Aenter! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

[Memories]

I like the powerful synths at the beginning, although the chords sound a bit like the notes are spaced too close together. Might help give the piece a more open sound if you experimented with moving a couple of the notes up an octave. The chords also have a lot of attack, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The kick drum you used sounds a bit dry and high-pitched, although there’s a nice one with more bass at :37. The melodies at around :45 are pleasant, although by then it’s easy to tell that the melodic synths are really distorting the drums in the mix. I think you need to cut down on the reverb and add some compression to the drums. More importantly, I’d make sure to use an equalizer to remove the frequencies in the synths (besides the bass) that are below around 200 Hertz. Tones down there can really make your mix sound muddy and indistinct. Notice, for example, how much quieter your drums sound at 1:05 compared to the few seconds the melody isn’t playing at :47. You can fix that with mixing tools like equalization and panning. The distorted mix is probably my main problem with this piece. I really like the spacey atmosphere and harmonies. Some of the drum samples, especially the snare, are pretty generic. The piece could also use a tad more structuring - it sounds like it has a pretty continuous flow until around the 2-minute mark, where there’s a stronger sense of climax. Still, it would’ve been nice to hear a breakdown in the middle or an atmospheric bridge without the drums. Overall, though, mixing should definitely be the main area of focus for you. The sound design, progression, composition, and melodic content are all good here. I strongly suggest looking up tutorials on YouTube for how to use equalizers (often called “EQs”), compressors, and panning for whatever DAW you use. If you happen to use FL Studio, PM me and I’ll give you some more pointers myself. Let me put it this way: good composition makes you sound like you took some music theory courses in college. Good mixing makes you sound like you’ve mastered your DAW. You already have the composition down. Now it’s just a matter of getting the most out of your production tools. Good luck, man! Please do contact me if you use FL Studio. It really doesn’t take long to get good at mixing and mastering if you know which buttons to press. :) Keep at it, Xyanp!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
6.5/10

[Black Cherry]

I like the smooth pads and plucked guitar at the beginning. The mix is pretty quiet and thin, though. Some more mixing effects would be nice here. The drums are also really loud relative to the harmonic content. The relaxed vibe and flowing melodic content (like at 1:11) make this piece great to just chill to. That said, the arrangement is pretty choppy, with several pretty abrupt transitions (:56, 1:25, 2:22, etc.) and not a great sense of overarching direction. The transition into 1:53 with the pitch-shifting snare is also a bit cliche and cheesy. I did appreciate how you added a melody in a higher register towards the end. That helped the piece feel a bit more climactic. Still, I can’t help but feel that you played it a bit safe with the composition. Overall, though, the mood, atmosphere, sound design, and melodies are all pleasant. Keep at it, Xehao! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

Xehao responds:

Once again, thank you for the extremely helpful review, will work on transitions and drums, very excited for the final round

[Strongest]

I like the gritty, industrial atmosphere at the beginning, even if I think you could’ve taken a bit more treble off the equalizer on some of these distorted samples. My main complaint here is the lack of variety and harmonic depth. The texture is very experimental overall, and quite frankly you just needed some more moving notes in here to keep me engaged. You’re really good at constructing this raw, grating atmosphere, but I wanted to see you channel that intensity into something more dynamic. This is evocative work, but it also doesn’t showcase the wide variety of compositional skills I’m looking for in competitions like this. Still, this certainly has got me curious about some of your other tracks. Good luck with your future projects, man! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
0/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
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
3/10

[My Nearing Dawn]

I like the piano riffs at the beginning, but the instrument itself sounds a bit dry. It could use some reverb or other mixing effects. The bass line is nice, and I like the minimal drums at :24 too, despite their also being dry. The transition at :40 was a little sudden, and the guitar at :43 definitely shifts the mood in a different direction. The frantic piano riff at 1:00 sounds a bit unnatural. Maybe it would help if you put a tad bit of space between the notes. The texture is also pretty thin for a lot of the piece. Some more compression or atmospheric elements might help fill it out. The flute melodies during the second minute are nice, and I like the breakdown at 2:17, despite the abrupt transition at 2:13. I really like the transition at 2:36 back into the main theme of the piece, and the filtering at around the 3-minute mark adds a bit of decoration to a piece whose texture remains pretty dry throughout. I think the transition at 3:48 was pretty rough, and I’m not sure the piece felt conclusive by the end. It does have a pretty experimental texture at times, and some of the quirky drum samples reinforce that idea. I’m not sure I like the rest of the sound design much, tbh. The orchestral/acoustic-sounding elements aren’t very authentic, and you didn’t do much to help the instruments blend well together (reverb, compression, etc.). You clearly have a good sense of harmony and rhythm, but the arrangement of the piece can be choppy at times and the compositional details need a bit of polished. Still, I enjoyed the production quality, pleasant balance of frequencies, mood, and rhythmic content. Keep at it, Tebyricat! :)

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[Mystic]

I like the pensive, quirky synths at the beginning and the pads. The minimal percussion also fits the texture well. I think the strings at :24 could’ve sounded a bit more distinct in the texture. The drums are mixed quite well, so it threw me off a bit when a lot of the harmonic tracks could’ve sounded sharper. Excessive reverb might be part of the problem, but the more likely culprit is “loose” equalization. The mix is also a bit quiet overall. I love the sound design and atmosphere of the piece, but I think the composition sounds a bit cyclical and stagnant after a while. I think you needed a more climactic section or some stronger melodic content to hit this piece home at the end. I also didn’t like the ending very much. The instrumental tracks cut out very suddenly at 2:47, and then the fade-out of the drums thereafter came across as a bit lazy. Still, I’m pretty torn about this piece overall because, despite my criticisms, a lot of the instrumentation, rhythmic content, and synth riffs sound really funky and unique. Keep at it, StoneForged! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[For You]

I like the cute synths at the beginning and the somewhat melancholic nature of the harmonic content there. At :15, the claps are really quiet, and the synths from the beginning get very distorted in the mix. I think you need to get stricter with the equalization and also cut out some reverb on the claps. It might also be a good idea to compress the drums (especially the snare) more, and look into other mixing techniques like panning and stereo widening. I like the climax into :45, and the melodies are blissful and catchy. The chord progression is pretty cliche, but the energy and synths still keep me engaged. The breakdown at 1:24 has a nice emotional appeal to it, and I’m enjoying the additional harmonies at 1:53 as well. Still, 1:53 reveals how muddy the mix is. Please make sure that you don’t have any frequencies below around 200 Hertz in any instruments besides the bass and kick. Low frequencies create the muddiest sounds in your track. Still, I’m enjoying the 2nd refrain at 2:37, and the modulation at 3:07 helps increase the intensity towards the end. I think the modulation at 3:37 was a bit excessive, though - the piece started to sound a bit dragged-out at that point, and it probably would’ve been more effective to vary the melody itself rather than the key. I also think this piece is missing a proper outro - it ends pretty much right after the last refrain. Overall, solid work with the melodic content, progression, and harmonies. My main concerns here are the mixing and the lack of originality. Keep at it, Semicedevine! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.25/10

[Runa - Delta]

I like the quirky synths at the beginning and the distorted vocal samples. The melodic content here is really nice, and there’s a good sense of climax into :45. The section at :45 is pretty minimalistic and bottom-heavy frequency-wise, but I like the rhythmic content and high-pitched ornamentations. The transition into 1:23 was creative, and the thin, pizzicato-y synths there work well. The energetic bridge at 2:08 is a nice touch, too. Despite my complaints regarding the occasionally thin texture and generic compositional and sound design elements, the piece comes together really well with the intensity and melodic content. Overall, this is quite enjoyable piece, Runanova! Keep up the good work. ^_^

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

[Let's Dance]

I like the bright pads and energy at the beginning, but I think there are a lot more creative ways of introducing a piece besides a gradual fade-in. There’s also a lot of reverb in the texture. At :31, there’s a bizarre buzzing sound layered under the snap, and I’m not sure if it’s there on purpose or not. It might be some sort of distortion, or it might be there on purpose, but either way I don’t think it fits the character of the piece very well. There’s a good sense of climax into :45, and I like the rhythmic breaks at :51. The drop at 1:16 was pretty nice, although I’m not sure the contrasting moods of the piece (cute, blissful vs. gritty, industrial) were integrated that well. The harmonic content of the piece is also very repetitive after a while, although the breakdown at 2:30 with the strings is refreshing. By around 3:20, the synth arpeggios in the background seem quite loud for an atmospheric effect. The piece comes together pretty well at 3:47 with the melodic variations and thick texture. I still think the chord progression could use some more variation later in the piece, but the harmonic content that’s here is good in and of itself. The composition might need a little more creative energy here, and there are a lot of elements of the sound design and arrangement that are pretty cliche, but overall I’m enjoying the production quality, energy, and full textures. Keep at it, RedMike7! :)

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
.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
7.25/10