TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Phantom Shelter ~ Breaking Through the Fear And Solitude]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. The mix sounds a little thin, though. The energy at :11 is good, but the bass sounded a bit too thin, spidery, and high-pitched. I’d recommend transposing it down an octave and giving it a bit more space to flourish in the equalizer if possible. I think one major thing you should work on is your transitions. A lot of them are quite abrupt, and often come with sudden changes in the instrumentation. Fade-ins and -outs, sweeps and crashes, and drum fills can all help you bridge that gap. There were certain sections of the piece where I thought the balance was a bit off. At :36, for example, I think the hi-hats are really too loud. Compositionally, this piece is quite enjoyable, but I think you could’ve done more to vary the instrumentation and create a richer texture with a little more reverb, wider mixing, and in some cases different instruments. The pace of the piece is also quite fast at times. There are a lot of different structural elements here, but it’s hard to keep track of all the changes on an overarching basis, largely because of the sudden transitions. I also think the piece is too long in general. You certainly have a lot of cool riffs and melodies - 3:29 was probably my favorite - but with this much structural variety the piece loses a lot of cohesion. I was very surprised, for example, when the guitar is introduced for the first time at 3:52. It’s actually a pretty good choice as an addition to the texture, but I also think it’s a questionable decision to introduce such an impactful new instrument ⅔ of the way into a piece, and with a sudden transition nonetheless. By the end of the piece, it’s really hard for me as a listener to stay grounded in any kind of major themes, patterns, or motifs. I think that’s the #1 thing you should work on going forward. That and the thin mix with little bass. Overall, though, this piece certainly has its merits. You clearly have a good sense of melody and harmony, and the instrumentation was rather pleasant throughout. Keep at it, Ctr34!

7.5/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
7.5/10

[Cs - 'Risen']

I like the fade-in at the beginning and the powerful chords. The drums are a bit cliche, and the frantic bass line at :10 takes over the mix a bit too much imo. It just sounded pretty harsh. The production quality is generally quite good here, though. The piece doesn’t have that much melodic content in the texture. Other than the breakdown at :48, it’s mostly just chords and some supporting harmonies. The tempo automation at around 1:20 was a creative idea, but ultimately I don’t think it leads much of anywhere. Your production has improved considerably as I recall, but I wanted to see you flesh out the composition a bit more here. The chord progression is really cool, but I don’t think it should be the main attraction in the texture for so much of the piece. I’d suggest that you try crafting some melodic content that supports the chords, and then integrating some rhythmic content that complements the melodic content. Right now, the drums are well-mastered, yet the pattern usually only falls on the strong beats of the measure and could be more creative. Overall, this is strong work on the production side, but the composition is not quite as rich and dynamic as I’d like to see. Keep at it, Cusukskos!

5/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
5/10

Csucskos responds:

Now the tempo change seems a little lame, but it felt very spot on during the making...so... I don't know what happened... Anyways, I agree that the song is lacking something...
OK, I finally should look into melody making, since I haven't really made progress on this front in the past year. (From your last years NGADM review: "...Overall, I’d strongly suggest creating a piece centered around a stronger melody next time. ...")
Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely consider making a move towards more melody centric music... In the near future... Maybe. ;) (I mean I'm not very good at it, so it's hard to make myself even try it.)

P.S.: I don't know how you do it, but even with a 50 % score I feel like I got an A because of the wording. Magical!

[Blue Vibes]

I like the pensive mood at the beginning. The texture is quite well-balanced, and there’s a great sense of climax into :36. The echo-y content on some of the instruments helps smooth over the transition into :54 really well. The emotional content of this one is really nice. You did a great job with the phrasing and dynamics here. The piece comes together really well by the end with the extended refrain. The melodic content here is really strong, and the instrumentation supports the uplifting vibe of the piece really well. Strong work with the production. One of my only complaints is that the ending is a little underwhelming. Doesn’t quite feel conclusive how you laid out the chords at the end, but maybe that’s just me. One thing that isn’t quite a complaint but just something you should watch out for is that there are a lot of transitions in this piece where the mood/texture changes pretty suddenly. You do a nice job of smoothing it over with crashes and ping-pong echo effects, but I could easily anticipate one of those transitions sounding pretty rough if you weren’t so careful. Otherwise, there’s little to complain about here. It’s a gorgeous piece with a ton of awesome melodies and variety. Keep up the good work, ColinMuir!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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
9.75/10

[A Promise]

I like the melodic content of the piano at the beginning. The piece has a lot of emotion and shape to it in general. I think the piece kinda throws the listener right into the action without much of a proper intro, though. I also think the instruments, especially the piano, sound pretty inauthentic (or in the piano’s case, at least detuned). That said, I like the bright mood and the sense of climax. You might’ve needed a stronger transition at :40. The drums might’ve helped you do that - I’d imagine a crash would be appropriate. After that point, however, the piece isn’t very structurally dynamic. Sounds like music for some uplifting montage or emotional car commercial. I didn’t notice any particular problems with the mixing and mastering, although it could stand to be louder. Overall, I enjoyed the blissful vibe of the piece and the thematic elements. My main complaints are that you could’ve done a lot more with the second half of the piece, as well as incorporated some stronger structuring/transition elements in general. Keep at it, ChristopherReeves!

7.5/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Flight]

I like the cute synths at the beginning and the build-up into :15. The instrumentation is occasionally a bit cheesy, especially the 3xOsc sweeps. That said, the progression is quite satisfying and the mix is loud and pretty clean. The drop at 1:00 was pretty good, although I think that mid-range bass is hijacking the mix a bit too much. You might consider equalizing it a bit more strictly. I also appreciated the more tranquil section at 1:45. It was nice for some structural variety. I’m really enjoying the pulsing pads and floaty arpeggios by around 2:30. Perhaps I would’ve liked to see a bit more variation on the main melody by the end of the piece, but at the very least I like how you brought it around full-circle with those square-sounding stabs. Overall, I’m particularly impressed by the structuring and the thick texture throughout. Great work, ChrisTheGamer!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

CrisTheGamer responds:

Thank you!
Yeah, now I realize the track needs a melody change or variety at the ending...
And the bass at the drop hijacks the mix, I understand, so EQ would have worked better than loudness. Got memorized!
I'll also try to learn more about musical theory and mixing!

[You're the Same]

Woah...hitting the listener right away with the sensual violin line, I see. The progression at the beginning sounds so romantic and wistful, and then the piano really comes down hard at :45. The violin sample is pretty good too, and the quality doesn't really deteriorate too noticeably in its higher range, which happens in a lot of other samples in my experience. The progression is beautiful, and the melodic content is too. The piece had a very similar phrase structure from :43 to 2:00 or so, but it still felt pretty dynamic in terms of volume and harmonics.

I'm curious what the title means to you. "You're the same" almost sounds disappointed, like the protagonist's idyllic memory of a lover doesn't quite hold up. Or maybe...he (the lover) is the same amazing man he's always been and it's just because he wasn't with her that he fell back into a monotonous and empty life. My literary inclinations aside, the layered violin section at 2:26 was gorgeous, and I also really like the part at 2:51 with the rapidly ascending lines. As the piece ages, the violin line almost sounds like it's wavering rapidly between emotions and registers, much like our protagonist. XD Okay, I'm done with that now.

I also really liked when the piece took a more slow-paced and somber tone at 4:10. You resolved the thematic content of this piece really well with the leapy ascending lines at around 4:25 and the subsequent return to the highest register. If you happen to have a sheet music adaptation of the piece (which is a long shot, I know), I'd love to show it to some of my friends who play the violin. I'm curious to see if the double stops hold up as actually playable. :) Also, where did you get that violin sample, might I ask? I've probably asked you where you get your samples before, but I'd like to invest in some myself.

Fantastic piece overall, Ale. I feel like I've doubled the size of my favorites list recently between AIM, NGUAC, and now the NGADM, but people on this site are just so damn talented (you included!). I know I still haven't responded to the PM you sent me a while back. I'll fix that soon. But until then, best of luck in the ADM and keep up the great work!

Also, this is my 2,500th audio review on the site, so consider that a good omen. ^_^

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

I was contemplating whether I should bring in the violin later or not. Jordi told me I should probably have it come right in at the start, and then take a break for a few bars when the piano gets more intense at 0:45. That made a lot of sense to me, so props to him for the suggestion!!!

I experimented a lot with the highest of high violin notes (a few harmonics too, but I kept them to a minimum, as that could have gotten insane had I allowed it to, haha) at the start, and throughout the piece. As you say, the quality doesn't really drop with this VST even in the high register. The classical musician and virtuoso Joshua Bell recorded more than 20.000 samples for Embertone, with his Gibson ex Huberman 1713 Stradivari violin. Then the team programmed it insanely well, so that it could be incredibly expressive in a number of different styles. It's seriously the best VST instrument I've seen. It costs 199$ though, but you can get a "20% off" student price:

https://www.embertone.com/instruments/joshuabellviolin.php

The title means a couple things to me, though I didn't want to point it out in the description, as I enjoy having the listener interpret the piece themselves (like you did). One interpretation is that the piece is about someone's continuous refusal to change their destructive behaviour. Another is a warning not to be so quick to blame others. I basically imagined a scenario where two people are accountable for having done something terrible, but they both blame each other ("You're the Same" then implying, that both people bear the same burden).
I enjoyed your interpretations too!

The layered violin section (2:26) is still only one violin. Since three notes are playing at once, it'd be incredibly difficult to play it that cleanly for real. Should be possible though! The high notes are probably difficult to play in a manner that sounds this clean as well, but I'd like to pretend that I have Joshua Bell himself performing the piece, haha :'D
Unfortunately I don't have sheet music for this. I would generate some for you, but the entire piece is off-tempo, meaning it's not quantized (and thusly, the software doesn't understand it that well).

I totally messed up while playing that slower section at 3:31 on the piano, and I didn't have time to re-record, so I ended up fixing it in post. I feel it was necessary after all the bulding up and the climax. 4:10 is like a sort of rerun of the beginning of the piece, but with a slightly different feel. I'm glad you like that part. Good catch on the ascending lines (the violin actually plays the main piano melody at that point)!

Thank you for the review! And WOW!! :O
That's a lot of reviews xD
I feel lucky to be the 2,500th one ^__^

[capshun - lotus (chgeri remix)]

I like the chill atmosphere of the piece. The stereo clicks and pops at the beginning were a bit much, I think - sounded a little harsh in my headphones. The progression is a little slow, but I really like the build-up into :46. The quirky brass solo there is really nice, and the rhythmic content in the drums is fantastic. The production quality is also quite good. Everything sounds sharp and clear in the mix. I appreciated the structural variety you offered at 1:33. At some points, I even think the drums are too loud. The crash at 1:45, for example, sounded a little too forceful to fit the immediate context. At times, the texture of the piece also sounds a bit minimal, and I personally would’ve liked to see you vary the main brass riff a bit more during the final refrain. Otherwise, though, I’m thoroughly impressed by the quirky sound design, lush jazzy atmosphere, and structuring/flow of the piece. Keep up the great work, CHgeri!

9/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
9/10

[Cali Crazed - Neon City - Monsify]

The beat at the beginning is really catchy. The progression is pretty slow, and there wasn’t much of a transition into :32. The synths and drum samples here are pretty generic. The riser into 1:03 would’ve functioned better as a sweep imo. It comes off as sounding a bit dissonant here. The refrain at 1:03 was catchy, and the texture sounds pretty well-balanced there. The pitch alteration at 1:29 was amusing, but didn’t really serve as an adequate transition. In fact, transitions are something I think you should work on in general. There’s another abrupt one at 1:53. I appreciate you trying some more automation at 2:23, but it came off as a bit cheesy. I think the cliche arrangement and instrumentation constitutes one of my biggest problems with the piece. The composition is also a bit disjointed, and melodic content is not especially prominent in the piece. I think my favorite element of the piece is the production. It’s clear and crisp throughout. I’ve been tough on you in this review, but I think the piece needs more harmonic depth, melodic content, and flow before I’m impressed with the composition. In the meantime, it’s a catchy piece with some strong mastering. Keep at it, Calicrazedbeats!

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

calicrazedbeats responds:

I definately struggle with video game music but i will continue to work on it. Thanks for the feedback.

[-=Flashback=-]

I like the funky vibe at the beginning. The rhythm is a little hard-to-follow at some points, beginning at :04. I don’t really understand the progression very much, either. It’s minimalistic throughout, is rife with bass bombs and very little higher-pitched frequencies, and the harmonic content is very minimal and hard to pick up on because of the distortion in the texture. I’d recommend trying to build your piece around melodic content going forward. If you don’t know much about music theory, that’s okay, but try to start with a progression of chords that emphasizes gradual change, and build a more dynamic melody line on top of that. Right now, your piece feels both minimal harmonically and disjointed structurally. Starting with chords and building up from there might help cement some more advanced composition practices. Don’t be discouraged, though. This piece is really catchy and has a lot of cool riffs. The arrangement, sound design, and lack of harmonic depth just aren’t doing much to enhance the appeal of those riffs right now. Please PM me if you have questions. Good luck!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
2.5/10

[Vision Space]

I like the really dynamic synth riff at the beginning. The piece kinda throws you into the middle of the action, without a proper intro. There’s an excess of reverb in the texture that was compromising the mixing quality a bit. Those mid-range pads are probably a big offender too. I’d recommend taking a second look at the equalizer on them. The instrumentation is pretty good overall, but is also a bit generic. The pads, for example, sound like a Nexus preset. I appreciated the structural variety you offered at 1:14, and the lead-in back into the thicker texture at 1:45 was pretty nice too. The first non-arpeggiated melodic content of the piece is at 1:45, but I thought that synth sounded a bit too thin and high-pitched to take up the prominent role in the mix that it deserves. I also thought the piece ended rather suddenly. This review has been really negative so far, though, so let’s change that: I like the busy texture and loud mix, despite my reverb complaints. You clearly have a good sense of harmony and progression, and overall the piece has a good amount of shape and variety. I guess my main complaints would be with the mixing and the lack of structuring at the beginning and end of the piece. The instrumentation could also use some work. That said, this is a compositionally pleasing piece with a cool atmosphere. Keep at it, BeeFef!

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

BeeFef responds:

Yeah, especially back when I made this, a major struggle for me has been EQing. It's hard for me to know what frequencies to take out and how much because there are so many different options to how I can do it.

I entered this piece because I wanted to focus on composition and sound design rather than mixing. I see that I still have quite a bit to work on and that I may have not moved on to the next round, but I guess that's an even better reason to pressure myself to make music to the point where I can't function and I've stayed inside almost the whole summer

But yeah I hope I make it to the next round