TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Crystalia - Volkhiar's garden]

I like the somewhat dark mood at the beginning. The sound design is good overall, but that piano instrument sounds a lot like FL Keys, which is a pretty generic plugin. I like the harmonies at :19 a lot. I would’ve liked to see the drums come in earlier, though - I think they would’ve helped make that transition at :19 a little less abrupt. The mix was pretty loud and clear as well. The breakdown at 1:15 was nice, too. This piece is very melodic, which I think is one of its strongest attributes (besides the mood). I would’ve liked to see a bit more variation on the main theme the second time around (1:54). Otherwise, the directionality of the piece feels a bit limited. The composition could also use a little more shape and phrasing within sections. Overall, though, this is really strong work. It loops well, has fun instrumentation and good structuring, and I can clearly tell you have a good sense of rhythm and harmony. Keep it up, Palicraft!

8.5/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Humanity]

I like the arpeggiated synth at the beginning. The lead sounds a little harsh and unpolished, but I like the videogame-like character and the melodic content at :29. The progression was very slow after a while. I think introducing the drums earlier would’ve really helped drive the piece forward more. Harmonically speaking, however, this piece isn’t very well-varied, and the transition at 1:58 was really abrupt. Most of the variety in this piece comes from you adding and subtracting instruments over time. I’d encourage you to try more advanced ways of creating variety, like automation, dynamic contrast, and phrasing. That’ll help give your composition a little more ebb and flow over time. Right now, it has a drone-like quality because the underlying harmonic framework never changes. The mixing wasn’t bad, but I think the drums could be cleaned up a bit. You might want to eliminate some reverb and add more compression. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of rhythm and harmony. The composition was just a bit weak here. Keep at it, Packtion!

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

[Replay]

I like the quirky, distorted instruments at the beginning and the energy. The drums don’t sit very well in the mix, though, and there’s a bit of atonality with the transition at :10 (and other places). I think you overused the reverb here, too. The vocal samples at :40 are fun, and the heavy breaks are pretty catchy. The drop really highlights the mixing problems, though. The drums get pretty distorted at around 1:05, and a lot of the other instruments could sound more distinct without all this reverb in the texture. The mix is loud, just not clear. The piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing, though. I like all the risers and melodic transitions, and even the stop-start one at 2:17 works well. You overuse the transition at :10, though. I appreciated how the second drop was so dissimilar from the first. I think you needed more of a proper outro, though. Ending a piece right after the drop is a bit jarring. There also isn’t a ton of prominent melodic content in this piece. Fun riffs, sure. But a lot of the moving notes here are too transitory to function as proper melodies. Overall, I think my biggest concern is the sloppy mastering and maybe the lack of strong melodic content. I enjoyed the sound design, energy, and progression, though. Keep at it, Packman3!

7.75/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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
7.75/10

[The Chase]

I like the drama at the beginning and the instrumentation. This is just what I would’ve thought I piece called “The Chase” would sound like. :) The progression is a little slow at first, but I like the percussion and brass’s role in driving the piece forward. The piece has a pretty good sense of climax as the melodic content goes on until 1:45, but I think you could’ve done more to maximize the dynamic range of the piece. Despite the continuous sense of urgency the piece instills, there’s a fair amount of ebb and flow to the composition, which I like. I also like how you saved the most climactic part for last (2:31 on). That choice fits the thematic content well. The instruments sound rather authentic for the most part. I’m thoroughly enjoying the rich texture, and the mix is quite clear throughout (if not that loud). Overall, very strong work here. The flavor and passion of the piece are great. Keep up the good work, Omson!

9.25/10

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
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

[Niko - Devil]

I like the rhythmic texture and instruments at the beginning. The transition into :13 is solid, but that snare sounds really harsh. I’d suggest equalizing out some of the mid-high tones on it. That way, you can create a cool layering effect where it almost sounds like two snare, but simultaneously takes a bit of the edge off. The distorted vocals at :41, while also a little harsh-sounding and repetitive, fit into the texture well and add some fun thematic content. The drop at 1:22 was fun, if a little minimalistic. In general, the production quality here is really good. The mix is loud and clear, even if it needs a bit of polish on some of these harsh tones sometimes. The breakdown at 2:17 was good for some structural variety. I also appreciate how you cut the vocal section a bit short during the second build-up cycle, and transitioned into the drop with that maniacal laugh sample. While a bit cheesy sometimes, the synths here provide a cutesy innocence that contrasts the distorted breaks and dark vocals quite well. You did a good job of structuring this piece too. The ending was a tad abrupt, but I liked the idea of having a suddenly quiet last note like that. Overall, this is a fun piece with a good amount of variety and strong mastering. Keep at it, Nikolopoblete!

8/10

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10

[Once and For All]

The build-up at the beginning is cool, but I don’t think the very beginning of a track is the best place for a build-up. The piece might need more of a proper intro. The airy synths at :16 were really cool, though. I love the atmosphere of the piece and the smooth bass. Given the build-up at :41, I don’t even think you need the build-up at the very beginning at all because it doesn’t lead anywhere. That said, the drop after the build-up at :41 was also a bit underwhelming - minimalistic, but also not very hard-hitting. There’s a lot of reverb to fill in the texture here, even if it doesn’t affect the mix too much. I also think the drums could’ve louder during the refrain there. There’s also not much prominent melodic content in this piece, and you overuse generic build-up patterns. The breakdown at 2:38 was a welcome moment of tranquility, and I also really liked the atmospheric texture at 3:35. That said, the composition isn’t very dynamic after that point, and the piece seemed to drag a bit towards the end. You never really offered the listener a final climax that resolved all of the themes of the piece. The atmosphere, instrumentation, and production in this piece are really good. Loud though the mix is, I think cutting out some reverb would really help it out, though. My main concerns here include the highly transitory nature of the composition (a lot of build-ups, but not a lot of cathartic/climactic moments) and the lack of melodic content. Overall, you’re clearly a talented producer with a good sense of harmony. Now you just need to consolidate some of your ideas a bit more effectively (i.e., fewer build-ups, but more real directionality to your piece). Keep at it, Naval76!

7.5/10

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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[Chicken Feather]

The arpeggios at the beginning are pretty cool. Instruments are clearly inauthentic, and are also a tad dry. The panning works pretty well for the most part, although the mix was also pretty quiet in general. The progression was very slow until 1:04. I enjoyed the melodic content at 1:04, short-lived though it was. I think the mix could be sharper. A lot of the drone-like elements begin to sound indistinct during the busy section (1:06-2:08 or so). I also think that the transition into 2:08 wasn’t super strong. For a solid 20 seconds, those string arpeggios are the sole element of the texture. Then, when a melody comes in at 2:28, it’s completely overshadowed by the arpeggios. I think you need to do a better job of prioritizing melodic content in the mix. The ending was a tad abrupt, but also sounded pleasing because it ends on the tonic. Overall, I think the composition could sound a bit more dynamic, especially during the second half, and I’d encourage you to use more phrasing, dynamic contrast, and automation. The mastering could use some stricter equalization, compression, and maybe more advanced techniques like stereo widening if some of your harmonies share too many frequencies. As it is, the panning is a bit heavy at times. I’d encourage you to keep a more mono-stereo approach to mixing as much as possible. Overall, though, this is a fun piece with a lot of melodic and emotional content. Keep at it, Mrcoolisimo!

6.75/10

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
.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
6.75/10

[Max]

I like the pizzicato-y synths at the beginning. The rhythm is a bit bizarre, but comes off as being more creative/experimental than anything bad, per say. The piece has a nice ebb and flow to it, but progresses very slowly harmonically. I like the instrumentation switch-up at 1:18, but the harmonic content is still the same. There isn’t really much strong melodic content in this piece, but the piece does seem quite varied in terms of intensity and structure. The mixing and mastering are strong, and you clearly have a good sense of harmony and rhythm. That said, the lack of variation in the harmonic content really started to bother me after a while. I don’t think there was quite enough variety in the energy and rhythmic content to justify keeping the moving notes the same for the entire piece. I also thought the fade-out was a pretty underwhelming way to conclude the piece and that the instrumentation is pretty generic. Overall, nice job with the production, structural variety, and atmosphere. I’d like to see you do more with some of the compositional elements next time. Keep at it, LordJabeebus!

7/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

LJTLegendaryL responds:

Thanks for the evaluation :). I'm happy that this time I got a better score, I'll be sure to find a way to make mix things up a bit in future compositions. This was really helpful!

[laying in the backseat, staring at the ever-shifting stars]

I like the chill mood at the beginning, but I think you didn’t execute it as well as you could’ve. The heavy panning sounds pretty harsh; I can barely hear anything in my right ear. I also think the instrument at the beginning is a little cheesy and generic. Then, the synth that comes in at :19 is completely in the right ear. It seems like you’ve prioritized mixing clarity over blending, and also that you’ve taken that approach a bit too far. I’d suggest looking into stereo widening techniques rather than panning both of these instruments to one extreme side of the spectrum, especially when they’re the only things going on. The mood of the piece is really calming, and as the texture thickens the blissful nature of the bell-like synths really comes through. The instrumentation is still a little cliche, though. Usually 3xOsc is a pretty unpolished plugin to use for harmonic content (great for sweeps and sub-basses, though). The mix remains loud and clear as the piece goes on, but the panning still bothers me. As for the composition, I’d like to see you use more advanced techniques of creating variety than just adding and subtracting instruments over time. I’d suggest trying to use more dynamic contrast, phrasing, and automation. Also, the piece doesn’t have much structuring. All it ever does is grow in intensity and, while it does have its cathartic moments, I think there needs to be more of an ebb and flow within this paradigm of “one big climax” in order for it to be most effective. Overall, learning to mix without relying too much on panning would be a worthwhile investment for you. You should probably spend the plurality of the time you spend mixing adjusting equalizers, not compressors or panning. Fleshing out the composition more is an important step, too. Still, the mood and atmosphere of the piece are really nice. Keep at it, Lofiskyline!

5.25/10

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
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?)
.25/1
Composite score
5.25/10

lofiskyline15 responds:

thank you! I definitely agree on the equalizer thing and I'm actually working more on ambient fade ins rather than straight-up instrument adding/subtracting. I actually never really rely on panning as much as I did in this song, and it's kind of more for a full sound (kind of like a Panic! At the Disco situation) haha so when the second synth with the different timing kicks in, the contrasting timing catches you off guard. it also is supposed to work as kind of something to catch you off guard so as to help you remember the song more. but it could definitely be frustrating.

in terms of catchiness and song structure, this is also kind of a weird one for me. I was trying to emulate M83 in a more D.I.Y. sense as the instruments pile on. regarding the synth choice, it is a little cheesy. I was kind of going to, through free synths, go for that D.I.Y feel without losing the emotional intensity. it could totally backfire though (haha)

a song I've uploaded recently, minor truce, is probably the craziest thing I've ever done and I feel like it responds to a lot of your criticisms in terms of generic build song structure and a lack of originality. there is panning but it's a lot less minor, and, while the beginning builds in dynamics through slowly adding drums, there's several switch ups that make it worth it.

these are fantastic criticisms, though. thank you very much!