TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Metropolitan Energy]

I like the descending piano line at the beginning. Unfortunately, MuseScore’s samples aren’t the best quality. The guitars and strings all sound pretty fake, and the drums probably need a boost in the mix (in most DAWs you can use a compressor to make drums sound louder). I like the frantic melodic content and upbeat mood, though, and despite the inauthentic sound design, the piece seems befitting of a video game soundtrack. The composition also gets a tad repetitive after a while, although the key change at 3:15 was a good idea. If you have access to another music production software (slightly outdated versions of Logic Pro sell for like $40), I’d suggest PM’ing @LD-W and joining the NG Audio Pub on Discord. The Resources tab there is full of great sample libraries and tips on where to find more. Still, this is a cute piece with some nice melodies and (unsurprisingly) a strong sense of energy and drive. Keep at it, TheGrassGuy! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7.25/10

TheGrassGuy responds:

Should I use FL Studio? It's expensive though ($100, and I don't feel like pirating it). I've used the trial version before and it was somewhat convoluted. I know many of the Newgrounds OGs used Nexus, but not only is Nexus itself like $200, I've heard you also can't really make presets with it.

I actually intend on remastering this and adding vocals in the future. I like it. The "repetitive" part is actually a repeat sign for the second verse (which will have different lyrics once I add lyrics).

[Clash on Venus]

I like the cute, flashy synths at the beginning. The drums there could use a bit of a boost in the mix, though, maybe with some more compression. In fact, the entire mix is pretty quiet and subdued here. Some of the synths also sound a bit cheesy and unpolished, like the one at :26. That said, the upbeat mood and fun harmonies help maintain interest over time. The piece is missing some bass frequencies in the texture for a lot of time, though, and the harmonic content gets a tad repetitive after a while despite the variations in energy level. At 2:12, that one quirky pad has a few too many treble tones, I think - it sounds a little harsh, and might be a good candidate for a haircut in the EQ. The second half of the piece is also rather repetitive, both in terms of sound design and harmonies. I’d suggest switching up both at some point - i.e., using a new instrument for the melody and varying the melody itself to give the piece a stronger overarching sense of direction. The sound design does grow on me over the course of the piece, and despite the quiet mix the production quality holds up quite well here. Overall, solid work here, theDominus! Just needs a bit more variety (and also maybe a more prominent bass line). Keep at it, man. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
6.75/10

[The Way]

I like the gritty guitars at the beginning and the crisp drums that come in shortly thereafter. The tracks could use a bit of atmosphere around them - either some mixing effects like reverb or additional harmonies - but the wailing echoes at 1:10ish help scratch that itch to some extent. Some parts of the production sound a tad harsh, especially at 1:50, but overall this is a really well-produced track.

The composition is mostly smooth-flowing and well-structured, although admittedly the transition at 2:15 threw me off a bit. I like how the section at 2:15 was so melodic relative to the first half of the piece, although in general the piece could use some more dynamic melodies or a solo at some point. Some lyrics would be great as well. You bring the piece full-circle well by 3:08, although the guitar isn’t playing perfectly on beat there. I like the atmospheric outro too - has an eerie vibe that leaves an air of mystery to it.

Overall, this is a solid track that’s missing that “X factor” at times, but also has a solid production quality, enjoyable rhythmic content and progression, and some fun compositional details to add variety. Keep at it, TentoTheC! ^_^

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
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
8/10

[caustic rain]

I like the crisp strings at the beginning and the rain sound effects. The glitchy beats at :11 are really cool, if a tad loud relative to the string lines. I also would’ve liked to hear some more reverb and other mixing effects on the drums to fill out the atmosphere a bit more. That said, the added harmonies and bass do that job themselves by :48, and I’m loving the intensity of that section in general. The following minute or so is pretty minimal, although the breakdown at 1:38 has a nice emotional appeal. At some point, the harmonies and rhythmic content of the harmonic content could’ve been a bit more variational, and overall the melodies don’t quite feel dynamic enough to suit the dramatic nature of the track. Again, the intensity at 2:23 is great, but the main melody is a pretty square half-quarter-quarter note pattern. You’ve definitely got a winning sound design combo between the soaring strings and gritty synth bass, and the rich textures and rhythmic density of the drums during the refrains are really nice, but overall the composition felt a bit stiff here in some ways. The production quality is impressive, though, even if the mix is a bit quiet overall. Still, this is a catchy, well-structured, and memorable track. Keep at it, Tarutrit! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

[From a Place of Doubt]

I like the vocal stabs at the beginning and the hip hop-inspired drums at :14. The piece is a little slow to progress at first, but the stop-start transition at :44 is pretty cool, and the airy synth arpeggios at :46 sound really smooth and expressive. At 1:12, the texture comes together well, but the mix could’ve been a tad shaper. I wanted the drums to be a bit punchier, and I wonder if toning down the reverb on the harmonic instruments would help them stand out. The synth arpeggios at 1:58 are also really cool, and I also really like the somewhat dissonant harmonies there. By 2:23, I think you’re overusing the stop-start transitions a bit, and I would’ve liked to see more variation on the main melody when it returns at 2:37. I’ll also say that the melody itself could’ve been a bit more dynamic and memorable from the get-go. I like the emotional appeal of the piano at the very end, though. Overall, this is a catchy and well-structured piece with some solid sound design and atmosphere. Keep at it, SpecialGuacs! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

[SoFtBOILeD - Heart Made of Sugar]

I like the busy beats and the cutesy synths in the background. The distortion/flanger on the bass sounds a tad harsh in the treble range, but I really like it when the texture smooths out at :24. The snare there sounds like it’s missing some mid-range tones, although by 1:08 I’m liking the quirky atmosphere and the sense of build-up into 1:29. The vocal samples sprinkled throughout are also a nice touch. Some of the sound design elements aren’t quite my cup of tea, like the squeaky, distracting synth that plays every off-beat from 1:29 to 2:12. The drums also get a tad distorted in the mix at about 1:10, and briefly at 2:05, but otherwise the production quality holds up quite well here. The quirky texture really grows on me over the course of the piece, and despite the lack of melodic content or harmonic variety, the texture feels pretty rich and well-varied. Really unique sound here, SoFtBOILeD! Keep it up. ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Lonely song]

I like the blissful mood at the beginning. The synths are a bit cheesy, especially the one that comes in at :12. The lead melody has a lot of chromatic tones in it, which is fun and unique. The drums at :47 sound a bit flat, and could use some more compression. There’s some dissonance in the harmonies at around 1:45, but the main melody there is really dynamic and memorable, and the transition back into the refrain at 2:12 was a bit awkward. It would be nice if at some point you stripped away the beat or shook up the instrumental hierarchy in a major way, just for some variety.

That said, I like the mid-range bass solo at 2:50ish and how that leads back into the final refrain. The injection of energy at 3:24 was a bit of a surprise - another sudden transition, but in retrospect it was a good way of creating additional interest towards the end of the piece. It might be nice to create some variations on the refrain melody instead of just interspersing it with a bunch of other melodies, especially if you’re going to have time more a more downtempo or atmospheric section for structural variety. But maybe that’s too nitpicky.

More concerning for me is that the texture sounds pretty muddy and indistinct throughout. It might help to dial back the reverb across the board. Part of the problem might be that instruments with a similar frequency range are distorting each other. To help solve this, it might help to use equalizers more often. Also known as EQs, they’ll help you filter out the frequencies in the harmonic instruments (i.e., pretty much everything except the bass and drums) below about 200 Hertz. That’ll make all of the instruments sound much clearer in the mix, especially on the low end of the spectrum. You may already know about equalizers, but you should use them way more often, is the point.

Overall, you have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression. The mixing could be sharper, and the arrangement details of the piece could use some polish (especially with the rough transitions I mentioned), but overall this is a solid track with some nice melodies and a rich atmosphere. Keep at it, Snoot-Doot! You’ve earned a scout. ^_^

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
.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
7.25/10

Snoot-Doot responds:

Thanks man! I appreciate the feedback

[Limbo]

I like the eerie ambiance at the beginning. The stereo clicks sound a little harsh in the treble range - could be worth it to filter them out with an EQ. The piece is slow to progress and doesn’t have a strong grounding in harmonic content. The riser at 1:15 created some interest for sure, but ended up being a bit of an anti-climax, and the mix is pretty quiet and subdued throughout. The crash at :47 and 2:23 is just a little too loud relative to the rest of the texture. Overall, it’s certainly an evocative mood and sound design you have here, but the composition could’ve been a lot bolder and more dynamic. Still, the echo-y percussion, if subtle, is a nice touch that gives the piece somewhat of a sense of urgency and drive. I hope you keep working on this - it has a lot of potential to be a full-length soundtrack to a horror film. Hopefully in the second half, we get a chase scene or something. :D Keep at it, SkullyHop! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

[Ice cave]

I like the rhythmic content at the beginning, but the sound design sounds a tad harsh. The distorted drums at the very beginning could use some more reverb and effects to soften them up a bit, and also a compressor to keep them on top of the mix once the texture gets busier. The frantic synth arpeggios at :08 are also a tad too crisp for my tastes - especially considering how busy the texture gets by :30 or so, it might’ve been nice to turn them into more of an atmospheric effect with some filtering and delay. By the time the main melody comes in at :35, the texture already sounds way too crowded, with a lot of tinny, staccato, and percussive sounds and not a lot of languid and smooth ones to balance them out.

The arrangement also feels a tad formulaic here - you add instruments every 4 or 8 bars like clockwork during the first half of the piece, and then have them cut out just as robotically during the second half. A lot of the individual ideas here are really good, like the smooth bass line that first comes in at :26, the slidey chiptune effect at 1:51, and the main melody at :35. That said, it might serve you well to consolidate some of your ideas and think more about how to structure the piece to tell a coherent narrative. Right now, the piece sounds like a demo track in that it lacks the elements that make electronic pieces feel loose and human (filtering, automation, MIDI, dynamic contrast, etc.).

That said, I think the fundamentals (catchy beats, harmonic depth, variety, a sense of progression, etc.) of composition are there, and I hope you’ll keep working on this. The sound design just needs a bit more blending and balance in the type of sounds, and the structure needs more ebb and flow over the course of each section/phrase. Keep at it, Sirbru! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Sirbru responds:

I like your critique which will help me a lot when making new music. The nice things are also good because, well, I’m using GarageBand:/

[Life]

I like the lo-fi texture and the heavy chords at the beginning. The drums could use a bit more “pop” in the mix - some more compression, reverb, and other mixing effects might make them stand out more. The piece doesn’t make a bad loop, but I really wanted to see you do more with the composition here. The dissonant chords and rhythmic content are good, but there’s a lot of work you need to do before this functions as a full-length, stand-alone track. I’d encourage you to keep working on this - sounds like a life that’s not finished yet. :) Keep at it, Scrubyboat! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
5/10

Scrubyboat responds:

Thank you! I know the track is not much, but it's the kind of music I like to compose. I'll definitely keep working on this and try to make something better. Thanks for the invitation though!