TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[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!

[MY PURITY]

I like the ominous-sounding synth riffs at the beginning. The brass at :07 sounds pretty inauthentic, and the mix in general is pretty muddy and quiet towards the beginning. Part of the problem might be that instruments with a similar frequency range are distorting each other - you use quite a few sounds here that are all playing in the low end of the audio pitch spectrum at the same time. 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. It might also help to transpose one of the low-end riffs up the octave at times. More compression, especially on the drums, would also make the mix sound punchier and more energetic.

Anyway, the composition of the piece is pretty enjoyable. There are a lot of neat harmonies and groovy individual riffs, like the lead at :15 and the bass at 1:28. The arrangement feels loose enough that it’s easy to stay engaged, while also being cohesive enough that I never feel disoriented listening to it. Clearly, you have a great sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression. While some of the synths sound a bit unpolished and cheesy, my main concern here is definitely still the mixing. This could be a real banger with some sharper production quality. Solid work, SaturneKx! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

[Strawberry Smoothie [KAWAII FUTURE BASS]]

I like the quirky synth bass at the beginning and the crisp drums and cutesy lead that come in at :13. There’s a good sense of build-up into :26. The mix seems to be a bit distorted by all of the reverb in the texture - you could probably stand to dial back the wetness a tad. The blissful melodies and energy of the piece are nice, and otherwise the production quality holds up pretty well. The arrangement of the piece is a tad generic, although the rich chords at 1:30 or so help give it some “pizzazz.” The minimal section at 1:53 could’ve used a tad more atmosphere or automation to maintain interest, and the extended pause at 2:30 was a tad awkward. I also feel like the final refrain at 2:36 doesn’t quite reach the same energy level as the earlier drop, with the main melody taking a backseat in the mix to the upper-mid-range pads until around 3:15. Still, the blissful mood and rich atmosphere are still really engaging here, and overall I’m enjoying the sound design and mixing and mastering here. Keep at it, Rici! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

[Revenant - Eternal Stagnance]

I like the airy piano at the beginning. The drums that come in shortly thereafter sound very muddy and indistinct, though. You might’ve needed to dial back the reverb and add some compression or something. In fact, the mix is very quiet and subdued in general here. I like the strings at :30 and the gradual sense of build-up into :54. The piece has a very square overarching rhythm about it, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies and variety in the harmonies. The breakdown at 2:20 created some variety in the intensity level, though. I like the cutesy harmonies that come in at 1:45, but they still sound rather minimal and rhythmically square. The injection of energy at 2:10 was good, but the lead synth still doesn’t have quite the strong sense of leading somewhere that I would expect of a main melody. You also start overusing the reverse crashes by the end of the piece.

Overall, you do a great job of channeling the energy here, and you clearly have a good sense of harmony and progression. The composition could’ve been a bit more ambitious, though, and the mixing could use some cleaning up as well. The uplifting mood and decent structuring work still make this piece memorable. Keep at it, Revenant! ^_^

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

RevenantMusic responds:

thank you, i really appreciate your feedback!

[Sweet dreams]

I like the dreamy sound design at the beginning. The chord progression is a bit cliche, and at :15 the piano and bell-like synth lines kinda trip over each other a bit. I like the crisp drums at :29 and the cutesy breakdown at :44, although the transition into :44 was a bit abrupt. The mix could be a tad sharper here, especially in some of the mid-range harmonies. Some more compression all around would probably be advisable, and during some of the more minimalistic sections (like 1:30), some more reverb might help fill out the atmosphere. During the busier sections (like at 2:13), some of the instruments are hard to hear, especially the string melodies. It might help to look into panning effects as a way of making all the harmonies sound more distinct.

That said, I like the emotional quality of the section at 1:44, as well as the added string harmonies at 2:00. Clearly, you have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and instrumentation. The arrangement sounds a tad formulaic here - there are regular changes to the texture every 8 bars or so, but not a lot of ebb and flow within those 8 bars. Overall, the composition is strong here, though.

Overall, I love the tranquil mood and melodies in this piece. Crafting a “looser,” more dynamic arrangement and tightening up the production quality would help take it to the next level, but as it is it’s both catchy and relaxing. :) Keep at it, Qwerzer! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

Qwerzer responds:

holy cow, thank you so so much dude!

I'm literally speechless reading this as it's so nice seeing someone deconstruct my song so well and tell me where to improve this is genuinely so helpful <3

I don't want to bother you but are there any resources you know of to help me improve? Your review is already insane and i'll definitely use what you've told me but i know that there's still a lot left to learn which is why i'm asking. If it doesn't take too much time out of your day feel free to send me a PM please I'd love to learn more, although I get it if you're busy so no worries you've already helped plenty!

Anyways big thanks for the review, have a great day <3

[CopingMechMetal]

You have a pretty good flow and delivery on the vocals here. The recording quality isn’t very good, though, and the editing is a bit rough sometimes too. For example, the repeated “degree” line at :16 comes across as a bit spammy, as does the “I’mma make” glitch thing at :29. It might be easier to limit the distortion on the mic if you stand a little further away from it when you record, but it might be a good investment to get a mic that’s meant for recording on - you can find a decent one at Walmart for like $50. The layering at 1:34 is pretty cool, though.

As for the instrumental track, I like the tranquil pads, but the drums need a major boost in the mix. I’d suggest adding a compressor on them, and maybe a little reverb on the main bongo. Otherwise, the main thing the instrumentals need is more variety.

Overall, there’s a lot of potential here, but the execution, especially on the production, could use some work. The lyrics are really clever, and I love the energy and articulation of the vocals. Sometimes, it would help the listener follow the rhythm more if you kept a stronger beat in the instrumental part, especially the drums, rather than try to establish the meter mostly with the vocals. This is especially true for the repeated vocal line that first appears at :08 - it’s rhythmically dense and delivered well, but still hard to follow because the pattern of emphasis isn’t entirely clear until the bongo helps accompany it at :12.

Nitpicks aside, this piece could be a serious banger if you clean up the mix and re-record the vocals at higher quality. Also eliminate some of the cheesy compositional details, like the pitch shifting at 2:41 and the exposed vocal chop at 4:01. Hope you keep working on this, though - it has potential. Keep at it, Quinn! ^_^

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

[Dubstep - Dubnium]

I like the synth arpeggios and quirky drone-like synth at the beginning. The melodies at :28 are nice too - great triumphant vibe. The crisp drums and build-up at 1:02 are nice too. The drop at 1:09 has some nice rhythmic content, but the pads and atmosphere sound a bit thin there. I would’ve liked to see you fill out the texture more with some reverb or other mixing effects or backing harmonies. The re-intro at 2:09 was good for some variety, and I really like the melodies at 2:16, which in turn lead well into the second drop at 2:51. I’m glad you shook up the drop the second time around - the synths feel more grating and urgent there, which is fitting for the concluding minute or so of the piece, and the fat bass at 3:24 is great. That said, the second drop has all the same problems as the first one - thin pads, dry mix, etc. Overall, though, the sound design, production quality, progression, and mood of the piece are all really nice. Keep at it, Pixxlman! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.25/10

[Splittersex]

I like the quirky texture at the beginning. At around :06, that one glitchy effect gets a bit harsh-sounding in the mix - I would dial back the distortion and filter out some of the treble-range frequencies, and then maybe give it some wet reverb or something so that it fades into the background a bit. It’s really hard to hear the drums or other elements of the sound design above that synth, and the entire texture sounds really grating and distorted here. The vocal samples are the main source of harmonic content, and there isn’t really that much variety or depth in the texture either. You’re clearly a talented producer with a knack for creative rhythms and horrorcore content, but the composition just needs a lot more fleshing out to satisfy most of my scoring rubric’s criteria here. Sorry! For what it’s worth, I think there’s a lot of potential here between the creepy vocals and the cool drum fills towards the end, and I hope you’ll keep working on this. Keep at it, Peshay! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
3/10

[tic tac]

I like the soulful guitar riff at the beginning. There’s a TON of reverb in the texture, though - the mix might sound a bit crisper if you had dialed back the wetness a bit. The sound design is really cool, and I love the rhythmic content too. The atmospheric bridge at :53 is good for some variety, although the transition back into the guitar riff at 1:27 is a bit abrupt. The section at 1:45 sounds especially muddy in the mix, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies, or at least variations on the main melody at :26 that weren’t just copy-pasted. Still, the compositional details and evocative instrumentation help keep me engaged here. Really neat track overall, orelbeatzrealone! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8/10