TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Joy Ride]

The instruments are a little cheesy, but I like the cute mood and sense of climax into :22 or so. The piece is really short - not really structurally complete. You have a good sense of harmony. The transition at :48 was a little sudden, and the mix also sounds somewhat strained at that point. I think the main problem here is that the composition and arrangement are pretty underwhelming. You need to do more to give this piece some shape and variety. Fleshing out the structure with more emotional heights and valleys is a good place to start. When you feel like you’ve done this, PM me and I’ll send you another review. Keep at it, Spikrin. :)

4.75/10

Spikrin responds:

Thank you! I made a new song, called nebula, and i think its my best in my opinion! i recommend you check it out! and am i allowed t change the song i use for the contest? if so change it to that song please.

[Sw~ Ecilam]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. It’s a little slow to progress, and I think the kick has a bit too much treble. The drop at :42 had a really minimalistic texture, with somewhat arbitrary sounding changes in instrumentation every few seconds. I also think you went a little overboard on the reverb in the percussion. The minimalism really wore on me after a while. I think it’s a good idea for you to structure your piece around more melodic content. There’s just not a lot of memorable or creative riffs or harmonies in this piece. The structure of the piece isn’t bad, and the piece is pretty catchy overall. The composition just needs a lot more creativity and variety. When you feel like you’ve written a piece that has a strong melody or other engaging harmonic aspects, PM me and I’ll leave you another review. Keep at it, Sidewindergd! :)

4/10

Sidewindergd responds:

Thanks so much! I get a lot of comments about the reverb tbh
And not to worry! I have some brand new tracks coming! Thanks again, TL

[Go Ahead]

I like the apprehensive mood at the beginning. The synths blend well together, and enhance the mood of the piece well despite being a bit generic. The mix is pretty clean, although I think the snare could use a little more compression - I just wanted it to some more crisp and distinct. The piece is missing some strong melodic content, although you clearly have a good sense of harmony. It also gets a little repetitive after a while, and could use a little more shape and contrast, especially with regards to the main riffs. The loop is smooth, though, and the piece is quite catchy. Solid work!

7.75/10

Shadowaves responds:

Thanks a lot for your analysis ! I'll take notes ;)

[Save me]

I like the cute mood at the beginning. The chord progression is a little cliche, and I think you went a little overboard on the reverb on a couple of the synths here. The melodic content in the piano is enjoyable, and you have a good sense of harmony. The drums come through the mix pretty clearly, but I think the excessive reverb detracts from the distinctness of the synths. The piece has a cool atmosphere and mood, although the piece gets pretty repetitive towards the end. The fade-out ending struck me as a bit lazy, and I think you could do more to offer some shape and variety in the piece (a breakdown or bridge, some more dynamic contrast and phrasing, etc.). Overall, it’s pretty good. A little more effort into the composition, and this would be a really solid piece. Keep at it, Shabbyjazz. :)

7.25/10

CielOuvert responds:

Much appreciated, a very thorough and precise review. I will take this into consideration :)

[Nirimi - At dark times]

The descending line at the beginning had a really somber vibe, and I like how each note bleeds into the next. The progression is really slow, and there’s a bit of dissonance in the harmonies at around :40. I think you could’ve done a lot more to use the entire frequency range to your advantage here. The entire piece is very minimalistic, and I would’ve liked to see you use some more creative transitions besides the crash at some point. The piece is lacking strong melodic content and occasionally even tonality. At best, the composition is really underwhelming. I’d strongly suggest that you structure your piece around some sort of melodic riff or emotional height. When you feel like you’ve done so, PM me and I’ll leave you another review. Don’t be discouraged. The mood and instruments are pretty cool - you just needed to put more effort into the composition. Keep at it, RobinvanDommelen. :)

4.75/10

RobinvanDommelen responds:

Thanks. I will definitely try to improve :)

[Mechanical Breakdown]

The ascending line at the very beginning is pretty interesting, but I really don’t understand the role of that harsh, blaring synth at :02 in the texture. It doesn’t complement the mood of the piece at all, and ends up detracting from my enjoyment of the piece considerably. It completely takes over the mix when it comes in. If you want to keep that harmony line in there, I’d suggest replacing it with a smooth bass or something. At 1:08, the texture is a bit too busy, with a lot of dissonances between the various moving lines going on. I’m just confused which melody to listen to. I also thought a lot of your instruments were pretty generic. The riser that starts at around 2:05 also sounds thin, harsh, and obnoxious. Overall, the composition of this piece just didn’t come together for me at all. I know I’ve been really tough on you in this review, but I think you have a good sense of structure and flow. Also, the mastering is pretty good - I can hear all the instruments clearly throughout. The main thing that bothers me about this piece is the sound design, but I’d also suggest you think a little more about how your harmonies relate musically. Keep at it, man! :)

5.5/10

redflaresountracks responds:

there are trills there for a reason. its about a old machine breaking down. Thanks anyway!

[Press On]

I like the bouncy chords and blissful mood at the beginning. The drums are nice and crisp, and give the piece a great sense of drive. I think you could’ve done more to foreshadow the transition at :34, but I like the melodic content there. I guess my main problem with the piece is that it has a sense of continuity throughout without much structural variety. You could’ve done a lot more with the composition here, and I think the texture could benefit from some more creative instrumentation. Overall, though, it’s hard not to like this piece. Good job with the atmosphere and mood, which the simplicity enhance. Keep at it, OForTheWin. ;)

8/10

OForTheWin responds:

Thank you very much for the feedback!

[Brink]

I think you have a good sense of harmony and progression. The instruments here sound really inauthentic, though. The mix also sounds strained at many points. For example, it’s hard to hear the woodwinds once the brass comes in at 1:16. I’m not sure Musescore has the capacity to fix that, but if you’re using a Mac I’d highly recommend exporting the piece to Garageband and using an equalizer to try to make each instrument come through clearer. I did enjoy the melodic content in this piece, though. The pacing of the piece is a little fast, although overall the structure and transitions are enjoyable as well. Overall, this is a strong composition, but the mixing and sound design need work. Keep at it, Novent-Music. ;)

7.25/10

Novent-Music responds:

Thank you for your input it is greatly appreciated. as far as mastering goes I'm experimenting with exporting the instruments to audacity and doing the equalization there.