TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Memories]

I like the flowy, soothing piano. It has a great, human quality to it. Either you recorded this live or did some excellent work with the humanization, because I’m loving all the dynamic contrast, phrasing, and subtle tempo changes. At times it seems a little stumbly, such as at 1:55, but that’s a minor detail that just emphasizes the down-to-earth vibes even more. It has a great sense of structural ebb and flow. You did an excellent job of creating melodic development and structural variety. Compositionally, this is one of my favorite pieces of the round. All of the frequencies sit well in the mix, and you had an appropriate amount of reverb in there to make it sound airy and full-textured. To be honest, I’m a complete sucker for piano solo pieces, but at the same time, I might’ve expected you to take a few more risks for the Final Round: adding some string harmonies, an unorthodox key change or bridge, etc. That said, it’s hard to be overly critical because I’m swept away by this piece. Nice work! :D

9.5/10

sebastien01 responds:

Thank you very much for this review! I was going on a display of emotions on this song. I recorded an improvisation on my keyboard for around 1h30... Right after I oversaved on my project, in fact my song was supposed to be a D'n Bass composition. But whatever, I have to forget it now xD. It's still haunting me! haha

I've put my mind on this song. It's always when I come to a point where nothing else exists but my instrument and my imagination that I'm able to spread my feelings on my keyboard, a kind of state of trance. I don't know how to describe it better but I think the human feeling sound comes from there. I was lost in my mind when these notes came out :) But yeah I didn't play it exactly like it is right now, but all the notes stayed the same if I don't count some missed notes here and there. I corrected some flaws --and there are some more to get rid of on this version--, amplified some cresc. and Rubato, added the reverb, mixed the piano sound with two parallel eq and filter. Then I panned each of the freq/filter output to a compressor, having in mind to cover a large frequency range. I'm really glad you noticed this airy and full-textured piano sound resulting from the mix job :)

Adding some instruments and re-work on it is in my to do list. I would like to make a longer and fuller version, without the flaws I hear everytime I listen to it :P I seriously didn't expect this reaction from people and judges to this song, so the results are higher than what I expected. That's a nice prize for me :) Thank you very much for the good words and the contest! It just can get even bigger for the next year! :D Seriously you deserve the "contest master of the year" achievement! ;)

[At Peace]

I like the atmosphere and dreamy guitar at the beginning. It’s a little slow to progress, but I really enjoyed the phrasing once the string parts came in at :41. The string samples effectively channeled the mood of the piece, and the melodies at :57 are beautiful. The piece has a great sense of continuity about it, yet you also provided some structural variety at 1:46. I felt like you had my emotions dancing on puppet strings for the entire duration of the piece. You led up to 2:18 effectively, and the sense of climax and full texture there add a sense of overarching development and and finality to the piece that’s often missing in pieces submitted to this competition, even in the Final Round. The choral part that came in at around 3:10 also added a lot to the piece. I can’t hear any flaws with the mixing or mastering. This is an extremely well-structured and smooth-flowing track. This is exemplary work as far as I’m concerned, and if it were up to me alone you would win this competition. Keep up the inspiring work, Papkee! :D

10/10

papkee responds:

>Can't hear any flaws in mixing or mastering

Haha. Yeah. Sure.

Thanks for the review. I always love it when my hard work pays off.

[Deathmatch]

I like the dreamy and soothing intro. The slow wind-down and brief riser before the refrain at :34 was a creative idea that channeled the energy well. During the refrain, I wish you had brought out the piano melodies more than the arpeggios. It just seemed a little hard to get a grip on the melodic content as a listener there. The breakdown at 1:06 brings some very welcome structural variety. I like the danceable synth patterns at 1:22 a lot. The texture is full and engaging throughout, and the mastering quality is superb. The stop-start transition at 2:10 was well-orchestrated, even if it seemed uncharacteristic of what is otherwise a very flowy piece. Nice job bringing it full-circle with the smooth piano at 2:46. The fade-out itself seemed a bit lazily done, though. I also wished you had varied the melodies more during the 2nd refrain, especially since the harmonies are pretty uniform throughout the piece (the arpeggios are a near-constant presence in the mix, even during the breakdown section). The instruments blend well and help enhance the mood, even if they’re not entirely unique. Overall, this is a very enjoyable piece with a few minor details that could use improvement. Nice work, Noisysundae! ;)

8.5/10

Noisysundae responds:

Didn't expect the judges to like the breakdown that much. XD

I actually toned down the piano during the climax since it obstructs the arp which lacks mid and low. Should have done the panning on the arp instead, I guess. :/

This one was done just several hours before the deadline so indeed, the ending was lazily done. If only I got the idea of 3/4 DnB earlier...

Anyway, one thing I'm happy about making it quick is how it points out my weaknesses on music production more than when I have more time. Thanks for the review as usual, TL. Hope we'll meet again at the NGUAC '17! :D

[Plasma]

I like the atmospheric fade-in and subsequent cute melodies and synths. The kick at :19 is a little weak, but when you give it a little more bass at :34 it cuts through the mix pretty well. I enjoyed the build-up to :34 and the subsequent melodies. I like the space you left yourself for contrast and climax at 1:22. The melodic variations at 1:41 were also quite welcome. The chord progression is a little cliche, but I liked the more subtle approach you took to building up to the second drop at 2:26. The melodies at 2:57 get a little lost among what is either some heavy side-chaining or heavy limiting - I can’t tell. The ending was a little abrupt. Even a simple crash would’ve helped add a final touch of finality there. I would’ve liked to see you vary the drop the 2nd time around, too (2:26). I suppose my main grievance here is that it’s not a particularly unique or original piece, and the sound design reflects that. The piece in general sounded pretty generic, and this stage of the competition demands that your track stands out across a variety of parameters. That said, finding a unique style can take years of exploration, and I think you’ve improved the structure a lot from the piece I reviewed last round. Keep up the good work, Ggaero! ;)

7.75/10

ggaero responds:

Thanks haha C:

[Mad, Mad, Mad]

I love the Broadway-esque vibes I’m getting from this. The instrumentation is awesome. It’s the perfect mix of feel-good and punchy. I wish the drums were a bit wetter, but as they are they have a great natural and organic sound to them. The vocals have a really soulful and smooth quality, and the lyrics themselves are enjoyable as well. I deeply appreciate the variations you threw on the final chorus. This is an extremely fun piece that sounds like it’s pulled straight off of the Hairspray bonus track disc. If I had to be picky, I would say that I wanted you to vary that brass riff at 1:00 (and other places) just a bit more. I would also say that you could’ve brought out that funky guitar at :14 to be more up-front in the mix. Otherwise, I’m finding it very hard to complain about...well, just about anything. The piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing. The mood and atmosphere are just engrossing. Not only are you a Broadway singer - you’re a Broadway composer! I know you’ve gone far in this competition before, but this might just be your year (I’m writing this review before the results are completed). Regardless of the outcome, this piece deserves a congratulations! Keep it up, man! :D

9.75/10

FinnMK responds:

Thanks for all the comments, o mighty showrunner! I know what you mean about the drums. My greatest mixing challenge in past or present is to get the snare to sound right. I think it's probably a bit too dry here, but I couldn't find a good wet mix and at some point you have to step away and just say "I'm done."
Same sort of vibe with the horn variation. That same riff happens 5 times in a row every chorus which is not ideal, but I couldn't find something I liked better and I didn't want to wrack my brains into a stress-induced breakdown.

The Broadway comments are fun. I hadn't considered it musical-esque at all, but now that you say it I can certainly hear it in a few places.

I actually haven't gone far in the NGUAC before - this is my first year competing! I'm writing this after the results were released, and I'm pretty pumped that I managed to get the gold. Thanks again for the comments and for the opportunity!

[/Ultraviolet Dreams\]

I like the engaging, energetic, and bouncy vibe of the beginning. This piece has a full-texture, and you’ve clearly displayed a good sense of harmony here. I suppose one of my chief complaints is that it’s structurally extremely flat. Just because it’s a loop does NOT mean you can’t vary the texture of the piece at all throughout. I wanted to see you strip away the drums, pads, or bass (or all three) at some point during the piece and create a breakdown or bridge section that channeled the emotion more. You had very little in the way of dynamic contrast or phrasing to give this piece a sense of structural ebb and flow. This flat plateau of a soundscape is fitting for background and/or video game music, but not for maximizing musicality. There was nothing particularly unique you did with the sound design or progression. I also thought that some of the melodies (such as the piano melody at the beginning) needed to be brought out more and that the drums - especially the snare - were much too quiet, especially considering this is D’n’B. The melodies themselves were quite strong, though. The loop is very smooth, and the mood of this piece is a good balance of energetic and atmospheric that I wish you had capitalized on with some more phrasing. These structural details can make a big difference at this stage of the competition, but nevertheless I enjoyed the mood, full texture, and melodies. Keep at it, EverReverb. ;)

6.25/10

AED4 responds:

I certainly didn't make this a loop to excuse the lack of structure, that was my own incompetence :< I really wouldn't have wanted to enter with this piece, but you gotta do what you gotta do :P

At no point did I believe that this particular piece would take me somewhere on this round. I just made this so I would have *something* to enter with. But it's good to know that there was still aspects you found enjoyable :)

Anyways, thank you for well thought out review, and great competition ^^!

[Freeman]

I like the dark mood at the beginning. It’s ominous and apprehensive, yet also atmospheric. I think the intro lasted a little too long without much sense of direction, though. You have a good sense of rhythm, and the instruments blend well together. My main problem with the piece is that it needs more melodic content and structural variety. You have that flute-like high pad playing a simple moving part, but it’s just too repetitive and simplistic to keep my attention. I also wasn’t a huge fan of your instrument choices. They appeared to consist mainly of bass bombs, with some atmospheric fill. The drums were engaging and dynamic. I can’t discern any problems with the mastering or production quality, but the piece is missing some higher-frequency tones throughout the piece. I know this is D’n’B, but you still could’ve capitalized a lot more on the whole textural space here IMO. One thing you have nailed here is the mood. It maintains its mysterious and sneaky vibe for the entire duration of the piece, even throughout the energetic sections. Still, I think 2:18 functions better as a breakdown than a coda. I would’ve liked to see you flesh out this piece more, but with a little more structural ebb and flow. Right now, it lacks elements of phrasing and dynamic contrast that can add a lot to the overarching direction of a piece, especially in tracks like this that don’t add or strip away instruments very often as the piece progresses. Overall, this piece has a fun theme and mood that you really could’ve taken advantage of more. I wanted to see a more cathartic finish with moving parts that finally released the tense anxiety of these 3 minutes. Without that, the piece is a little underwhelming and, despite the solid atmospheric work, doesn’t keep my attention as well as it should. I actually really want to see you keep working on this, though. Please PM me if you decide to expand it further, and I’ll review it again. ;) Keep at it, Demon-Wolf!

5.5/10

DEM0NW0LF responds:

Thanks for your review.

[End Times]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. Nice job with the panning, too. It has a really pensive and calming vibe to it. Despite the slow progression, you have me entranced. The instruments blend really well together, and the melodies at 1:03 are beautiful. It’s a bit minimalistic for the first 2 minutes or so, and I think you could’ve more gradually transitioned into the part at 2:14, just to maintain the slow pace of the first half of the piece. The guitar solos are wonderful, however, and you did an excellent job of bringing the piece full-circle at 2:50. I’m not always a huge fan of “one-climax” formats, as I think they tend to offer little in the way of structural variety over the duration of the piece, but I think the melody at 1:03 helped give some shape to the first half of this track. And there’s no way you’re not getting full credit for emotion and atmosphere here. I see (or, rather, hear) no problems with the mixing and mastering. This piece has a haunting and embeddable beauty about it that’s extremely well-developed, which makes it stand out among the other submissions. Some fuller pads or something may have helped create more textural depth, but the minimalism is my main complaint. Great work, my friend! ;D

9.25/10

Daveisgr81 responds:

Thanks for the positive review - I'll work on it for future submission!

[Pacifist]

I like the warm brassy pads at the beginning and the sense of climax throughout the first 30 seconds or so. Perhaps that initial riser was a little cliche and drawn-out, but I enjoyed the melody at :44. The piece is mastered nice and loudly too. The quirky instruments are cool, and they certainly seem reminiscent of classic video game music. In my experience, it’s usually good to be subtle about filtering, phasing, and portamento effects, but you seem to pull off some not-so-subtle phasing &c at around 1:02 - 1:10. ;) This piece is generally well-structured and smooth-flowing, with an odd drone-like quality. I liked the ominous string melodies at 1:36 a lot. The piece is very flowy, yet lacks dynamic contrast, phrasing, and a proper breakdown or bridge section to give it an overarching sense of development IMO. The final chorus seemed short-lived and concluded the piece very suddenly. I almost thought you had intended to loop it at first. I also would suggest varying your melodies more the 2nd time around. Otherwise, the piece feels a little stagnant and repetitive. Otherwise, this is solid work. The melodies are memorable, and you did a good job of selling the theme and mood of the piece. Keep at it, AeronMusic! ;)

8/10

AeronMusic responds:

Thanks TaintedLogic!

[Veva]

I like the atmospheric intro and the short pauses at the end of every 2 bars. The pauses give the piece a nice sort of cycle of anticipation and relief. The melodies at :39 are really smooth and enjoyable. The modulation at 1:17 was a good way of building the energy. The piece progresses a little slowly for the first 90 seconds or so, but the moment of catharsis at 1:34 is rewarding. Everything seems really well-balanced in the mix. I thought the tempo at 2:10 was a little rushed. It almost sounded like a completely different piece thereafter. I think it would’ve helped if you gave the piece a little more breathing room after that first “emotional height” (1:34 - 2:09) before launching into another melodic section. I would’ve liked to see you do more to make this piece coherent. I see you tried to bring it full-circle at the end with those radio effects (3:18), but it wasn’t enough IMO. As far as I’m concerned, this piece only has one true moment of climax, which limits any sense of direction and conclusiveness it has at the end. The part at 2:10 sounds a lot more like a final climax, yet it occurs only a little more than halfway through the piece. The “quiet ending” format can often be effective, but I would’ve liked to see a little more structural ebb and flow first. These structural complaints are my main concern. I think you have a great sense of harmony, and the texture was full and engaging throughout. I thought your instrument choices enhanced the mood a lot here - the piece felt pensive and relaxed at times, and danceable at others. You might’ve been able to do more with dynamic contrast and phrasing, but you still did a nice job of fleshing out the piece (besides that minor complaint I had about 2:10). Nice work overall! :)

8.5/10

Onefin responds:

Hey, TL!

So... big structural complaint, huh? I went from a drop straight into another drop, so I can see how that would be jarring. Maybe I could have written something in between to bridge the gap, but I always have a hard time writing something that's exactly what I want it to be in exactly the right place, since in the process of creating a section the idea changes based on what happens. Also, I suck at transitions, so that must have played a part. Always trying to make those better.

The ending breakdown at 2:47 was made basically to allow for a full circle ending with 3:18 - I had to change the key back to B major in a calm, conclusive way. Perhaps if that section didn't exist and I let the piece end with a shorter outro, the 2:10 part would be pushed closer to the end? I don't know. I think my main issue would have been that between 1:34 and 2:10 there was no softer part.

Well, thanks for reviewing! My response is kinda late but hey. No mixing complaints? Huh, I'm kinda surprised. Maybe Gragon's advice helped more than I thought it did. :)