TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Seeking Light In The Darkness]

I like the waltzy piano riff at the beginning and the pensive, almost introspective mood. The piece could use a bit more atmosphere - reverb on the piano, sharper and more prominent percussion, etc. - but the strings and other layered harmonies as the piece goes on help the texture feel full and rich after a while. The production quality is not bad, but the mix is very quiet. I like how the piece comes full circle at the end with the waltzy piano riff. I also think the arrangement sounded a bit formulaic, with regular changes in the texture every 4 or 8 bars, but not a lot of ebb and flow within those 8 bars. Still, the elegant sound design, melodies, and soothing aura of this piece have really won me over. Keep at it, SomeGuy! ^_^

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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

SomeGuyMusic responds:

Thank you!

[Mijn en ambacht]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The lead guitar at :07 sounds a bit inauthentic, but a bigger problem is how much it’s drowning out the drums and bass here. I’d suggest adding a bit more compression to the drums, and adjusting the volume levels on the bass as you can. The rhythmic content here is really nice - I especially like the drums at :24 - and the organ lines are also really catchy. The transition at :57 was very sudden, and during that section the drums in particular get very lost in the texture. The mallets at 1:13 were another cool sound design choice, but they don’t quite feel well-integrated with the synth patterns that come both before and after them. The stop-start transition at 2:02 is once again pretty jarring, but I thought it was really clever to slow down the pacing of the main riff at 2:02. There’s a lot of dissonance in the texture at around 2:30. I feel like you were going for a final climax there, but the texture was very muddy and the drums needed to be punchier to sell the sense of urgency given the slower tempo.

Overall, the sound design, rhythmic content, atmosphere, and mood of this piece are really good. The two big suggestions I have are 1) to work on your transitions and 2) to tighten up the mix. There are a lot of sudden shifts in the texture during your piece, and the result is that the arrangement is rather choppy. Instead of adding or subtracting instruments without warning, introducing them more gradually, or even doing a cross-fade with the lead instrument before it, could help keep the listener more grounded here. As for the mixing, the piece needs both some more compression across the board, maybe even on the master track, to give the mix some more sharpness and distinction, as well as some stricter equalizing. There are a lot of muddy, lower frequencies that should probably be filtered out of the harmonic instruments here - as a general rule of thumb, 200 Hertz and lower should only ever appear in the bass and drums.

Still, the compositional details and frantic melodies in this piece are totally cool. I hope you’ll continue working on this - lot of potential here. Keep at it, SirSandman0! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
6.75/10

SirSandman0 responds:

thank you for the feedback! I generally suck at audio mixing, so I'll definitely be making use of this.

[Left To Right]

There are some really neat ideas here, from the rhythmic content to the vocal samples to the effect that sounds like an emergency siren, to the airy synths. I just would’ve liked to hear more of it. You have a lot of pent-up tension in this piece, and I’d encourage you to make an epic build-up and drop cycle that (eventually) releases some of it. Until then, I’m not sure how to evaluate the “structure and transitions” or “melodies” part of my rubric here, because this piece doesn’t have any. Also, the production work could be a bit tighter here - the drums get a little lost in the mix when they’re trying to play over the synths. Sounds like a job for some more filtering/equalizers and compression. But this piece has a lot of potential, so you should definitely keep working on it. Feel free to send me a PM if and when you flesh out the composition more, and I’m happy to leave you another review. In the meantime, keep at it, Seyrnox! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
5/10

Seyrnox responds:

Honestly I did this for fun (like everything that I do), it's normal that I didn't take into account almost anything so don't expect me to do a reedit or something like that

[Bullet Hell]

I like the frantic synths at the beginning. The transition at :08 was a bit jarring, though. Very different soundscape there than just a few seconds before, and you do the same thing to me at :32. It’s like I’m switching the dial on the radio constantly throughout the piece.

The more mellow section at :56 (and other places) has a better sense of balance and melody than the one with the frantic breaks, but the sound design is still a bit cheesy (especially with the piano), and the reverb is a bit too heavy to keep all the instruments sounding distinct in the mix.

The busier section at :32 (and other places) has some catchy beats and cool sound design, but is also very internally disjointed after switching between the sub-sections with the heavy bass and the cutesy, frantic synths. By 1:42, you do a good job of integrating elements of both of the main sections, although the mellow section’s melody gets a bit buried in the mix by 1:55 or so. I also think some of the compositional details and effects, like the ascending chiptuney thing at 1:50, are a bit too loud.

I like the tempo automations at 2:15 or so, but the rough transitions keep on coming, and you also don’t do a lot to create variety in the main riffs over time - even a key change or slight variation in the melodic pattern would help give this piece a stronger sense of progression over time. The downtempo groove at 2:55 was probably my favorite part of the piece, actually, as it offered a bit of much-needed variety here.

Overall, you have a lot of good individual ideas here - from the rich atmosphere of :08 to the rhythmic content at 3:18 - but you need to do more to integrate the ideas together in a smooth and gradual way. The arrangement feels very disjointed, and over time I’m getting whiplash trying to keep up with all the sudden shifts in mood, instrumentation, and energy level. That sense of frequent, abrupt mood shifts might’ve been your intention behind the piece, but I personally don’t find it very enjoyable. Sorry!

For what it’s worth, I think you clearly have a good sense of harmony and rhythm. If and when you make another piece that reflects my feedback here regarding the transitions, sound design, and mixing details, feel free to send me a PM, and I’m happy to leave you another (hopefully more positive) review. I hope this review doesn’t come across as discouraging - from the section between 1:36 and 1:42, I know that you know how to make smoother transitions. I just wanted to see the whole piece reflect that.

Keep at it, Rougetoad49! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
5.5/10

MYYA responds:

I had some balls using this as an audition, that's for sure. Given what you're grading it on, I probably should have thrown another song at you instead but eh, you live and you learn.

I suppose my goals here were not really in line with what NGUAC is all about. Most of the things you're docking me points here for were actually intentional choices, barring mixing. I know nothing's gonna be reconsidered, but I kindof regret using this song as my audition. Oh well.

Thanks for listening to it and writing all that anyways. Surely I'll do better next year.

[RobTop - Random Song 06 (SoTshu Remix)]

I like the ominous tone at the beginning. The mix is pretty crisp and clean, although I might’ve taken the bass/kick combo on the downbeats down a notch. The rhythmic content is really cool, and the sound design fits the dark mood of the piece really well. There’s a good sense of build into :40, and I like the gritty mid-range bass there too. The texture is pretty minimal and bottom-heavy throughout the piece, and I would’ve liked to see you at least flesh out the composition a bit more. Feels like it ends right as it’s getting to a melodic breakdown or atmospheric bridge or something. Still, the catchy breaks, smooth progression, and production quality are all really impressive here. Keep at it, Rombit! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

SoTshu responds:

Hi! Thanks for checking out my song and for this really insightful feedback! Really appreciate it! Much love!

[Sunset Riders]

I like the relaxed guitar riff at the beginning. The drums could’ve been a tad punchier in the mix here, and the guitar has a lot of echo/reverb to it that might be further edging out the drums and bass. The piece doesn’t have much of a strong sense of progression until the breakdown/bridge at 1:03, but I like the quirky sound design during the second half of the piece. I know you’re a really talented guitarist, Ritz, but honestly the mix could be a lot tighter here, and I would’ve liked to see you do more with the composition too. Still, I’m a big fan of the rhythmic content, atmosphere, and sound design here. Keep at it, man! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

Ritz190 responds:

Hey thank you for the feedback!

It's been rough getting back into music the way I was before, got kids now and takes most of my time, but I'll def work on the weaker aspects of my music that you have pointed out.

Thanks again! Peace!✌️

[Puffs]

I like the smooth atmosphere at the beginning. The piano sounds a bit harsh in the mix, though - I might suggest using an equalizer to knock down some of the treble-range tones down a peg. The pad slides at :19 and :37 are really cool, and I love the relaxed mood and the rhythmic syncopations in the percussion. The production quality is solid, although the piano and other harmonic instruments could’ve had a tad more room to breathe after the bass comes in at :59. The harmonic content here is very repetitive, though, and at some point I would’ve liked to see you vary the main riffs of the piece or otherwise give the piece a stronger sense of progression. Still, the haunting mood and airy sound design are really nice here. Keep at it, Rilo15! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

ggsevv responds:

Thank you! I'll take this and improve. Be on the lookout for me next year!

[Catastrophe- Mr. Germs (Ft. Reytunez Bz)]

I like the furtive synth at the beginning. The vocals at :11 sound a bit harsh in the mix, and much of the rest of the sound design could use a bit of polish. The kick at :21 is very heavy for an otherwise mellow piece like this, and I would’ve liked to hear some more mixing effects on the harmonic instruments to fill out the atmosphere a bit more. The way the lead synths kinda duck under the other instruments occasionally (suddenly gets quiet at :34, then louder again at :37, etc.) is a bit bizarre, and overall the texture feels very thin and slow to progress for most of the rest of the piece.

You layer on a high-pitched synth at 1:10 or so, but that one could also stand to be a bit softer in the mix - maybe add some reverb and then turn the dry reverb way down, to give it more of an atmospheric appeal. The added percussion at 1:28 is pretty cool, and overall I like the rhythmic content in this piece a lot. That said, the beat later gets a bit too busy-sounding and indistinct at around 2:30 onwards.

Overall, you have a lot of good isolated ideas here, but they don’t always blend together well, and sometimes the sound design detracts from the realization of those ideas. I’d suggest going for some bolder compositional decisions to add variety to the lead synth here - either increasing its range higher or lower at different points of the song, or even having it fade away entirely at times in favor of other melodies and riffs. The beat is really neat here, but the off-beats could’ve been stronger, with more compression on the main snare/perc that’s playing at a given time. I’d suggest adding some reverb on more of the instruments to aid with blending, and then using filtering to even out the texture so that nothing sounds too harsh.

I know this review hasn’t been very positive, but I think you clearly have a good sense of rhythm and progression. You just need the harmonies and sound design components of the composition to match the efforts you’ve put into the rhythm and progression now. When you feel like you’ve implemented my feedback or made other improvements, feel free to PM me and I’ll leave you another review. Keep at it, ReyTunezBz! ^_^

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

ReytunezBz responds:

Thank you very much for the review. I will use this to grow and progress on future projects. -Reytunez Bz & Mr. Germs.🦠

[Under Surveillance]

I like the echo-y, minimal beat at the beginning. The mysterious-sounding synth bass are a nice touch, as is the flute and the echo-y percussion at :42. The piece is a bit slow to progress at first, but the sound design is really cool, and the mix is really loud, crisp, and well-balanced. The transition at 1:25 was pretty sudden. There’s a great sense of mounting tension starting at 1:50, but the part at 2:11 ended up being a bit anticlimactic. The texture is pretty minimal for most of this piece, and as much as I enjoy the synth lead at 2:32, I think all the apprehensive set-up in this piece was a bit of a missed opportunity to really create a high-octane climax later in the piece. When do the burglars realize they’re on camera and start running? When does the guard’s throat get slit? Right now, I’m not sure that moment ever comes. I also think the mix begins to sound a tad strained during the final minute or so of the piece, and the drums in particular seem like they’re fighting for attention. That said, I really like the atmosphere, ominous mood, instrumentation, and progression of this piece. Keep at it, RedCocoa! ^_^

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
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.5/10

RedCocoa responds:

Thanks for your very in depth feedback :)
I wanted to audition with one of the more experimental tracks on this album and I knew it was a bit of a gamble but I'll take the feedback and improve whatever I'll come up with in the next two weeks. Thanks again!

[continuity error Jazz/IDM/Future [MUSIC VIDEO]]

I like the jazzy vibe at the beginning and the crisp, punchy drums at :16. I think you start overusing that pad and crash with the strong attack at :22, and otherwise the texture is pretty minimal. The sound design is really cool, though, and I like the tempo automations at 1:02 or so. The harmonic content here could use a lot more depth and variety after a while, and I also think the structure of the piece needed a stronger sense of ebb and flow. Right now, the piece just gets a bit repetitive and predictable after a while, despite the neat sound design and strong production quality. I also like when the beat slows down at 2:48 and the off beats get a stronger emphasis than they had before. Clearly, your killer sense of rhythm is on full display here, but I would’ve liked to see you round out the composition a bit more with an overarching sense of narrative and more variety in the harmonies. Still, the instrumentation and mixing are top-notch here. Keep at it, Quarl! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.25/10

Quarl responds:

Thanks for taking the time TL, and salud!