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TaintedLogic
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    The flute melodies at the beginning sound graceful, but the instruments playing them don’t sound particularly authentic. Some reverb on the flutes might help enrich the sense of atmosphere, but the strings at :16 also accomplish that purpose pretty well. I like the sense of build into 1:01, but the cello there is also rather clearly fake, as is the guitar at 1:23. Sometimes, if you don’t have orchestral samples that sound real, it’s better to replace them with instruments that are meant to sound synthetic, even if you’re going for a cinematic vibe. It’s also fairly easy to get free or low-cost orchestral samples that sound decent. 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.

    Instrumentation aside, I really like the melodies and rhythmic syncopation in the drums. It did throw me off occasionally that the strings were playing dotted quarter-eighth-quarter-quarter instead of quarter-quarter-quarter-quarter when accompanying the guitar solo, but that’s a small detail. The harmonies were occasionally dissonant here, notably at around :55 and 2:40, but it bothers me less at 2:40 since that section is very transitional. Another compositional nitpick I have at 3:13 is that the cello solo seems a bit “over-decorated” - it’s squeezing in a lot of frantic notes that don’t always add a ton of interest to the melodic contour. I appreciate how you varied the guitar solo at 3:47 compared to the first one. The outro with the church bells and string arpeggios also works well.

    Overall, there’s a lot to like with the melodies, progression, and rhythmic content here, and the mix sounds pretty clean and well-balanced. Work on beefing up your sample library, and this could be a top-notch track. Keep it up, Joel! ^_^

    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
    .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
    7.5/10

    Joel-Phelps responds:

    Thanks a lot for the review!

    I'm glad you liked the atmosphere and melodies, and I will definitely look into getting better instruments.

    I like the quirky percussion and the eerie organ synth at the beginning. The mix is a tad harsh-sounding for my tastes, but the rhythmic content is neat and the rich atmosphere. The harmonic content could use a bit more depth variety at some point, although the moody breakdown at 1:04 was a nice touch. The second half of the piece gets pretty repetitive, though, and overall I’d suggest fleshing out the structure a bit more. Despite my compositional complaints, the experimental texture is really cool, and you also get full credit for sound design and atmosphere. Also, this doesn’t factor into my scoring rubric, but the title is really creative too. :) Keep at it, JarJarZoinks!

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.75/2
    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
    1/1
    Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
    .5/1
    Composite score
    7.25/10

    2keg responds:

    thanks for the review Mr.Logic bruv, gonna come back harder for next year's NGADM

    I like the bubbly synths and blissful mood at the beginning. I might’ve liked to see a bit more of a hierarchy in the texture, though - it seems like the harmonies are as loud as, if not louder than, the melodies here. Also, the drums could’ve been a tad stronger in the mix, perhaps with some more compression. The melodies themselves are really enjoyable, and I also enjoy the flow of the piece. That said, there’s more you could’ve done to create an overarching sense of dynamism here. Right now, the energy levels are nearly constant throughout the piece - at some point, stripping away the beat or having a synth phrase that was softer in volume might’ve helped create some variety. Still, you’ve put together a catchy and compelling track here, Interloping! Keep it up! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.25/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1/1.5
    Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
    2/2
    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
    8.25/10

    Interloping responds:

    Thank you so much, I am still learning how to use FL Studio, so a lot of the mixing and compressing qualities are a tad out of my reach at the moment. I will continue to experiment with features and hopefully place a higher ranking in the future

    I like the blissful mood at the beginning and the triumphant-sounding lead at :32. Aspects of the sound design and chord progression are a bit generic, but the atmosphere here is engrossing, and your cadre of melodies really helps me stay invested in the piece. I like the more minimal breakdown at 2:10, and the warm pads and heavily reverberated synths during the next 30 seconds. I think my favorite aspect of the piece was the mixing - the instruments are just crystal clear, loud, and well-balanced throughout the track. If I had to complain about one thing, it might be that the piece never quite returns to the energy level it had during the first minute or two - I think that was a bit of a missed opportunity. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this track - it’s full of memorable, dynamic melodies, energetic beats, cutesy instrumentation, and a rich and soothing atmosphere. Keep it up, Hypervolt! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    2/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1.25/1.5
    Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
    2/2
    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?)
    .75/1
    Composite score
    9/10

    Hypervolt responds:

    Thanks for the feedback and kind words! Looking forward to keeping it up ;)

    I like the dreamy synth riff and string pads at the beginning. The piece is a little slow to progress at first, but the crisp drums and added harmonies at around :40 are really nice. The oscillating pad that fades in at :38 sounds a bit too loud, and the way it was panned at :51 was a bit jarring tbh. The texture comes together well by 1:08, but the descending line the lead is playing still doesn’t seem very melodic or dynamic. I like the fat, grouchy synth bass and a lot of the other sound design elements. I also like the added harmonies during the second refrain at 2:35.

    Overall, this piece is well-structured and smooth-flowing, with solid production quality and a killer atmosphere. Some of the compositional details could’ve been fleshed out a bit more, but honestly my biggest problem here is probably the extreme panning on that one pad - it’s just very distracting and unpleasant. Stereo widening is probably a better way of having an instrument like that blend in with the rest of the texture more - that’ll simultaneously pan the pads to both sides so that they sound more well-balanced. Otherwise, this is a catchy piece with a nice, soothing atmosphere. Keep at it, GlaceonDash! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.25/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1.25/1.5
    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
    7.5/10

    GlaceonDash responds:

    This was made during a period when I discovered panning existed, so yeah!

    I'll try my hardest the next time I make something similar, hopefully avoiding it sounding too harsh

    I like the bouncy beat at the beginning. The synths are a bit cheesy, though, and the mix sounds seriously distorted here. Notice how the drums sound a lot quieter at :32 than they did during the first 20 seconds? That’s a sign that the texture is getting distorted because you have multiple instruments playing at the same frequency range. You can fix it by adding a compressor to the drums, and then using an equalizer to filter out the bass tones (less than 200 Hertz or so) in the harmonic instruments (i.e., everything besides the bass and kick). I’m sure you can look up “how to use a compressor” or “how to use an equalizer” and then add the name of your DAW to help you navigate the technicalities of mixing in your specific program. You also might already be familiar with these mixing tools - you should use them way more often, is the point.

    Production aside, I like the frantic arpeggios at :32, but I think the additional layering at :43 is a bit too much. I’m also enjoying the melodies at :53, although the transition at 1:15 came on a bit suddenly. After the breakdown at 1:15, the piece got pretty repetitive, and also has a pretty generic chord progression and arrangement. Overall, I think you have a good sense of rhythm, song structure, and harmony, but the composition needed more variety here and the mix could’ve been a lot tighter. Still, I enjoyed the house-inspired outro and the final build-up at 3:26. Keep at it, GEYXOR! :)

    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
    .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

    GEYXOR responds:

    tysm ill try to get better :D

    I like the piano riff at the beginning and gradual fade-in of the pads at :23. The gritty bass at :38 has a bit too much static and not enough tonal core for my tastes, but I’m enjoying the build-up into 1:18 nonetheless. The dreamy drop sounds good, if a tad minimal and over-compressed. The arrangement is a bit generic here, but the compositional details are still satisfying. I especially like the creative beats at 2:25 and the more energetic drop at 3:08. You did a good job of making the content during the drop feel fresh compared to the first one with the added harmonies and the faster-paced underlying rhythm. The spacey outro was also a nice touch. There might’ve been some more dynamic melodies at some point, but overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, rhythmic content, and mixing and mastering in this piece a lot. Keep at it, ShadowFox! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.75/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1.25/1.5
    Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
    1.25/2
    Instrumentation and sound design
    .75/1
    Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
    1.25/1.5
    Originality and uniqueness
    .5/1
    Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
    .75/1
    Composite score
    7.5/10

    gdfoxy0021 responds:

    Thanks a lot for this comment, i appreciate it a lot ^^

    It’s a bit hard to follow the rhythm at the beginning 5 seconds or so, but I like the punchy synths and the crisp beats. Some of the drum samples are a bit generic, and the synths at :30 sound a bit harsh and indistinct in the mix. It also sounds like you have some reverb on the kick at :52, which could also be compromising the production quality a bit. You channel the energy really well here, with a number of cool transitions and fun compositional details like the glitches at around 1:10. The harmonic content gets a bit repetitive after a while here, and at some point some more melodic content would’ve been nice. The structure seems a bit formulaic after a while, despite the cool transitions - you seem to switch up the texture every 8 or 16 bars or so, but don’t do much to create variety within the phrase. Despite that missed opportunity, I’m enjoying the apprehensive mood and sound design overall here. You clearly have a great sense of rhythm, progression, and harmony. The composition just could’ve been a bit bolder and more variational. Still, the catchy synth riffs and high-octane breaks are really neat. Keep at it, g2961! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.5/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1/1.5
    Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
    1.25/2
    Instrumentation and sound design
    .75/1
    Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
    1.25/1.5
    Originality and uniqueness
    .5/1
    Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
    .75/1
    Composite score
    7/10

    G2961 responds:

    Thanks for advanced review! I accept it!

    I like the emotional appeal of the piano at the beginning. The melodies at :09 are nice, but I think you overused the little rolled chords at the beginning of each phrase (:09-:14, :18-:25, etc.). The transition into :52 was smooth, although some of the instruments there sound pretty inauthentic. The piano could’ve sounded a bit more distinct in the mix, but otherwise the production quality holds up well during the climax of the piece. The post-chorus at 1:40 has a nice, punchy rhythm to contrast with the flute lead. Overall, this is a really impressive composition. I honestly think my biggest problem with it is the quality of the instruments - clearly fake, and occasionally a bit harsh-sounding in the treble range (i.e., 1:36). You should probably look into getting some better orchestral samples, but your sense of melody, progression, and rhythm certainly make up for that here. Consider yourself scouted. Keep at it, FUZZYFREAK! ^_^

    Mixing, mastering, and balance
    1.75/2
    Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
    1.25/1.5
    Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
    2/2
    Instrumentation and sound design
    .5/1
    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

    FUZZYFREAK responds:

    hey man, thank you so much for providing such a detailed response to my piece! i really really appreciate you taking so much time and care into listening and analyzing something i've made so closely, even if it's something you presumably take great pleasure in doing :)

    before i explain some stuff i must say i 100% agree with basically everything you've said here. the elephant in the room i wanna address is that this piece was made in flat.io, a browser hosted notation based software (think musescore, sibelius etc. but exclusively hosted on your browser instead), which is why some of the instruments sound very inauthentic in the mix as well as the mix itself not being expertly handled (there are 0 mixing options provided besides being able to pan and give reverb to instruments as well as a hard-cap limiter put in place when exporting to mp3 or wav to prevent clipping, but anything else is completely out of the picture hahaha)

    as for the rolls in the beginning, i thought of them less as chords and more just the main melody being played by the right hand in a unique way - the melody itself is just doubled an octave higher, so what the roll is effectively doing is just making it so the octaves aren't playing at the same time (something you've probably noticed is that at places like :40 for example i didn't use this roll to accent that specific beat/note for effect, since overall i think the roll makes the melody more "floaty"). all that is to say i don't think you're necessarily wrong, just that there's a difference in artistic vision, which i still honestly super appreciate you mentioning to me as it gives me something to think about


    once again, thank you for the review! and dw i'll definitely be applying for the other contest, just wanted to see the results of this one first ;)

    p.s. forgot to mention but i've moved to making music in FL since i've made this piece so don't worry about that LOL

    I like the echo-y pads at the beginning and the bassy groove at :04. The mix is loud overall, but the vocals need a serious boost. They sound both over-processed and way too soft. Vocals and drums should be easily the loudest elements of the mix, and right now neither of them stand out. I also would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodic content and some more creative sound design - the drums especially were a little cliche here. That said, the vocal layering on the post-chorus is nice (like at 3:21), and I like the smooth, dreamy pads and bass.

    The mixing is definitely my main concern with this piece. I would suggest scaling back the reverb/delay effects and getting a lot stricter with the equalizers on the instrumental tracks, before using some compression and filtering to make the vocals punchier and more up-front. The clap could also use some compression, but it might be more impactful to give it a boost in the upper-mid range where it has the most frequencies so that it “pops” more in the mix.

    Overall, there’s a lot to like with the compositional details, rhythmic content, and progression here. It just needs a more crisp and well-balanced production, is all. Keep at it, Force64! ^_^

    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
    .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
    7/10

    Force64 responds:

    Thanks for you review :D

    Hi. I'm Andrew. Audio portal junkie since 2010, supporter since 2017. I always want to improve what I do! I make music, run the NGUAC, post poetry on BBS, and am the all-time #2 audio reviewer. I love this site, and I want to make it the best I can! ^_^

    Andrew Mikula @TaintedLogic

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