TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Detious - Shaded]

I like the eerie chords at the beginning and the crisp beats shortly thereafter. The vocal samples work well, although the acid synth at :22 sounds a tad unpolished. The drop at :47 is catchy, if minimal, and overall I’m enjoying the combination of electronic and hip hop influences here. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear some more harmonic content - you’re missing a lot of frequencies in the mid- and upper range of the spectrum here, and while the rhythmic content and eerie atmosphere are neat, they’re not enough to adequately keep me engaged here. But despite the minimalism and lack of variety, the production is really clean, and you nailed the sound design, mood, and rhythmic elements. Keep at it, Detious! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

DetiousMusic responds:

Always appreciate your reviews, Tainted! Ahhh, I won't lie. I decided to go with my most recent track instead of my best. Should've went all out, haha!

[Chocnoon - Hydraulics (CCLXXVIII)]

I like the upbeat synth riff at the beginning. The drum samples and some of the synths are a bit cheesy, but a bigger problem is the mixing. The drums are very hard to hear once the harmonies at :24 come in. Notice how the drums sound a lot quieter at around :30 than they did at :10 or so? 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’m sure you can look up “how to use a compressor in Jummbox” or “how to use an equalizer in Jummbox” to help you navigate the technicalities of your DAW. You also might already be familiar with these mixing tools - you should use them way more often, is the point. You can also try dialing back the reverb, which might be making the texture sound even muddier.

Production quality aside, I like the energy and rhythmic content here. The harmonies, while hard to discern in the muddy mix, fit nicely together, and you also have some cool transitions in here, like at 1:15. While the harmonic content is very repetitive here, the key change at 1:26 and the shifting instrumental palette help keep things interesting. Still, at some point I would’ve liked to hear an extended breakdown or bridge section where you strip away the beat and give the piece a stronger narrative appeal. Right now, it’s high-energy pretty much all the time, which isn’t very conducive to keeping the listener engaged.

Still, I like the shimmering synth at the outro (2:41), and overall the atmosphere, melodies, and progression of the piece are enjoyable. Keep at it, Derailment! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
5.75/10

name responds:

Well, the presets (and the DAW) aren't really the best. But I have to admit it, my mixing is not the best. But well... I wonder what's that .25/1 in uniqueness.

[A Light From Beyond Tomorrow]

I like the synth guitar melody at the beginning. The shimmering synth at :10 is a little disorienting, and the pacing of the piece is very fast, with a lot of total shake-ups to the instrumental hierarchy in a short time. The production quality is great, though, with crisp drums and well-balanced harmonies throughout. Also, I really like the guitar solo at 1:28.

The piece seems to be structured as a series of melodic solos that alternate between a number of different synths. At some point I might’ve liked to hear a bridge or breakdown that breaks up that paradigm a tad, just for variety. Otherwise, the different melody lines kind of blend together while also not really contributing to an overarching sense of narrative. You also overuse the same couple of cadences at the end of each melodic phrase, giving the piece a sense of being pretty repetitive despite having a bunch of different melody lines in it.

Otherwise, the sound design is enjoyable, and you clearly have a good sense of harmony and rhythm. I think the very end of the piece could’ve been a bit more creative than a fade-out, but I understand that this piece would probably loop in-game. Regardless, breaking up the arrangement of the piece and focusing on structural cohesion in your tracks is a good next step for you. Keep at it, Deemo-R! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

Deemo-R responds:

Sorry to ping this like a year later, but for some reason I thought I had responded to this at some point! I'm actually surprised that you think the production was good, it's always been a point I feel like I've lacked on - perhaps not the general idea of "balance", but more that it leans too much into tucking everything into an even pocket of gray mush (nothing really jumps out in an ear-catching "ooh, what's that?" sort of way). Part of that I think comes from the way I've arranged things, which tends to veer into potentially oversaturating a track with too many elements that serve similar purposes. What's interesting is that I think you're pointing out the same idea, but from the perspective that it makes the overall cohesion less effective in a structural way. Which, by the way, I agree with, despite how embarrassing it is to feel like my control of form (one of the most documented aspects of music) is extremely lacking.

And yes, the arrangement part you mention is a big thought of mine - a teacher one described it as a necessity to consider the "density" of a piece. If it feels like a flat line, eventually a listener will tune it out. There's a lack of intrigue, and in my case it usually feels like it needs breathing room. I get a bit over-excited when writing energetic music, tending to focus too hard on the microscopic aspects of each line or bar, instead of a broader "see the forest, not the trees" approach.

Anyway, I know it's a bit weird to respond THIS late after the fact, but I just wanted to make sure it's clear that I always appreciate a critical look and spend a lot of time considering the things that peers offer about the craft. Thanks!

[FANTASMA [NGADM 2023 Top 100]]

I like the apprehensive mood at the beginning and the orchestral sound design, between the string drone and church bells. There’s a good sense of build into :52, and once again into 1:07. The gritty synths during the drop don’t necessarily blend in well with the rest of the piece’s sound design in my opinion, especially the mid-range bass at 1:07. I like how you added back the string line at 1:40, but I would’ve liked to see it be a bit more prominent in the mix. The arrangement of this piece is a bit generic, but I enjoyed the eerie riff at 2:08 and the second build-up nonetheless. I would’ve liked to hear more variety in the drop the second time around, especially compared to the first one. That said, I really like the emotional appeal of the outro. Overall, great job with the mixing and mastering, well-balanced texture, and atmosphere/mood of this piece. Some of the compositional details of this piece could use a bit more massaging, but most of my complaints here are small details. Keep at it, D4W1LL13! Good luck with your album. :)

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
.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
7.75/10

D4W1LL13 responds:

Thanks so much for listening! I gave my best efforts with this one, and strongly believed in its ability to compete in the audio deathmatch. It is extremely encouraging to see feedback from you and many others.

[APSM (NGADM)]

I like the glitchy and ominous riffs at the beginning. The sound design and production are both awesome, and you nailed the rich atmosphere and moodiness too. At :46 or so, the piece loses a bit of momentum, and after a while I would’ve liked the piece to stay grounded in some more stable harmonic content. The melancholy breakdown at 1:40 is nice, and I really like the addition of the piano and the wavering synth pads at around 2:05. The filtering/volume adjustments on the pads at around 2:35 are a bit disorienting, but I like how the piece sinks back into a mellow atmosphere before the final drop at 3:23. That said, there are also a lot of moments in this piece where the texture is fairly minimal, and I might’ve liked to see either some more melodic content or otherwise a thicker soundscape. Still, the mixing, mastering, and instrumentation are killer here. Really evocative piece, CrowdDoll! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
8/10

CrowdDoll responds:

Thank you so so much for your review. I really tried to go a little more Experimental for this piece because I want to explore the more crazy part of my music and extend the bounds of what I can do. But thank you for your honest feedback, I'll use it to improve my Round 1 track ( ╹▽╹ )

[Chrome Coast]

I like the frantic arpeggios and bright-sounding lead at the beginning. The drums are a bit weak in the mix, though. Some more compression might help them “pop” more. The sound design itself is good - plenty of cutesy melody instruments and smooth pads.

The piece could use a tad more structuring, though. I know it’s intended for use in a video game, but the progression is basically a series of meandering melodies one after another, and after a while they blend together in my mind. None of them feel like they’re contributing to an overarching narrative or informing each other. Part of the problem may be that some of them have a lot of excess ornamentation. A good example is the part between 3:48 and 3:54 - you could achieve the same progression with way fewer notes, which would in turn help orient the listener to the direction you’re going in (i.e., the more low-register melody that follows it) a lot better.

Aside from the melodies, I can tell that the piece loops well, and I commend you for having a full, well-balanced texture throughout. Like I said earlier, I really like the sound design here. For a stand-alone piece, I just expected the melodic phrases to be a bit more broken-up and interspersed with verses/breakdowns/atmospheric sections. Still, you’ve put together a catchy and fun piece here, CommanderJersey! Keep it up! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7.5/10

CommanderJersey responds:

Thank you for such an in depth review! I'll definitely look more closely at the structure and clarity/direction of my melodies going forward.

[Dusk]

I like the dreamy pads at the beginning. The drums sound a little generic, but a bigger problem here is the mixing. The pads at :36 are way too loud, and also distort the drums a lot. Notice how the drums sound a lot quieter at :36 than they did before those pads came in? 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’m sure you can look up “how to use a compressor in LMMS” or “how to use an equalizer in LMMS” to help you navigate the technicalities of your DAW. You also might already be familiar with these mixing tools - you should use them way more often, is the point.

Production aside, I’m enjoying the re-introduction of the dreamy pads at 1:05 and the airy melodies at 1:10. The chord progression is a bit generic, and at some point I might’ve liked to see you shake up the harmonic framework here. Most of the variety in the piece comes from switching out the instruments over time, rather than the note patterns themselves. The result is that the piece sounds very repetitive after a while, and some of the instruments also sound rather unpolished, like the lead at 1:40. I like the arpeggios at 2:02 and the synth bass at 2:16, though.

Sorry if this isn’t a very positive review, but the production quality could be a lot tighter and the composition is a bit bland and repetitive. Overall, my favorite element of the piece is probably the rich atmosphere and upbeat mood. Switching out a few of the cheesier synths might help you double down on the dreamy quality of the piece, too. I’d encourage you to keep working on this piece, though. It certainly has potential, and you clearly have a good sense of harmony, rhythm, and progression. When you feel like you’ve implemented some of my feedback, feel free to PM me, and I’ll give you another review. Keep at it, Colin8tor! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
6/10

Colin8tor responds:

Thank you so much for the feedback. I found it helpful and really appreciate it.

[A New Chapter In Life: 80s Version]

I like the fast-paced drums at the beginning and the synth bass that comes in shortly thereafter. The chords at :17 take up a bit too much space in the mix, though - it might help if you had compressed the drums a bit more. The floaty synths at :27 and :38 help round out the texture nicely, and the organ synth at 1:01 adds a brighter tone to the harmonies. The transition at 1:23 was a tad abrupt, and also rapidly changed the pacing of the piece to a more ambient, pensive, and downtempo track. I like the somewhat more dissonant texture at around 3:10, but otherwise the middle section is a bit bland and repetitive. The transition back to the more uptempo part at 5:02 was similarly abrupt, and this time the dissonance in the texture doesn’t quite work as well for me. The key change at 5:48 was a good idea, but you also tried to do a bit too much with the progression too fast starting at around 6:30. I enjoyed the added percussion at 6:54 and the dreamy outro, although the crash at 6:55 was a bit too drawn-out.

Overall, you have a lot of good ideas here between the atmospheric synth patterns and upbeat, energetic sections. The arrangement is just a tad disjointed, and the mixing could be tighter with some stricter equalizing and maybe slightly less reverb. Still, you’ve displayed a strong sense of storytelling through music here, which is an advanced skill to have. Keep it up, CIEIR! ^_^

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
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

CIEIRMusic responds:

First and foremost, thank you for a very thorough review. While I've been given constructive criticism before, this is literally the first time someone has given me vivid detail. Now don't take this the wrong way, but while I do take criticism well, I often am one of the few that try to say things in my defense but that doesn't mean I haven't listened, more or less wanted to tell you my POV on those specific ones.

At 0:17, one of the overall motifs on my music is that I try to do a good build up and I do agree, sometimes yes they do take up too much space. That being said, much of why I didn't compress the drums is that with that specific VST I use for them I extract it separate so I could add reverb and give it that 80s sound. I'm still new to music editing, so up until you pointed it out, I honestly didn't see it as a problem, but you're right.

At 0:27 - 0:38 this is one of the reasons why I keep my music the way it is sometimes. Part of the fun is putting the stuff people would like together with stuff that needs improvement, so the liked stuff would take people more by surprise.

At 1:01 this one I'm both surprised at and proud of. Most of the time whenever I incorporate the organ in my work, I usually incorporate it into something scary. I know kinda cliche, but at the same time, the idea that I am capable of bright stuff with a usually dark instrument is a win all it's own for me.

At 1:23 I was afraid someone would notice that. The most difficult part of my newest works and you can see that in my earlier works, is that I often have difficulty transitioning it seamlessly. I use Audacity for the editing and they have a thing where if you're really good at timing, all you have to do is find the exact location on the audio's timeline by the microsecond and highlight the beginning and end of it before paulstretching it. However get one microsecond wrong and it goes from seamless to somewhat choppy. As seen when it begins at 1:23 and ends at 5:02. My whole thing was to go fast paced, slow, then fast paced again. But you're right that part could use more work. That being said, the original version of this song is much longer, more repetitive and like I said when I entered it, would have been overkill. That being said the overall motif of the middle was more or less what was going on in my head at the time I realized said chapter in my life was going. And while repetition in music, by my own admission can be annoying I believe in this case it's apt. When people think, thoughts are repetitive sometimes. And in that case it dawned on me how much things were beginning to change for me for the better. So I wanted to replicate that process in music. The idea being that I wanted to not just do storytelling, but convey thoughts and emotions through music and sound. To me music, regardless of preferred genre is an emotional medium on top of being an auditory medium. So my main motif of my overall work, tries to convey that even with said repetition. That being said I do agree with your points here with some exception.

At 5:48 with this and a lot of my music, I love doing a high key reprise, it's a bit cliche, but the way I see it if you can't have fun making this stuff, there's no point in making it even if the work is a Mozart level masterpiece or a Salieri.

At 6:30 with that it's another trademark, but essentially a lot of songs I make, I do what I like to call a "Wrap up." in which when I feel the song has played for too long, I give my listeners a break. My way of telling them. "Ok you listened this far, it's almost over." But ya, you're right it could use some work here too.

6:54 Percussion was never really my strong suit, because I'm still learning to get around using more stuff than just snare, bass and crash. So I'm glad this one is to your liking. Personally I like the crash mainly because while yes, it is drawn out, listening to it now, because I stretched it, it kinda (to me at least) gives it sort of a singing bowl feel to it.

In terms of the overall conclusion, I am glad storytelling is my strong suit on this one. I figured if all else, I could at least be able to tell the story of the song. You'd be surprised how many pieces of art have gotten famous and worth $ over the past centuries, over the story of the art rather than the art itself. For example, The Mona Lisa, one of Da Vinci's famous works, didn't get famous until some asshole broke into his house and stole it.


All and all, thanks for a very thorough and in depth look at my work and I suggest you check out my other stuff. I recommend Attack The Nightclub.

Update: I just read my overall judgement on the doc on the forum. I know it wasn't the judges intention, but two things. 1. The last scores including average inadvertently form a 666 pattern. Lol. So even the Devil judges my work. 2. Not sure if the last 2 judges were doing a bit or if that's how the scores work, but I got 2 6.9s which looks an awful like 69. Lol.

[All I Want]

I like the pulsating beats and chopped vocals at the beginning. The vocal samples at :15 are really smooth and well-blended into the rest of the texture, and the drop at :31 is super catchy too. The production quality here is truly impressive, and the chopped-up post-chorus at :48 has a nice punch to it. You might begin overusing the chopped-up vocals at 1:02, but having a more mellow breakdown section at 1:18 was a good idea. Some elements of the arrangement and harmonic framework are a bit generic here, but I’m glad you shook up the drop the second time around at 1:48. The house-inspired outro at 2:20 was a nice idea too, especially with the added percussion. Overall, this is a well-produced track with some flashy synths, catchy beats, and a good use of vocal samples. Keep it up, CHPSK8! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10

CHPSK8 responds:

so surprised i made it! considering all of the other incredibly talented artists that I was up against.