TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM23 - Forgotten Civilization]

I like the pensive synth arpeggios at the beginning and the spacey pads. The mix is pretty well-balanced, but there’s a lot of reverb in the texture, and the drums are a tad quiet, especially once the texture gets busier. The guitar synth at :44 is pretty cool, and I like the rhythmic syncopations during that section. The breakdown at 1:28 was good for some structural variety, although the arrangement of this piece is a bit generic, and at some point I would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodies, changing across phrases and really leading somewhere, not just repeating a 4-bar riff within the chorus/refrain of the piece. There are a lot of other cliche aspects of the sound design and composition, in fact - like the descending arpeggios and drum samples. That said, I like the pace of the arpeggios increased during the final refrain at 2:34. Overall, you clearly have a good sense of harmony, progression, and rhythm, but the structuring here is a tad formulaic, and aspects of the composition could’ve had more variety. Still, you’ve made a catchy and smooth-flowing track with some quirky synths and a strong sense of atmosphere. Keep at it, Dynamic0! :)

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

Dynamic0 responds:

Thanks for the review!

[Miss Out On You]

I like the bright pads and floaty piano at the beginning. The chord progression is pretty generic, but I like how the vocals fade in at :13. The vocals themselves are really smooth and expressive, though. The mix feels very crowded, and there are certainly some elements of it that I wish had shone through a bit more, like the piano chords at :47. The drums seriously duck under the mix when the vocals re-appear for the post-chorus at 1:40. Part of the problem might be that you have a LOT of reverb and echo/delay effects in here.

The re-intro at 1:54 is a nice touch, although overall the arrangement of the piece is also rather generic. I would’ve liked to see you switch up the harmonic framework at some point here, especially since the chord progression is so cliche. I also wanted to hear some more variety in the main melody/refrain during the second half of the piece, but instead you really started to overuse the vocals there in a way that made the entire piece feel rather dragged-out.

Overall, I admire your sense of harmony and progression, but some of the arrangement details of this piece could use an injection of creativity, and the mix simply needs to be a lot tighter. I’d suggest getting stricter with your use of equalizers and cutting a lot of the reverb, especially in instruments that have a lot of low-mid tones. Still, you’ve made a catchy piece with some memorable melodies and sound design that fits well with the upbeat mood. Keep at it, DJWitherhead! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.5/10

Raylectro responds:

Quite good feedback, I know I've lost but at least I got some feedback to do better next year

[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

MWMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM 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.