TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Ambigram]

I like the sound design at the beginning. The drums are a little quiet at first, and the entire texture is a tad dry. I’d suggest adding some more reverb and other mixing effects. The beat at :33 is creative, and the progression is really smooth overall. I think there could be a richer soundscape at times, and also some more prominent melodic content at some point. The piece has a nice flow, but lacks the sense of arrival and conclusion that I’d want to see in a more fleshed-out piece. Instead, the ending is a little abrupt. Overall, though, I’m enjoying the instrumentation and production quality. The arrangement just needs more of an overarching sense of direction. Keep at it, Petrol4brains! :)

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
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
7/10

Petrol4brains responds:

Really appreciate the review, especially considering how busy you are with this year’s high volume of entries!

[Through The City]

I like the beat at the beginning and the groovy synth riffs. Some of the instruments themselves are a bit cheesy, notably the riff at the beginning. There’s a bit of dissonance in the texture by around :30, but the texture comes together well by around 1:30. The structure might need some more fleshing out, though - seems like the energy level and instrumental hierarchy are both pretty constant throughout, which isn’t ideal for keeping the listener engaged. You clearly have a good sense of rhythm and flow, though, and the mixing is also strong. I was a little thrown off when the piece cut off so suddenly at the end. Was this meant to loop? Either way, I’m digging the mood, production quality, and rhythmic content here. Keep at it, NFS! :)

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

NotFriendlyStudios responds:

Thanks for the constructive critisim I'll try to keep all that in mind for future projects.
P.S. It was not ment to loop I just forgot to fade it.

[Explode Cat]

I like the beat at the beginning and the ghostly synths at :05. The texture is a bit dry, though, and could use some more reverb or other mixing effects. The rhythmic content is pretty cool, but sometimes the instruments don’t blend super well together. The strings at :31 sounded a bit out-of-place, for example, and I would’ve liked to hear some more variety in the harmonic content later on. The outro was a bit cheesy, too. The production quality is strong, and I can hear all of the instruments clearly throughout. I think you could’ve put more effort into the compositional details, and the piece doesn’t really feel structurally complete. I think it would help if you had some more creative progression techniques, like filtering and automation, as opposed to just adding and subtracting instruments over time. Overall, the rhythmic content and mixing are my favorite elements of it. I hope you’ll keep working on this, because it has potential as a more fluid, full-length track. Keep at it, Noobster! :)

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
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.5/10

noobster40956 responds:

I Agree with Everything you said, I feel like it was to empty and and I made it in one day. Thanks for the feedback ^-^

[LMMS Synthwave]

I like the grouchy bass at the beginning. The synth at :20 sounds a tad cheesy, and the kick at :38 is pretty heavy. Usually, I would advise against putting so much reverb on the kick - it can make the mix sound distorted without adding too much emphasis on the instrument. There was a good sense of build into 1:18, but the harmonic content there sounds a bit dissonant. The ominous breakdown at 2:35 was pretty nice, and the smooth pads at 2:55 help contribute to the atmosphere. The harmonic content quickly gets very repetitive during the second half of the piece, though, and it was nice to hear some more prominent melodic content at 4:29. I would even suggest moving that melody up an octave or so to make better use of the top end of the frequency spectrum and add some intensity towards the end. Overall, the composition of this piece is a little drawn-out and bland, but I enjoyed the production quality, drum beat, and progression. Keep at it, MykeMyr! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.75/10

MykeMyr responds:

Thank you for your comment! I've never received something similar from someone, I really appreciate your judgement! :')

[El Camino de la Gloria]

I really like the emphatic string patterns and percussion at the beginning. The brass melodies at :19 are great, too. The mixing is really strong, despite a lot of reverb in the texture. The mood really starts shifting by :45, and the more somber and yet graceful tone is really enjoyable throughout the second half of the piece. The piano entrance at 1:22 is a pleasant surprise. It can be risky to introduce new instruments that late in a piece, but you’ve tied it really well to the harmonic content beforehand and created a strong sense of narrative progression using this variety of instruments. Really captivating work! Keep it up, Matias. You’ve earned a scout with your wonderful sense of melody and strong production skills. ^_^

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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
9.5/10

MatiasCarbone responds:

Thank you! Your feedback really means a lot to me!

[CannonDance]

I like the atmosphere at the beginning. The bass at :05 is a little loud, and the chord progression is pretty cliche. That said, I like the catchy synth riffs at :20 and the sense of build into :36. The melodies there are really nice, and I also like the more mysterious breakdown at 1:25. The reverb is a little heavy here, but the mixing is solid regardless. I think the synth at 1:52 sounds really cheesy and generic, which is too bad because a lot of the other sound design details here are really cool, particularly during the atmospheric parts. The bassy section thereafter is nice, and I’m really enjoying the dynamic contrast and mood changes offered by the downtempo, moody parts like at 2:42. The piece comes together well towards the end, but the melodies could’ve used a tad more variety during the last refrain. Still, solid work with this one, particularly the composition. The instrumentation is honestly my main problem with the piece. Keep at it, LtFS! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
8/10

LtFS responds:

Well, as I understand it, I have something to work on. I will try)

[Climatic Failure]

I like the quirky, distorted synths at the beginning. The texture sounds a bit minimal throughout, but the beats are catchy and there’s a nice sense of atmosphere. The piece could’ve had more harmonic depth, especially during the first half or so, but I like the cute sound design and rhythmic content. Overall, the production quality is strong, but some of the individual elements took up a bit too much space in the mix, notably the hi-hats (1:35, 1:40, etc.). Really unique composition and arrangement. It’s certainly engaging throughout, but part of me felt like it needed some sort of prominent melody or distinct solo to tie it together towards the end. Otherwise, the harmonic content is a bit bland, even while the instrumentation and rhythmic material is top-notch. Still, this is a stand-out piece in a lot of ways, from the mixing and mastering to the atmosphere. Keep at it, Jedo15! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
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
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
8.25/10

Jedo15 responds:

thank you so much, this means a lot to me! and yeah i have to work on not making things to clouded in the mix so I'll take in your advice and suggestions and use for my next song. :)

[Re;Surface]

I like the cute melodies at the beginning and the smooth progression. A lot of the synths are a bit cheesy, and the drum samples are also pretty generic. The build-up into :55 felt like it didn’t lead much of anywhere, but I’m enjoying the arpeggios there. The transition into 1:22 was pretty sudden, and I wish there was some more variety in the harmonic content in the second half. The strongest element of the piece is probably the production quality. The mix is a tad over-compressed, but I can hear the instruments loud and clear throughout. I enjoyed the melodies too, although the composition might need a bit more shape and variety to give the piece a stronger sense of narrative and direction over time. Overall, it’s a catchy and well-mastered piece, but the sound design and some of the compositional details are a little bland. Keep at it, iChrono21! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
7/10

iChrono21 responds:

I'm glad to hear that you liked the piece somehow. I was going for a long break at the time I was making this so I put a lot of effort more than usual. Thank you so much for inviting me to NGUAC, even though I, at least, wanted to get through the Tryouts for a fresh experience. But I will definitely try again next year!

[Centrifuge]

I like the quirky percussion and bass riff at the beginning. The drums might need a tad more reverb just to fill out the texture toward the beginning, and the progression is a little slow-paced for the first minute or so. By around the 1-minute mark it’s starting to come together well, and I’m enjoying the bluesy chords too. The synth that comes in at 1:37 is cool, but I think it’s distorting the pads in the mix. I’d suggest using a little more filtering to eliminate some of the low-pitched tones in the instruments besides the bass and kick. Otherwise, instruments playing in the same frequency ranges as others will tend to make each other sound less distinct, which I think is what’s happening here. There’s a great sense of climax into 2:15, though, and I like how you aimed for some dynamic contrast in the next section. The clave at 2:54 sounded a little dry and out-of-place - maybe it deserves a fade-in? The texture is pretty minimal in here, but the majestic melody at 3:20 is a great touch. The piece comes together really well at 3:57. I’m loving the injection of melodic content and energy, all while keeping the mysterious mood of the breakdown section alive. The mix might’ve gotten a tad overwhelmed by 4:17, and it might help to tone down the reverb there. I would’ve liked to hear a more proper outro, but in a way the sudden ending adds to the sense of mystery with this piece. Overall, the composition of this track is really strong. I love how it’s structured, and the sound design and flow of it are great too. Some of the mixing details are my main concerns here, and I think the bass is also a little too loud throughout. Otherwise, keep up the good work, Glassedhouse! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.5/1.5
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?)
.75/1
Composite score
8.25/10

Glassedhouse responds:

Thanks! I think that for the next rounds of the competition, I will focus more on acoustics and the orchestra since as you might be able to tell, my strengths are compositional, and I'm very new to electronics/production. Thanks for the criticisms! Very well stated and helpful.

[Europa [Charity Album]]

I like the quirky bass riff at the beginning and the spacey synths at :11. There’s a tad too much reverb in the texture, especially on the drums, and the drum samples themselves are also pretty generic. I’m really enjoying the rich harmonies by around 1:20, and the breakdown at 1:42 is great for some variety. The pitch-bending on that synth at around 2:05 is nice, and the drawn-out phrasing there builds a good sense of anticipation into the return of the main theme at 2:35. I might’ve liked to hear a little more variety on some of the main melodies later on, but the rich atmosphere and full texture help me stay engaged. Solid work! The sound design, pensive mood, and progression are all especially nice here. Keep at it, GizmoDude8128! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8/10

GizmoDude8128 responds:

Wow, thanks for providing such in-depth feedback! And thanks for organizing NGUAC, it's a really cool competition. I'm glad you liked the track!