TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[EmeraldX - Feral]

I like the quirky synths and energy at the beginning. There’s a good sense of build-up into :24, too. Some of the drum samples are a bit generic, especially the snare, but you did a good job with the mixing effects and filtering. The texture feels a tad over-compressed at times, but otherwise the production quality is strong. I like the progression and harmonies too, but I also would’ve liked to hear some more dynamic melodic content after a while. The more furtive pads at 2:07 were good for some structural contrast, and I’m liking the sense of build throughout the bridge into 2:46. You finally scratched that melodic itch of mine at 2:57, and I like how you closed out the piece with that major chord and door slam-like sound effect. Overall, my biggest concern is probably with the generic elements of the sound design and arrangement. That said, the production quality is rather strong here, and the composition is full of variety, catchy riffs, a strong sense of direction, and, later on, a cool and memorable melody too. Solid effort all around, EmeraldX! Keep it up. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.75/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.75/10

EmeraldXMusic responds:

Hi! I'm really thankful for the feedback and glad you enjoyed the piece! I'll keep the feedback in mind for future projects for sure!

[Technocosm - Poison Gauntlet (Snare Remix)]

The pulsing orchestral chords and atmospheric details at the beginning are really cool, and the rhythmic content is really compelling here. The compression is a bit over-the-top starting at :31, but the vocal samples work well. The somber piano and atmosphere serves as a nice element of contrast to the gritty breaks. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear a bit more fill in the texture, especially towards the top end of the frequency range. The breakdown with the airy vocals at 1:36 was a good idea, but some more prominent melodic content would probably do more to flesh out the composition here. The pause at 2:24 really threw me off, especially with no reverb or other effects to “carry over” into the next section. The final energetic section at 3:40 helps add some closure to the piece, and the atmospheric and melancholy piano and vocal riffs at the very end help cement the emotional appeal of the piece. Overall, you certainly nailed the mood, atmosphere, and sound design here. The production is also pretty good, although you might need to rein in some of these volume levels at times, like at 3:33, for example. The overwhelmed mix and lack of fill and/or harmonic depth are my main concerns here. Keep at it, SnaresWorks! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/1.5
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
.75/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.75/1
Composite score
7.5/10

SnaresWorks responds:

thank you so much for the review! i agree with pretty much everything :') the track for the next section of the nguac will definitely build on what this one didnt do well enough

yet again, thank you for the review ^^

[Gone (Trap)]

I like the powerful piano chords at the beginning and quirky snare at :14. There’s a bit of harmonic dissonance at around :30 when the synth melodies and bass line are playing at the same time, but I like the build-up into 1:07 and the gritty descending synth that plays every 4 bars during the drop. The mix is clean and loud, and the piano gives the piece a fun, jazzy flair. The melodies at 1:59 are a bit jumpy in pitch, and don’t feel as dynamic and expressive as they could. The rhythmic content and sound design are neat, and the dramatic pause at 2:59 is a nice touch. I think the second drop could’ve been more distinct from the first one, but the beat itself and the mood changes throughout the piece also give the piece a good deal of variety. Overall, solid work, Reddyfu! Keep at it, man. :)

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

reddyxu responds:

Thanks a lot for giving feedback, Andrew! I'll keep in mind what you said in the future.

[Table Scraps]

I like the lyrics and energy right off that bat, although the piece probably could’ve used more of an intro just to get the listener oriented a bit.

The mix feels a bit thin and constrained at times, especially the guitars and vocals. Did you equalize out the bass tones in the guitars? You might consider putting more of the mid-lows back in there, because otherwise they sound pretty constrained and artificial. It also might be the mic that’s making the output sound that way - it’s hard for me to tell.

Also, the vocals are a bit dry - I’d suggest layering on some reverb, compression, and maybe other mixing effects that give them some power. Your voice also sounds a tad strained at times - it might be that you’re singing near the top of your range, but even so a vocal coach could probably show you some exercises that make it easier to open up the sound even at a high register.

Like I said, I’m enjoying the lyrics, but sometimes you squeeze in a few too many syllables in one line (example: at :38, the frantic delivery of “you expect us to be okay with this” doesn’t really fit with the other lines in that phrase). I find it helpful to practice using fewer words when you need to in other writing contexts, even writing haikus.

The harmonic content gets a tad repetitive after a while. The spoken word vocals at 2:20 are a nice way of switching things up, but the overall chord progression and layout of the texture is pretty constant throughout. A solo or bridge earlier on could really help break up the long sections of similar vocal phrases and backing guitar. Part of the problem might also be that there isn’t a huge amount of contrast (in energy level, instrumentation, etc.) between the verses and the chorus here. That said, the keyboard solo at 3:18 is a great moment of structural relief, and I like that you are faintly talking through it in the background. I just wish it came a little earlier in the piece, which I think would give you a good opportunity to hammer home the message in the final chorus and layer on the guitar and keyboard at the same time.

Either way, the piece comes together well at the end. You have a good sense of progression, harmony, and mastering, and I can’t help but identify with the generational angst you express here. :) Keep at it, Realmaskband!

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

realmaskband responds:

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks a ton for the feedback!

[jafol]

I like the heavy synth bass at the beginning. The percussion is a little loud, and the clicks layered on the kick instrument were a bit strong for my tastes. More importantly, the frantic synth harmonies often clash with the bass line later on in the piece. The synth lead’s melodies themselves are pretty cool, but it seems like you tried to do a bit too much with the progression after a while, layering on harmonies that don’t really complement each other. I’d suggest choosing a certain set of pitches (up to 7, but as few as 5) in advance, and then writing all of the notes of the piece using those pitches. Also, make sure that all of the notes that are playing at a given time fit into the same chord. I find it helpful to put all the harmonies in one instrument’s piano roll first, and then assign them instruments later. That way, you know the harmonies sound good together before you have too many different tracks to work with. Other, smaller problems in this piece include the cheesy instruments and somewhat aimless structure. That said, I enjoyed the cute mood, melodies, and rhythmic elements, and developing your sense of harmony is the most important next step for you going forward. Keep at it, PeculiarAlfred! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.5/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.75/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
4/10

PeculiarAlfred responds:

i understood about 20% of your response, but thanks!

[Answers]

I like the bass drone and frantic synth arpeggios at the beginning. The airy beats and grating percussion at :28 work well together, and the rhythmic content is certainly a highlight. The distorted piano melodies at 1:02 or so help provide some contrast to the gritty rhythmic elements from earlier, but I would’ve liked them to be a little more up-front in the mix. The string arpeggios at 1:40 were pretty unexpected, as was the drop that comes shortly thereafter. The structure of this piece feels a bit disjointed, and I’m further confused by the mood change conveyed in the blissful piano line at the very end. Overall, you’re clearly a talented producer with a strong sense of progression, harmony, and mixing, but the composition didn’t quite come together for me here. You’ve certainly done enough to earn a scout in my book, though. Keep at it, Paper-Money! :)

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
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
8.25/10

Paper-Money responds:

sorry for the late reply but thanks:>

[Dragon Warrior Modified]

The riser at the beginning sounds cool, if a tad unpolished and out-of-place in the context of the relaxed riffs that follow it. Nice job with the filtering on the synth line at :14. The mix is also pretty clean and well-balanced here, as exemplified by the crisp drums and broad frequency range. The piece is a tad slow to progress after :14, and the chord progression is a bit cliche. My main complaint here is probably that the piece needs more harmonic variety and a richer texture later on. The jumpy riff at 2:33 was good for some variety, but it was short-lived and was playing in a pretty minimal context, which didn’t help give the piece a sense of conclusiveness. This piece has a lot of changes in the energy level and dynamics, which is good, but little overarching sense of direction over the entire piece. As a smaller detail, it’s also bothering me that the drums are a little buried in the mix at 1:23, especially since not much else is going on there. Overall, you have a strong sense of progression, harmony, and mixing and mastering. The composition could be a tad more varied and dynamic here, though. Keep at it, OliRO! :)

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
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7/10

OliRO responds:

Thank you so much for this in-depth review! I already feel like I won a prize. Getting such good quality reviews on my music is on my top tier list of things that my music could bring me. :D

[Sword of Destiny]

I like the airy percussion at the beginning and the quirky orchestral samples. Some of the instruments could’ve sounded a tad more authentic here, especially the strings, but I think a bigger problem is the mixing. The texture sounds pretty muddy and indistinct throughout, and the percussion easily gets buried when there are several other instruments playing at once. I’d suggest toning down the reverb and using some more equalizers to remove the lower-pitched frequencies from some of the non-bass instruments. From there, you could also add some compressors to the percussion to make it pop through the mix more. Compositionally, the piece is solid, although the melodies feel like they could be a bit more dynamic at times. I also would’ve liked to hear more variety later on in the piece. That said, the sound design is cute, and the mood sounds triumphant and adventuresome, which is nice. The modulation at 1:48 also helps keep me engaged later on in the piece. Overall, solid work, NnolokK! Just needs some more attention to detail on the production, and you’re well on your way to an 8-range piece. :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.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?)
1/1
Composite score
7/10

NnolokK responds:

Thank you for the critique. =)

[Okaasan]

I like the vocal samples at the beginning. Where are they from? The relaxed mood and wonky rhythmic elements and sound design are nice, although the texture stays pretty minimal throughout and could use some harmonic variety and melodic development. The section at 1:38 served as a nice mellow bridge, but I’m not sure I like how the vocals sample and beat overlap at 2:00 - seemed like a missed opportunity to express the re-entrance of the chill pads as the release of the tension from the dialogue. Overall, the mood, sound design, and production quality of this piece are all solid. The composition is a tad underwhelming, though, and the arrangement lacks originality. The lo-fi production and trippy rhythmic elements are highlights for me. Keep at it, LPSounds! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.5/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
Instrumentation and sound design
1/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.25/1
Composite score
6.25/10

LPSounds responds:

The vocal Samples?? Samurai Champloo. thanks for the review

[(Hard Techno)Radioactivity]

I like the frantic drum patterns and gritty synth bass at the beginning. The pulsing effect on the bass was a nice touch, too. Some of the samples are a bit cheesy and generic, especially the claps. The entrance of that other mid-range synth at 1:06 really threw me off, and the rhythm of the phaser/pulsing effect on it doesn’t really fit with the rest of the piece. The track is really slow to progress overall, and doesn’t have much in the way of interesting harmonies or rhythmic content to keep me engaged in the meantime. The mix seems a bit overwhelmed at times - do you have a limiter on the master channel of the mixer? The distorted sound design is for a while, but without any counterbalancing with smoother elements of the texture, it’s a bit much to listen to for 8.5 minutes. Many of the synths in here also sound pretty unpolished and cliche. You clearly have a good sense of rhythm and progression, but a more well-rounded and dynamic composition also necessarily includes melodic elements and more variety than this. I’d challenge you to create a piece that has some more memorable melodies and a stronger sense of “storyline.” A good way to start is by listening to a melody from a piece of music you really like, recreating it in your DAW, and, using all the same pitches, slowly alter the contour and note length until you have something new. Until then, I enjoyed the catchy beats and some of the synth riffs here. Keep at it, lllElectroMusiclll! :)

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.25/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
3.5/10

lllElectroMusiclll responds:

Thanks you!