TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[BLUEDAGGER]

I like the smooth synths and crisp beats at :10. The intro sounds a bit unpolished and out-of-place, though. The mix starts sounding a bit overwhelmed at :32, with the vocals at :56 taking up a bit too much space in particular, but I love the energy and rhythmic content here. There’s a good sense of build-up into 1:26, and the drop is catchy, although you overuse the samples and rhythmic effects a bit. At some point, I would’ve liked to hear some more variety in the harmonies and instruments. In the future, it would also be helpful if you indicated where some of these samples are from in the author’s description.

The breakdown at 2:32 was a nice touch - really helps draw contrast from the frantic energy of the rest of the piece. The part at 2:55 is another moment where the mix sounds a bit strained. I think you should take a look at the equalizers on the harmonic instruments there and make sure to cut out some of the lower frequencies if you can. Otherwise, the second half of this piece is pretty redundant with the first one. I would’ve liked to see you add variation to the main melodies, and maybe layer on some additional harmonies or a solo or something.

Overall, this track is catchy, smooth-flowing, and has a great, triumphant-sounding mood. The composition could use a bit more variety and depth, the mix needs some more polish in places, and the over-use of vocal samples gets pretty cheesy after a while. Still, you got my foot tapping with this one, and I like how full and rich the texture is throughout. Keep at it, TurboDrivee! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
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
.25/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
1/1
Composite score
6.75/10

TurboDrivee responds:

Thank you for this rating dude, I’ve needed an actual rating from an actual producer for a while. I’ll be sure to take these into consideration for my future songs!!!

[Catacombs]

I like the catchy bass riff and beat at the beginning. The filtering on the bass is particularly nice, and the quirky percussion at :11 helps set the scene nicely. I think you start going a tad overboard with the rhythmic effects starting around :30, especially since the piece doesn’t have much else going on harmonically. There are flashes of more tonal content, like the bass riff at 1:07, but overall the texture sounds a little too experimental, and more importantly like it’s not really going anywhere. I wanted to hear a stronger sense of narrative development, especially if you’re going to stick with very minimal and atonal content for the entire piece. The rhythmic content is enjoyable, though, and elements of the sound design sound pretty cool. The composition just needs a lot more depth and variety. Keep at it, TheRealMrPeoples! ^_^

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

TheRealMrPeoples responds:

I agree with everything you wrote. I will keep at it. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to listen and give feedback. I so seldom get any that it actually means quite a bit to me. I expect that my making pieces in essentially a vacuum made me complacent. Expect to hear something more complete on my next offering.

Thank you,

Mr. Peoples

This piece was used for the introduction and outro music for this video. Huge thanks to Giant Freaking Robot!
https://youtu.be/48Rtrl6J3SY?si=V4j-GW_Cbi3eaiZ-

[Prowler's Polka]

I like the cute synth melody at the beginning. The mix is very quiet, though - you might need some more compression, or maybe just some volume level adjustments. The bass line at :11 is catchy, but the organ at :22 sounds a bit too harsh and loud relative to the other instruments. I’d suggest using an equalizer to scale back some of the treble tones in the organ. Also, you might want to reduce some of the really low frequencies (200 Hz or less) in the organ and piano as well - that might make it so that you can hear the drums more clearly. Right now, the drums get a little distorted at times, like when the organ is really loud at :43.

That said, I like the church bells at :57 and the quirky synths at 1:08. The transition at 1:08 was a bit rough, and the synth sounds pretty distorted at 1:25 when the bass comes in - that might also be because you left a few too many bass tones in the synth in the equalizer. That said, the structure where you return to the main melodies later on was very effective. It might be nice to vary the melodies more the second time around, but otherwise the composition is pretty enjoyable here. My main concern is the mixing and mastering - the texture of this piece could sound a lot clearer, louder, and more well-balanced. Idk what DAW you use, but please PM me if you want some tips that are particular to either FL Studio or Logic Pro.

Still, this is a catchy piece with some fun sound design and strong melodies. Keep at it, ThePhreshPhrog! You earned my scout. ^_^

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?)
.75/1
Composite score
6.75/10

ThePhreshPhrog responds:

Thank you for the in depth breakdown, I really appreciate it. I’ll admit I knew the mix was lacking heavily going into it but I’m really new to FL Studio and was unsure how to fix the problems I heard. I’ve composed a few more tracks since then that are probably a step in the right direction. Hopefully by this time next year I’ll be more capable. Thanks for hosting this contest though, I was glad to be a part of it.

[Me when I fart a little bit too hard]

The instrument selection here is pretty cool. I like the jazzy flair this has, but the rhythm is very hard-to-follow and the harmonies are rather dissonant. The mix is also extremely harsh and distorted at times - during the busy sections, like 1:50, it’s very difficult to hear the drums, and often the lead synths are way too loud relative to the harmonies. The grating synths in the upper register in particular are a bit overwhelming - you can soften them a bit with some wet reverb and maybe remove some of the treble tones with an equalizer. In general, the piece lacks coordination and an overarching narrative appeal too. There’s definitely potential here with the funky instrumental palette and wonky mood, but you need to scale back the experimental doodling and give this piece a less jarring arrangement if you’re going to get any more points out of me. Sorry! Keep at it, TBMME. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.25/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
.25/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.5/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
.5/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
0/1
Composite score
3/10

TheBestMusicMakerEvr responds:

Lol

[Dreamly Depths]

I like the beat at the beginning and the triumphant-sounding melodies at :10. Some of the effects are a bit cheesy-sounding, like the unpolished bass that comes in every 4 bars starting at :04. Some parts of the piece, especially the first 90 seconds, could also use some more harmonic depth - a bass line, pads, or other harmonies to fill out the texture a bit more. You do create a good amount of variety throughout the piece, but sometimes the transitions between themes are a bit abrupt, like at 1:31. That section, at 1:31, is probably my favorite of the piece, though. The melodies are really catchy and dynamic, and the chords backing them up create a richness in the mix that’s lacking during other parts of the piece. You also transition nicely back into the main melody at 2:32.

At some point, it would be nice to strip away the beat or otherwise switch up the instruments a bit more than you’ve done here. An important variable to use to create contrast in your song is the energy level, and the same beat playing for 5 minutes makes the entire piece seem a bit stagnant after a while. Otherwise, there’s not much in the way of novel content during the last couple of minutes of this piece. It almost sounds like a straight loop of the piece after 2:31, other than the first 10 seconds where it’s just the beat. Either way, varying the melody slightly or adding some additional harmonies towards the end could be a great way to give your piece a sense of overarching development.

Still, I like the sound design, mood, and mixing here. I think the composition could be a tad more fleshed-out and well-varied, but there are a lot of fun and catchy riffs here. Keep at it, Stilverguy! You’ve earned a scout. ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.75/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1/2
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
6.75/10

Stilverguy responds:

Thank you for the critic! It's nice to get advice from someone with a deep understanding of music! (usual ppl that give me critiques, are my friends that don't really give me much) I'm considering making an update with the advice you gave me. Thanks again

[Long Lost Stories]

I like the emotional appeal of the piano at the beginning. Some of the chords sound a bit clunky, especially the 4th one in the progression - maybe it would help if the notes were spaced a little further apart. The mallets (?) at :47 are a bit too loud relative to the other instruments, and in general this piece is very slow to progress and has some very square rhythms. A lot of the instruments blend well together, but an exception is the high-pitched chordal harmony at 2:03 - it’s just a bit too harsh-sounding and loud to fit into the atmosphere. I’d suggest removing some of the treble-range tones in it with an equalizer, turning the volume down, and adding some wet reverb to it.

The main problem with this piece is the lack of variety. The pace of change is just too slow to keep the listener engaged, the harmonic framework is the same throughout, and the rhythmic content also lacks interest. At some point, I wanted to hear some more dynamic melodies, a bridge or breakdown where you really switch up the instruments, or a similar point of variety. There are some more syncopations by the end, and you clearly have a good sense of harmony and progression, but frankly the composition could be a lot bolder here in half the time. Still, I like the harmonies, mood, and most of the sound design here. Keep at it, SrAlpaco! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.5/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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?)
.5/1
Composite score
6.25/10

SrAlpaco responds:

Thank you for the feedback! I'm still learning so it helps a lot!

[nightmarish funk]

I like the percussion and groovy synths a lot, wow. Really good sound design and rhythmic content here. The intro vocals with the indistinct texture feels a tad out-of-place at first, but at the end of the day it’s good for some variety. Very melodic and well-varied piece. The high notes in the melody starting at 1:11 were are great way of wrapping up the piece, and that whole section sounds like a horde of cartoon zombies is coming to get me. :O Really smooth loop, too. This is awesome, dude! Keep up the good work. ^_^

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

SpoiledJif responds:

OMG THANK YOU!!! I DIDNT ACTUALLY THINK ID MAKE IT TO THE KNOCKOUT ROUND <33

[Deep Thoughts Take You Somewhere]

I like the furtive piano riff at the beginning. The beat at :15 is catchy, but a bit dry in the mix. The snare in particular could use some reverb or other mixing effects. The instrumentals are also really quiet relative to the beat - maybe some more compression is in order. That said, the compression/sidechaining is very heavy on the string pads at :59 - just sounds very unnatural, and kinda disrupts the flow of the atmosphere in what is otherwise a very flowy and legato-sounding instrumental track. In general, I’d like to see you do more with the structuring here. Sounded like the piece was just getting started when you go into the outro at 1:28. There also could be more melodic content at some point, and in general the harmonies are missing some bass tones during the climactic part at around 1:20. Otherwise, I like the atmosphere, melancholic mood, sound design, and progression of this one. I just wanted to see a bolder composition and a bit more polish and pizzazz in the mixing and mastering. Keep at it, SnipeshotGames! ^_^

Mixing, mastering, and balance
1.25/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
.75/1.5
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
1.25/2
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
6.5/10

SnipeshotGames responds:

woah thanks for the in depth review!

oh also this was just a short little melody i made in 2 hours so

[Ember Fields - Sleepy Poundcake (Maidens Collection)]

I like the ominous mood at the beginning and the busy drum beat. The harmonies are pretty dissonant starting at around :09, but by :30 or so it clears up, and I love the somber string line at :45 or so. This piece could use some more variety in the energy level and instrumentation, and in general some more distinct structuring. The beat and pads are pretty much a constant for the whole piece. It just needs more narrative appeal. The string melodies are a good start in that regard, but at some point I would’ve liked to see you strip away the beat, or switch up the chord progression more, or at least do more with filtering, automation, velocity level changes, etc. Still, I like the mood, sound design, and production quality of this one. Keep at it, SleepyPoundcake! ^_^

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

SleepyPoundcake responds:

Okay this is quite a review. Thanks a lot!

I did do this one thinking of a more simple, easy melody to follow without much fireworks, mostly carried by the somewhat somber feeling to it. It's also why the track I posted after this has a lot more variety to it, I was aware of this being simpler that way.

I'll definitely be taking your comments into account for future tracks of this kind.

I'm also glad to see my mastering has improved, because believe me I've had a lot of trouble with that as I learned.

Thanks again!

[sovereignty]

I like the powerful piano chords at the beginning, and the chord progression has a great punchy rhythm to it. The string melodies are also a nice touch, although that’s not the most authentic string sample. Admittedly, it’s difficult to create enough ebb and flow to a track when you’re only using a couple of instruments (and especially no rhythm section instruments like drums or bass), but I think you could’ve done much more to create variety here. Other than the furtive breakdown at 2:16, the volume levels are almost at a constant. You’ll need little ebbs and flows in the texture to make this piece more engaging. Try playing more with automation, volume level changes, velocity changes, tempo changes, etc. It helps if you have a MIDI keyboard and you’re able to record the lines yourself, as opposed to using a mousepad and piano roll, which will almost always give you a more rigid and uniform texture. I think that’s what’s needed to really take this piece to the next level.

That said, I enjoyed the upbeat and triumphant mood and the flowing piano riffs of this one. Some of the transitions were a bit sudden, like at 1:04 and 3:20 - maybe you could smooth those over with some reverb. But overall the piece is well-structured. The variations in the harmonic content here are fun, but subtle. I also like how the final verse of the piece (2:41 on) is at a lower register than most of the middle section of the piece - really gives the piece a sense of gravity that it didn’t have before.

Overall, the composition is very good, but I’d like you to use more of the tools available to you in your DAW if you’re going to key this into your piano roll like this. Keep at it, SaturneKx! ^_^

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
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1.25/1.5
Originality and uniqueness
1/1
Overall (how do the elements above interact?)
.5/1
Composite score
7.75/10

SaturneKx responds:

thanks for the feedback! right now, i dont use a daw so i cant really change much that you mentioned other than some reverb and a few different instrument options, but when i get one ill be sure to try some stuff out :)