sumguy720's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Allium]

The third quarter has a very Ocarina of time vibe, very interesting composition overall. Nice balance and range of sounds and textures. Doesn't seem to linger in any one spot for too long. I see that it is probably meant to loop - the ending was otherwise kind of abrupt, understandable though if the use case is looping. OH! If the use case is looping though, maybe that low pass filter in the beginning should come back at the end? Just to make the tonal quality a little more consistent on the loop.

One piece of (subjective?) criticism I would offer is that, to me, the pulsing wind lead in the second phrase (after the intro and first paragraph of the song) - and then again in the final phrase of the song comes off a little bit harshly - maybe a teensy bit shrill? This is actually an issue I run into sometimes with my own instruments and I don't know if I understand the technical aspects enough to suggest a remedy. Maybe it's something a parametric EQ could fix - I think it actually only stands out on the higher notes that repeat. That said, if it can be fixed by an EQ, it very well could be my sound system and not your mix. Or my ears, lol.

I like your use of rests in the composition too. You use silence well to convey pace and contrast. I also like the tasteful application of note bends. That is something I personally have not done much, so props for wielding those effectively.

Rainful responds:

Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate it man!!<3

[IRONSIDE]

You've got some very cool sounds here, and the dynamics are good across the song as a whole. I would consider it an improvement if, in the final third of the song you varied the recurring portion (-,._'.,_-'_'-,._) between the heavy guitar riffs more - the riffs themselves are a good break, but there isn't enough going on melodically in between to make it seem like a cohesive part of the rest of the song. It feels more like a loop during that part in particular- but I feel like there is a lot of opportunity to do something really interesting with those parts to take the song to somewhere new!

Thanks for posting the song! A pleasure to listen to.

[Mountains of Gold]

I used this in a video, how could I not rate it full marks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEBw_b M2FvU&feature=youtu.be

[- When it Rains]

Cool!

Good job on the bass and some of the backing. The only thing I'm not real cool with is the pulsing synthline that keeps coming in in the background doing the slow progression. Erm... I think it's called eurogate in FL studio's sytrus. Anyway, I would consider changing that to something a little more interesting because right now it sort of genericizes an otherwise really sweet track.

You know what I'm sayin'?
Check it!

And good luck with moving further with this project.

Or4nges responds:

I know exactly what you mean. It's weird though, some people go crazy for the pattern because it's easily recognizable, but others hate it because it's too generic. And i'll admit I just kinda through in there as a concept for now, I can't finish the song really until my buddy gets back to me.

[Like An Anthem]

Very cool!

I like this!
Good buildup, good chord progression, good sound overall, your mixing is good, the beats of the drums and rhythms of the synths work well together.
It would be cool if there were something a little more out there to grab on to. Right now this is like the most solid you can have a track without a definitive lead, but still I wish there was a more defined melody on top of all this to make the song more memorable. I can almost hear one in my head right now. You should look into that. And since this is creative commons I might even write one and let you know how it goes.

Great job!

ACINO responds:

Thank you so much! And i would appreciate that really much!!=) And i know but i am not so good at making melodies:/ But thanks

[There is always an end]

It's a good idea

I like the main idea behind all this but it sounds off tempo-- a little repetitive, and there isn't much to it at this point. This would make a really nice melody in a dance song perhaps as well as an ambient song. Work on a chord progression for it, fill
out the bass and percussion, and you'll have a nice song working for you!

Keep working on it!

Dannyboi93 responds:

Thanks for the advice :) if i find the files, i'll work on it!

[skat loop 1]

OH mannnn

The other loop you wrote had me excited. This one is bland by comparison. Predictable even in the 8 seconds we can hear it, not to mention the weird harmonics in your main synth voice. It sounds like a 5th all the way through?

I don't want to be a jerk or anything, but this one could use a lot of work. Something to divide up even the short time that this loops over. A broken beat, a more interesting synth, and definitely something to lead from the loop end back to the beginning. For example, on the last half beat have the main synth go up a half step to a D.
6/10 for being kinda blah. But you could get it working I'm sure.

The beat is kinda cool though.

[Electro Loop #2 DB93]

This is good!

If you can somehow make it into a full track you should try it! This is some cool stuff. I have to say, even for a loop it's a bit too short. 16 seconds would be more appropriate with the amount of progression your song implies here.

I'm not sure if I'm wild about the echoing background synth after 0:04. It's really a cool sound but it creates a dissonance that isn't ever resolved. If the idea is to make the whole track kind of like that it's cool but you should fiddle with your note progression a bit. Up until 0:04 the loop sounds melodic and cuts away to some weird harmonics nobody expected!

All in all I gotta say you have a really nice sound but you have to expand on it to make that background echoing synth make sense.

Good job!

Dannyboi93 responds:

Awesome, thanks for that :D it's encouraging to know people like my sounds! Plus, it's about time somebody started handing out constructive criticism!

[Fading Times (ACINO)]

Nice work!

Sweet job dude-- It's just coming off as a little 2-D in some places, gets a little too one-tracked. When your arpeggio comes in you have a really nice sound and a good crescendo at 1:50, but it really follows the piano part too closely. It would be cool if you could modify that piano part starting at 0:41 so it doesn't stay so close to your chord progression all the time. Make it a liitle more melodic and less like a re-iterance of your base chord. You know what I mean? It comes off as kind of duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh, the rhythm is so stagnant, maybe put the keystrokes for that piano part like:
Duh--duhduh---duh-duh---duhduh--duh
I don't know if you see what I mean.
ANYWAY, add some higher tier melody on the 2:03 section too! Why repeat your arpeggio without adding to it? It sounds great but it could be really a lot more attractive there, tis a good opportunity to add something more memorable.
Your cooldown is fine, a little long, but still fine. Same issue with the stagnancy of your piano rhythm.
Finally: Consider adding ONE final chord to your ending that resolves your progression. Like a major or minor chord there.

Good work though.

ACINO responds:

Thank you for an really constructive review:) I really appreciate that! And yeah you are absolutely right but my piano skills are still so bad that its hard to make it sound better:/ And btw i had a plan to make the arppegio more variating but i forgot:D And the final chord would be awesome but.. Too late man:) Thanks for advices!:)

[==(IMPACT)==]

Cool!

Sounds pretty good, Interesting anyway. This could definitely use some filling out though-- like some kind of foundation, especially around 0:47, some bass line or backing chords would really do well to fill out your istrumental spacing. 1:20 is pretty good again, nice and mellow, still with the interesting movement in the lead.

2:46 is good, feels a lot more full than the rest of the song up until that point. If you could get some interesting countermelodies, basslines, and chord foundations this would be really cool.

I appreciate your desire to do things out of the ordinary. Oh! And you should maybe focus on making the song move in a direction rather than kinda wandering so much. You don't have to compromise your originality to do that-- anyway let me know when you make another huh?
It's better than a lot of the stuff I hear around here anyway.