I like the music and scenery. I find it difficult to do the objective though.

This was by far my favorite game out of the few I played tonight! :D I got lost on some levels, though I completed the other ones within ten seconds. I searched for some of the answers, and I was actually disappointed in myself for doing so because I realized I was on the right track; I just needed a little more time. I can see the mental benefits of playing what you call "psychology" games. I realized that on each of the difficult levels, I tended to think outside the box for about the first minute or so, but over the course of a few minutes, my thinking would become more rigid, and then solving the puzzle seemed impossible. I recognize this tendency of mine from my high school math courses: if I was able to solve complex algebraic problems within the first one or two attempts, I would seem like an expert, but if I failed the first couple of attempts, I would seem like a quitter.

The puzzles are well designed. I think the game's difficulty is perfect, and I actually like that the levels are not in order of increasing difficulty. The storyline seems to be generic (I don't know why I'm saying this when I've barely played any games of this genre); however, the narrator is a very interesting character! It's interesting how you were able to put yourself in the position of such as person in order to make the narration so engaging.

Did you make the typeface? You might not want to follow my advice on this because, as I told you, I have poor vision that can't be fixed with glasses, so I'm of a small minority, but the text was extremely difficult to read. The size is fine; the problem is that the individual letters aren't distinct enough. I think there should have been more contrast in the type design.

NGADM Round 3 Review

The composition is heartfelt and beautiful. It feels like it’s stream-of-consciousness style, taking the listener on a journey through one’s thoughts and struggles. I admire your ability to compose for piano in a way that deeply resonates with human emotions; it’s not an easy feat. It also seems that you’re not afraid to show yourself through your music, which makes it much more interesting to listen to. The composition style reminds me of great composers like Chopin and Liszt while being distinct enough to be recognized as your work.

You did an excellent job at varying the themes and creating distinct sections. I do think you can go even further with utilizing the full piano register and timbral and dynamic ranges; sometimes it helps to slightly exaggerate shifts in texture and tone. The composition feels a little too tonally consistent over the five-minute duration for my taste.

I have a comment on the mix, but it’s a bit tricky because I don’t know what your mic set up is and how you already EQd them, so take this with a grain of salt. I sense that one of the closer mics might have a bit too much frequency content between 350 to 1k, and a slight cut might help the reverb and higher register notes shine more. But otherwise, the mix is really solid! I particularly enjoy the soft-blur texture of some of the lower dynamic left-hand arpeggios.

It's remarkable how far you’ve come after some setbacks and how much you’ve improved in a short time! Good luck with the rest of the contest!

NGADM Round 3 Review

This sounds so nostalgic and blissful. The composition is sublime. The melodies, solos, counterlines, and bass lines are fantastic. I can sense a lot of passion written into each line. I like how the drums contribute to the composition rather than simply being a rhythmic bed. The track is very unique despite some resemblance to video game styles, and once again, you crafted a distinctive, memorable melody.

The structure is solid, and there’s a lot of excellent variation in instrumentation and melody, with some solos and melodic breaks. I do however feel that the track can get tiring after a few listens because of how centered it seems around a single theme. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a distinctive B theme to provide some contrast and break from the A theme. I believe a solid B theme that explores some different territory would make the track more engaging and replayable.

I know you’ve expressed some concern about your mixing in the past. I believe you made a lot of good decisions in this mix on an individual track level, but one problem I found is overall frequency buildup between 400hz to 1khz and some resonances around 2khz. By cutting or compressing these areas, and affecting the track’s tonal balance, some important elements of the mix, like the drums, should feel more prominent, like in the example I shared on Discord. I suggest using multiband compression on the bass to stabilize it, and a subtle instance on the master or drum bus to control the high end spikes from elements like cymbals. I also found a slight cut on the master around 150hz to improve clarity in the low end; you can use a narrow band to not affect the snare at 200hz.

It's always a delight to listen to your music. Good luck in the remaining rounds!

NGADM Round 3 Review

The intro effectively sets a dreamlike scene. It sounds like there’s a cluster of adjacent notes on the strings, but, perhaps due to the high register, it doesn’t feel dissonant. It’s suspenseful yet calming. The piano phrases convey a mix of emotions, which reflects the idea of a hazy memory. When the piano’s lower register enters at :49, it feels very satisfying. I like how the next section transitions the composition into a more melodic and harmonic state. The buildup into the climax is remarkably well done. I’m impressed by the composition’s storytelling and accurate reflection of the description.

The mix is outstanding. It feels warm and rich but not too muddy. I love the reverb on the strings. I just have three minor points of feedback. I think the piano could benefit from automation on the mic positions and/or EQ so it doesn’t feel so close after the intro. I like the intimate sound in the beginning, but during the climax, it feels a little disconnected from the room the other instruments are sitting in. Second, I think the climax could use a little more bass presence, or perhaps a more consistent bass presence. I recall you mentioning this, so I think you’re clear on what to do. Finally, I think the bass drum in the intro could benefit from more release/reverb to better fit the dreamlike atmosphere.

I think the dynamic automation of the violins in the 2:48 section could use some work to better follow the expression and direction of the melodic line. It feels too static to me.

This is an overall excellent submission that again showcases your ability to follow through on a rich story. I can imagine this working quite well in a short film or cutscene. Keep up the amazing work!

This is so beautiful, and I'm not even into dragons. I hope to commission you one day if I become rich :p

Wow, I love the lighting and color! I'm going to look at your art during next year's Art Inspired Music contest :)

wow