Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Life Anew [NGADM]]

The song is so energetic and full of life that it really reflects the robot’s excitement to live life anew. There’s so much ear candy and interesting things going in the background, in addition to the awesome melodies, lyrics, and solos. There’s plenty of variety and dynamic contrast that the track is always engaging and easy to relisten to. What I like most of all is the distinctiveness of the track; you developed a unique style that sounds like it can be used throughout a piece of media in an iconic fashion.

The production is solid in that I can hear everything and there’s no harshness or irritation. The heavy use of reverb contributes to the lively character of the track. I think you may be able to get a more “open” sound through adjustments. I’m going to make some suggestions based on what I’m hearing and some playing around with the track in my DAW, and you can try them and see if they help.
- Use EQ filters on the reverb send, one at around 350hz for the low end and one at around 5-6k hz for the high end. With a side-channel EQ, add a -2db bell cut at around 350hz. This can help produce a cleaner reverb more focused on the higher mids.
- On the master, with a side-channel EQ, try cutting a bit around 350hz and maybe boost up to .5db on the high mids.
- I think giving the track a slightly warmer tonal balance can help the vocals tremendously, without adjusting anything on the vocal channel. You can try making the hi hats and snares a little quieter or roll off a very small amount of the high end. Saturation can help take the edge off them.
- I think the bass can be more tamed. If you open an EQ and see that the bass’ fundamental frequency area is jumping around from note to note, you can use a dynamic EQ or multiband compressor to help it occupy just one area. You can also potentially cut out some mids if it’s not vital to the sound.
- You can use plugins like Gullfoss and Soothe 2 to get a smoother, wider-feeling sound in a way that’s not realistically achievable manually. But note that they can easily hurt the mix in some cases by overcompressing essential dynamics or bringing out unwanted frequencies.

I’m very impressed by what you achieved here and am excited for your next track!

trixelbit responds:

When I saw this review, it was like Christmas!
I can't express how much I appreciate the details you dived into with this!

One major thing that stumped me was trying to achieve a wide sound. Reverb was the only tool I'm my mind to achieve that, but yet still didn't feel quite right. So your plugin suggestions 100% open up uncharted avenues!

Thanks for the technical mix recommendations, I will be revisiting this track again soon and applying these changes. It's probably simple, but the reverb EQing is something I've never even thought to do and would have prevent previous battles against messy sounding reverbs.

The most I desired from this comp was to learn and grow as a composer, and I think this has been immensely helpful to that end.

Thank you again for your time and effort in this feedback! It has been in depth, song specfic and with actionable points of improvement. Can't wait to apply this info in future music!

[Equivocal]

Your playing is magnificent. I love the left hand textures and melodic responses. The use of dynamics makes the piece very engaging and enhances the expression of the melody.

The reverb sounds amazing. I wish I could visit the theoretical hall where this piano is :D

Equivocal is an interesting title. Maybe it's just me, but my interpretation of the composition is that it represents the beauty of the night, with its moonlight glow.

Solacitude responds:

I'm very glad you find the reverb nice enough to be worthy of mention!
I think you know very well how many hours I've put into crafting a better sound quality in the past couple days, and past couple months for that matter. ;)
Dynamics are an important aspect of piano, and many other instruments. It gives such a great tool to express ourselves with a wider range of emotions. I'm glad you noticed! It's so easy to miss on all the subtlety that playing with dynamics can bring. It is one of the things that brings music to life.

Thank you again for the back and forth in DM, it really helped guide me towards more specifics areas that were problematic. Now I can say I'm more satisfied than ever about the result! It will impact all of my creations so it holds a lot of weight in the balance.

If this piece inspires you the beauty of the night with its moonlight glow, and another it's the epic untold stories of forgotten heroes, for someone else it's a sad and nostalgic piece. I think it's testament of the equivocal nature of it :) I also like the title in the sense that it doesn't align the listener's expectation, it's a quite neutral, but full of meaning word. One of the best things about music, is that it can be appropriated in so many ways, unique to each one of us based on our own life experiences, thoughts, feelings, etc. in the end the creator's motives and thoughts matter less in a listening perspective, than how the listeners are moved by it in their own respective way. It's always a pleasure to me to get to know how people are inspired by my music.

Thank you for the nice words and review!

[A Little Help Goes a Long Way]

I feel like I'm watching a cute, animated movie where an entire village comes together to throw a surprise party for someone. I'm blown away by the extent to which the composition feels like it's reflecting the actions of nonexistent characters over different scenes - how do you do it? The instrumentation is so charming, and I love the addition of uke and ocarina. The orchestration in the final section is excellent.

My main gripe is with the very end. The resolution feels rushed, as well as the fade to silence.

Mixing comments:
- The glockenspiel sounds a little clicky at times.
- The snare gets lost in the mix, fading in and out
- I think some high mids can be cut from the strings, and this can help the snare
- The loud staccato strings make the right side of the mix feel very heavy, as the melody on the left is relatively quiet. I think you can potentially get a more engaging mix by moving the viola? to the left side - and reverse the stereo so it sounds natural.

Kassich responds:

Thank you for reviewing and judging! Always fun to participate in these events!

[oUt oF LinE [NGADM + NGUAC 2024]]

Every aspect of this track is a delight – it’s fun to hear the wide variety of amusing samples and how gracefully they’re incorporated into the groovy drumbeats. Although the track has a consistent volume level and foundation, you did an excellent job at proving enough variation that it never feels stale. It’s nice to have a track that can instantly put a smile on my face. I gave you 100%, and don’t have any feedback, so this is probably the record for the shortest official NGADM review. Just keep doing what you're doing!

[Uxvellda - The Fool]

I love the atmosphere and instrumentation. The ethnic influences contribute to a sense of adventure and discovery. You’re good at adding layers to enrich the composition without creating distraction, and that contributes to the liveliness of the track. The climactic section at 1:31 has a lot going on, but it all feels like one unified force, which is not easy to do. One of my favorite aspects of the track is the flute countermelody at :31

By the end, I feel like the journey feels somewhat circular due to how the intro content is repeated. I think the composition could benefit from further development to make the listener truly feel that the character matured.

Minor comments
- At 2:16 when the strings come in, there’s some white noise
- The violin at 2:33 doesn’t sound very realistic, and the sustain remains at a constant volume for too long.
- I think a change in a key at some point could bolster the sense of adventure

[Face Your Fears]

It sounds like you composed to an actual high value film! Everything aligns well with the idea of a hero facing an evil monster. I love the transitions from suspense to anxiety to action. The orchestration is magnificent (I LOVE the woodwind runs in the 2:18 section), and the composition is thrilling. Every few moments offers a pleasant surprise.

I feel that there’s a noticeable difference in quality between the first 30 seconds and the rest of the track. The percussion and brass chords feel textbook-y, and I think the arrangement can use more bass there to set the scene. Perhaps the melodic horn could benefit from a doubling to help with timbral separation from the harmony. The transition at :26 might sound a bit smoother if the tubular bell is delayed a bit – just throwing out an idea.

Some minor mixing comments
- The crotales? feel too loud and close
- I think the mix is lacking a bit of low end. If there’s a bass ensemble, it’s quiet.
- I think the highs of the brass and choir can be slightly reduced, but I do appreciate the bright sound for an action track.

[The Ocean is So Near - NGADM]

This composition resonates with me on such a deep level that I can't remember the last time I felt like this from a piece of music. It reminds me of my fondest memories and my longing to have those experiences again. It's incredible how well you captured that feeling.

The structure is phenomenal. The softer sections feel reflective and wistful, and the louder sections feel cathartic, empowered by the strong dynamic and textural contrasts.

In the second climax, I like the addition of the piccolo, but it’s a bit distracting because of how much it sticks out in the mix, and it doesn't seem like the most important line. The arrangement is excellent overall, but at times like 3:30, I hear some instruments being masked. I think there might be too much going on in the mid register.

The production and midi quality don’t meet today’s standards, unfortunately. I know you expressed interest in investing in quality sample libraries. With your level of talent and skill, I think it’s well worth it. Not only will you get more realistic samples, but it will be much easier to create an engaging atmosphere and simulate a real space like a concert hall. You can always ask questions about this in the orchestral group! If you improve your production even slightly, I think you'll have a significantly better chance of making it to the final rounds next time.

Fox4567 responds:

Dude, thank you so much. I’m so glad to hear you connected with my music and I’ll for sure stick around in the orchestral group.

[Struggle]

The melody in the first section is lovely and whimsical. The way the composition seems to transition from an innocent beginning to a sense of struggle is masterful. The final section leaves me feeling that while the struggle persists, the subject learns to accept it.

The structure is excellent as it is, but it would be nice to hear this concept more fleshed out with more distinct sections.

I’m impressed by the use of the 13/8 time signature. The composition is very smooth and has a nice flow. I like etherealwind's rainfall visual; for me it has more of a snowfall quality :)

After the first section, I think the left hand arrangement could be a little more dynamic. The frequent low register bass notes get slightly fatiguing after a while, but it’s a minor gripe.

The track has noticeable levels of distortion and untamed resonances that sadly hinder the listening experience, especially with speakers. I also think there’s a lot of harshness around 2k hz.

I’m a big fan of your compositions and admire your storytelling abilities through music. I know my production score might sting, but this is an otherwise excellent piece, and I’m sure your production quality will greatly improve with time. Remember that there are many people in the community who can offer mixing feedback and assistance – I recommend joining the Discord server.

Solacitude responds:

Production quality has been the big weakness dragging me behind it seems, so I'm all for correcting it. I didn't feel like playing music today, but I reworked my post processing. I may send you a newer version, and if you have the time and feel like it, I may ask you for an opinion on the new mix. 3/10 was hard on the moral I admit. It was really a huge negative surprise, I didn't expect to be considered the worst of all, and by a big margin, in any category.

I get what you say though about mid frequencies blurring the mix. I use 4 mics, each their own EQ and compression, and add mix and master bus effects to glue it together. Keeping a clean sound over a wide range of dynamic with an instrument that creates a wide range of frequencies like a piano is way less easy than most people think. Nothing can be cut too much (Except very low freq) or it deteriorates the natural quality, the richness of the sound. Keep a bit too much of one freq on one of the mics and you lose definition in certain ranges as soon as louder dynamic comes.

Despite the harshness of this production score. I'm all for making it better! Better sooner than later. If my sound quality is disgusting I don't want to publish too many pieces before it's better. I'll reupload new versions of all the pieces I already uploaded at some point. I prefer 3/10 and high scores in other categories than high prod but low everything else! That's my consolation prize :)

I'm glad you find those qualities in my music despite attributing it a poor production quality.
I'll make it better! Thank you very much for the thorough review.

[A Minor Odyssey]

The melodies, accompaniment and drums are fantastic. The drum grooves align well to the melody, and the fills smoothly transition to the next section. The automation on the leads add a lot of character and make for good ear candy. I appreciate the understated feel of the piece, which makes for a smooth listen.

The track feels on the quiet side despite the high peaks in the waveform. Some subtle compression can reduce the peaks of the drums and allow you to bring up the volume a bit. The mix is pretty good, and part of that is thanks to a solid arrangement. I think there is room to add some personal flair to the mix though, as it feels a little vanilla. Maybe you can experiment with interesting reverbs, saturation, etc.

ChrisisD responds:

Thanks for your review and taking the time to listen! As for your comments, you’re absolutely right. I haven’t had the time to reach the mastering-stage for this track. It definitely needs some compression and could do with some effects as you mentioned.

[Galactic Odyssey - NGADM]

You have a remarkable talent for conjuring specific moods to a great degree through your choice of instruments, melody, and harmony. I love the jubilant motif and melodic variations. The theremin was a brilliant addition that adds a unique flavor to the piece. The entire track is a delight to listen to.

I feel the track is more-so depicting snapshots from an adventure than an actual adventure, and that is perfectly fine and viable. If the goal is to have a more moving experience, I think that would require a more mature and contrasting compositional approach with a series of modulations, greater differences in texture, timbres, and dynamics, and a more melodic-focused arrangement.

There are some pacing issues. It takes around three minutes to reach the first significant shift in mood, and then the track evolves dramatically over a short period. I also feel that the first “mood” wanted to build into a climax, but it didn’t materialize and ultimately reset a few times.
At 3:32, there’s a nice change in tone and atmosphere. I like the atonal and creepy articulations. Perhaps 3:55 is a little soon to bring back a brilliant timbre with the flute? I think you could have stayed in this area longer. The transition at 4:14 back to the main theme also feels rushed.

The final section is an exciting and lively development. There’s a lot going on with the percussion, counter lines and accents, and it creates an engaging atmosphere. However, it feels like it’s supposed to be climactic, but it doesn’t hit the mark for me. It feels similar to the first three minutes but with an added drum kit and a little more chaos. The arrangement and composition doesn’t seem written in a way that expresses a peak or finality.

Some minor comments
- More bassy instruments can add weight to the most important sections and improve the tonal balance.
- The mix feels overly bright, and the piccolo is piercing.
- The snare feels a little too loud

I know there’s a lot of feedback here, but I did thoroughly enjoy the track, and the motif got stuck in my head. I look forward to hearing more of your compositions!