Everratic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Keyhole]

I generally enjoy the composition, especially the pretty section at 3:00. The structure is solid, and the intro and outro are well executed. I do, however, feel like this is an outline of a track to be completed.

One prominent problem is the apparent lack of dynamics automation and variation. The orchestra can be played at many different levels of volume/intensity, and this effects the timbre and utility of all the instruments. Modern sample libraries usually have at least 3 layers. It's important to use these different layers to make each phrase more expressive and properly shaped, and to strengthen the contrast in intensity between sections. When working with sample libraries, be mindful of the machine gun effect that occurs when you repeat the same sample repeatedly. Some solutions are to vary the velocity with each note, use a specialized library with multiple samples for each note type, or switch between different articulations.

I think you can employ more string articulations. For example, tremolo can be nice at :23 and 2:02. Harmonics could be useful in the intro and outro.

I think the :30 section could use a lot more movement. Runs can be quite useful here.

At 1:40, the horn sounds like it's hitting the compressor hard. I think trumpets would be more comfortable there.

At 2:40 the piano is masked by the strings. You could double the line with another percussive instrument,

At 2:45 the cello melody is not very noticeable in its lower register. The line could be doubled with another string instrument or woodwind. Also, when the cello is reaches its highest notes, you can swap it with viola/violin so it feels more natural.

In the outro, it sounds like all the piano notes are being played at the same velocity. It might help make the bass and middle note slightly softer.

Although I think you did a good job establishing a certain vibe with each section, I do think this track has more melodic potential. I didn't notice a memorable melody throughout the piece.

Good luck! I don't typically write such detailed reviews in ngadm, but in this case I had a lot to say, and there's still time before the deadline to make changes.

RedCocoa responds:

Damn, that's a very in depth review, thanks :D
I'm going to test your suggestions out, this is pretty much the first pure orchestra piece I wrote so I was almost sure I made some mistakes. Hopefully I'll manage to update the track before the deadline lol

[Amiss]

Nice work! This is very relaxing, and there are many interesting chords and effects :)

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Why thank you! I'm glad it was interesting. I took an unusual (for me) approach to composing this one.

[I N S U R R E C T I O N]

I love it!

zybor responds:

Thank you Everratic 😊

[Transient]

I didn't expect to hear this genre from you, but it's very enjoyable :)

KevinMueller responds:

Thank you!
Yeah, I really like this genre. It's a nice change from the cinematic stuff. :)

[Escape From the Grave]

The orchestration is excellent. I noticed many types of articulations, and they all seem to fit perfectly. My favorite part of the song is the percussion, the cymbals especially; they greatly enhance the intensity of the eerie vibe. The rising piano run leading to the ending is spectacular.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you! I had a hard time picking out the articulations for this one, so I'm glad if it paid of. I used a lot of "short" sounds, as that made the most sense, given the fast tempo, and how difficult it would be to mix if all the layers stayed in place for a long time.

I'm very happy with the cymbals myself! Instead of using an orchestral cymbal, I used a good drum kit, with many different cymbal articulations, and I placed all the hits myself.
I'm still impressed by your ear, as I think you notice individual details behind all the layers (in particular, the piano coming back in the end, a little bit a time).

[Exoskeleton Deathmatch]

I predict this will get the highest score.

LD-W responds:

We'll see what the judges think haha

[RPG Town Theme]

The melodies are lovely! Cinewinds sounds better than I expected based on what I heard about it.

AceMantra responds:

Thanks! I've been quite happy with Cinewinds Core so far. My only complaint is that I wish it had more instruments. There is Cinewinds Pro as well but that's a big chunk of change.

[The Arctic Sanctuary]

Wow. You captured the cold, desolate atmosphere perfectly. The instrumentation is awesome; I love how you blended in synths for a more otherworldly vibe. The music evokes a vivid picture in my mind of a beautiful serene landscape. The english horn seems to represent the anguish and mourning of the dead.

This is on par with some of my favorite video game songs from likes of Jeremy Soule and Borislav Slavov. You definitely have what it takes to be among the best :) I wish this could be on Spotify so I can add it to my vgm playlist.

Deemo-R responds:

Thanks Everratic! I've only just recently found some of Slavov's work in Divinity II and that comparison is extremely humbling. There's definitely a sort of magic that's hard to match with the best of them, but it's always fun to try and see how close we can get!

I've been wanting to have this on Spotify, but it's a part of a collaborative album that the team is still sorting out. Once it's up I'll probably be able to post the other arrangement I did of a friend's desert theme as well, so fingers crossed!

[Operation Fleshhunter]

Im in love with your detuned synths. I like the vocal effects.

LD-W responds:

If I can slip any of my designed virus-esq patches into a project, I'll always take the chance to ;)