Music-story's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Or on that Matter]

Review

Hi IO,

Well this song is very different. I notice that there is some problem with some of your lower and higher frequencies. Anyway, here is what I thought

Good:
1) I kinda like the mysterious atmospheric feel. Reminds me of a video game I used to like, Panzer Dragoon Orta.
2) I like those drum patterns. Quite retro indeed.
3) 2:09 is the best part of your song. I like that lead instrument. The dirty sounding instrument is nice too.

Hmm:
1) I hear a bit of fuzziness especially in the lower frequencies. Sometimes it makes it just sounds too loud due to the fuzziness. Did you use audacity to master your track? Though audacity is good, it is a easy fix to clipping but that does not fix the problem of some artefacts (not sure if the music industry calls mistakes that). After you finish your song and convert it to mp3, the sound quality should be good without using audacity. I don't use audacity at all now...but before I did when my music sound quality was crap. I ended up with not the best quality songs thanks to audacity.
3) Depending what you want in your music, this next comment depends on your liking. I think you should stray away from analog intense sounds. Its those messy instruments used to bring fill to your song. Eg 2:22 it starts. Filling up your song can be easily done any instrument (doesn't have to be pads) that does not have the cheesy fuzzy factor to it. I rely on distortion cause it sounds cleaner and meaner. Again, this is up to you.

5/5 and 9/10 review
Bye for now

InvisibleObserver responds:

Hey thanks for dropping me a line. I quite like 2:09 too.

The frequency issues have to do with a bandpass and low shelf filters moving across one another on one instrument at the same time. I havn't corrected the squawks yet.

I have not used audacity to master this. Frankly audacity in all its uselessness is garbage for my uses since I'm not recording. I havn't really sat down to master this yet, so some of the sounds aren't as ballsey as they will be in the end product.

As for 2:22 I get what you mean about using them for cheap filler. After that point I just whipped off the end reall quick, the analog/old/gritty synth in particular is going to do some sort of brain melting woosh-ca-boosh that words can't explain... but its not in there yet. I'll probably put some distortion on the gritty sound for extra dirty synth effect as you've suggested. Though I do want an aspect of fuzz.

Your suggestions are read and understood. :)

[Wound]

Review

Hi M33,

Hmm, I'm thinking deja vu. In all my past reviews, I told you that your songs need more instruments. More melodies, harmonies, etc.. Your songs are basically drums and one instrument that hardly plays anything. Its up to you if you want to keep your style or make the decision to apply my advice to your future songs. However, I have listened to many professional made music and I think I know what the music industry demands. You have not yet told me if your program only limits you to using drums and one instrument. If your program can do much more than that....then go and try it. You won't get better if you don't practice making the changes. Anyway, your mixing and mastering sound good so at least you don't have that to worry about.

5/5 and 9/10 review. (The review is more important than the score)

Bye for now

M33plord responds:

Okie. My next song is out - and only one drum, too!

[Snarks_[demo] {remastered}]

Review

Hi Gonif,

I'll review your future stuff if you ask me via PM. I like reviewing other people's work.

Because this is a short song, I won't go in much depth.
I like the drum and the kick seems just about right. You don't have much of a melody going besides the house bass. The bass sounds nice and clear....however one big issue that many house artists have on NG. Read below:

Issues with NG house music:
1) Rely on downloaded samples and/or sample packs. Now, personally I don't find anything wrong with using free VSTS and other goodies like that if your aiming for limited house music. Its a great way to learn, but once you get over that beginner learning curve, your going to have to move into making your own instruments or your severly limiting yourself. Sample packs can only get you so far.....I'm assuming you used sample packs or downloaded instruments because I read your post.

2) Originality goes down. With only a select instruments in your sample packs, only certain patterns work well with those instruments. This leads to well... music that I already heard of better quality by the professionals themselves....since the professionals were the first to use these instruments (cause they made them and sold them for you guys to use) they had the original factor.

Now, when I say making your own instruments, I don't mean from a default setting. Yes, using samples and modifying them to a "significant" degree that it actually sounds like a new instrument I think fits the criteria. Even professionals do that. I personally did not feel like you modified a typical bass sound on NG house via sample pack enough to consider to be a new instrument to me. However, the most important thing is having fun making music. As long as you enjoyed yourself making this, then keep what your doing. As for the finishing product, add more harmonies or melodies. Sounds good so far.

5/5 and 9/10 review
Note, don't take this as if I'm being evil. I'm just honestly helping you out. Ask Karco if he can review your songs. He makes honest reviews too.....

Bye for now

Gonif responds:

thanks man really appreciate the in depth review :D

[(sky) Battleship]

Review

Hi Sky,

This is a little difficult for what I should say. You made this out of boredom so I'm assuming you did not put much effort in this. I don't want to say stuff that you already know. I'll give you a more in depth review in the songs where you tried your best. As for this song, the past reviewers pretty much laid out the cons. One additional comment I want to make is that I'm noticing you are relying too much on delay/reverb. Its good, but I think the crazy panning is tricking you into thinking the instrument sounds amazing. Before you add all this special effects to your instrument, make the song with no effects. If your finding the song not too eventful then work more on the instrument. Once it sounds good, then add in the special fx stuff and you will be amazed by how good it sounds. Plus listen to your song at a very quiet volume. Listening to a song loudly can trick you into thinking the song is better then it really is. If your grooving to the beat at a low volume then you got yourself a real good song. 9/10 and 5/5 vote

Bye for now

Skylence responds:

Hmm next time ill try that thing that you said about the "make song without effects".

i think you might be on to something

[Final Second]

Review

Hi Justin,

Hmm, this is interesting. Your last name is not really story is it? Anyway, here is what I thought.

Good:
1) The bass sounds pretty good. What I'm noticing is that so many artist on NG use that same bass. What program do you guys use? Its like replica instruments but they sound good.
2) 1:45 finally you change the bass pattern. 2:16 now your digital sounds are playing a key role.

Hmm:
1) 0:07 when your digital sounds fade in, you need to let them play a bigger role than just background. It doesn't really bring a "building up" feel to your song so for like a minute I don't feel like the song is progressing anywhere.
2) I think you overly use that bass. Its like cool for a minute but more than that it starts getting annoying.

To conclude, this song is overly repetitive. Made in only a few hours I believe you. It was fun though right? You need to use this bass in a better produced song. It doesn't deserve this injustice to be in a song that you didn't put effort in. Anyway, 5/5 and 9/10 review. I like your user name. :)

Bye for now

Mid-Night responds:

Check out my song First Second, if you don't believe me, it's the same bass ;)

[Iridescent Sky (loop)]

Review

Hi Greg,

Lots of loops in the house section! This will be another easy review for me.

I think what this song is lacking in something different. Not talking about diversity since only a 30 second song, but your heaven pad sounds too generic. It is playing that common pattern trance uses except trance puts the bass to that pattern. I know what you did with the sidechaining is the norm of particular subgenres of house, but I heard it enough to be kinda bored at it.

As for the bass, it sounds good. The pattern seems quite catchy. I also like your drums. I don't know if your xylophone sounding instrument is actually an instrument or drums. Anyway, great job on that.

5/5 and 9/10 review.

Bye for now

gregaaron89 responds:

You have some pretty good points here. It's a bit on the generic side but I think I can get away with that with a good mixdown and some good progressions in the song. Anyway I pretty much completely redid the mix, I'd like you to take a second listen. And btw the xylophone sound is a FM pluck, I made it from scratch somehow... trial and error really :P

Thanks for the review

[Crawl_Space]

Review

Hi Crawl,

Well, the song has a interesting concept with the bass. Its like psytrance but with the typical house bass. Neat idea...here is what I thought.

1) The bass sounds good, but I think it is a bit too overpowering. I also don't think the psytrance bass pattern was the best for this song. It didn't get me dancing as much as if a trance bass were playing it.

2) I think your support high pitch instruments were more as fillers. The composition lacked ingenuity....but then you said you made this in the "spur of the moment". Makes sense why I'm not hearing any diversity to this song.

3) You sparsely put some unique drum patterns in which is a good thing. This song seems to be a drum n bass show rather than a house show.

Overall, you didn't really give me much to critique. The bass plays the same pattern for the entire song and the high pitch instruments don't play a significant role to even bother noticing. However, you made this for fun and I guess that's what counts.

5/5 vote and 9/10 review. Continue making music.

Bye for now

WritersBlock responds:

I totally know where you're coming from. Thanks for your review. Very helpful.

[Love will be shown.]

Review

Hi Helth,

Congrats on top 5. I'm surprised how you managed to get 35 votes in two days. Wow, you must be popular. :) Anyway, I don't recall listening to any of your miscellaneous stuff. Here is what I thought in a nutshell.

I think the instruments could be more "lovely". There seems to be a lot of crowdiiness to your song. I was expecting a few instruments with lots of reverb. Hmm, I blame the pad. Bit too fuzzy.

There are some nice elements to this song. Sounds a bit like a chinese folksong but with hip hop drums. Weird, but interesting.

There are 6 forms of love. I don't think the six you indicated are technically correct. But, your right, we all need love.

For only spending an hour on this song, you got pretty far on NG with it. Maybe you got a natural talent for love music. I don't even know what to say in this review. I'm not for this fuzzy love stuff. 5/5 and 9/10 review. Dumb review I know.

Bye for now

Helth responds:

thanks alot for it man! im really happy about the top 5! =D

glad u liked it.

Helth

and i just made some love things my self=]

[My Game]

Review

Hey Sky,

I'm getting the dance vibes from this song....not video game....which is actually better for me.

Good:
1) That lead synth has lots of presence. Great job on the EQ. Very happy sounding too.
2) I don't mind the bass much. It has a slight bit of distortion which I'm a fan of. Has some nice delay to it and again good presence.
3) 1:36 nice transition. Flowed quite nicely with the fade in.
4) I also like that new instrument that fades in. Has some phaser on it? Well its going crazy and that sounds neat.
5) The bass pattern at 2:04 is dancy. Not original, but I still like.

Hmm:
1) Vex does have a point that the song seems to be lacking some instruments. The reverb brings fill to your song, but not to the diversity factor.

Most of this song is good. You just need to fill the other half of the glass. Work more on this and something good will happen. 5/5 and 9/10 review.

I just submitted a house song so if you have time, check out.

Bye for now

Skylence responds:

oh thanks =]

[Warehouse Rave]

Review

Hi again,

So gabber drums used? Okay, first time I heard that from you.

Personally I'm not a fan of crowd sounds. I think the crowd sounds are reserved for well a "real" crowd when they listen to your music.

13 seconds in, I think the instrument kind of ruined the rave feel. This song would work so well if you work extra hard on producing a awesome sounding instrument. You said you made this out of boredom so I guess you intentionally didn't work more on that lead. The joy of making music fast. I think that's fun too.

I don't how any criticism for your drums. I'm not a fan of gabber, but I'm not letting that influence my review.

1:!5 needs some tighter EQing. It feels like all frequencies are going full out thus a slight messy feel.

I don't know what else to say. I think you should return to this song in the future and make the necessary changes. This song has potential for gabber fans.

5/5 and 9/10 review.

Bye for now

Skylence responds:

k thanks for ur honest review =]