Onefin's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[High Hills]

Hey, Jeyzor! Here's a review just for a fellow Geometry Dasher.

YES:
The drums are very loudly mixed. This gives them the oomph they need for the type of track you've made. Good job!
Panning. Most beginning producers completely forget that stereo width is a thing, so I applaud you for utilizing some in your second song.
Harmonization. Most beginning producers forget or aren't aware of this. Good job for implementing it!

NO:
I have a feeling that you used something along the lines of Famitracker to make this song. All of the synths sound really "basic", if you know what I'm talking about. But now I'm looking down and seeing that you used FL Studio, which gets me a little concerned about your sound design. I realize you may not have higher-end VSTs, but even something like Sytrus can make really nice sounds if you get into it.
Crash cymbal is WAY too loud, and you use it over and over again.
The melodies/chord progressions sound like those written by someone who knows nothing about music theory and just put some notes in until something sounded okay.
Intro. The whole intro just sounds kinda bland, and when the claps come in, it just sounds amateurish.
Outro. It was okay at first, but then you decided to end the piece with a super loud crash cymbal rather than let the sounds decay out.

I hope my thoughts can help you get going! Keep it up! :)

Jeyzor responds:

That's a great review. Thanks! I'll try to get better c:

[Vigor]

Wow this is nice! As expected from you! ;)

The melodic content here is awesome! Not only that, it's backed up really well by the drums and some epic bass design! My favorite section is the part at 0:34, that sounds so cool!

I'll admit, I don't like the drop so much. I was kind of hoping for an expansion of the 0:34 part, but I didn't really get that :/ It's really nice, though! I can tell you put a lot of effort into it. :)

The track is also really loud. This isn't really a problem - loud isn't necessarily bad, and in the context of "vigor", it's definitely suitable - but loudness in non-drop sections can make the drop seem weak in comparison. I don't blame you, I have problems with this too, but just keep that in mind ;)

Great track, man! 9/10, 5/5, faved! Keep it up!

AeronMusic responds:

I am sorry for the drop. You know, I had some other 'out of place' drop before I remade it into this one and the old drop was pretty cool. But yeah it didn't fit of course.
(EDIT: If you're interested you can listen to the old drop here: https://clyp.it/qzsdgzee )

- "The track is also really loud. "
You should hear my track Sourcream, it's 'very way much more' louder. :^)

- "but loudness in non-drop sections can make the drop seem weak in comparison."
Yes! And it's indeed something I should've taken care off. I didn't really pay much attention to that but it was something I've noticed after publishing and I didn't want to change it anymore, so...

Thanks for the review! =)

[1980 (WIP)]

R4R

Things I liked:
- Drum design. Really nice! They really lay down the rhythm and give the piece life! The stereo effects on them sound super cool, as well!
- Bass design. The riffs I'm hearing are super cool! I like it.
- Chord design. You voiced the chords really nicely, and i love it! You chose the perfect set of sounds for the job, and they work really well to promote the groovy feel of the track.

Things I didn't like:
- Repetition. It is a dance track intended for a soundtrack contest, so I won't count off too much here. Plus, your track is well-made enough to kinda counter this one.
- Continuous use of the same riser effect. The more you use a sound effect, the more it loses its intended effect.
- Fade out. I wouldn't take too much off here if it weren't for the fact that without the fade out, you could have very easily connected the end back to the beginning with where you were going in the ending.
- You have less than 100 plays :(

Overall: Dude, really good stuff! Add some chordal variation and you'll be set! Keep it up! 9/10, 5/5

JandreParis responds:

Really appreciate the feedback! Definitely will work on the chordal variation. The riser effect is placeholder past its first use for the time being as I'm developing a couple more to change it up throughout. And the fade out thing is understandable! I'll keep the groove alive! ;)

Thanks a bunch!

-J.P.

[~Fore~ Alaska (WiP)]

Hi! I haven't heard from you in a while.

This sounds really nice! It's not very long, obviously, but for what it is, it's really good! Good use of atmospheric distortion and overall impressive melodic content. Could work well as a loop instead of a song.

I would give 4.5 stars, but obviously, it's pretty short. :/

[Sparks]

R4R

What I liked:
- Great sound design! Your synths sound really nice! The piano needs some work, but overall everything is awesome!
- Melody: It's really uplifting and nice! Good work!
- Mixing: I don't have much to say. Good job.

What I didn't like:
- Repetition: This track repeats the same things over and over, with little melodic variation. I felt you could have gone somewhere with all of this.
- Too much build: This track has a lot of built tension but never releases that tension. It just keeps building and building with no aim. Maybe have a drop in there or something.
- Hihat: It sounds... bad. I don't know how else to describe it. :/

[Sunny0911 - Easy Beep]

R4R

Yays:
- Drum design (love those hihats)
- Use of sidechain on bass

Nays:
- What's the melody?
- A lot of instruments are out of tune
- No progression; it kinda all stays in one place

[E.N.E.R.G.Y]

Hello! Pineapple brought me here.

Some advice for you:

1. Work on melodies. The melody in the track sounds really lazy and rushed. There are also some notes that don't sound quite right. Remind him that the space between the notes is just as important, if not more so, than the actual notes themselves.
2. Make sure the bass is in tune. When it's even slightly offkey, like it is here, it sounds jarring.
3. Work on drum design. A simple kick per beat and snare on 2 and 4 gets boring after a while. Try making fills. Try introducing other drums, like hihats and toms. Also, try to acquire better drum samples.
4. Avoid stretches of silence. That's an amateurish move.
5. Try using sound effects. Things like white sweeps, crashes, impacts, and reverses can liven up a track.
6. Work to eliminate repetition. Overall, your sound is fairly repetitive and repeats the same kind of thing over and over. Try to variate thing a little bit more.

I wish you good luck in future compositions!

Jakki responds:

Thanks for your detailed review, much appreciated :3
The melody is just like it has jammed on my head for 8 years, so not gonna change that. Other than that i can fully agree, it is really old song too.