Azhthar's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Calm Craggy Area (Onefin Remix)]

Wow! These many shifts in style were unexpected! This was cool but also sometimes a bit unsatisfying. All the time when a nice part developed it was replaced by something completely different in expression and style. Also the genres are partly that different that it might be hard to find somebody who really likes all the parts. The tempo shifts also sometimes are a bit too rapid. All in all this appears more as something like a medley or a demorheel of what you are doing. All the parts for themself are very well produced. You write that this is a remix. I don´t know the original track so I can´t say much about this here. Details to the parts:
The beginning is really relaxed and chilled with some nearly celtic influences. I really like this part but I have the feeling that the tempo shift around 1 minute destroys that tranquil feeling and the increase of speed feels a bit "stumbling"... Except this the upbeat part around 1:20 is very nice and also the shift to the piano parts at 1:50 is quite flawless. Maybe the modulation around 1:300 was a bit too sudden. The change to the housy part at 2:00 comes a bit out of the blue. But maybe this is just a matter of taste since I don´t really like this housy stuff. Really nice part again starting at 2:40ish. Your piano is really nice in this track. I also like the bit "grotesque" part starting afterwards and again nice transition to that chilled atmosphere around 3:20 which also gives a reprise of the beginning. For the rest my impressions were very similar. I really liked the piano outro! You also have some really nice piano sound... All in all it is quite hard to rate this track since it feels more like a compilation than a single track but I´ll give it a 5 of 5 since all the parts themself are really nice. You should consider developing full tracks out of the single parts, although from what I read in your description it was your idea here to create an "episodic" track. Anyway: Good Job!

Onefin responds:

Hey, Azhthar! Thanks for dropping by

I do have a hard time sticking to a single style :P The original piece has a number of different melodies in it, and I also incorporated melodies from other parts of the game. Hence, a sort of "medley" feel, I guess. I played around with a lot of different things without paying much heed to a consistent style, so mashing them together will inherently feel weird. So in a way, the development for the single parts is actually this, even if it doesn't sound like that.

A lot of people have told me they definitely don't like how I change tempos everywhere. While it is super cool to keep a single tempo throughout a piece, I personally like the shifts. I guess it's just my own personal taste.

There's no modulation at 1:30 :/

You're a bit early with the beginning reprise - I put that at 3:40, not 3:20.

I'm happy you like the piano outro! I had a number of really good influences and I like how it turned out.

[The Aberrant Snowflake]

That´s beautiful with a strong touch of Jan Tiersen. I am crossing fingers that your friend finds the help she needs. Just read her sad story.....

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thanks, Azhthar. After composing it, I thought it had some of that Yann Tiersen style as well :O!
Cool to know I'm not the only one :)
Yeah, life is harsh sometimes. Let's hope the future is more bright!

[yours]

That´s unexpected... Wanted to leave a review in the R4R thread and stumble over a midimachine track. I´ll try my best. This is definitely a cute track. Mixing wise there is not much to say. At least not from my side since mixing is not one of my strengths.
I really like the sound and atmosphere of the track at the beginning. This slow attack instrument sounds awesome. The noise in the background which nearly sounds like an old record player and the certain glitch noises give a very "dreamlike" feeling. The build up till about 50 secs is quite nice. I have to say (probably a matter of taste) I don´t really like the sound of snare. I would have added some more "snapp" or noise to it and it would fit much better to the rest of the atmosphere of the track. Like this it appears to stand a bit outside of the track (also it feels a bit dry and separated roomwise). The hihat and snare rolls could be a bit more humanized imo or varied a bit, like with a little raising pitch or something.
I like the unexpected change at around 2:22. In general I liked the tranquil, dreamy atmosphere at the beginning more than the epic turn later on. It might be a bit repitative in some points but so is my last track, too. Respect for your one track each day task and good luck.... You did more tracks this year already than I did the whole last year ;)

[The Bard]

Okay... Now the developement of the track was unexpected after this beginning. It starts indeed like some bard theme in a tavern of some vintage jrpg or something. The step by step it moves over to a more trance like track and back mixing both genres.... That´s interesting and I like it although it feels a bit unconsistent some times. You have some nice catchy melodies and mix-wise it sounds very clear to me. I think the end is a bit sudden, which is a pity after the long developement... What you definitely should do is to work on your humanization (yes I always say that). Every tone you play seems to be 100% quantized and played with the same velocity. Vary velocities and emphsize the main hits in a bar (The 1 and the quarters with a bit more velocity, semiquavers a bit less except you want strong syncopation). Especially vary thevelocities on the drums around 1 min. And don´t quantize everything by 100%. In the pure electric parts this works but if you hear a "real" instrument playing that just sounds very unnatural and robotic... The drop around 1:30 feels a bit long. Either try to build it up a bit more or make it slightly shorter. All these are just small suggestion to make this already cool track a little bit more cool ;)

Drewpy responds:

Alright thanks! I've never tried un-quantizing or altering velocities like you've described (I don't have any MIDI instruments, I do everything inside the piano roll). I have to try that sometime. Thanks for the advice!

[Mad, Mad, Mad]

Uhmm... This is quite awesome! Structure, fills, backing voices, everythings on the point! The break at 2:05 is just great... Production is also pretty much perfect... Are you playing this with a band? Most of the instruments sound well live played (except maybe some of the brass and strings). If you now say you played all the instruments and sang all the backing vocals by yourself I´ll have to bow before you ;) Great arrangement, great track! You really need a life big band ;) Good luck here!

FinnMK responds:

You're so kind! I sang. played and recorded and all the parts myself, and everything you hear is live - there are no strings, in fact, and all the brass is layered trombone and trumpet.
Having a real life big band would be amazing. Maybe someday!

[Stingray]

I like the pad in the intro. Nice sounds there! The melodies (especially the theme at the beginning) sometimes have a nearly celtic/irish folk feeling. Don´t know idf this is coincidence or intended but I like it. Also I really like your progressions. The track is well structured and there is a lot of variation going so you never lost my attention here. Mixing and mastering sound good in general. The only thing I have here is, that the stereo image could be widened a bit to give the sounds a bit more room and transparence. Also I think sometimes you could add some details here and there sometimes to fill the musical room a bit. For example: Take the part starting 1:20. You have your drums here, some kind of pulsing in the lower mids and your lead. I think it would add a lot if you would use some chord pads and some bass to fill out the high mids and the bass. Other things I have are just small details. I think the snare could you use during the main theme (and some of the percussion in general) could use some more punch. Maybe layer them with some other snare samples? Add some distortion? If you would work a bit on your drop (more tention in the risers and a small buildup in the drums...) and fill out the part afterwards a bit, as I mentioned before, I guess you could make an awesome track out of this already nice piece! I hope this was helpful in some way, although I come from a completely different musical corner ;)

Drewpy responds:

Thanks man! It's always great to hear what you can do to improve a track, and that's what you told me here. I appreciate it a lot :)

[AIM The Legend of Uncle Dave]

This is pretty damn awesome! Feels like been overblown by guitars... And your playing is so damn tight. Feels like an irish jig mixed with some spanish gypsy rumba and this is awesome. Great job here! Good luck!

Daveisgr81 responds:

Thanks for the kind words! Really appreciate it!... and if you haven't cast a vote for fan favourite consider me! (and everyone else, obviously!)

[[AIM] Accursed]

Love the intro, with belss ringing. Really atmospheric! It´s really nice how you build up a creepy atmosphere with all these chromatic ostinatos and the chromatic melody lines (feels nearly circussy sometimes and I love spooky circus music). You wrote as an answer to RealFactions review, that the missing layer is probably an operatic choir. I disagree here. Maybe a choir could help, but what really would fill out the track are some low strings. Cellos, Violas and Basses... I have the feeling the low end is a bit empty. And some flirring high woodwinds above everything are always good, too ;) Also I think some humanizing on the instruments would help a lot to give it a more "realistic" feeling. Randomize some velocities, work on attack and release of the sustained intruments and shift everything a tiny little bit in time to give it a bit more human inaccuracy. But not too much because then it will sound a bit off. Cool piece anyways and a good start if you didn´t do that much orchestral work, yet.

[AIM - The Spooky Witch Of Creepy Cottage]

Yay! I love spooky stuff. And this one is awesome. Fits the picture so well! Love the idea with the high pitched voice for the witch. The xylophone solos are really cool. Also all your melodies, singing and stuff are right on spot! Love all this chromatic circussy stuff inside. The only thing which might be better are the organ sounds at the beginning and the recording of the voice, which feels a bit tinny but I have to say that I always think it´s better to have a really good composition than a perfectly produced but boring track and this song is pretty awesome and exactly my taste! Good luck!