samulis's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Unpredictable Brain]

Dissonance... and motion related thereof... an amazing thing to use, and most people are too scared to try out some good dissonance.

I think you could have tried to work on reducing the repetitiveness a bit and presenting new themes and more dramatic changes, especially with such a small ensemble where such changes are near required. Certain instruments seem to perform the same role throughout, and although that's perfectly fine, sometimes switching things around can show you something you never thought of before.

I enjoyed this piece considerably. I only wish it were for a larger ensemble, but it's perfectly fine with the instrumentation it presently has. There isn't much motion, throughout the piece... it essentially just wanders. If that's the feel you want (it sounds like it is by your description), that's fine, but a lot of people like orchestral pieces that take them on a journey.

A very fine piece nonetheless, best of luck!
-Samulis

Pointrick responds:

Thanks for the great review.

I have been composing music for orchestra for the past five years now, in my room, usually at night, as an amature, since I was 15. When I started, I really had no idea what I was doing. At that age I had never really listened classical music or something like that. I was just extremely inspired by Yann Tiersen. I loved everything about his music, especially the way he put his emotions into it. I also wanted to turn my own emotions into music.

Years went by and my pieces began to get weirder and weirder. I actually began to push too many themes in one piece. Eventually I couldn't be satisfied because the pieces where not coherent enough in my opinion.

That is why I wanted to take a step back with this piece, to go back to the simplicity I started with, but still with the expierience I now have. I hope this explains the repetitiveness and the fact that there aren't any more themes.

Maybe I've gone back to simplicity too far. I'm still searching for the right middle.

I agree about the journey thing, I also like orchestral pieces that take me on a journey. That's why I'm obsessed by symphonies like the 3th, 4th, 5th and 6th of Prokofiev, the 2nd of Rachmaninov, 5th, 10th and 11th of Shostakovich, etc. Everyone should know those pieces. Especially Prokofiev's 5th! Prokofiev was a true master! But to get back to the topic, I'll try to upload some different stuff that is more of a journey, but I've got to tell you those pieces are weird and extreme. There are a few pieces that I cannot complete, because the computer with the files had crashed. I will upload these as soon as possible. Right now the submit area of NG is having some problems, so I'm not able to submit audio just yet, but I will keep trying.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything.

[Apocalypse 2012]

Engaging, extremely well mastered. The opening brass hits sound almost a bit too high velocity-wise...

One thing I would have expected is a lot of tremolo strings, but, forgive me if I am mistaken, I didn't hear any. The vocals are great... EWQL, I presume? You have a sort of call thing going on around 2:10... might be better to have those quarter-notes coming out from different pans (left-right) for more contrast.

You have that epic feeling down really well, great work on that! It flows well, but consider some lower cymbal rolls or gong rolls for a more epic feel.

At the finale (4:33), I feel as if more could have been given. The issue with having a song so epic the majority of the time is that finales are hard. Consider a full chorus in at that point singing a counter-melody of some sort (perhaps rest-F#-G#-A for the first measure) and strings doing whole notes as well, just to put as much noise in there as you can and to make it feel as "full" as possible. Perhaps even marching cymbal crashes on the 2,3,4 beats or something. As I said to others before, don't be afraid to break out a gong... it lends a great epic feel.

Strings- consider all sorts of sixteenth-note arppegios climbing all over the place and descending/ascending lines, although I like those root-root-fith-fith (or whatever you did there with the marcato strings) sixteenths too.

Brass sounds great, as a trombonist, I fully endorse it! :P

Just don't be afraid to make your bassline (tuba or double-bass) louder... or maybe that's just my speaker setup.

If you have any vibraphone or waterphone instruments, here's the place to use them. Also, anvils might be a good addition if you want that sort of ringing hit.

As for mastering, may I suggest writing everything at half-volume (if you have a master volume slider control for the whole piece, drop it down so your waveform only goes about half-way to full) and write there, then boost it up as needed later and, if REALLY necessary, use a light compressor if you want a loud mix, although that can cut back on nice sharp percussion sometimes.

A great piece, one of the best so far!
-Samulis

EvilRaccoon responds:

Hey Samulis, thanks for the review! You're right about alot of things, such as the additional percussion would have added some variety. And maybe I could have changed it up at the end to give us a newer sorta theme to emphasise the climax. I actually did add almost every VST that I had running at the time to play something, so my layering might just be poor. The velocity at the beginning was intentional, and I've heard it done before in some scores that I have and for that fact I wanted to maybe give it a shot myself where the stac's just interupt everything.

I actually do write everything really quiet and master up. In fact when doing so i nearly deafen myself when a sudden noise from any other app hits me. I know it's not an excuse but I do have sound card issues, being that it just doesn't f**king work anymore. So when sound was mobo direct, which sounds soooo awful.

I should have added a waterphone. This was a perfect opportunity too! Argh!
Thanks so much for your review, it helps me improve so much! :)

[Sanctuary]

Excellent piece... Has a great style, certainly orchestral-cinematic. I love the suddenness of sections, it's not traditional, but it's beautiful. The progression and flow of the piece is excellent, near flawless. My only big issue is that the percussion is lacking... some bass drum rolls here and there would be nice, although there's a considerable amount of lighter percussion in use.

One of the things I look for in classical is an aspect of music from the Romantic era- expressing a feeling and/or telling a story. This piece does that- it's vivid, descriptive, and unique.

The initial launch around 1:00 is an excellent point, and the dissonance reminded my of some of Wagner's stuff. From then on, it traveled contemporary orchestral-cinematic with some great passages... of both great joy and sorrow, it seems. The motifs flowed efficiently and effectively between ideas, and passages seemed complete, although this piece, although so long, could be written even longer to experience some new variations of these themes.

Instruments and symbolism-wise... I am a real stickler for certain things when it comes to harps, partially because I have experienced the rants of discontented harpists and partially because I find it one of the most expressive yet most misused (at least in cinematic) instruments. You used it well here, and provided some great melodic ideas, although more expression could have been used (I honestly love low notes on Harp and Piano, they provide great backing; also, counter-melodies on harp or guitar can sound great in the right instance). You honestly invoke a lot of symbolism in your choices, whether intended or not, and I am really REALLY happy to see that. :)

The epic size of this piece is commendable alone... I have only written three or four pieces past four minutes, and none as good as this.

Regarding some ideas and feedback, one issue is dynamics. There are certain parts where a crecendo on the instruments (3:15, for example), then a decrescendo, would be nice so it completes a full motion. There's a lot of bit where more "feeling" can be added through more expressive dynamics, but you did a great job on outlining motion.

Honestly, this is one of the finest pieces I have heard in a long time, although some more mastering could have been done and some more other bits. This is definitely in the top 8. :)

Excellent job, and good luck!
-Samulis

Step responds:

Whoa... man this review is so detailed! Thanks a tonne! I really love getting helpful reviews.

I usually quote and respond to each part of the review but since this review is so big and I'm limited on characters I'll just have to respond the old-fashioned generic way :P.

First things first, I'm happy you think the flow was good. The fact that there's such a large number of changes in the mood and feeling made it very hard to get the transitions right and I think this is the song which gave me most trouble in transitions. You're the second to like the suddenness of certain sections so I guess that was a good call on my part, thankfully.

Regarding the percussion lacking, I didn't really want to focus much on percussion this time round. I mean, I wanted to add the occasional light percussion and cymbal rolls/gongs to pronounce certain parts in the piece but yeah I agree that percussion wasn't something too prominent in this. I thought someone would mention that, actually.

I'm also really glad you think the passages sound complete. I've had people tell me in the past that I sometimes make song sections too short.

I totally agree with you about harps by the way! They are definitely underrated. I've actually used a harp in every single orchestral submission I've done so far. None used it as prominently as this song did, but I do love the sound. East/West has a really awesome harp.

I see what you mean about adding bass notes to the harp/piano. That has always been my problem; I can never actually utilise low bass notes of those two instruments properly (mostly harp).

Also 3:15 was a bit of a moment of laziness on my part. The project file was going insane with all the instruments I was using and I didn't feel like making a proper crescendo/decrescendo since with all the lag it would take ages :P.

Overall I REALLY appreciate the massive review. Hopefully I'll make it into the Top 8, but the competition's really tough so I don't know about that!

Thanks again! I'll find the time to review you back - your submission is great :3.

[Very addictive loop]

Baroque?

Sure sounds like a call back to Baroque to me... some elements are a bit later (classical), but baroque nonetheless! Extremely impressive to see someone actually bother to care about something older than 200 years, glad you put this up.

[Piano Concerto (JPR)]

Amazing...

As a huge fan of Mahler, Wagner, Schubert, and all those great (Late) Romantic Era composers, I have to say this piece has an excellent theme. My only distaste is that the instrumentation seems a bit funky. Some sort of woodwind instrument (flute or oboe) would be far more used than trumpet in the fast echoes of the Piano motives... The instrument sounds could be improved upon, but that's a pretty major undertaking, so no need.

I think there should be one more echo of the ending, but going up and even slower and quieter, with perhaps strings (unless you're writing a Russian piece, in which case it would rapidly speed up and go through a piano gliss then a quick "1-7+-1!" at FF or something catchy like that).

JPRixdorfer responds:

See, this is exactly the kind of review I was hoping for!

Instrumentation:
Damn, you're right. I was browsing through my instruments and thought that the woodwinds wouldn't have enough impact to echo the piano, but I guess they don't even have to. The trumpet almost makes it a double concerto.

Ending:
Yeah, I thought the same thing - after uploading. One more echo, but not the russian style: I am german after all :D so it would be extremely slow, still with piano in foreground.

Thanks a lot for the review!
Cheers

[-Medieval Festival-]

Warlike and bold, but is it really even classical?

It seems almost pop to me... so many electronic and synth elements. Doesn't really fit in classical... classical doesn't mean you use classical instruments, it means your song fits within the guidelines of medieval, renaissance, baroque, romantic, or contemporary classical... which this doesn't really.

That matter set aside, I like the piece. I would probably call it something more about a battle.

Some of the parts need better transitions, meanwhile some of the melodies, from a Romantic era prospective, seems completely irrelevant to the theme. The instrumentation all in all is fairly good. Some more mastering might be nice, the chorus could be spread a bit more, the drums could be quieted at parts a bit.

The ending at 2:25 seems to be the most irksome transition. Consider using cymbal and bass drum rolls more.

At the beginning, I would have liked to hear the bell continue on. The celesta/chimes seem out of place with the mood being presented. Also the electric bass and synth stuff around 0:50 is distracting. Classical is a pretty well outlined genre... you can have that stuff, but it has to agree with the piece.

The piano part in the 1:45 area with the chorus is beautiful, perhaps my favorite part.

I like it, but it just doesn't agree with my sense of classical... perhaps it's just me though.

Keep composing, good job!
-Samulis

[Death of Mercutio]

Cinematic with a taste of Romantic!

Excellent piece here, I love the massive dynamic changes in the piece. I honestly think you hit the character of Mercutio on the head... his comic manners, his untimely death... but the thing I love the most is the early Romantic feel it expresses in the chord progression selections... it's extremely fitting with the time of shakespeare, yet the dynamic style is late Romantic/early contemporary... it's truly an amazing piece.

The only improvement would be to find some better virtual instruments... which is a rather costly and subjective task, so it certainly can be ignored if your main focus is performance instead of digital composition.

Keep up the good work. :)

[Winter at the Castle]

Amazing piece

Great work here, I love it. It does seem a bit jilted at some transitions though. You don't use much percussion, do you? Well, it doesn't seem to need much.

The transition at 1:52 sounds like it needs a nice harp gliss... however cliche they are, I think it's the spot. From my time knowing a harpist, I can't help but comment on the part. I think a lot more could have been done to the harp part honestly... low notes offer great resonance. The delay before the harp part at the end honestly seems awkward. The little gliss at 2:28 seems rather odd, I could just keep that last motive the same and have the second part merely quieter.

The chord/key change at 0:47 and that little transition seems awkward to me... I would cut out that motive there and just let the voices come in. The part that follows with the chorus is perhaps my favorite part... I'm not much of a strings and chorus guy, but it sounds excellent, and symbolic of his religious side.

The baseline seems boring at some parts, such as the whole buildup in the 1:00 to 1:20ish area, I would have quarter notes to give more of an essence of motion.

The introduction is excellent, but there should be a buildup into 0:12 honestly... a cymbal roll or something. It seems too sudden I think.

It's really a great piece, take my suggestions with a grain of salt... as they are, just merely, suggestions.

Keep up the great work. :)
-Samulis

Bosa responds:

Thank you, my man! You gave me exactly the right kind of constructive criticism.

[Narnia Suite]

Beautiful...

The Chronicles of Narnia is one of my favorite books... I think you did an excellent job of capturing the raw beauty of it. I have little to say... transitions are essentially flawless, orchestration and instrumentation is perfect. I only wish you used some better virtual instruments. The ones used now are fine, but there are more powerful ones out there.

The battle is perhaps my favorite part, albeit short... it has that cinematic-orchestral feel we all strive for. I just wish the transition to the ending were a bit more... the death of the piece before the ending seems strange. I would have repeated Aslan's theme once more before the final chord, just for good measure.

Another great piece, keep up the good work. :)

[Whales Hunting]

Welcome to Newgrounds...

... glad to have you aboard. :)

Excellent work here... perhaps some mastering work here and there, where some parts sound muddled. Other than that, it's a truly glorious piece... I normally pride myself in enormous piles of constructive critique, but this is really perfect in its own way.

Feel free to stop by the forums. It's great to see another orchestral composer out there, especially one who has a good ear and a mind for music. :)