samulis's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Watching Cars Drift By]

Yes, I listened to the whole thing. Twice.

This track is pretty much what I would have expected for this picture as far as ambience is concerned. My main issue is dynamics. Good ambient music has dynamics to it- functions through the three forms of musical evolution- transformation, combination, and elaboration.

Overall the track is basic. I think the message could have been expressed in a shorter work, something noted below by others. Ambient shouldn't really be synonymous with "long". It paints a picture, just like all other music, and when the painting is resolved enough that the viewer can understand it, it is done.

Additional instruments might add more detail and vary the piece to resemble a more natural cityscape feel. Think of the city- it isn't constant, it isn't linear. Traffic lights switch, new people walk by, a truck might roll in, or maybe an airplane might fly overhead. Take the time to stand on a street and see and hear the changes that occur there. Feel the way the sun interacts with the world- the motion of the clouds, the songs of the birds, the reverberance of the tall buildings. Notice the pedestrians- who are they? Where are they going? Where did they come from? In a piece about the city, I want to feel these things, sense these greater questions. They are the foundation of the ambiance of the cityscape.

The composition in this was quite basic, even for ambient. Some shimmery pads or little arp stuff might have benefitted the piece to create more harmonic and melodic texture. Different street sounds and other vehicles might create greater background texture.

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My ratings:
Originality- 4/10
Relevance- 25/30
Composition- 5/25
Instrumentation- 4/15
Mastering- 6/10
Emotion/Interest- 5/10

Total: 49/100 (NG: 2.5 stars)

[Spacewalk]

This piece totally makes me think of those timelapse things of the night sky you see in documentaries for some reason. I would NEVER have expected something like this to go with the picture- I was thinking I would hear some super ambient thing when I saw the picture and then BOOM! this came out of my headphones, and I gotta hand it to you, it's an odd combo that somehow works decently enough. Could fit better with the image, but it's not bad at all.

I think it would be nice to have something other than the synth-orch pad that comes every other measure or have some variation it does from time to time to make it less repetitive. I also think you might want to consider adding more counter melody stuff. There's an awful lot of great texture stuff going on, but some more definite counter-melody stuff would be cool.

Regarding instrumentation, this track has a very nice, lush mix and instruments. Sounds rather well balanced too! I really like the little bitcrushed things that pop in here and there- maybe add more stuff like that like "shooting stars" or something. Also, some piano arps might be cool. Arps are virtually synonymous with space (after pads, that is).

Mastering and mixing sounds pretty good. I might pan the marimbaish thing over more so it doesn't get too much in the way of what is happen in the middle and brings interest to one side... or even put an LFO on the pan for more fun. Experiment around with stuff!

(oh and the loop isn't really looping... just a nitpick)

Keep compos(ed/ing)!
-Samulis

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My ratings:
Originality- 8/10 (never expected this solution!)
Relevance- 18/30 (could be better fitting)
Composition- 20/25
Instrumentation- 12/15
Mastering- 8/10
Emotion/Interest- 8/10

Total: 74/100 (NG: 3.5 stars)

[Gray...]

Interesting how you decided to do four "movements" to this one. I'm not really sure what to make of all of it. You seem to have four unique ideas. I definitely think you managed to hit the mood of the image in at least one or two of them!

Out of all four, I really think the third section (1:25) was most fitting, although the other three are also quite close. If you had developed a whole song out of this fragment, it would have been great.

More attention to mastering would have been great. Once again, there's a continuity thing going on between the sound and quality of the vocals and the guitar. Vocals sound great, but guitar is really dirty and fuzzy sounding. Maybe some EQ and stereo imagery work would clean up the guitar. Alternately, adding some more instruments like keys would have been cool. I would love to hear a piano version of this.

Keep compos(ed/ing)!
-Samulis

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My ratings:
Originality- 7/10
Relevance- 20/30
Composition- 15/25
Instrumentation- 10/15
Mastering- 6/10
Emotion/Interest- 6/10

Total: 64/100 (NG: 3 stars)

[Cthulhu]

An interesting piece to say the least...

I'd have to agree with the reviewer below that the reverb on the electric is a bit too much. The acoustic implies a certain intimacy with its tone and micing choice, but the electric contradicts that and creates this kind of dual-soundscape that confuses the listener.

I gotta give you kudos for live performance, but there's some tuning issues here and there that bug me a bit, but nothing major luckily. I would have liked more instruments (maybe some drums or even keys), but it's fine with just the guitars.

As far as compositionally, the modulation at 0:57 is really odd... down a half-step if I'm not mistaken? It's just a weird direction to take the piece and for not much either. The chords are nice, but rather simple. I would have liked it if you switched things up a bit more, maybe tried going to the 4-chord (D maj) instead of E maj every once in a while or maybe the substitute dominant (Bb7) instead of E7.

Regarding the art, I don't really see much resemblance. I could maybe see this on the weather channel, but it just doesn't should Cthulhu to me... Defo pretty original though.

Keep compos(ed/ing)!
-Samulis

=========
My ratings:
Originality- 8/10
Relevance- 10/30
Composition- 13/25
Instrumentation- 10/15
Mastering- 6/10
Emotion/Interest- 5/10

Total: 52/100 (NG: 2.5 stars)

[Glitch,Blues.Baby!]

Nice piece! I really think the feel fits nicely with the urban vibe of the art piece, but I think there are a few things with the piece that just don't quite sell it to me.

First, the transitions might need some work. You jump back and forth between these parts abruptly (notably at 1:26) and it is kinda disorienting. As a listener, I don't really know what is going on sometimes in the piece. The composition of the piece is pretty nice, there are some nice chords and catchy licks, but it's important that it all fits together as one homogenous mix to be a piece. I do think you could do more with the complexity of the melodies and harmonies though, maybe consider some ornamentation and so on.

Second, the mix isn't very full. The repetitive piano licks are really all the listener has to munch on aside form drums for most of the piece. I wish you had added more kicks and stabs in there on some horns, some pads, or some guitar comping or something to really bring out more of the piece.

Lastly, the mastering is a bit lack. For something more pop-ish like this, the piano is awfully reverb-heavy and distant feeling. The balance feels too centered for the piece as a whole (maybe using mono sound sources unpanned?). You might want to consider using a piano that is closer-mic'd and adjusting the pan and spread of the instruments.

Keep compos(ed/ing)!
-Samulis

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My ratings:
Originality- 6/10
Relevance- 24/30
Composition- 15/25
Instrumentation- 9/15
Mastering- 6/10
Emotion/Interest- 6/10

Total: 66/100 (NG: 3.5 stars {round up to 70})

YouriX responds:

Wow! This my first stab at Glitchop and Jazz. I am used to making DrumNbass. So i was expecting some criticism. Overall i am happy with results you gave me! Ofcourse i will improve my work and push myself to the limit. Thanks for the insightfull review and your time! :D

[Starchasers AIM 2014]

This is certainly a nice track coming from a fellow new to the audio portal (welcome, btw!), but there is definitely room for some additional work. :)

I really like the sounds you use, but I as a listener want more going on- more little melody fragments, more background sounds, more little noises. Just because it's ambientish doesn't mean you can get away with just a pad and a lead. If you have time, check out the work of my friend skyewintrest, he does some really awesome stuff with ambient and electronic that is up this style.

I didn't really find the piece very catchy or super interesting. It would probably work great in a film or a game for that reason, but not so much as art music for a contest. I definitely think you could have expanded more into the soundscape and taken on some more interesting sounds. That being said, the song does feel very right for the picture. As I said, it'd be awesome as score.

The mix and actual sounds in the song were quite good sounding however, definitely a good start!

Keep compos(ed/ing)!
-Samulis
=========
My ratings:
Originality- 4/10
Relevance- 27/30
Composition- 10/25
Instrumentation- 8/15
Mastering- 7/10
Emotion/Interest- 4/10

Total: 60/100 (NG: 3 stars)

[~SW~ Extrote]

If this were the Main Menu song in a game, I'd never bother even playing the game. :D

Great work as always, ridiculous attention to detail, and it shows!

SkyeWint responds:

Dude if this were the main menu theme, I'd totally be rocking the rest of the soundtrack. It might be worth it. <3

[Rose Inn (NAL)]

Good sir, I regret to inform you...
... that this is music.

Nice work dude, as always! I always love your use of tensions in the melody and the harmony... you always manage to pull it off so well. Also, nice anvil solo, but I wish there was a cowbell solo. Would be more fitting.

I'd like to see some more percussion like triangle, glock, etc. I think it would fit very well, just outlining the chords or beat.

Bosa responds:

I used the triangle and the glock in the first bit, but I should have used it more often.

You were right about the cowbell. I feel so bad because I was so foolish not to include it.