ADR3-N's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Week 27 2017 (Acapella)]

It's rare I hear a dry track that's listenable. I'm having a hard time picking out an overarching meaning, but the flow is good enough my brain just stops working. Nice work.

Cyberdevil responds:

It's an ode to the summer I suppose, self-reflection and travel melancholy all intermeshed... though does get a bit more random towards the end. :) Many thanks!

[Downtown Beatdown (METALCORE)]

Sounds like the mix is clipping in a lot of places. Guitar tone is nice though, and I really appreciate you listing your software. Podfarm is now on my list of things to find.

As for your bass, I can barely hear it. Sounds like just the guitar doubled and down an octave.

Your drum samples sound good, but the mix itself sounds so bass heavy and mid-stomped, it's hard to enjoy them. The cymbals are very weak in the mix, sound all the same velocity, and the kick is hiding underneath your bass. A low cut will probably help you out there.

Siren is also way down in the mix. So are your synths. Let them soar above but not sublimate the rest of the mix. Balance is the key.

Cymbals I feel need to come up, and your toms are panned a little strange for me.

Somewhere there is a mastering tutorial I found useful... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amN1EmZv4Uo&list=PLi8lPSZQQxxZEvqcLWu-XNh2D4E1tNl35&index=4

I think this is the one. ReaEQ is probably the best plugin I've ever used for EQing out unecessary frequencies before compression, FX, and mastering.

DHansen90 responds:

Thanks for all the tips! Im actually going to try some things and reupload if you wouldnt mind hearing it! UPDATE: New mix and master

[XERO feat. Jeff Waters (Annihilator) - Savior]

Sounds really ... tinny to me. Leaves lots of room for the vocals, but the drums are buried, particularly the snare. Also sounds almost sidechained which feels like a symptom of overcompression to me.

Basically, I would compress your drums a bit less. They sound very hot, especially those hats. I would also pan them a bit wider. Snare needs to come way up in the mix. Totally buried.

I'd cut a little more low out of those guitars. Bass could, ironically, use a little more mid and high end, a little less ... that sub range is thumping in and out, making it feel like a case of over-EQ.

Overall the mids in this mix feel just crushed to me, and the low-end is pretty muddy. Playing and technique sounds great though. And good songwriting. Kudos.

Note I do have ATHm40's so any warts in the mix are gonna naturally sound worse to me. It may sound better on typical commercial headphones. Those hats are really killing me though.

[Waluigi - EVERYBODY CHEEEEAAAAAAAAAAA]

Why does this have no reviews? This is probably the most creative use of Waluigi clips I've seen. Actually, it might just be the only one. And it sounds good, so that's a plus.

[Xtrullor - Authority]

Oh square waves. Eargasm initiated. I find myself wanting a bit less volume on the perc, more bass, little less choir.

As always, I am impressed by the diversity of your sound palette and your sexy drops.

Love ya!

[Xtrullor - Samsara]

To begin with, the opening melody isn't super strong, but once the rest comes in, it gets more interesting. I see you've been using more electric guitar, which is pretty interesting. Needs just a little bit more velocity modding.

You'll find it'll help more if you use a sort of power metal chug.

Nice tight EQ on those guitars. Could use a little more low mid for the sound you seem to be going for.

Also sounds like a lot of Nexus keys.

I like your use of choir. Needs a little more panning, a little less reverb, and slightly less volume.

I'm also missing your characteristic slamming bass. I feel like that'd be the final cherry on top.

Other than that, I can't complain. This is overall a pretty solid piece, other than a couple dynamics issues which I understand comes from stitching together very diverse instrumentations and structures.

Very enjoyable overall. Almost to the point I can hardly get my thoughts out before getting distracted by pretty noises. :)

[Gold]

Not bad. Has a sort of ... oh now the word organic is in my head but I don't wanna steal it from the reviewer below me. It's a catchy progression and an old one that has always been well used. I feel like the lead and the kick way overpower the rest of the mix though, and as a whole, it sounds unmastered.

If you want the kick to be just that loud, recommend side-chaining rather than having it so loud. In the old days, rather than side-chain, we just laid the bass down on offbeats.

I also feel this track could really benefit from a bassline rather than just sorta a held piano.

[endK - Twist the Beast]

Oh, videogamey dnb! Not bad. Could use just a bit more bass, and I really feel like a lot of the track is sitting in the right channel. That's an interesting choice.

Also getting what feels like clipping occasionally.

You've been really adventurous with your panning and transitions, which makes this track pretty interesting to listen to without being tedious, and that's an achievement.

Song structure is also inventive, and I like that.

However it eventually does get to that point where I feel it's too long and a bit samey, with a lot of the same rhythms and melody. Call and response but no real overarching solo. As is, I feel like it's still a strong piece, but far from perfect. Extra half-star for unique approach. Did not like the single outro stinger. I felt it needed a little breakdown or buildup prior.

endKmusic responds:

Hey!
Must say that I agree with majority of the stuff you said here.
Although part that may feel like clipping are just fx I guess. Maybe could've leveled them more appropriatelly.
Thanks for panning/transition compliments, that's always one of the main things I'm going for.
In the second part there is the same bassline for a long time, yes. It changes at some points.
However, even with that, I think I wrapped it up nicely.
Was thinking about solo part but yeah, somehow I wasn't up to realizing that and instead, I did some acoustic breaks and stuff.
Long story short - the structure certainly is different and for sure there are 'consequences'. But it has good stuff too, I guess. :)
Thanks for the detailed review, really appreciate it. <3

[Nice Day]

As mentioned, a lot of short-stop cutoffs, but good piece. I like your structure. What wigs me out is the two different rides on opposite sides.