ADR3-N's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Dusk of Eternal Night]

I understand what you're going for, although, it seems you're suffering from software lagging behind the creative ambition. Those MIDIs are killing me, especially the pipe organ in the high register and timpani -- as well as the attacks on the strings. Crashes are also written in a way that would be nearly impossible to perform. 2:52 is not too bad, but you're starting to get distortion in the mix.

There is certainly energy here, but I feel percussion and modulation suffered the most here. In 2006, this would be pretty par for the course, and I realize software for this sort of thing is often expensive even if it is sub-optimal.

Vibraphone wrapping up the end was a nice touch.

In short, you are a talented composer, but your instruments are dragging you down. You would have done better to simply have forgone the orchestral template and try deliberate synths, or added some reverb. Volume is also iffy at points. Lots of stabby high volume accents that stick out for just being suddenly loud, not really accented.

Could have done with a lot more percussion buildup, and I don't recall hearing a single snare or concert bass drum hits, which is a big thing in most cinematic music. Bangs and crashes. Lots of them. Cymbals were written weirdly as I mentioned already.

Could have done seriously with some double bass, cello, tuba, etc. It sounds like you wrote for a whole orchestra and sent the meat of them home. The sound pyramid should be a pyramid, not a lady Newt Gingrich silhouette. ;)

Keep writing, though. You'll get there!

Verdusk responds:

Yes. Unfortunately the MIDI tool seems like the best that I have right now and I also don't know anything about playing drums so I can't really tell whether what I write is actually playable or not.

Thing is I like orchestral music, and not using them also means I might have to find samples that may also not be free to use. I think I'll keep using them, but also figure out how to use them better. (Volume control, work more on bass, etc.)

Thanks for review!

[Walkin The Fauchard]

High ends sound a bit dull, but it's not a bad song at all. Transitions are fresh! May want to sidechain your percussion. It isn't sticking out very much relative to the rest of the song when it's in full swing. Hihats are playing lame duck!

BryceSummer responds:

Thanks for the review & advice :).

[Stutter Light (WIP)]

The stabby lead synth you're using isn't my cup of tea, but otherwise, I like it. The octaves in that lead make it sound pretty cheesy, and it sounds just a bit too loud.

Daydream-Anatomy responds:

Thanks, in the final version I did tone it down a bit, and cut off some of the higher end that was a tad ear splitting. I can't remember if the final version's on here or bandcamp only, pretty sure I put it on here. A lot of people noticed the same problem. Actually I probably could've toned it down a LITTLE tiny more. But it's finalized, but it's better, in mine and most opinions, than the lead in the wip version. (which is almost the same lead , only quieter and with some highend cut off.)

Glad you were able to look past that and the 'cheesy' lead and still like the piece overall, I appreciate the review^^

[Porter Robinson - Natural Light // Remix]

Very interesting chords in the beginning and lo-fi ish sounds. I like that. You aren't quite using the entirety of the sound space here though. Do you have a master limiter on any of your tracks, including the master?

One of your transitions clipped like crazy. Just didn't sound good. Around 1:15-1:16. Other than that, interesting track. Watch for that high and low end clipping especially. Very unique style. Reminds me somewhat of Zomby.

[Porter Robinson - Flicker // Remix]

Really could use a master limiter. The volume is not consistent at all throughout. Vocal samples are interesting, but it really doesn't get anywhere until around 1:30. A lot of people will not be willing to listen quite that long before they hit the skip! Really like the idea of the track though, so plus half a star for that.

Mixing wise, watch your low frequencies. See how they interact, interfere, cancel each other out, or resonate. This is your biggest problem. Watch for redlining on the mixers too. I always masterlimit tracks approaching that upper volume limit. It eliminates unintentional clipping.

You could really benefit from more hi-hats and crashes, maybe some sidechaining. Without it, there seems to be very little flow in the high sound registers, if much at all. Keep at it though!

[AIM - It's Not You, She's Dead]

AIM Judging Review
------------------
I'll keep this short for the sake of leaving you a digestible critique.

Sounds very 80's, not quite unlike something I'd expect to hear from this genre, especially with the arps and gates. Also clearly represents the artistic subject matter, an endless horde of zombies to kill. Props for that. Very relevant.

My main complaint is that, though darkwave typically doesn't have much diversity in its melodic matter, the percussion fell a bit flat. You may want to look at compression, EQ, and reverb there -- perhaps even some panning. The track as a whole could have done with a master limiter on top. It isn't making the most of the soundspace volume wise, sitting around 80% peaks.

Most professional studios abuse master limiters, but the appeal to the human ear cannot be denied -- the louder it is, the more pleasant it is perceived, and compression can create that illusion of loudness. Side-chaining, another form of compression, could be used to great effect to bring out those drums. I feel like they're fighting to come through the lower frequencies a bit. Some of your other arps are suffering in this vein too, and it's hurting your builds. Other than that, the mixing is on point.

Composition wise, there could be a little more variation. It feels like listening to the same track loop prematurely. Fade out is also abrupt. On the flip side, I don't see much you could have done besides dropping in a few drum fills to keep things fresh. Darkwave doesn't really lend itself to compositional insanity.

Keep plugging at that DAW! Definitely enjoyed this one.

[Onion]

Well, some of the sound effects were nice. Other than that, the longer this drug on, the more annoying certain overused sounds became.

LavaRift responds:

Wow I was going for 1 star.

[Patterns (Orchestral Remix)]

I don't know about you, but an electric piano doesn't belong in a classical setting to me. Neither does an electric bass or rock drums. Sounds better, I suppose, than the original, but it still sounds like literally a midi port of the other song. I assume this is exactly what it is until 2:10, at which point it just becomes ridiculous. Can't really call this classical at all.

The whole song is disjunct. There are no transitions. Sort of just lays there.

LavaRift responds:

I know how bad this is. It is very far in my past, and I didn't know what classical meant.

[{DJ-L} NightBlender]

Doesn't really sound like dubstep at all to me, except your drums, which sound like loops. There really is not much progression going on here, just the same stabs over and over. I would press skip on this.

Also, there isn't much of a drop at all. It just sounds like the same off key melody ported into the bass, which also sounds like a Mixcraft preset.

No offense, just isn't my thing. Definitely would send this one back to the drawing board, at least to fix the phrasing, so it doesn't feel like building up to another build up, to a nothing. Also, where are hats? Crashes?

LavaRift responds:

I know