ADR3-N's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[[Melodic Dubstep] Dystopia (NGUAC 2022 Knock-Out Round)]

Enjoyed that kick roll into the section at 0:40. Great choices of chord.

I notice a bit of clipping at probably around 0:50, so watch those levels.

Something happened at 1:22 and the bottom as well as the volume got sucked out of the mix. Do you think that might be a compressor issue? I notice the sidechain is pretty extreme here as well. Hihats at that point are louder than the rest of the mix.

I think your writing and phrasing is fine. Just would like some more volume, bass, and whatever issue is causing the drops to be tinny and quieter than the rest of the song be tended to. You have some smooth drops aside from that.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Rhythm Tension]

Nice intro here. I'm really appreciating the rides and hihats. They fit in nicely.

At 00:36, I see you're really putting MT Power Drum Kit to good use. I used to hate that thing.

Interesting transition into 4 on the floor kick through 1:00. I never would have expected that. I think you could have used a transition noise there to smooth that out and signal it better.

1:32 sounds great.

I think I actually would have preferred a final drop without the club elements. Or at least keeping the hihat groove you had been developing on other sections. Actually, yes, I feel that's what I miss here.

Otherwise, really enjoyed the piece. Great work!

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[The Fairytale Continues]

I'm not sure about the chord progression chosen for your intro. I noticed a lot of parallel 5th motion -- at least that's what I think I'm hearing. That perception could probably be reduced by using more chord inversions and not doubling the strings as piano stabs on the other side.

I feel lit a bit more when you introduce hiphop and glitch elements, however, there is a really loud sub bass that I can't quite make out and I think that somewhat detracts from this section. Maybe use a different bass for the same line.

At 2:18 the low chords are kind of chunky sounding and close together for me. General rule, when writing lower, make sure there is more space in the chord between notes. The approach of even half notes leaves me feeling like the composition is kind of lumbering. However I do like the chord choices you made at 3:34 was nice!

Maybe switch it up with the melody? I hear lots and lots of 8th notes and am not sure where we are resolving to. May see signals music studio on YouTube for some music theory ideas. There is nothing offensive about your mix that I hear. In fact, it sounds pretty good. I'm just not quite able to follow the melody and chord progressions as related to each other.

Overall though, nice pacing, piece is neither too long, nor too short, and I still enjoyed it. Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

GeminiGemini responds:

Thanks for the review and good luck to the remaining.

[Reflection]

Really enjoy your chords. I would bring up your chords relative to the volume of the hihat, or alternatively, drop down the hihats and 808. It sounds like the mix is clipping at louder points of your drop, when the kick, 808, and hihat hit at the same time.

The switchup at 2:00 is nice.

Other than that, smooth as hell. Love it.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Pistanthrophobia]

Surreal intro with that panning/delay play. Appreciating the glitching hihats. Feels like breathing scissors. Breaks are gorgeously phased and panned. Brave choice. I myself scarcely ever get that right.

The section at 1:33 is some wild childish wonder. I'm again enjoying your pan play and mix choices. I think the hihats could come down at 2:09, and same with the tamborine/shaker through 2:39. Nothing else is sitting in that sonic space up there. Just a tad. The rest of your mix is perfectly subtle.

Transition into 3:00 is very nicely done.

Overall, a masterpiece of organized chaos. Dig it.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Plesiosaur to meet you]

Wild, weird, and just what I expected from the text art.

I would appreciate a bit less reverb across the board, a harder distorted kick sitting higher in the mix, and watching your levels throughout to ensure no clipping before hitting the mix.

One thing I find lacking into 1:27 is hihats and crashes to punctuate transitions between sections.

I think you could sub out that piano in places for some sort of saw instrument and maintain the drama while fitting in better with the mix.

I also have no idea how you managed to get that ascii to look so clean.

Before 2:50 there is one or two notes out of the key in that melody. Not a severe problem but did distract me.

3:15 I'm feeling we are building toward a climactic drop and wondering how long it will take. Turns out to be an outro. I think you could have swapped out a section here from earlier on, or repeated it prior to the fade out.

Overall, interesting piece. I enjoyed it. Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

dogsinmrimachines responds:

Lots of notes are out of key intentionally. See: Anything else I've released during the same time period.

3:30+ is a repeat of the melody at 0:35 and 1:45, it's just hard to tell because it's thoroughly layered.

The rest of your comments seem to be reducible to "create a song in a different genre with different musical techniques".

[overgrowth]

This feels like playing Donkey Kong on the SNES, if it was a mystery detective game.

Not much critique, with the exception I'd like a little less crispy highs on your instruments. Pan play sounds nice. Piece progresses nicely. Sounds quite literally like it could have come off of a videogame chipset with the exception of that lead, so points for artistic vision there.

Appreciated that glitch bongo solo.

I do think the song is pretty long, but that's not really an issue. Great work.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Dekiru - Shattered (NGUAC22)]

Great chord progressions and phrases here, sure to get stuck in my head. Mix sounds nice and balanced with the exception of the odd overly loud crash.

At 1:07 I find myself wanting some sort of percussion fill, snares, toms, something. It feels a bit empty until 1:32. Here the pads sound a bit overly loud.

At 1:48, drop the pianos down a bit. They are crowding out your melody until 2:08. I also think I hear some notes out of the key but who cares. It didn't really bother me there.

At 2:20 it also feels a bit naked. I think you might have been able to cut out some parts leading into your final drop for a more dramatic finish. Ah, key change, unexpected but appreciated. I probably would have had one drop and then that key change personally, rather than a build into the key change.

Nice work overall. Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

dekiruGD responds:

Thanks for the feedback!

[VOID]

Ooh that bass arp -- sounds like Mass Effect. Please tell me what that is, haha

Like the transition at 49 and the chords here. I think the pad could come down relative to your other instruments.

I appreciate the glitching on the bass. Think that sounds fantastic.

Want to hear more of your choir stabs.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!