ADR3-N's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[echo]

As much as I adore chip distortion and emulation, I think you are doing your kick a disservice by chip distorting it. The effect 43 seconds is nice with the chip percussion but I think the mix is pretty muddy.

Any synth that is holding long tones should sit underneath the rest of the mix.

1:35 that run is super cool, but the mix is underwhelming. You just have a really cool percussion line existing on top of the same chorus we've already heard.

That said this piece is nicely varied and is not JUST the same thing over and over despite holding onto the same lead line. I appreciate that. You try to keep it interesting.

Nice work. Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[¡Hurry Walker!]

Chosing to keep the 1st chord from the beginning and work only around that is an interesting choice, not necessarily one I like. I think 1:19 is the strongest part of this piece.

I'm not sure what to say other than that since the last time I heard from you, your mix, arrangement, and writing are improving substantially, which I'm glad to hear.

1:40 I think your lead is much too loud.

I'm not sure really where this piece is going and so don't feel as if I can give quite proper critique beyond that I recommend some study of music theory and song structure. Signals Music Studios is a great youtube channel to check out for an easy crash course in this. I think it would vastly improve your ability to put out ideas like these, which are not bad at all by themselves, and bring them together in a way that translates your vision to your listeners.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Dance of the dead]

Composition wise, I really enjoy this, even if it's a little simplistic and relies heavily on reverb for effect -- and is short. Nice work setting the mood. The piece very much matches what you describe, a somber, wonky little dance of dead men.

Mix wise, I would take down the reverb somewhat. Everything seems relatively in its place beyond that, likely owing to the simplicity of the piece.

I think this would make a nice intro into a grungy, sad metal ballad. As is, it feels somewhat incomplete.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

CielOuvert responds:

Thank you, I do believe it could mesh into a more upbeat style later on. I'll have to experiment a little with that.

[The Key to the Insanity]

My comments will be mostly about mix, as I think the composition isn't bad. The high frequencies are overwhelmingly loud - hihat, etc., and the bass is very quiet relative to the rest of the track.

The bass should sit in the center of the track and support the rest of the composition. I think switching out for a different bass instrument would help tremendously.

Спасибо что пришли на NGUAC!

[cafe]

Such a nice treatment throughout this piece. The only think I could ask is a brighter snare.

Other than that the beat is simple as pie, and I can't give any more critique than that.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Solaraloe - Takedown [NGUAC 2022]]

I'm appreciating the strange rhythms but think you may be dealing with soft clipping from looking at the waveform and listening to your high frequencies in the very beginning.

Watch those very high frequencies on your risers. They are pretty piercing and loud.

Your rhythms and writing are wonderful. I think I'm only going to take issue with the mix and perhaps some choices in percussion -- and perhaps that the song does not let up even for a second volume wise for a transition. I end up having the very full head feeling.

2:35 is a wonderful melodic progression.

Mix wise I would leave at least 250 hz and below on your bass alone in the center channel.

Beyond that I don't have much to say. Hihats are a bit high in the mix. Snare could use more volume and transient shaping. Kick is doing okay thanks to sidechain. You may try tuning it.

I recommend less sausage fattening for effect and cleaning up frequencies, long reverb tails or too much reverb, and any noise that doesn't need to be there in your mix. It's causing the compression to sound like a wall.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

Solaraloe responds:

Thanks so much for the review! I really appreciate it.

[[Experimental] TRANQUILITY]

Opening sample -- fire. I was expecting hiphop

I think the drums don't entirely match. They're very sibilant. That snare is okay but the ride is what is throwing me off. Take it down in the mix by a dB or more until 1:18.

Your bass sounds perfect with the chords.

Sax addition is fire.

I would add an additional half a star to a full star for a longer arrangement with full choruses and perhaps a sax solo.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

spicymango002 responds:

First off- thanks for the comment! I wish I could get back sooner, but they took phones at camp last week. I'd like to address this quick- I'd like to change the drums to be a bit more quiet in the first part, but that requires another channel to set the drums on, and I already had 30+ different things going on at once and it was a mess to keep organized as it was. I would take the drums down a bit, but you wouldn't be able to hear them in the last part of the song. So (just going to be honest) took the lazy route and kept it on the same channel for the song. And yes, I made a longer version, not by a lot, but I'm always open to improving my work. I appreciate your feedback and I'll get to work on that!
Have a great day :)

[Dialga's Battle until the Finale]

Reverse piano is a very nice touch. I think it could come down slightly in the mix.

30 seconds is an interesting noise. I think that needs more sub and less reverb or chorus -- or perhaps more dramatic chorus to push it out of the center.

1:14 is where the piece shines. That mix right there.

I would prefer less bit crush actually for 1:30. That's what it sounds like is happening. The high frequencies make it kind of hard to hear your choir and orchestral hits.

1:53 sounds nice but give me more of that bass please

2:05 isn't bad. I myself am not a huge fan of high sub and that style in general so I will reserve my comments. Your transitions are good but there are so many shifts in style that I feel you don't get much opportunity to play to your strengths.

Overall the track comes as what should have been epic but instead is a (very listenable) wall of noise that I find it hard to pay attention to -- in the finer details at least. Great remix though. As a transformative work it really stands out!

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

[Exercise in Difficulty]

I think this would fall somewhere between techno and synthwave.

I appreciate the simplicity. And wow, I think I recognize some of those fluttery high frequencies from instruments I used to use back in the day.

I would first of all bring up your bass and take down your hihat in the mix. Your leads and harmonies I would also take down so that they did not sit too high above the snare in volume.

for your snare, I recommend a transient shaper vst and/or saturation. Kshmr Essentials Kick and Diablo Lite are free and may be fun to play with.

Nice arrangement overall and a spacy piece. I like it. You may potentially shift the genre to dance for a better reception -- or videogame.

Thanks for coming out to NGUAC!

TechnoDrama responds:

Wow. I've been around a long time. I started posted my songs on MP3.COM in the late 1990's. All these years of posting music online and I've never heard anything like this. Ever. This is absolutely, hands down, the best and most constructive feedback I have ever received. I put this stuff out and no one ever talks about the mix and that is the piece I struggle with the most and the part that I always worry about the most. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I'm going to back and try these suggestions out and see what happens. Thank you so much.

Also, I realize the irony in being around all this time and still not knowing how to mix but I do have a life that, for good or bad, takes precedence over this hobby of mine. By the time I figure it out...well...I'd rather not think about that yet.