ADR3-N's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Inktober #4 - Actualize]

Wow this is wild. I never imagined somebody spitting on this track! It was intended as a score :o

Now that I think about it, the structure makes sense. I think this is a vibe!

Onto the mixing, it's getting better and better with time, whether you know it or not. I might cop something like KSHMR Essentials (Kick, the free version) and see if I can use the width function on those adlibs.

Regardless, if you can get just a little more clarity in that upper mid, your flow believe it or not will almost totally outshine most mixing issues. I still would probably drop or chop a little tighter some of the adlibs. Occasionally they run over each other and get a little muddy.

But overall, this slaps. Glad my junk inspired you to make such impressive flows. Great work!

Cyberdevil responds:

Glad you liked it! I do love spitting particularly on tracks not intended for spitting on. XD

Hmm definitely was an elaborate attempt with this one but I feel like it might've actually been a step back since the first, turned out a bit messy somehow, vocal tone a little blander, which is why I tried messing around with a bit too many layers I think. But maybe that's not really the mixing, just the recording this time. Anyway that'd be awesome if you want to! I'm thinking when Inktober's over and all has calmed down I could give this another run too, but anytime you want to mess around with and potentially greatly improve a mix I'm happy to send over files. :)

Yeaah more clarity seems key. I do agree. Gotta work on that.

Thanks for the feedback again ADR3-N! And your tracks really are dope you know! Addictive just like coke and blow! Though more so empowering and soulful so.

[Inktober #1 - Run]

You know, as much as you say you aren't happy with the vocal quality, despite some muddyness on adlibs, the overall quality is improving by leaps and bounds with each year that goes by. Your flows are becoming more and more refined. I think if you were just a bit more selective with your chopping vocals, pare down the track number just a bit, or perhaps have one lead center vocal that's nice and clean, and apply a chorus, eventually you'll get results. Keep experimenting.

The mid is just a bit heavy on the vocal, making it sound just a little nasal, but it's not overly sibilant from what I can hear on laptop speakers. Try some EQ play and compression -- by the way, check my latest post, some vocal processing freebies are on there.

Glad to see you still at it as always. Keep it up!

Cyberdevil responds:

Hey thank you ADR3-N, good to get an outside perspective on things; hear that I am actually getting somewhere. Yeah I gotta master the chopping, though it felt like the muddiness worked pretty well with the beat in this particular case sometimes, especially towards the end. More so feel I didn't manage the right tone and all, voice strains too quick, but that should get better.

Hmm I totally forgot the EQ advice I picked up last year!!! Thanks for that reminder! I'll check out that post too.

Always. :) Thank ya very much for stopping by for the premiere; dropping all this very useful feedback no less!

[Variations on Endless Handbag]

A nice fresh take on one of my favorite songs. It has the feeling of a live lounge recording (while also reminding me of the original menu theme for Dragon's Dogma) -- I think some of that is to do with loads of low end reverb and sub. That chorus is very nicely done, positively angelic, and the composition really shines through here. I would want just a little more compression and some de-essing, but it comes through quite nicely.

I may bring the bass down by about .2 dB, the guitars up by a similar amount, and perhaps the marimbas down ever so slightly.

I understand there are two mics on the drums and that's rough to work with. There has to be some way to bring out the profile of the snare just a bit, or go back in and either record or trigger a VST snare. It's only a very slight distractor. Overall the playing is wonderful and outshines the recording.

I very much love to see how you, Troisnyx are progressing through the years, and the collaboration here is spectacular. Everyone is playing to their strengths. The lead guitar soars without completely owning the track. All other parts of the arrangement are in their proper place, and it flows masterfully.

Great work, everyone! Thanks to @BBank for pointing me here!

BBaNK responds:

You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!

[Paradisum]

Spectacular composition. My only complaint is bass is conspicuously absent, to the point of almost inaudible -- let it shine! I can hear that it's well written, but it's WAY buried in the mix, as is to a lesser extent the rhythm and choirs.

And there seems to be a bit much reverb on those to supplement burying them somewhat. That muddies the presentation. Cut that reverb wet down by about a third to a half what it is, and hi-pass to 250 or so, then crank the choirs up .2 dB to .4 and see what happens.

The kick drum also is hiding in the mix, needing more high mid bite and a bit less sub, especially for when it rolls -- remember your velocity settings for when you get into blast beat territory for both it and the snare.

The dulcimer when it is not the lead is about half a dB too high.

Other than that, wonderful to listen. Great job!

DanJohansen responds:

I totally get where you're coming from! Most modern sounds go in all the directions you just mentioned. A lot of the things you want me to change are actually things I went out of my way to make happen, because to me.. that creates an alive cinematic landscape that fits my imagination perfectly. I am not all that interested in a perfectly clinical perfect sound, to me that is usually dry and uninspired. Glad you dug the tune though! Rock on!

[BossAsBeatle - Tooth Toss OST Conner Grail & James Renna]

Well written -- I would say you need some velocity controls on those strings. The machine gun attack really takes away from the otherwise great writing.

Also, they seem to be burying all the other instruments, especially percussion and bass. But a nice theme nonetheless!

Jumbs responds:

Hey thanks ADR3! If I remember right I made this on the last day of a 72 hour video game jam. of course there’s room for improvement, but when the clock is ticking and theres still one more tune to write you just gotta roll with it. Thanks for the review!

[Bring The Funk]

Great idea, well written, provocative and introspective chords. Moved to hiphop modern for the clear influence there.

There are instruments that sound like they're not just distorted but clipping, and a bit too far out in the mix. You could apply compression to them to eliminate some of that. Some others seem too loud in general, particularly distorted basses.

But overall a nice piece, a departure from the usual material I get to listen to on a daily basis. Nice work!

For mixing headphones, I highly recommend Audio Technica ATH-m40x. They're what I use daily. Take some getting used to, but you will be hearing an honest impression of everything. Good mixing sounds good on them. Bad mixing sounds, well, noticeable, shall we say haha

boza44 responds:

thank you so much for the feedback, ok i agree i definitely cranked this up way too loud, let me see what i can do. i'm mixing on crappy headphones

edit: just added the original non-cranked up version. it sounds much better, you're right. I usually never max it out like that but maybe i got too excited about the track

second edit: yeah I actually use these headphones because , well, i don't like to have my ears covered totally, these ones are pretty mellow even though they're like $15 headphones they just don't really in general have much capacity to blow my ears out. I'll definitely look into the audio-technica though, and i gotta order a few more of these cheap ones since i like them so much :P i'm using NADY audio qh-200 i like em

NOTE and at the same time, if they sound like (#$* on your headphones, then that's all bad and I've got to work on my mix for sure. I'll look into yours too :)

[CHEESE WORLD HEYOPC INSTRUMENTALS]

Did you seriously sample Gucci Mane chops? hehehe. Nice to see you popping out full albums.

heyopc responds:

yessir i did

[UNDERDOG]

Idea is spectacular. Some mixing issues, it sounds really heavy on the sub and boxy low mids. I hear that long reverb tail a little bit before 2 minutes. If you want to keep it, I would do some aggressive side chaining on it to your percussion, and also cut everything up to the low mids. It sounds like Nexus piano, which is really bad about leaving all those dirty frequencies unfiltered in its delay and reverb settings.

For your 808, I would apply some distortion and give it a little more high mids, see what that does.

Your hihats could stand to come down in the mix a little, to taste. There's nothing in that space. Believe me, everyone will hear them.

Other than that, great work :)

TekNoTaku responds:

Thanks again my friend. You know what you are talking about because your mentions of VSTs are on spot. I'm really glad to get your advice, since I look at you as a professional and a higher level music creator. I will try to apply your observations, and 4 real...thanks a lot. People like you are really needed to help others like me grow and get better.

[Buisness Remastered]

I imagined it as an accent on the pronunciation of business, to be cheeky. Nice to see somebody else out there not afraid to mix it up with the titles, as I'm a fan myself :)

demon4hire responds:

It actually was a misspelling on my part almost 7 years ago, but I decided to keep it because I thought it added to it.