blackattackbitch's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[[\Feels like Steel/]]

A great piece

The beginning was sick, but just a tad too long
I like the violin melody that comes in around 1:16, that's one of my favorite parts of the song.
The violin staccato melody around 1:40 probably should have been more powerful, that would have sounded really good.
Those random downsliding synths at 2:01 are really unnecessary.
The melody after that is amazing, I love it.
The ending sounds really good, but the last verse has everything kinda muddled because everything's playing at the same time, you know? Especially with the violin legato and staccato because they're in the same octave and it becomes really hard to pick them out. If I remember right, it was you who advised me on not doing that lol.
Oh, lastly, the attack on the cello staccatos should probably raised. It sounds like the violin is coming in at full attack at least a half-step behind the drumbeat.

Other than that, nice work. I always enjoy giving out reviews like this, especially when people take them into consideration.

paradoxphenomena responds:

Thanks for the well thought out review blackattackbitch, always a pleasure to hear from you.

Dynamics, dynamics and more dynamics. At least that's what the initial aim of this piece is all about and I sacrificed a lot of small but crucial details in order to paint the bigger picture, so to speak.

For the last verse and staccato melody at 1:40, my only excuse is that the mastering for this piece was a long and excruciating process and by the end of it I just wanted to make sure everything was EQ'ed because I did each instrument separately. When think i got it just right and render it, there would be an random spike and I have to do back so in the end I just had to sacrifice it for my sanity. I quite agree that the downslide at 2:01 was unnecessary but it was the quickest method of diffusion that came to mind at the time. Looking back at it now, I realise its not the greatest idea I ever had and certainly won't be happening again.

Cheers!

[Soothing Sadness]

Great song, I loved it

But a few things:

1) The beginning shouldn't have been so long, you probably should have introduced another instrument just a bit sooner.
2) That instrument that comes in around 2:12 should probably be turned down around certain sections. It sounds way too loud when considering the piano and everything else.
3) The song repeats just a little two much, I would have liked a little more variety with the piano melody.
4) Sometimes the instruments leave way too suddenly to match the reverb.
5) The pad around the 4:30-50 area doesn't match the piano melody well.

Other than that, this is a very beautiful song. Keep up the work my friend. The composition and choice of instruments were perfect too, that's probably my favorite part of this song.

[(Your) Absolution [2]]

I agree with all of the points of the guy below me

But I'll go even further than that. The drums don't really match the song. You need better drum samples. Furthemore, I would like to see more dynamics in your song, it feels like it was just compressed for loudness.

Otherwise, really good song. Keep it up!

Stolkmen5000 responds:

Really?

I thought the drums were ok for what I could find in my crappy library. If you know of any cheap yet great software for instruments or for just composing, I wouldn't mind getting it.

All I've got is crappy GarageBand and Logic, which are the only Mac things I can get. My Sibelius software is currently dead and I will try to revive that someday.

Anyway, TY for the review. I will take it into consideration when I attempt to compose a third version of this song. So far everyone likes the first.

[Is This True Love? (Piano)]

Well-constructed piece.

The only two things I can think of to change in this song would be that you lower the attack of the piano in certain sections, if your program allows for the keys to sound as if they've been played softer. That would really convey the feeling of love. Also, around 1:04, the main melody jumps from lower keys to keys 1 octave higher. It probably would have been better if it had flowed to the higher octave.

Other than that, excellent work. You captured the essence of love perfectly with this piece. Good thing that those artists gave you such *ahem* great inspiration....lol jk ;p

Keep it up man, I doubt I need to tell you that you have the potential to be an amazing artist if you stick with it.

Zero123Music responds:

Yep, ok - the velt should have been lower I agree :p
but I did try putting that 1:04 in the same octave - but it clashed with the left hand, leaving it feeling horrible. I would of had to jump the octave sometime - and I found that was the best part to do it

Though I should have left it in the original octave to see what it would sound like - cause you are probably right ^^

thanks for the 10!
>>Zero

[Our Epic Journey]

Honestly don't know what Marks-a-lot is smokin'

But I think this song is smokin, on a creative scale. Great chord choice, lovely powerful melody, nice everything. You definitely have one hell of a future in music.

I can't think of any suggestions except maybe these:

At some point in this track, put some kind of amazing ensemble in there.
Add a slight bit more reverb. Careful though, you don't want to blur the instruments too much.

Now onto general things:
1) A midi rip is when somebody takes a midi file, imports it into their DAW, replaces the instruments, and claims it as their own work. Many of the "Videogame Remixes" on this site are nothing more than midi rips.
2)The choice of brass staccato and the snare drums make this sound like a middle-ages theme, hence why it's reminiscent to zelda.
3) Once again, YOU'RE ONLY 13!!!!?!?!?!? HOLY CRAP!!!! You will be amazing by the time you hit your senior year in highschool. Once again, I predict a very bright future for you.

Zero123Music responds:

Yes, a bit more reverb - I did try reverb :)
I have just the idea of the ensemble - like maybe some high strings about halfway through - on the second main section?

Thankyou!!! I'm glad someone liked it :)

Now - for my response to general things ;)
1)I am truly shocked at what all the remixes are.. Those people are nothing but cheap skates who can't think of something original, which is the beauty of the NGAP.
Well - for me, this song is most certainly NOT a MIDI rip - never would I ever dream of it. Original tune and everything, started from scratch ;-)
2) Ah, thanks for clearing that up - I was wondering the relation.
3)Thankyou!! Alot, I try my hardest and reviews like this make me feel it's starting to pay off.
I think you are extremely talented also - and please PM me about a song you feel is pretty good when you upload it :)

Thankyou
>>Zero

[MH16: MAC9 #2 -Editable-]

Sickening!

Such a joyful tune, man this song is amazing. Nice chord progression man. My suggestions though are to smooth up the intro and ending. The intro isn't bad, just needs a touchup. The outro is too abrupt though, it seems to end in the middle of a melody.

Nice drums man. Really nice drums.

All in all, this deserves its ten. Each time, your songs get better and better. And it's not like they get slightly better, it's like they get better by leaps and bounds.

FairSquare responds:

To do list:
-Make the intro better
-Make outro better

Really thanks for this review!!!
I appreciate it :-)
MH16

[Sons of the Exodus I: Boreas]

You are redefining the DnB genre with this song

This song sounds so unique. The choice of instruments and the chord progression in certain parts of the song contribute to this greatly.

Good mix with the drums. The drums sound really really good.

The ending should have had another low piano key hit instead of ending with just the high pitched key. That would have been a smoother ending.

With the exception of the above-mentioned end and a few chord changes that weren't too smooth, this is a damn good song. Nice name too lol.

Keep it up!

SessileNomad responds:

thanks man, i tried my best on this, i agree some of chord progs. on my choir were a litle weird but w/e
peace man

[Rudy P. - She Said Yes (MAC9)]

Triumphant, cool as hell, but also joyous.

And that's the most important thing, at least for this MAC. The most significant thing about this song is the fact that it has a surprising amount of variety.

However, one thing that stands out for me is that while it's joyous and triumphant, it's not romantically joyous. But on it's own, without the Mac part factored in, this song is cool as shit. I could strut to this song. I'm tempted to download it just for that lol.

I'm just worried that Darkside won't deem it to fit with the theme of this month's MAC. It happened to many a great piece last time.

I like the sound fx you used in this song too.

The ending was way too abrupt though. You should have let the song slowly settle down, or end with a bigger finish, ya know?

Good song though. And it has an amazing rating too. Keep it up and peace!

Fuiste responds:

Thanks much for the review, I'm always glad when someone likes my music! I also see what you're saying with the not so much romantically joyous aspect of the song... Yeah, it doesn't exactly drip romance, but I was going for a more upbeat approach to the MAC, seeing as just about every entry so far was a slow, depressing love song. Not too joyous. I tried to hit the scenario that I described in my author comments.

But to make a long story short, I see exactly where you're coming from.

In other news, if the sound FX you're referring to are those little 8-bit-ish low beeps/divebombs, then that's just a monotonic, low pass filtered 3xosc. Never underestimate the immense power of that little synth for creating just about everything short of a pad, especially when you realize that it can use the special sytrus and HQ wave shapes in FL.

But I get too caught in my rants...

Thanks for the review!

[Cliche Ambient Track]

Nice song overall.

Nice feel in the beginning, had a trance kind of feel to it. It kinda lost that feeling though when the drums came in and the one synth came in.

Furthermore, shoulda used a compressor man! Or you shoulda done the lazy thing and used soundgoodizer, like I do lol.

(just to improve workflow, I try not to use soundgoodizer on my finished pieces, just the soundgoodizer presets on maximus lol)

Anyways, that pad does sound sick tho. Imma tell you what, right before those drums came in, I was damn near in a trance. I could get high to that first part.

Second part, although good in it's own way for a DnB song, kinda destroys that feeling. Shouldve slowed down the drums and softened them a bit for that part. A more hiphop-ish beat with really soft drums would really fit there.

All around, pretty good song. Keep it up man. I know I say that alot, but that's cuz I mean it lol.

SessileNomad responds:

yeah idk how to use a compressor, ill give it a try on my next ambient track

i threw the drums in there bucause most ambient track bore the hell outta me, but yeah i think i should have slowed them down too, but its a tad late for that

peace thx

[Frequency Overload]

Only problem is the bass.

The offkey bass is really messing with my head on this one. But I'll tell you what, it really makes the song sound eerie as hell man. I don't think you utilized the bass to it's full potential on this one, and it gave you both the potential to make a haunting piece and a very beautiful piece.

Some tips for the bassline though, you could have switched that synth bass for a staccato string or staccato tuba.

Nice piano solo around the middle. Insane man.

Oh and really nice and let me stress ORIGINAL melody for the piano.

All around though, very entertaining. Keep it up. One more song I plan to check out.

SessileNomad responds:

yeah i didnt go onbeat with the bass here, but im making a song right now quite similar to this that is onbeat, its just that the onbeat was clashing really weird in this one

i dont have any good horn vst's so i dont use horns ever really

lol i hardly call that a solo, but i guess im just picky

thx for review man