blackattackbitch's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[A Journey to the Other Side]

Sorry for the harsh review

but it just doesn't feel like your song has a clear flow. It just feels really random. It feels like a collection of chords and playing techniques that really don't belong together in the way that they were used. I think the biggest representation of that point is the sudden jump to the lower octave as the finish.

Furthermore, the chord progression choices, while they were varied considerably, which isn't a bad thing in my view, the choices were too all-over-the-place to do this piece any good. It's hard to make a good chord progression choice, but when you do, the piece benefits greatly. Until you do that, it's best to stick with what you know.

Don't hate me, I'm just trying to help you out. If you need help with future pieces, just shoot me a PM and I'll try to share my knowledge with you.

VintageDisko responds:

Not at all man, thanks for the review. As I said first attempt at anything close to this genre, and my knowledge of music in general is quite basic to say the least.
I'm going to attend university next year to study music (and hopefully make some progress) but until then I pretty much just go by whatever sounds good together, or whatever comes to my head.
Would be a great help if you could lend me a hand criticism wise next time i'm in the mood for some piano music.
Have checked out a few of your songs, and quite like.
Thanks

[Valas' Castle]

Good work, bro

Generally, this is a pretty good song. The only things that bother me is the clash of quality from some of the samples and some of the synths, one of the notes in the melody around the 2:23 area, and the fact that some of the parts repeat, although that's necessary for a dungeon theme.

Everything else seems to be in order though. But you gotta stop five'ing ur own stuff lol.

camman007 responds:

OK first off thanks for your review

Next, I agree that some of the qualities vary, but that goes with my limited selection of synth samples at the moment. The note around the 2:23 area has been part of Valas' theme so I've kept it in to identify with the character, although if you had a problem there i'm surprised you didn't later when the theme reprised itself in different keys. Anyways like you said it's necessary to repeat with it being a dungeon, and also one of the main rules of music composition: If it's good enough to do once, it's good enough to do twice.

Also technically I myself am 5ing my own work, and why not? Should I rate it zero? I think it deserves high score and the recognition it deserves.

[[BN] - MAC - Love Letter]

Haha, made in the same format as your sub for....

the Mac8 december. Sections with different meanings. But for this song, I can't find much, if anything, to criticize except for that weird voice. I just don't know if it was necessary.

One thing I would recommend changing is making the bass drum clearer at 1:00 because while it's clear initially, it starts to get lost in the orchestral buildup. EQ might fix that, I think. Furthermore, you should have let the song end a bit slower if you wanted to put silence at the end. One can clearly hear when it goes from slight noise to complete silence depending on your headphones.

Nice work for such a quickly made sub. Have a beer or 2!

blacknote responds:

Haha, I sure did. Thanks, though the voice was needed. It just didn't flow right without having something there, and I felt the tonal quality of a voice was the only thing that suited it well enough.

I agree with everything else you said though, and it is certainly far from right in my eyes. I doubt I'll change it though because I lose interest in tracks after a short while. Plus I'd rather focus any time and energy I have on something new.

Thanks for reviewing, and well done on placing top ten!

[Rose-Coloured Hindsight]

Very beautiful song, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I can see why it placed second in the comp.

There are only three things I can find to criticize in this song: That weird synth around 2:30, the initial slow start to the song, and the decision to incorporate that large orchestral bass drum (the name escapes me). Other than that, this song is great. I really enjoyed this song, I have to say. Keep it up man and good luck in the next contest (although I limit my gift of luck to placing right behind me, of course. We can't have someone beating me with my own luck lol).

curriemaster responds:

Hey thanks for the review chief. Yes the timpani is a sticking point for some people as you say I did decide to leave it in but Im not 100% happy with it. The more I listen to this song the more I notice things that are out of place or need improving. Maybe one day Ill get on the case.

Glad you enjoyed the song and thanks again for the review! :D

[MH16: A New Era]

Hey, you took my advice!

Everything I said in the WIP applies here too, just to save a little time in the review lol.

Glad you changed the tuning of the timpani, it makes the song much clearer, I have to say.

Only thing now is the slight clipping in the left earphone. Other than that, this song is damn good.

I gotta get edirol, by the way lol.

FairSquare responds:

Thanks! :-)
I didn't notice the clipping though.
Ah well, who cares anyway :P

[It Ends Here (metal mix)]

Funny, I was actually planning to........

recompose this song myself, but you did it for me lol. Yes, I still fap to the other version of this song. Lol jk but seriously that song is fucking sick for garageband work. And so is this, I have to say.

Even though I'm not a metal guy, here's a few suggestions....

-The attack on the strings from :37 section is a little weird.
-At 1:04, you may want to add just a little more variation so that the four sections don't appear to be looping.
-Loved the 1:37 section. That was completely sick, I have to say. Don't change a thing about that.
-Ending was simply amazing, as well as the beginning.

You're still my favorite garageband musician, as well as an amazing composer. I can only imagine what you'd be able to accomplish once you get your hands on logic and maybe some east-west sample packs. (I won't say vienna because not even drug-dealers can afford to buy vienna)

That sums up everything I gotz to say. Peace ma brudda.

masterjiji responds:

...fap? hmm. ought to change that.

im open.

-so?
-ok
-dont worry, i wont
-thx

why thx you muchitudabilityness

god loves you too

[Omega- Song in A Minor]

I noticed that you said that you use sibelius.

I would recommend that you export from sibelius as a midi file then import the composition into a program like FL Studio or something better if you have the money.

Other than that, I really like this composition. That said, I'm still giving you one hell of a review.

The whole first half was great, I have to say. After that, when the bps changes and it goes to 6|8 time, it seems to go to the E minor scale (not the chord, I hope you know what I mean) in certain places, and not too smoothly either. More like suddenly and unwelcomely. That seems to be the only problem that I can find in this song other than the fact that it's a sibelius piano.

Actually a few things are now coming to mind. Not telling you to redo your whole song, just throwing a few suggestions:

The first half seems to have much more energy than the second half. Maybe you might want to think of switching those two halves so that the song builds up as opposed to slows down.

Maybe you should have ended on a powerchord instead of a minor chord. That way, the A note can still be the most significant note there, contributing to the sense of finish, if you know what I mean.

That sums up my review. Really nice song, I wish I could actually play this on the piano.

Dude09 responds:

You've taken theory havent you ;) I do have to admit..........i'm broke :( and yeah i did do a bit of e minor (great ear) and i def. get what u are saying. I try to make each song of mine pretty in at least some part, and i tried to think of a way to expand the song, so that's what came out of it. I like the idea of the powerchord. Thanks for the awesome review too :)

[MH16: The Nanobot]

Holy Crap, I was about to make a song.....

For the same game lol

Yeah it's a little too bright, and I would suggest using more synth as opposed to acoustic instruments in regards to that game.

It's really hard to make a good chord choice, but if one does make a good chord choice, it really pays off.

Nice melody though, I really like it. The entrance of the pizzicato (I'm assuming that's what it was) was really creative and very surprising.

Nice job. I would write more, but I realize I better make a song for that game as soon as possible before the spot fills up. Peace!

FairSquare responds:

I don't think i'm going to make another song for that game.
Dark music just doesn't fit with me :P
Thanks for the review!

MH16

[MH16: Music Is Power]

Goddamn, my brotha!

Good mix of all the instruments, this was absolutely amazing. Every time I hear one of your songs, it surprises me how much better it was than the previous one.

Now for the critical part of my review:

I would prefer if you moved into more complex chord changes. You're pretty good with the four-chord progression, but you should have the progression change around the middle in some of your songs. It adds an unbelievable amount of depth to one's music.

I like your handling of the drums. I need to be able to do that because I'm not too good at drums myself.

The dynamics in this song are great, I have to say.

The slow strings, they're simply exceptional. I have to say, they are great.

10/10. This song more than deserves it. Make sure you send me the link to the version with lyrics. I want to hear it.

Peace!

FairSquare responds:

More complex chord changes? I'll definatly try that!
I really like getting reviews like this, because of the helpful tips.
I mean, every time a made a song i want the next one to be better and i'm thinking of ways how to do that. And you just came with the answer! :-)
Thanks for the review and i'll send you a link when the vocal version of the song is done.

MH16
(Peace to you too :P)

[MH16: Walk Through Life]

Whew, just got off of work, so I'm a bit tired.

But I'm not too tired to give out a review.

I like the choice of instruments, they seem to fit very together. Also, good drum beat with the exception of one thing: Lower the power of the bass drum. That would aid very much in the soft feeling.

Second, the piano sounds a little like the tuning is off.

And when you hit that A note around :54, the note lasts a little too long and messes with the rest of the melody.

Zero is right about it sounding Japanese halfway through.

I would recommend EQ on certain instruments.

For some reason, that's all I can think of. Yeah I must be really tired. Peace man!

FairSquare responds:

Thanks for the advice!