johnfn's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[T-Logic - Ormolu]

i really like the sound design and the mixing is also pretty good! the very large problem here is that there are a lot of clashing notes that don't really go together so well. like there is a good deal of dissonance, you should work on that. the rest is good though.

TaintedLogic responds:

Thanks so much for the review, Johnfn! Would you mind pointing out which dissonance(s) you're referring to, please?

[AIM - Light Enduring]

Veryy nice. I wasn't too sure about that warbly pad - it kinda clashed with the notes. what I WAS sure about though was the wonderful progression throughout the song. I really respect it man its solid! Also that piano patch is so great.

You should look into Max Richter if you haven't already heard his stuff. The Blue Notebooks (album), On The Nature of Daylight (song). He has some music which sounds a bit like this. I bet you would like it. :)

Phonometrologist responds:

Hello John! Yes I am very familiar with Max Ricther's work. He's probably my personal favorite modern composer behind Philip Glass. I listen to the "The Blue Notebooks" whenever I'm on the road for an extended period of time, so I really appreciate the sentiments.
I, too, wasn't sure about that warbly pad, so I also mixed different versions of this piece with less of it. I wanted to treat the synth as a vocal part in the rubato style. So, I automated the tremolo as would a singer. I also added some distortion to reflect a more "light" sound. Again, I wasn't quite sure so I mixed it without the distortion in another version. Either way, I appreciate the sentiments about the progression.

[AIM - BattleStorm]

Really nice work. It just seems like the mixing is off to me. The bass basically doesn't exist at all in this song, and it really needs to exist in a heavy metal song.

Also haha it sounds like a totally new song starts at 4:07. :P That transition needs a bit of work.

Still the riffing & soloing is really solid :)

NahuPyrope responds:

The bass is a synth too, and it's a really harsh one haha

[The Dark Desolater]

This is really good and a great improvement over your older stuff. Just needs more of your older melodies! The sound design stuff is really nice.

Spadezer responds:

I'm flattered by your positive and unexpectedly short review. It's interesting that you miss the older melodies, and I wonder if maybe it was because those were more intricate. I know the focus of this piece wasn't the melody but I did focus and taking the theme and trying to alter it in diffferent ways without distorting it.
Thanks

[Anytown, RPG]

You have the LunacyEcho disease where the composition is good but the instruments... I think the main lead would be nicer if the initial attack wasn't so slow.

I like the melody at 0:35. It's really nice. I also really like how the melody gets a slight bit of sadness to it at 1:27.

One thing you should try is to have different sections with instrumentation styles. Like, have a section in it where you get rid of the bass and it gets a little quieter, and then have another section with a different lead! It helps keep the listener interested. :>

I like the initial chord progression. It reminds me of Clock Town from Majora's Mask. :)

ChronoNomad responds:

I have decided that you will never be happy with the instruments I choose, and that's just you. I did precisely what I wanted to do with the lead, I'm quite happy with it and you dislike it, so...

That's my favorite bit, actually. I quite like the whole piece, but the timing of that section has always made it my favorite. And I had always felt like the last section before it loops around was a bit--just a tiny bit--sad. Funny, that.

Well, I dropped the bass here and there quite purposefully. I did consider dropping the bass (ha!) entirely from a section or two, but I always saw more possibility with the bass in tow, so that idea hit the cutting room floor. Hey, I tried some other things, but this is simply how it all decided to come up from the primordial ooze. xD

Thanks for the review, and I generally feel pretty successful with a four-star from you. You're a harsh critic, man! But I don't hate that about you. Can't say I honestly remember that particular track from Majora's Mask, but I'll look it up later for comparison's sake.

Fun fact: I never did much care for Majora's Mask. I know that puts me in the minority, and I did play it through to completion (side quests and all), but still...never understood all the hype when there are, in my humble opinion, better TLoZ games out there.

[Wonderfuland]

Really really good. I love the opening especially. The first 20-30 seconds are super trippy. I've never heard a song start in even a remotely similar way. The fading bitcrush on that vocal sample is a really cool thing. I like how the sample also has some melodic qualities to it.

Kingbastard responds:

Thanks for the review, much appreciated.

[Party Monster]

This is cool and all but MAKE THE DRUMS LOUDER!!

I really like your composition style. It's hard not to like!

Spadezer responds:

Sweet! Thanks.
Although the whole track needs to be louder. Fruit Liops doesn't seem to want to export correctly.

[Tap Tap Swing]

=== This is an NGAUC Audition Round Review ===

Oh man, this song is totally goofy but also pretty fun! I have to admit, the sound choices in this song are mostly pretty terrible, as I'm sure you already know. Those horns just... they sound almost nothing like horns at all. And the piano sounds a bit odd as well. And yet, I can tell that you were having a lot of fun while making this piece, which is always a good thing. The composition could use a little bit of work too; the melodies seem a bit random at times. Still, I like the modulation towards the end and I think that overall this piece shows potential!

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
Mixing: 3/4
Arrangement: 3/4
Composition: 2/4
Overall (this is not an average): 5.5/10

Yeelp responds:

Thanks! It was indeed fun to work on! Yeah, the VSTs I used for the horns were bad but I couldn't seem to find any better VSTs that wouldn't cost me a fortune. I did consider recording each part myself but I also didn't have a good enough mic or setup to get that to work either.

[The castle (Original mix)]

=== This is an NGAUC Audition Round Review ===

Yo, nice track! An eight minute track is pretty impressive. I also like the chord progression that you've selected here. Unfortunately, some parts of this track just aren't working for me. The biggest thing is definitely the arrangement. This song is incredibly repetitive - it repeats the same ideas over and over again, and doesn't really vary them up at all, which tires out the listener really quickly. It could also really use some breaks that switch up the instruments you're using. (I know you have some breaks, but I want some more drastic ones, like maybe using pads or pianos or something!)

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
Mixing: 3/4
Arrangement: 2/4
Composition: 1/4
Overall (this is not an average): 5/10

UserSigon responds:

Sorry but I can't take you seriously for a lot of reasons one can figure out from your review.
But I'm not blaming you, it's my fault for posting a kind of track you don't see on NG.
Edit: not being an ass because you voted low lol

[Unity Paradox - Hyper]

=== This is an NGAUC Audition Round Review ===

So, I have to commend you on two different things. First the melody you use is pretty good! I mean, the instrument is pretty goofy, but the melody isn't bad at all, and it's definitely really really happy! :D The second thing that I really like is that crazy buildup to the drop/chrous that has the pitched up snares. That's super cool, and I really enjoyed it every time you did it. However, the biggest problem with this track, and it is a very serious problem indeed, is that it is just TOO DARN REPETITIVE! If you would have only had that main melody like 3-4 times throughout the song, it would have been great! As is, the melody wears out its welcome really quickly.

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
Mixing: 3/4
Arrangement: 1/4
Composition: 3/4
Overall (this is not an average): 6/10

Unity-Paradox responds:

Thanks! I'm glad to know what you thought of my song, it's great feedback, and it really helps. I'm definitely going to be taking in all of this advice to the best of my ability, and I look forward to competing next year :D

(just saying tho, you may wanna add me to the pm list if you haven't already because I am VERRRRY forgetful XD)