johnfn's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Patience]

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

Let's get it out of the way - some of your instrument samples sound AWFUL. I mean, right from the opening notes, that synth bass just clashes horribly with the organs, because it's just not a good synth bass - at least, not in that context. I *know* you can find better ones - heck, we even have 3.5gb of not-too-crappy samples just lying around on Newgrounds - but it’s also a matter of properly choosing instruments that go well with others. And while I'm complaining, quite a few transitions come out of left field, like 1:05.

And yet you'll notice that I'm still here talking, which is because although this piece is definitely flawed, it has a lot of very interesting ideas. It goes through so many different, varied sections, and it has a lot of really cool solos that show some real creativity! I want to hear more of those next time. So yeah: flawed, but compelling. Score: 7.5

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 3/4
* Arrangement: 2/4
* Mixing: 3/4

Birdinator99 responds:

Thank you for your honesty, John. I often underestimate the importance of a good arrangement, thinking "it's all about the mix", being the technically oriented person I am, but I know that the arrangement is very much part of the mix -- I have yet to drive this point home to myself, but please know that I am aware of it as a weakness of mine. Your complaint on the transition is valid as well.

That's my trouble. Some decent ideas, but poor execution... I need more practice, which is precisely why I have come to this contest -- so I can have a deadline, and therefore force myself to improve, lest I succumb to the competition!

Glad you like the solos. Thank you for taking the extra time to write this; I appreciate it!

[Nastenka]

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

Ah, trap. I always think that entering trap/dubstep to a Newgrounds contest is a bit risky, since NG is so orchestral/melodic focused. I'll try to be unbiased. I like the trap section - it's got a good rhythm to it - but I feel like the drums are not hard hitting enough! And I know that trap is all about obnoxiously low sub-bass, but in this case, the bass is *so* low that it actually bothers me (sub bass that's too low can actually cause people to feel weird and be disoriented :p). You've got some good riffs in here, and I like that a lot, but I think that you repeat them a little too much - the song should be shorter. Still, not bad. Score: 7

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 3/4
* Arrangement: 2/4
* Mixing: 3+/4

etK responds:

Thanks for the review :D
It really helps me ;)

[Never Let You Go]

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

This piece is difficult to judge. On one hand, the vocal quality is excellent - one of the best I've heard - and the vocal melody is very good too. On the other hand, the accompaniment - the techno instruments in the background, the beat etc., do not do justification to it at all. I mean, the vocal does not mesh well with the background sounds at all, and they fail to give proper drive and energy to the song. So it's a hard song to judge, because if it was *just* the vocals, I'd give it a very high score, but if it was *just* everything else, I'd give it a pretty low score. As is, I think I'll compromise. Score: 7.5

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 3/4
* Arrangement: 3/4
* Mixing: 3/4

spot1techno responds:

Thank you!! I appreciate the review. :)

[Galaxy Trail]

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

Let's just get mixing over with right off the bat - it's very bad. The song is definitely clipping when all the elements come together. You need to take any limiter off your master track and adjust your levels so that they aren't so loud. The piano gets so buried behind the other elements that I can't even tell if it's there sometimes, which is no good either. On the positive side, the composition has a sort of dark brooding feel to it, and the melody at 4:24 would be really nice if it wasn't so buried! (You could also have gotten to that point earlier in the song ;-)) You have good ideas for music - but need to be aware of and work on the details. Score: 6

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 3/4
* Arrangement: 2/4
* Mixing: 1/4

NGKFlower responds:

Thanks! I'm trying to improve with each track I make, so hopefully I'll get better. =)

[Swing For A Special Lady]

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

I don't even know what to say. This piece is so ridiculous and dumb and yet good. Somehow! The lyrics are a bit of a stumbling block for me, admittedly. I mean, they're definitely hilarious, but I feel like they also stop me from fully appreciating the piece. I love the bass groove and the vocal melody is really solid - in a fuller song with e.g. drums this could be super solid. It's already very good. Score: 8

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 3+/4
* Arrangement: 3/4
* Mixing: 3/4

Ceevro responds:

Yeah, I wasn't going for the super-serious here! Everything was live-recorded, meaning there aren't any electronic loops. What I had was a guitar and a mic...glad you had some fun listening!

[army dreamers cover]

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

Very good. You are a very good singer (though do I hear a hint of auto-tune in places? Just curious - it won't effect your score. I hear it mostly in "aaarmmmy dreamers"). The big problem here is the arrangement, I think - I think you stick on the same chord progression a little too long (verse and chorus), and changes would have helped. (NOTE: I now recognize that this is a cover, so maybe I know nothing - but I maintain that my position is right because you slowed down the tempo a lot, which makes it feel a bit more repetitive than the more speedy original version.) I also LOOVE the guitar solos, so I was kinda let down that there were only 2 and they were very short. I wanted more!!! The song could be much better with an expressive solo that I *know* you're capable of! Still, great song here. Score: 9

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 4/4
* Arrangement: 3/4
* Mixing: 3/4

jambrother2 responds:

you're absolutely correct about the autotune, there is actually quite a lot of it (I'm not much of a singer, so it was a necessity here)

Thanks for the review!

[sick as, not a sick as beat ok?]

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

Man, there are some cool chords here, and a really nice use of a suspended chord. But outside of that chorded section, I'm not totally sure what's going on here. The song transitions rapidly from section to section without really helping me to find anything else to latch on to. Your ideas are fascinating (I honestly like almost all of them individually), but the piece lacks the development to feel like a cohesive whole. Score: 6

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 2/4
* Arrangement: 1/4
* Mixing: 2/4

xxxZigZagxxx responds:

Cheers, bruv. I can be a bit random sometimes, it's just my style. But progression and stuff are always important. I guess I just always want someone to find something new in every part of the song sometimes.

Thx!

[Dependent]

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

Wow, this is really an interesting track. The ambiance of this track is really, really cool. I can't remember hearing whispered vocals too often - maybe Nine Inch Nails did it - but they have a great effect. The background ticking noises are great, and so are the echoey, distant vocals I hear sometimes. What I don't like is the instrument at 3:26 - it sounds off tune. I also think that the drum set is a little too try and crisp for your ambiance. 8

Mini-scores (See http://johnfn.newgrounds.com/news/post/936953 for what this means and how to improve)
* Composition: 2+/4
* Arrangement: 3/4
* Mixing: 3/4

SoulSecure responds:

In this song I really wanted to have a drier drumset. When I put a bunch of reverb on the drums everything sounds washed out and we lose that tight groove which is essential to the song. This was all carefully thought out, as the whole point of the instrumental's structure is groove. If you didn't notice, there isn't much reverb on the chopped up rhodes riff either. It's all about that tight, groovy sound.

There is no instrument at 3:26. Nothing new comes in at that point. You'd better check your surroundings for noise.