SplatterDash's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Flow]

This is an official Semi-Final review for the NGADM.

Composition: I like the way this song is composed, with my only nitpick being that I feel like there should have been a suspended cymbal or two thrown in (ex. 2:17) to help in transitions. The chords, though, are really neat and fit well in minor pieces.

Production: This is really well produced. I can hear the bass and the treble evenly, as well as distinguish the melody from accompaniment. The effects were also placed very well throughout the piece.

Sound Design: This is what I feel is your weakest point here. Your strings and brass sound really good, yes, but there's a few instruments that I will point out that could have been improved: the voice at around 0:35 was a little too much "eh" (compared to "ah") for the section; the piano at 0:47 feels really dead and could use some reverb to make it sound lifelike; the electric guitar at 1:24 could be more articulate; and the brass at 2:20 that stick out from the others sound too bright for the section.

Creativity: There's some of it in here, but I can tell it was heavily inspired from what is put out today in Hollywood trailers. Feel free to go against the grain here if you want to continue on the Cinematic route.

Replay: Other than the few sounds, I will admit I replayed this a time or two. It's good to listen to and it's energizing, which help to play into that.

Overall: This is a really good piece! If you fix up the issues within your instruments, that will help to really make this a masterpiece. Good luck in the final round of NGADM!

[Voyager]

This is an official Semi-Final track review for NGADM.

The one thing I really like about the song is that there's this... I don't know how to say it other than "spirit", that really makes it shine. To the friend that said this had no redeeming qualities and that it was made by someone illiterate in making music, I'm happy to say they're wrong. This sounds like a really good piece, and it has so much spirit that accompanies it that it gives me a warm, natural image as I listen.

On the other hand, there's a couple of things I'd like to point out: first, I feel the sustain/reverb of the guitar at the beginning, especially in the higher chords, was a little too long. The reason why I think that is because I can hear it sustaining into the other higher chords, when in reality a guitarist would need time to change fingerings. I think cutting off those treble chords a beat before the next one would be better. Second, the electric guitar sounds a little muddy, especially as it enters at around 2:03. Try to bring the attack time down a bit, or look for a more articulate electric guitar.

Overall, this is a really good entry, and not too shabby at all! Don't let people who give you that "critique" bring you down. Good luck in the final round of NGADM!

[Escaping Limbo]

This is an official Semi-Final NGADM track review.

Where do I even begin with this? There's so much that I love about this piece, especially considering there's so much that's backing up the one thing you know best: playing piano. I decided to read the description before reading, and I could feel all those barriers portrayed throughout the song (the vibrato on the piano at 5:26 gave me literal chills, as well as the reverse keys throughout the piece). But the best part is that it's not just the effects; there's so many playing techniques that are used on the piano that brings out the most in it, polyrhythms especially. Plus, it's a homemade, live playing of a piano - making it all the more better. This is a piece, despite its length, that I would go back to and listen again - which I did as I played the video after listening.

If I would have to nitpick, I'd say the one thing I would point out is that when the rain sounds come back in full force at around 0:40 (and again at 7:31), I feel as if they start to push a little bit on the piano in terms of volume, so just be cautious of that in the future.

But honestly, that's really my only nitpick, and it's hard to really mention anything else wrong with the piece. I really enjoyed this, and I think I will come back to this again, or even download it to listen in my off time. Good luck in this round, and I'll see you again in the final!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for all the praise, and for the high score!

Thank you also for pointing out the vibrato at 5:26. That is the only part of the piece where I used it, and it was for such a short time. A lot of editing went into the small details of this piece...

I'm also really glad to see you note all the playing techniques. This is the composition Where I was most worried about the recording process. Not only is it really long, which leaves room for mistakes (I sometimes let small mistakes pass, but I pretty much always rerecord the whole thing from the start when I make a bigger one), but like you noted, there are many trills, grace notes, rolled chords, accentuations and left/right hand techniques or patterns throughout the piece.

Thankfully, the length doesn't seem to have put many people off.

I'll heed your warning about the loudness of the rain, I can hear what you mean a little bit. Thanks again for listening, and for taking the time to leave a review ^___^

[Crystal Winter]

Ho-ly snap. I really enjoyed this piece; it's so calming and elegant, and it feels like a folk song mixed with something out of Bambi. Everything used in here accounted for this really wonderful imagery of a winter sky, and the fact that it's so simple and yet so powerful makes it all the more amazing. I felt so cozy listening to this, and each listen enhanced that further. The vocals are wonderful, especially considering it's not just one voice, but quite a few, giving it this ethereal (no pun intended) feeling, which is something that's hard to get in music nowadays. And that chord at the end... it solidifies the deal of this entire piece.
There's one small nitpick I have, and it's personal preference more than a general thing: at the section from 2:35 to 3:08, I feel that some soft vocals could be added there, as it felt to me that it was kinda naked on that part without voices. Plus, small voices in that part could help lead into 3:08 when the main vox comes back in.
Honestly, though, this is a really amazing piece. This is for sure going in the favorites pile. Amazing job LSD and ethe!

etherealwinds responds:

Thank you SD! Something out of Bambi - made me smile haha. I just had the idea of having some crackling fire ambience at some part now, to add to that cozy feel. I can totally see it working either way you mentioned! The particular reason I chose to let that part not have vocals was to let the composition breathe a little. The piano was allowed to shine in the intro, but then after that until 2:35, there wasn't really any part of it where the piano wasn't more than an accompaniment. I thought it an appropriate place for the piano to shine through again and for the vocals to take a rest :) the vocals that come in at 3:08 are quite subtle and in the background, so I didn't feel they needed any lead-in (the fact that they're a repetition of the earlier part at 1:14 also sort of set this second part up!)

Anyway I hope my explanation gives you some clarity on what I was thinking when I arranged it together! Thanks so much for favouriting it, and LSD is sat next to me also very thankful.

Thank you for taking the time to write an in-depth review, they're always welcome. Hope you're well SD!

[Green Fields of Home]

I'm just gonna start by saying... I don't know where you were back in February, and I don't at all want to throw shade because you weren't there, but dang, this sounds amazing, and fifty times better than my remix lol. I feel this is my favorite piece of the winners, and it's that way because there's so much that's put into this that makes it the next level. The sound quality is generally amazing, the mixing is beautiful, and the percussion... I swear, I want to inhale this percussion and let it be part of me because it is that amazing.
There's really only a couple things I have to complain about, one of which being a few nitpicks in the middle part. First nitpick, which is kind of a pet peeve of mine: the part at 3:12 is amazing (I can not get enough of that flute), but it kinda feels the strings are behind the beat. Usually it feels alright, but it feels a little awkward here, and I don't know if it was delay or the instrument itself. Second, at 3:23, there's this flute/ocarina/wind thing in the background that sounds kinda... MIDI-ish. It sticks out to me a bit in this piece because of how amazingly expressive everything else is, and to me it's kinda where the attention goes in that section as well.
Still, though, this is amazing, and there's no big issues with this. It's amazing, and it's so much more compared to the original and some of the remixes I heard back in February. It's my favorite winning music selection, and it's for a really good reason. Well done :D

Albe responds:

Thanks splat for the review! Yeah I usually have that kind of issues about where to address the attention of some instruments in some sections, I need to work on that. Aside of that, I'm really glad you liked it, thank you so much!
P.D.: at the time of the contest, I was busy for college and couldn't make it for the deadline

[TheFatRat & Anna Yvette & Laura Brehm - Chosen]

Really glad to see you back after everything that's been happening! I kinda like the drop, it's something different than what I've been used to in your songs; there's more of a trap influence in them, and it sounds really unique. Plus, Laura and Anna sound really great in this, especially as it goes deeper and deeper into the song.
The only thing I would say about it is that the ending seems kinda weird, building up to nothing - no reverb, no big hit, just... silence. I kinda almost think it's unintentional, almost a rendering error or something like that, but if it's intentional, then that sounds weird, but something to get used to.
It may have been a while, but dang, you still got it :D

[R]

hey WOAH SIR how dare you introduce that hazardous chemical to pokemans you monster

In all seriousness, though, this is a really great piece. It's nice to hear from you again in terms of music, and it's also nice to see you going good in another field, and being successful in it too (insert Conjugate Coolmath plug here). This is really pleasant to listen to, especially that ending. I really like this :D

Onefin responds:

LOL i was waiting for a Detective Pikachu reference

thanks for the kind words! this encouragement helps a lot when i have those moments of self-doubt

[A Breeze From Home (Aydin's Remix)]

Dang, this is really good. The remix breathes new life into the original, and at the same time it keeps to that original. It's balanced, it's chill, it's new and beautiful. The higher pitched vox actually kinda give off some of many cat vibes that are in EBF5 (by many I mean many), and it just feels really good to hear. I really love this remix, and I know I'll come back to this many times, because it really hits that sweet spot. Congrats on the first place win on the ABFH remix contest :D

[Comfy Nighttime]

Dang, this is worthy of the true fifth place spot compared to mine lol

This is really a neat song. It kinda reminds me of a few various songs I have heard before, mainly because of it's upfront synths. Plus, it's super chill and actually portrays the intended theme. It's a lightweight song that's honestly enjoyable all the time. GG and congrats again on the tie in the Month Compo :D

Zechnition responds:

Thanks for the review! I liked your song just as much ^^

[Beep Beep I'm a Sheep]

You have no idea how long I was waiting for this. Thank you so much <3 downloading this rn