SplatterDash's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Because We Miss You]

This is an NGADM judge review.

Even with my soft spot for solo instrument pieces, especially from you, I think that the greatest strength is truly in the compositional elements. Those little chord changes and temporary key changes really help in expressing your feelings to the listener, and of course the song feels fresh throughout the entire time too. The way that everything is balanced also keeps a good hold on the mastering side of things, and I think sound design goes without saying as well.
If I had to nitpick, I think things could be a little more rubato overall. A lot of the song is pretty well-kept in terms of the tempo, but I think you can play with it a bit and work on some of the phrases, not just with the volume but with the tempo as well, in the middle portion of the song.
Overall, I think this is truly a song fit to honor someone. I'm sorry for your loss LSD, but know that what you're doing, even if it isn't perfect, is making her proud.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for noticing the effort I put into the composition and arrangement. I've been trying to improve my composing lately, particularly with regards to arrangement and structure. I also appreciate that you enjoyed the sound design; it's still difficult to work with virtual pianos (of course, I recorded this one a digital one first, but it just never quite feels the same)...

I see your point about rubato. At the same time, I also like when there's an extended portion of raw intensity. Of course one should really put thought into every tiny section of the piece, which can have their own, controlled tempo-variations, but strong emotions don't necessarily present so neatly either!

I hope this would make her proud, but I also know she's the type of person who was proud of me quite unconditionally ^____^

[Tear Through The Sky (NGADM 2023)]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

I'll say this, this is one of the most interesting metal songs I've heard in a bit. I think the general composition really shines with the small changes it does in the instrumental, which I know has been a problem I've heard in other songs. I also appreciate the great sound design, which from what I understand is coming from you recording your instruments in this song (except for the drums?).
The main things I have feedback for come from the production side of things. I think your mix has a generally good balance, except for the low end. I could hear the kick okay, but I could not hear the bass on my end, so it's probably something to look at in future songs. One other thing I noticed was that even though it was a solo, the countdown at 3:00 and the guitar at 3:14 were sticking out too hard from the general mix. If you bring them back just a bit and balance being heard and not overstepping the rest of the instruments, then I think that section would be fixed up fine.
Overall, I liked this! I think it's a neat song that has a good execution and was fun to listen to.

CrossCarrasco responds:

Thank you for the feedback, thanks for listening

[cloud reverie]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

I think you know as much as I understand that this song was a massive risk in its concept alone, and I think a majority of it paid off well. The unusual sound design helped to give a unique atmosphere - not necessarily one that I think fit your idea of flying or nature, but something that was ethereal and interesting to listen to. The composition was interesting, with its start in 6/8, going to 4/4, and then back to 6/8, to the point where it felt seamless and hard to distinguish when those changes happened.
As for the general production and sound design, I felt the production was good, but it was held back when the introduction of the synthesized sounds occur. I think that transition is good compositionally, but can use some help from the production area. Speaking of which, while your sound design was a huge risk, the only problem I heard was that the synthesized elements could be balanced in terms of mixing with the acoustic elements. It felt like what was synthesized was taking over the acoustic, which didn't help too much in elevating your idea.
Overall, I think your risks paid off! You went with something outside the box, and I think it mostly worked and was pretty unique.

LordAndiso responds:

Thank you so much :D Yeah! I did a lot of experimenting. Didn't really give a second thought while making this, because I let my intuition do all the work on this one xD

[We Are Free [NGADM 2023]]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

I will definitely tell you this: out of everything I've heard thus far, this has the best start right out of the gate in setting its tone, even without context given to the song. I also think your sound design is overall top notch, and the production feel really balanced and well set. The composition, while not stellar, is also pretty good and does a decent job making sure everything stays fresh throughout the song.
I have a few nitpicks when it comes to the song, particularly in the production area but also one in the sound design area. It's always a risk for a musician to use vocals in their song, and I think the risk paid off well enough for you, but the quality of the vocals could use a little work. I don't mean that in the quality of the recording, but rather that I felt the tone of the vocals were on the heavy and weighted side of things, making it feel a little like you were stomping through the words. I also think the general drums could use a little work in making them stand out a bit more in the general mix, and the sidechaining with the other instruments can be dialed back a bit. I think the sidechaining is a good idea in this song, but keeping a balance between the sidechain and volume of the drums will help it fit better in the mix.
Overall, I liked this! I know you took risks here and I think they worked well, to the point where you have a pretty good song in the competition.

Benji-G responds:

A little late to respond, sorry about that, but thank you so much for the review SplatterDash!

[Be That As It May]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

I really enjoy the sound design elements and the overall production, as I felt both elements were pretty good! The overall sound design sounds good and sounds pretty close to being real, and I think the overall mixing and mastering were pretty good as well. I also think the composition is really well put together, especially with the vocals on top of it, and it feels pretty fresh overall. The 3/4 feel also gives it a nice touch of some spice!
My main concern with the song is that while its structure is pretty well set up, I think up until 3:20 it could have used a little more variety in terms of its instrumental. I think even the smallest changes to vary that up will help make it feel even fresher than it does. I also think that your vocals have a little too much high end on them and can use a little more of the lower frequencies - it might be the materials you used, but that's again just a thought.
Overall, I liked this! It's a nice calming song that's charming and interesting to listen to as well.

spoonman420 responds:

...thank you, SplatterDash! I appreciate it. Everything is performed with real physical instruments, captured with a microphone, including guitar amps. Only the kick drum and 2 percussion instruments are samples. Noted on the vocals, it is always a struggle for me. Also, the 3:20 mark. If ever I use this for an album, I'd definitely consider your thoughts.

[Guest of Honour]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

I really enjoy the sound design right out of the gate! It's a little hard to tell if all of this was recorded or created using programs and plugins, but the vocals were a nice added touch as well. I think the production is also really good, as I can hear pretty much everything for as much as I need to.
In terms of improvement points, I think you can differentiate a little more in terms of the verses and choruses in terms of the instrumental. Yes, the rhythm of the instruments varies, but I think the volume can also help as well, especially since a verse is (usually) lower in energy than a chorus. I also think that the vocals could use a tad bit of some reverb, but I really do mean only a tad. They feel dry in comparison to the other instruments, so that's why I think that could be utilized.
Overall, I liked this! I think your efforts of sitting down and writing something for this round paid off pretty well, even if it ended up being a crunch at the end.

Mischa-head responds:

Thanks for the feedback!

[Ryzmik - "Calima"]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

Your strongest point in this song is the interesting use of your sound design. I will admit that the string synth threw me off at the beginning, but as it was used a little more it grew on me a little bit. The dubstep elements are also really good from a sound design angle. I also appreciate how much your compositional elements try pushing the song along, and overall your mixing and production is pretty good.
With that said, there are a few nitpicks I have with the sound design, such as the kick not being as bassy as I think it should be, but my main issue comes with the composition's variety. There is a good attempt to make it fresh, but I think some of the repeated structures can have some variety while still maintaining some of the melodies and ideas from the structures before. I also think you can go a little further with the sound design and see what you can use to help push the idea of the song further. Really think about it, what do you think you would hear to associate with something that was suffocating and deep crimson red?
Overall, this isn't half bad at all! There's definitely room for improvement, but the elements that work do a good job and are good starting points for really good ideas!

Ryzmik responds:

Thanks for the review!
My drum mix was more transient focused, my intention was to not boost a lot the kick 'boom' to let space to the basses; And I agree with you about the structure, for me it's my weakest point when 'working' against the clock; and If I follow your tip about going further with sound design that reminds of a haze then I would just do some filtered noise lol.
Really appreciating these reviews from you guys!

[Lordant - The Lost Tale]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

The strong element of your piece is definitely within your keyboards. The piano and music box-esque instrument truly help in carrying the piece. The other instruments aren't half bad either, and they help in setting that tone you wanted to go for.
That said, I think the mixing could be a bit better. I think the ambient night noises you use are a little too loud from the moment they enter at the very beginning, and overall the strings could come up a little more, especially on the higher end of the strings. One thing I also notice is that this has some weaker transitions between sections, which means the listener is jostled from one section to the next a little too roughly, so it's something to look at with your future songs. Finally, I'm really impartial to how this ends: the sudden stopping of everything I think hinders the atmosphere you created, and it doesn't feel like it fits too well. If you want to stop suddenly, that's fine, but I think you need to build up to that and support it better from a compositional point of view.
Overall, I think this is interesting and a pretty good song! I enjoyed it enough and I think there's definitely strong points in your melodies, which can help a lot later down the line!

Lordant responds:

Thanks for feedback! I definitely get your points, especially the ones about structuring, and will try to fix them after the ADM.

[Somewhere I'll Find You]

This is an NGADM 2023 judge review.

What really strikes me at first is that hemiola you use in the main guitars, since it sets up a pretty unique intro in the way you execute that rhythm. I also like how you utilize instruments that are unconventional in the sense that you don't usually hear them together - for example, that saxophone in the beginning minute. I can also hear how some of the sound design choices you make plays into the idea you have with the story in the song. From what I also notice, I like how the kick is good and punchy and the mix is overall relatively balanced.
My main things about this song particularly involves the larger structure. While the melodies are very fluid overall, the larger structure of the accompaniment to those melodies feel a little too repetitive with the exception of 3:30, and I feel those could change themselves up a bit more. I especially think the changes you do in the accompaniment could help showcase your idea as well. There were also a few sections that I felt ended a little too abruptly when going into a new section, and I think some of those could use something to end off that portion and transition into the next portion, even if it's something small.
Overall, I really like this! It feels good and I think your choices reflect the idea you have, and you do take some interesting risks that I think work well enough.

BeyondOurEyes responds:

Greatly appreciate your review and feedback! Glad you enjoyed the song overall.

I generally like the abrupt shifts between sections so long as the melodic content flows, for this type of music specifically I think it adds impact to the start of the next section - though I did use that a lot here haha, so I will keep that in mind for future and try to balance those out with some other smoother transitions as well!

I have some more song ideas in mind that are a little more varied, so i'll be sure to implement more variation on the next submission!

[The Moon Song]

This is a (overdue) judge review from NGADM Round 3.

Man, there's a lot of good piano players here on Newgrounds lol. The way you play here is really interesting because of the things you do here. The composition, of course, keeps itself fresh throughout and even allows room to breathe every so often. When the accents come in, you can feel it. There's also a healthy amount of phrasing throughout this, too, which I do appreciate and enjoy.
The one thing I do wanna ask about is my elephant in the room - the quality of sound from the piano. I can definitely tell its a stylistic choice, but my question is what inspired it. I don't really hate it at all, but I think that it's too muffled to get the idea across of it being a somber song. Again, though, that's just my thoughts on it.
Overall, it's pretty good! It's a piano improv/live piano piece, but in a definite good way.

satanicpotatoe responds:

Thanks SplatterDash, for the sound I wanted to create a nostalgic retro vibe ;)