xxxZigZagxxx's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Last Stand]

0:00 I like these chords. These are some sweet chords.
0:15 Yeah, get hype up in da club!
0:35 Those triplet notes are pretty nice.
0:45 I think you needa find a way to hit that snare more hard. Maybe EQ it up a bit, make it really "pop" (it's a terrible adjective, I know). You can do it!
1:10 That said, you've composed this so well that it's hard to get sick or dislike it despite the wet-towel mixing and mastering. Definitely something you could improve on.
1:35 I mean, I'd get down to this, definitely. If I *could* get down without looking like a massive wet turd. My dancing's meant for a bedroom.
2:05 This progresses. It never feels like it's boring or monotonous, that's what's good about it.
2:40 I get the thing with the exporting too. It always sounds quieter. But I think it's just the way it's mixed and mastered. Things always sound better while you're mixing it. You'll find that in the editor, if you go back and turn the volume down lower, then it sounds exactly the same as it does right now. Probably. It's something weird, a phenomenon that I can't quite put my finger on when I'm producing.

Either way, well done. I get the feeling we're in the same boat when it comes to mixing and mastering. I'm thinking of getting someone to help me mix/master my tracks to make them louder or at least more interesting and less flat. But this is good composition, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

And... I'm out!

TeraVex responds:

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! I've turned up the snare, but I'm not sure if the replacement file uploaded. Newgrounds has this problem of not always replacing the mp3 with an updated one. But the updated one will probably go on soundcloud.

[La ultima Cancion]

0:05 These drums are really cool and "rock-steady".
0:16 Nice rhythm plucking guitar. There's some weird little harmonics (?) going on I think.
0:30 Oh ok that other lead makes it a little more filled out
0:40 Sounds strokes-ish, the way it repeats.
1:00 This is actually really nice. Sounds like Strokes or Neon Trees
1:05 Oh it's in a different language. Sounds nice though. The vocals are understated and don't offend too much.
1:30 Sounds very Strokes-ish, especially their Reptilia album.
1:50 It'd be nice if there was some distortion on that vocal, it would fill the vibe and make it almost Black Keys-ish.
2:05 THIS is very, very nice. But the vocals kind of waver a bit and sound disjointed from the song... there could be a bit more energy in it imo. Perhaps it's just the mixing though. You can play around with distortion and stuff with the vocals.
2:40 Big fan of this song by now.
2:58 This is a nice build up. I like the quarter note (?) stabs.
3:10 OK this is beautiful. I like that the vocal really gives his all here. It really gives energy to the song.
3:33 Granted, he's not the greatest singer ever, but he's got heart, and that's what counts. It's beautiful ^_^
3:47 Yeah this is grand. Cool. I'd love to see you guys live.
4:00 Really transcendent. Awesome.

Overall this song started off humbly, but then got better and better with passing time. Perhaps you can start off a little more interestingly in future (without having the whole 1st minute pass without vocals etc.) but overall it's a well-packaged rock song and I love the possibilities. Favourited both the song and you.

Cheers!

ZombieEmika responds:

jajajaja cool, i will keep in mind the vocals jejeje

by the way i recorded all the instruments an vocals myself, i do have a band, here is a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtVmVcpPi-g

there are some songs the didn't like so i keep them for myself and share them here.
i'm glad you liked the song, i'll try to focus on making better songs

[A Brave Soul]

0:00 I like this sound. It feels almost like a little cute robot is making it.
0:06 This is a cute melody too.
0:13 Some of the background melodies are a bit "off", but that contributes to the atonal nature of the song somewhat.
0:25 And moments like this it snaps back to normal.
0:36 This would be really nice for a slightly dramatic SNES game or something.
0:50 This is an emotional melody. I like it.
0:55 This little change in chord progression I didn't like so much. I would have stayed with that same chord for the entire quarter (?) note. Hope I make sense.
1:20 This is kind of nice. The ocarina (?) melody is a *bit* busy at times, where it could subtly signify a pause, but it's mostly in the right place.
1:42 Not a big fan of this final part. It's not a nice ending, it kind of leaves you hanging a little. Unless it's supposed to loop, but the song was submitted as a song not a loop, so I'm kind of perplexed at how abruptly it ends.

Overall, it's a quaint melody with a nice little lead, but it's a bit abrupt and obvious in places. There are atonal background chords and stuff that work well for the song, and resolve themselves into nice chords, but I'm not a big fan of either the way the chorus' chord progression ends (I think it's the chorus) and how the song in general ends (on a hanging note). But these are just small nitpicks in what is generally a sweet and beautiful song.

Keep doing!

DaveMajor7 responds:

Thank you I appreciate your feedback. The piece will be mixed into a loop for the game it has been created for.
HAHA don't worry, I write my atonal works to be performed live . You can't have a re-occurring (mainly) diatonic chord progression in a atonal work (unless you complete your aggregates with counterparts, but that would sounds like a off mix for sure). All the chords are just basic major and minor chords with some extensions.

You make some great points! You should have heard the how busy the first draft of the melody was haha, but you are right it can be busy. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.
Keep it up!

[I am Squire]

0:00 Nice pads. Very ethereal. It's got some really nice melodic undertones too.
0:18 Actually this is really beautiful. I hope it turns into something even more beautiful later on.
0:30 I can feel those underlying kicks. The building. The builds. It is building.
0:40 They are rising... the world is rising
0:45 WHEW that came out of nowhere. Was a bit sudden! I like the parts in the song where it cuts to near silence except for the pads... you could have cut out the pads too at those parts too maybe?
1:20 Are you using soul vocals samples here or something? I like it... but those pads underneath are perhaps too mellow for the entire thing.
1:40 The kick-snare pattern is getting a bit boring... a bit dry too... it's just the same pattern.
1:55 But the vocals here are pretty cool.
2:00 I think sometimes the EQ'ing isn't done to major effect... but it still sounds good. Especially dat bass. But it could have a bit more simmering energy to it like in the build ups.
2:30 These build ups are actually my favourite part of the song. They're very subtle, if a little quiet. The melodic combinations that you use are very nice.
3:05 It builds nice, but perhaps you can warn us for the major drops more often, lol?
3:20 Hearing longer versions of those vocal samples... upon second listen they're probably not soul samples. They sound like it might be a rock song or something.
3:50 The vocal manipulation is pretty cool...
4:00 Here again the drum beat is a bit too loud for the simmering underneaths.
4:12 I like this lead synth coming in... I wish it came in earlier because it is introduced quite late in the track.
4:30 Then again, it's for a COD video so I guess big drops without warning can signify gunshots. It seems really cool. Even Deadmau5-y (sorry if that's an insult to you, it isn't to me)
5:00 This noise effect with the filter being automated downward is a nice effect... perhaps it should have implemented earlier?

Overall it's an enjoyable listen. I'm not usually a fan of dubstep like this but you won me over a little here. Keep doing what you do, you're good at mixing and composing and everything like that.

Stay cool!

BrAxTrax responds:

I have to say, you're completely right. The only reason this song isn't as polished as it should be is that I was on a deadline, which was approaching fast. I completely agree with you, and thanks for the great input!

Oh, and those vocal samples are a mixture of vengence 3 shots, and my own voice from another dubstep song I made called "ketamine".
As for the badass deep vocals, that's just the FL vocoder at work on my voice, too.

[{!RGH} Whisker's Ballad]

I know this is supposed to be a sad song about your cat but i couldn't help but laugh at that intro... o well, he must have been a great cat. RIP whiskers... you'll always live in our hearts <3

RyeGuyHead responds:

Haha, that intro just sorta popped up out of nowhere when I was recording my original vocal melody for LadyArsenic to work off of. It cracks me up, so I left it in.

As is, my parts should either be expanded upon or removed all together...not sure yet.

Glad you liked it :D

[-+[Zero Gravity]+-]

Absolutely annihilating.

LadyArsenic responds:

Why thank you! <3

[-+[Ashen Feathers]+-]

Really moody and atmospheric. <3

LadyArsenic responds:

^__^ I'm really glad you like that!

[He Comes]

Beautiful. Sounds very Joanna Newsom. Love it.

WingoWinston responds:

I'll have to look her up, thanks for the kind words!