BlazingDragon's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Hymn of the Fallen]

Repetitive, but emotionally driven

I like this song a lot, because in some small way, I can liken it unto how I've felt many times before. The sorrow and emotion that comes with it is touchhing.

It isn't your best work IMO, but I like it nonetheless. The harp kind of threw me off, as I expected it to go in a different direction, but it worked out in the end. I wasn't a huge fan of the choir in the beginning for some reason...It just didn't feel right to me.

My favorite part was probably when the brass came in. I do think that the harp and choir gets a bit repetitive over a while though. The melodic instruments do change around every so often, and you employed some light percussive elements, but as a whole, I would have liked more harmonic variety. A change up in the chord progression or something like that would have been nice, as it did kind of drag on.

Good job on it as a whole, though. There was a nice amount of reverb (Maybe slightly too much in the higher intruments and brass, it sounded sort of mucky) and the mastering wasn't bad. My older brother walked in the room and started listening with me when he heard it from a different room, even. He really enjoyed it.

8/10

SuperTonic64 responds:

Thanks for the review BlazingDragon! ^_^

Yes, I know for a fact that this is not my best work. :D In fact, this is the first song I have ever written that I only used FLstudio with. (I usually use a notation program, so then I can see what I am writing on a staff.)

Anywho, I HAD to start writing again. I was feeling really depressed...since I hadn't wrote anything in months! (Since my song, Escape.) However, my 30th song on Newgrounds is coming soon...and I have something very special written for that occasion. :)

Yeah...it is kinda repetitive...^_^" But my next song will not be repetitive like that other one. :D

Thanks for the review! ^_^
~Smartpoetic

[Life Weaver]

Could use some work, but good

It is a very beautiful song that reflects a wide array of emotions. The chords seem to speak of sadness, yet hints of peace throughout. That is, until the drums come in. At that point, it takes on a more adventurous aspect, showing conflict and excitement while retaining some of that original sadness. The harp at the end was nice, but it ended too abruptly.

The piano was alright, but it felt very rough around the edges and synthetic. I would love some pedal in the bass and some more attention on dynamics. As always, I liked the strings. The drums were repetitive, but they served their perpuse I guess.

Work on dynamics, please add some pedal to the piano, give the drums some more variety, and you'll have a nice little piece under your belt. Can't say I understand how the title fits, but I dig the music. :)

5/5 vote, but 8/10 over all rating.

Bosa responds:

It's in my head, so it's completely not understandable.

[Brotherhood: Don't Leave Me]

Great!

Very nice work on this one. I really did enjoy the choir, and I think the piano was great. I think that on some parts you could lay off on the strings just slightly and bring out the choir.

You also have a lot of great chords and harmonies that I like. I love piano, so naturally the section where the piano is more prominant is probably my favorite. While talking about the piano, however, it would be nice if you'd add just a little expression/dynamic contrast to the piano, bringing it out a little (In volume, that is).

Great job! 9/10 review and 5/5 rating!

[Chrono Cross -Intro]

Good, but add some variety

I love the original of this song, and I liek your rendition on it a quite a bit. :) I'm not a huge techno reak, but I like it nonetheless. The only huge suggestions I have are these:

-Work on making the percussion not so repetitive. Add some variety to it; don't just loop it over and over. It's boring and lazy to do that. :(
-And some more variety to the song as a whole; I liked it at first, but it got dull after a while. It seemed you just used the harmony and bass drum throughout, only changing what instruments had the melody. Throw in some interesting chords or change up the melody a bit every so often to make it stand alone from the original song more.
-Add some dynamics; it felt as though all of the dynamics were at the same levels. Make things more interesting by adding some quite and loud sections. Use dynamic contrast!

I know I might sound harsh, but I'm trying to help. I did like this a lot, despite my above suggestions. Keep working at it and you'll get some really great music going! 7/10

4/5 Rating

DrWaldo responds:

Thanks for the crit.... I like it sometimes XD, but none the less i try my best on it. tho i do tend to repeat stuff alot. Once again Thanks

[Contemplative Walk Into Spring]

Not great, not horrible...It's okay.

Man, some people are simply complete jerks. I can't stand those 0-voters. It least you were left with a review; I've been voted 0 for reasons I don't even know.

Anywho, onto the song! It's not really good, and it's not really bad. The chord progression is okay, but nothing fancy. The melody is not anything very memorable and seems to change around a lot. I liked it in the beginning, but it went down hill from there. Here are some suggestions:

1. Try to use one, solid, perhaps short melody, and stick with it. Don't change around a numch; it is confusing to the listener.
2. Don't just use block chords! Your bass part on the piano was ALL simply, plain block chords. Try to roll and arpeggiate some of them. Maybe use some inversions. Anything to add some interesting and keep the song "fresh".
3. Try using the piano's pedal at points. It will add a smoother feel.

Your song isn't horribly bad, but it isn't incredibly good. It is okay. For a beginner though, it is fine, though. We all have to start somewhere, and I commend you for venturing into the world of composition. Keep posting, keep writing, and listen to some good piano music. You'll improve over time if you just keep practicing and trying your best; I can practically guarentee it! Keep working hard. 6/10

3/5 rating.

[Bosa Rain Song]

I hear the esence of serenity...

As someone who absolutely loves the rain, I found this song surprisingly soothing. Every time it rains, I can't help but walk around outside, admiring the beauty of nature. The beautiful gray clouds which fill the sky against a background of rolling green hills, the wonderful smell of the moist, damp air...the feel of the light, humid breeze against your skin. It is all simply incredible. But best of all is the sound of the rain, lightly pouring down on everything. The sound of it hitting the ground, the sound of the streams it feeds, and best of all, the sound of it pelting against the leafs of the trees. When I walk in the rain, it is relaxing; almost hypnotic.

This song, in a vague way, reflects upon all of the feelings I embrace as I walk in the rain. Relaxing, calm, soothing, enchanted, mystified...Though the guitar might not sound 100% real, I think it is a good thing in this case. It actually made it sound more like the subtle fall of the rain drops. The waves in the background led to a further liquid-like feel, and the pads added a layer of relaxation to the mix. Also, the dynamics in the guitar harmony also did a wonderful job of lending to that rain-drop like feeling. It was all very calming, and the melody was beautiful.

The only minor complaint I have is about the bass notes in the guitar. It felt just slightly unnatural to me at times, but not even very much at all. I think it helped the song as a whole, but I think some revision work could be done on it. Oh, and I can't believe that guy called this boring! I can't stand when people say such ignorant things, especially when it comes to relaxing or even classical pieces of music.

Great job, and, as always, keep it up! You've captured some great emotion in this peace, and everything was well executed. In particular, I loved the dynamic rising and falling, as well as the rain-drop like guitar harmony. The melody, as the whole song, was simply gorgeous. 10/10

Rating: 5/5

Bosa responds:

Ah.. I'm happy that this song appeals to you. And I might add that the sincerity within your review is straightforward and understandable. Sorry about the late response, but I'm just now going back and searching for reviews. Unlike other authors who have allowed their success to get into their heads and they believe themselves as too good for the lowly fans or intelligent listeners. You see, Bosa listens well and he responds to what should be responded to.

Thank You,
Bosa

[A New King]

So...Utterly...Confused...But good job!!!

I have to admit that I was a little confused at first, but maybe you were trying to show irony...Or something...The music didn't exactly reflect upon a grand, new, wonderful kind in my mind at first. Err...It felt more like one tyrant was just killed off, the people rejoiced for but a moment, only to find that someone even worse was coming to the throne. It sounded REALLY hectic, as if everyone was running around frantically like a thousand tiny ants about to be squished...Or enslaved. Either works.

But then it suddenly changed as if out of NOWHERE!...BAAM! And all of the sudden, the miserable little scene jumped far into the future (or perhaps the past) to a far, far away time of peace...joy...and prosperity...A NEW KING IS BEING THRONED!!! The key signature, the choir, the strings, and all of the instrumentation in general, all seemed to fit the tearful, joyous ceremony. The king would be a good one. Oh, yes, he was one heck of a guy! And as the crown was set upon his balding head, everyone smiled as a new age of peace lay on the horizon!...And then it looped, jumping right back to the horrible reality which was the past. (Or is it the terrible future which is doomed to come and forever torment them?) Either way, it's pretty messed up.

Musically, it was very well done. Great orchestration, loved the strings, and the mood was compelling! A lot of great sample work in there, and some nice compositional techniques seemed to be employed. Oh, and I love it, right before the major part, when the strings go crazy and "spiral" downward. The transition kind of scared me. In fact, the song completely confused and burned out my poor little noggin. But nonetheless, it was nicely executed, however much it made sense.

Wonderful job on this, you seem to have a knack for provoking really weird feelings in the listener. (As was such with "The Picture Player...) Anywho, keep it up! 10/10

You've just got fived!

Bosa responds:

Hmm... Past, Present, Future. You've given me an inspiration for something. However, I'm not saying what it is yet.

-Bosa

p.s. A smart mind you do have, friend. Thanks for the review.

[Shifting Reflections (Update!)]

So beautiful!

I have no idea why this piece has such a low score, as I without a doubt think it deserves a 5! It is very beautiful and soothing, with the kind of melody which seems to pull you into some far away, imagined world. The piano is so simple, yet so pretty.

The chords are simply wonderful, and you've got some nice transitions. I absolutely love the first melody that is at the beginning of the song. It really reflects the mood and the emotions I've been feeling lately. You've done a great job composing this, and the piano sample is really nice! The dynamics and reverb are very good as well. No complaints, except that I didn't like the fade out at the end, and I wish it would simply keep going. :PBy the way, what sound library/sample are you using?

Again, incredible job! This is beautiful. :) 5/5

Skitchstudio responds:

Thank you for the review, and I apologize for taking so long to respond:

The fade out at the end was because the original version of this was written in Reason, and was meant to be a simple looping track I was making for an independent game project that didn't go anywhere. The original samples used for the song were all based from Reason 3 (in fact, it was the default grand piano sound that Reason had).

The new updated version I've added is one that I pulled together later on, making it a fully developed solo piano song, with more sections, a real ending, and using higher quality samples to make it sound more authentic.

Thanks again for your review. :)

[Classic History Part I]

Nice job

Hmmm...Not bad. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the style, but it is pretty good. At some points the texture got a little too thick for me and it sounded a bit muddy due to how much was going on, but there were some times were it thinned out and sounded very beautiful as well.

The melodies were nice, but I didn't like the left hand/bass a lot of the time. It just didn't "flow" to my ears at times. I did like the strings a lot, especially when they began coming in really thick toward the end and the piano backed off a bit, that was cool! The ending was a bit too abrupt for my tastes though, or something like that.

Good job, this turned out nicely! 4 months of work, eh? I respect that a lot, as I can only last about three hours on a piece of music bfore losing interest and moving on to something else. You must be self-disciplined. :P Good work!

9/10 for your hard work.

[Keth Andril - Pirate Theme]

Classical?

I wouldn't consider this classical AT ALL, but that doesn't mean it's bad in any case. I like it a lot. It sounds very adventurous; it almost makes me think of an airship on some video game. As you pointed out the drums get a repetitive, and I think the piano should be more embellished whenever you use it. Make it a little more interesting. The strings are nice though and I think they are at a good volume level. Over all, good job, but this is NOT classical. ;)