BlazingDragon's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[a summer memory]

Ha! You love on those descending chromatic progressions almost as much as me! You also like borrowed chords (especially the bVI and bVII), my favorites. And the bluesy IV7 chord around :44 is a nice touch. Ooo, and a borrowed iv later on. <3

Lovely chord progression beginning on the vi at 1:16. I wish you would have improvised around those 4 chords longer. They give such nice contrast, but they also follow the style of the chromatic decension you use at the beginning of the improv. My favorite part next to that is when you repeat the main melody in a higher octave at 3:26. That's another thing I like to do!

Really nice improv. The best thing about it is that you found a melody and came back to it enough that it felt like you had a direction in mind. I'd be interested in hearing one of your really adventurous improvisations sometime. :D

I'll leave you with a fun exercise I like to spark creativity. Have someone else play four our five different random notes in a row on the piano (within an octave). Then use that set as a motif to improv around. Choose a rhythm for those notes. Try to fit harmony to them. It can be challenging, but I think it's really fun as well!

johnfn responds:

Thanks BD! You know how much I admire your improv skills... :O

I'll have to try out your improv exercise sometime. :) (I've actually been doing something similar recently, but with chords...)

[Ruination and Lament]

I like the arpeggiated segment that references Moonlight Sonata. Cool! Also, nice use of syncopation in spots.

You've got some good ideas, and I like how there is a sort of building to the section starting at 1:53. That part feels like a climax. The part going from 2:10 until the end breaks the continuity though. It feels like a totally different piece, unrelated thematically, harmonically, and emotionally. It's like the piece is building and building and then falls a bit flat, especially with how the last note is the fifth of a major tonic triad. This makes it feel unresolved but it something of a strange way.

That aside, there were many good things, and you have a pretty good sense of counterpoint (multiple melodies interacting at the same time). Work on structure/development with future piece. Make sure it sounds like you have an intentional shape to the entire piece. Be sure that you can identify where you climax is, where your point of lowest energy is, ask yourself if your transitions add or detract, etc.

The point is: be intentional and ask yourself plenty of questions. This will help you improve.

Good job. :)

kilderstret responds:

Thanks for giving this a listen, I really appreciate it! I have to mention though, that I know next to nothing about music theory, so I had to look up a few of the technical phrases you've mentioned. :P

I have noticed the ending feeling a little off, but didn't really know how to proceed with fixing it, so I just left it as it was. I'll definitely take your advice and change it up a bit, maybe scrap it for something entirely different. Transitions and breaks are definitely my weak points, as I have trouble going from one melody to the next. I do like how the part at 1:42 turned out, if I may say so myself hehe. Plus I still have to learn to use the program itself, and the functions and whatnot.

Thanks again for listening and reviewing, they definitely help! :)

[oasis village]

It sounds like a fusion of Zelda: Wind Waker and Maple Story, and that is a very good thing. :)

Your melodies are playful but relaxed. It's a simple, beautiful little tune that I could easily imagine playing at a ocean town in an adventure game.

My favorite aspect of this is how you change the texture at :38 by switching the ostinato figure to a guitar. That figure disappears entirely in favor of a guitar melody at 1:13. I feel like the reverb on the clap sounds a little like ocean tides. Nice touch!

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

johnfn responds:

I've never played Maple Story, but Wind Waker on the other hand... That game had such a warm vibe to it. The sailing theme is so uplifting.

Thanks for a new vocab word with ostinato. The switching was actually kind of an accident. I initially had the whole thing on guitar, but I found that there were some eq clashes at points, so I switched it over to the bell thing. But I thought it had a nice effect :)

Thanks for dropping by.

[Blast of colors]

Wow, this sounds so much like anime music. I love it!

This piece would sound fantastic with more instrumentation. All those fast, repeated block chords in the piano could be replaced with or doubled by strings. A smooth electric bass would add so much warmth. A driving, syncopated drum-set part with some intricate cymbal work with propel the song forward rhythmically. Maybe some cool, mellow pads would add to the atmosphere...Oh, and rhythm guitar!

Anywho, this piece has some really nice chord progressions and melodies. I think the biggest problem is that it meanders quite a bit, wandering around in certain spots without a feeling of direction. Repeating specific melodic ideas and embellishing/developing them would help solve this.

Really nice. You've got talent! :D

Lumina33 responds:

thank you so much for your review!!! :D
Well, I've got a little problem... I have a piano with 8 instruments: 2 piano sounds, one electronic piano, a strings sound, a harpsichord, a church organ, and a voice sound. No drum, no guitar. That's the only thing I have xD I also have a violin, wich I recorded twice, in "forgotte love" and "the carousel of old times" (two other songs) So.. Yeah. That's not very much. I hope that one day, when I'll be older, I'll have the possibility to play more instruments and to learn how to use programs to make music. Thanks so much!! :D

[Cellomaster]

If you want to deal with the ringing, try using an equalizer to lower the volume of that frequency. It's takes a lot of practice, and I'm quite bad at it myself, but learning to EQ can really help you sculpt sounds the way you want.

If you want to go even further in realism, play with tempo changes. Slow down slightly toward the end of phrases. Try decaying the volume toward the end of sustained notes. I think you did that around :30 and it sounded nice.

Nice job! :)

Krichotomy responds:

Yes, I actually did all of those things, but not very effectively. The whole reason I made this is to practice creating emotional impact with tempo changes, volume changes, choice of note lengths, and pitch bending. I love practicing these things on my violin, where it is more intuitive, but the violin is about a thousand miles away right now.

Thanks. :)

[Jazzebass]

I love the vibe of this track. The rhythm guitar is really tasty and adds color to the track. My main complaint is that the percussion feels pretty one-dimensional to me. Some velocity tweaking would do much good.

It's a short track, but I like it. :)

Cyberdevil responds:

Glad you like it! As for the shortness, it's so that it doesn't take much space and is easy to use in Flash, interfaces etc, it should loop too. Most of my old tracks were made to be used for Flash production. Thanks for the feedback! I'll return the favor soon!

[Fisherman's Fantasy]

-There are a couple of piano notes that poke through the texture too loudly. Dynamics are great, but it might be good to go through the velocities and pull down anything that sticks out too much. The melody at :38 is an example. Notes often get quieter toward the end of a phrase, but that one really aggressively jumps out.
-The introductions of the strings and winds were very smooth and subtle. Nice!
-The transition halfway through was pretty poor. Okay, it was nonexistent. Maybe a cymbal swell and/or drum fill would have helped?
-I do like how you used similar chord progressions in both the first and second half (that VI, VII, I idea). That helped make the two halves sound somewhat related.
-I think the vocals could use more clarity, partly by coming up in the mix a bit, and perhaps by having less reverb than the surrounding instruments so that they sound closer? Mixing is a weakness of mine, so take this with a grain of salt.
-I couldn't understand the lyrics at all except that I read them. I do like the lyrics, though.
-Nice guitar run at 2:45!

I can appreciate what you are trying to do, but the two halves of this song sound really disjointed. I think that if you would have lyrics in the first half, and then contrasting lyrics in the second half, the words would help justify a change in the underlying music and would also serve as a common thread linking the two parts together. Just an idea.

Nice work on this though, and good luck in the contest! :)

SourJovis responds:

Yeah it happens really quickly you hit certain notes harder than others on a piano. I'm not the best player either. Perhaps it's also because of the samples (it's not a live piano), that might be a bit of a too large difference between the loud and soft notes. I'm usually not too fond of going back to change things though. I don't know where to draw the line between making it perfect or keeping it human. I think I will keep it as it is including its imperfections to retain the emotion. Maybe I'll play it better one day, but this already took me too many takes. Some better pianist than me should play it. Someone else can do the vocals as well. If someone has a better voice than me I won't have to use so many effects to make it sound passable or muffle it away. I will make it come out clearer then. Lyrics for the first part isn't a bad idea. Not sure if I'm actually going to do that though. I'll have to think about what to improve. Maybe I will have the guitars and the sea noise cross fade, and have the guitars start off with more reverb so they sound distant and get closer.

[-La Pura Vida-Salsa NGADM]

My knowledge of latin music is very limited (nonexistent), but I really dig this track! Great chord progressions, riffs, brass hits, percussions, and piano work.

Couple additional thoughts:
-I feel like the piano could come up in volume and those brass hits could come down a bit.
-I wish the piano had more of a 'bite' to it. Maybe a bright piano would lend itself to this style better?
-Really nice guitar and piano solos. The guitar sliding at 1:55 is a nice touch.
-Great ending. Very James Bond. ;)

I can't wait to hear your next piece! I hope you make it far in this contest.

SoundChris responds:

Hey there! Thanks a lot for reviewing my piece! I decided to lower the pianos volume because i thought in a real concert it would also sound a little bit lower - maybe i am wrong :D The most important thing is, that you are the second person now who really notices my intention to make the ending james bond like - makes me really glad!

Best luck for the contest my friend - i am sure you WILL make it far there! Curious what you are composing next :D

[Temple Distraught]

Really interesting rhythmic interplay you have going on here. I'm counting this as being in 5/4, or at least some sort of asymmetrical meter. Is that right? If it is in 5, I like how the snare accents an unusual pattern with syncopation. I've never heard 5 being played out quite like that. Kudos on the rhythmic originality!

That said, here are some other opinions.

-The choir(?) could come up in volume. I think it adds a nice color to the texture and would like to hear it more clearly.
-As a whole, I think this piece would benefit from more dynamics and careful velocity editing. The part starting around 1:24 feels particularly robotic, with every single hit sounding the exact same in terms of loudness. It's a cool idea rhythmically, but it sound so mechanical to me that it is unpleasant. I have a hard time distinguishing the beat pattern.
-I liked the ending very much except for the gong(?) at the very end.

Some good ideas here, but they could be executed a little better. Keep 'em coming! :)

SourJovis responds:

Thanks! It's indeed a 5/4 meter.

I finished this right before the deadline, so I thought I wasn't allowed to make any edits after that. I have made a new version though that I've uploaded as a loop. It doesn't have the gong as an ending, I didn't like that too much either. Works better as a loop. the part starting at 1:24 also has some more velocity variation. Could do with a bit more variation I guess. I can improve more on the new version. I'll take into account the things you've said. Increase the choir in volume. I think I'll add a piano and a harp as well. Thanks for the advice.

[~SW~ City of the Clouds]

This is sick! Great mixing, slick bass lines, and awesome solos. Sorry for the short review, but I wanted to say how much I enjoy this.

Added you to my favorite artists. :)

SkyeWint responds:

:D Sweet, one of my favorite artists added me to their favorite artists!

I'm glad you like it, and it's totally fine that it's short. I'm cool with that.