Troisnyx's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[-La Pura Vida-Salsa NGADM]

I'm not too familiar with Latin music, but I'm reviewing this from a jazz point of view. The first thing that stands out to me here is those chords. THOSE CHORDS. <3 Then the tempo changes range from really chill to really passionate. The piano and guitar are extremely well done.

That being said, 1:30 onwards (I think?) has the feel of salsa -- salsa is known to be very showy and fast, so I could imagine much of the part before that as the prelude to the dance.

Beautiful ending. I could just imagine one of these dance competitions where two main characters meet each other, and find out that they have a sort of chemistry together, and the results of it are unknown -- all we are left with is the thought of these two, expressing themselves. I could just imagine the camera panning up to the sky (or to the transparent roof of a building) to show a starry sky and a full moon, adding to the beauty and mystery about this piece.

I wasn't a fan of the trumpets all that much, but that was probably just me. Something more subdued perhaps? It kinda felt mid-heavy because of this, and I got a little bit of a headache -- nothing that took away my enjoyment of the piece in general, though.

This is what I get out of this piece, I guess, but it's a good sign -- I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing this with me.

4.5/5.

[HMMIII - AI Theme]

+VE:

1) The chords are simple, but effective.

2) The instrumentation is well-intended, from what I see.

3) The melody and how everything is layered together work well as a sinister-sounding theme, from possibly Portal, if given more gravitas.

-VE:
1) Not enough reverberation. The instruments sound very MIDI-ish, and fake. There's also another contributing factor to this which I will get into very shortly, which is...

2) INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENT VOLUME. Now I have been guilty of committing this same mistake in my earliest works, but so have many others. There is next to no difference in individual note volumes for each instrument. It doesn't sound like there's the touch of the Master's hand. Close, but not quite there, because it doesn't sound like it's being *played*, rather than sequenced.

3) The piece itself doesn't have enough gravitas. A little slower, a little more sombre, and possibly a bit more instrument layering? At the moment, I know what you're trying to convey, but you're not quite there yet.

4) Looping. What's with the abrupt ending? This piece would have worked beautifully as a short loop. But if you want people to have a long, enjoyable listen, go past the A minor and G minor bits, and introduce new themes, but along the same sinister lines.

tl;dr: I quite like this -- and it's crying out with potential written all over it -- but lengthen this, build up on your production skills, and give the piece a bit more gravitas.

3/5.

[Feelings]

As someone who is familiar with this song (and a pianist as well), I have to say, right off the bat, you've got really good expression with your playing.

The arrangement is short, for starters, and doesn't take into account the second verse -- "And feelings like I'd never lost you", or somesuch. That's quite a disappointment for me.

The broken chords are fine, but... try and see if you could go past that. I don't know why, but after hearing broken chord left-hand parts from so many people, I tend to associate that with those who have only played for a few years -- and the whole point of a cover, especially if it's your own, is to go past what everyone else does. That being said, you've already stated that the arrangement was by someone else.

Which leads me to the question: why don't *you* arrange this song? 'Feelings' is an amazing song when done with simplicity in the beginning, and extravagance in the choruses, building up in the verses... Because the cover doesn't have your take on the song, I can't rate it as high as I would rate an outstanding cover. I'm not here to look for someone's version of 'Feelings' which already exists and has been already covered before. I'm here to hear *yours*.

3.5/5.

Musicious responds:

Thank you very much for your review!
I'm agree, I can cover a song, but I like this version, so I want to share it with you.
Someday I will cover my one song, if I find a very nice song. :)
Thanks for your review. I will reconsider it!

[No!!!!!! (Siney's gift)]

Those drums at the beginning caught me. They sounded just amazing. <3
Then the other parts kick in, and I listen to your words -- it takes a little bit of listening to, but I'm able to figure it out. It seems a bit faded in, so a little bit more clarity is appreciated. I got the vibe of a studio jam session/small live performance from up to 1:18. That cymbal roll at 1:18 is divine, by the way.

Then when the big NO kicks in at 1:19 and all the atonal pop starts, I can tell you had fun twiddling around with this, that and the other. That guitar sounded like it was in the hands of a budding Jimi Hendrix. I am DEAD SERIOUS. Everything sounded nightmarish, but the occasional 'no' bits made it sound less of a nightmare than it felt it could be. Then again, there's a very thin line between having an atonal pop section, and outright turning it into some rock or metal smashfest. XD

I quite like what you've done in general -- I've been nitpicking here and there, but you've still made nothing less than an enjoyable track.

4.5/5.

DivoFST responds:

Yeah unfortunately i am still struggling quite a bit to properly mix my voice to make it as clear as possible....both my mic and my voice have a lot of low end so it gets really hard to find that sweet clear spot :(
Maybe a bad choice on my part to include the ongoing NO!, i wanted to maintain a remainder why the song had turned into something "horrible" and at the same time keep the connection to the first section.
"That guitar sounded like it was in the hands of a budding Jimi Hendrix" *.*
Unfortunately it was in the hands of a Divo :( xD
Thanks a lot for the detailed review Trois and good luck in your future!! :D
Cheers!!

[Five O'Clock Blues]

Having handled blues before (and even accompanied blues pieces on drums myself), I just LOVE how smooth this is. And soulful. The chords around 0:41 catch me each time. 1:08 was similar too.

There's a lot more variation as compared to traditional blues -- you'd normally expect renditions of blues pieces to have a standard structure about them with the occasional solo, but here you seem to have made another section which just flows naturally from the main sections. All in all, a very enjoyable listen.

I initially found the lead guitar a bit harsh, but it grew on me quite a bit. The vibe I'm getting here is a typical city scene -- and it fits ever so well.

5/5.

camoshark responds:

Haha, thanks Trois, glad you liked it!

[Sweet Kisses]

Breaking out the other side of me -- the trance afficionado!

This piece, right off the bat, makes me feel like I'm listening to 'The Man with the Machine Gun' from Final Fantasy VIII.

I don't quite dig the fact that the basses in the main melody sections, even 1:29, follow the melody -- I DO, however, dig the synths starting at 2:02.

1:08 onwards sounds like a trance progression, and was arguably my favourite part of this song. You had a drop, you had a gradual buildup back to the main melody, and I really liked it.

I've told this to many a person making trance music, and I've had the same lesson taught to me over and over again too -- which is why I'm about to repeat this to you:

The purpose of trance is to make the person lose himself in the music. The chords, the reverb, the percussions, the buildup, the melody, all play a part in this. Subgenres in EDM are made so that people can distinguish the kind of feel they would get from hearing a particular song. I like the idea behind this piece, but I couldn't lose myself in it.... I just couldn't. This felt more like techno or house -- and as a trance song, it does fall short.

SUGGESTIONS:

1) Have an A minor pedal point in the intro, and have the melody faded somewhere in the background, to put people into the atmosphere. Then gradually bring the drums and other synths in. (Yes, I was guilty of this before, and that's why I'm suggesting this to you now.)

2) 1:08, the drop, is the chance for you to switch things up a little bit. You've done so through instrumentation, but you could also do that through chords.

3) Your leads are quite watery, and I like that -- but a little bit more could be done with the synths from 2:02. Try, perhaps, using them in the background also? Keep them in the background, but automate them (make them get slightly louder when progressing from section to section). Trance is all about peaks and valleys, highs and lows... as all music is. But here, especially so.

4) Try switching up the bass and chords a little? If you insist on going with the melody, try keep that to one section. You've got lots of things to experiment with. You've got pedal points, where the bassline is the same but the chords switch up. You've got your standard-issue, pop-music progressions. And then you've got the drop, where you can really go wild with it.

3.5/5.

Svenzo responds:

Hmmm i think this probably would actually be HOUSE and not trance,ill change that.But yeh u got some point in ur suggestions there

[Ice Cube]

Right off the bat, I quite like the wobble in the bass, and how everything, from drums to pads, kicks in gradually. When 0:31 kicks in, the whole piece feels very quirky, I like.

0:51 was the clincher before 1:09 came in. 1:09 reminded me of, pardon the expression, a Crash Bandicoot stage. It just felt like it -- the mystery, the excitement, the quirkiness. I got an early PlayStation 2 vibe from this.

1:50 sounds like you're in the midst of ice crystals, trapped. I like.

2:06 is about the same loudness as 0:51, and 2:21 is the same loudness as 1:50.

The whole piece feels atmospheric and quirky -- and quirkiness is an up factor for me -- there's still a matter of tension, buildup and loudness to address.

SUGGESTIONS:

1) A little bit more variation would have been appreciated here between 2:06 and 2:21 -- building up tension? A very, very light saw wave or pad that sounds icy, perhaps? As you go later into the piece, imagine yourself in the heat of the dance. You don't want it to be a similar-sounding moment to a previous part of the piece -- by that point, it'll have reached the climax it ought to have reached.

2) Now let me iterate that I LOVED how the intro progressed gradually. Now the ending feels abrupt. It would, admittedly, be a bit cliché to end in the same kind of length that the intro had. But, a shorter ending with a decrescendo on the hi-hat cymbals (basically, a fade out), a fade-out on strings, and other disappearing parts, could help this ending.

4.5/5.

Svenzo responds:

Well i am glad you liked this.ofcourse repetitiveness again,maybe im just too lazy lol but yeh i might work on that a lil more

[Sacred China]

The dizi and erhu are well-placed in the beginning. 29 seconds of similarity does get a bit tiring on the ears though.

From 0:29 I hear some change in the chords, which I very much enjoy.

From that point on, there's quite a bit of variety added in the chords, the percussion (1:28!), and the (synth?). 1:28 particularly sounded like a chilled bit, but a little bit of toning down would have been much appreciated.

As an ambient track, it was fairly simple, and could possibly be looped -- but I can't say it does stand out among other ambient tracks of a similar nature. Perhaps a little more could be done?

SUGGESTIONS:

1) Now I know this is an old piece to listen to, and not the best example, but you can always take the good in other pieces, and use it for your own. The song I am thinking of is a techno song, 'Butterfly' by Smile. There's a string arpeggio in the intro, accompanied by a koto (you've got a Chinese equivalent to match).

I know the intention of your piece is meant to be chill and it does the job alright, but I suggest listening out for things that would make your ambient pieces more atmospheric. At the moment it sounds like typical office music with a little bit of Chinese flair. And reason why I am finicky with this is because I hear that music on TV nearly all the time....... and I want something different from what we normally hear.

2) Possible volume automation, this time? I'm talking in parts like the introduction, where you've had 29 seconds of similarity before some difference kicks in. Also, I'm suggesting automation so that the drums may kick in gradually, rather than suddenly. I'd like to be put at ease with a chill track, and oftentimes bringing in something gradually is the best bet.

3.5/5.

NB: The World category often suggests something otherworldly, exotic, or even culturally different. Where this is blended with Ambient, take care to not make your tracks sound samey.

Svenzo responds:

repetitiveness is a recurring thing in my tracks,but i make songs always more in electronic chill house way,so suposed to be repeating,i like it that way.In this style i dotn want too many different melodies and chords.

[Gregorian Chants]

I have the same complaint for this as I have for Gregorian Sadness. This time, however, I fully recognise the plainchant that you sampled. It is the Orbis Factor setting of 'Kyrie eleison', which translates to 'Lord, Have Mercy'. As the title, key and notes of the plainchant suggest.... THAT ONE is meant to be sad and plaintive.

Also, the sampling didn't go quite right -- you started off sampling it in the right key, D# minor, but then within just a few seconds, your music was in D# minor while the singing was in D minor. Ouch. >_<

There's not much volume control in the instruments that you've used, and your chords don't vary here either. And your background does nothing to bring out the sadness of the piece. It doesn't sound half as ambient as when you've got proper backing to bring out the actual gravity of the singing.

SUGGESTIONS, again:

1) VOLUME CONTROL FOR YOUR INSTRUMENTS PLEASE.

2) STUDY UP PLAINCHANT TYPES, LYRICS AND PURPOSES, PLEASE! I cringe listening to this, I honestly do.

3) I failed to suggest this the last time, but now I think it's due: please, PLEASE vary your chords. Or write them in a way that suggests a little bit of variation. Sometimes even three-chord pieces can be done right, but this wasn't. Learn up your inversions, and learn up some good chord progressions.

If in doubt, when using plainchant, find those with organ backing, if you can. Or stop by during a choir practice at a nearby parish that you can find, and listen in. By listening, you'll know what kind of music clicks with this kind of singing.

1.5/5.

Svenzo responds:

Uhm this is a really old song i made liek 4 years ago,this was suposed to be deleted,i dunno why its up,let me correct that

[Gregorian Sadness]

*sigh* Alright, time to set the record straight. I not only happen to be a plainchant afficionado, I sing plainchant fairly frequently, in church settings as well as at home.

For starters, the atmosphere is NOT sad at all. Plainchant has been written in a way that even the *key* would suggest wonder, joy or sadness. This plainchant that you sampled is not even sad. It evokes joy and wonder. That background you added doesn't make it sad either, it just.... spoils it.

That bassline doesn't switch anywhere past C and D. There's no variety in the bassline or even the chords, which makes it sound dull and flat.

I hear what sounds like 'Qui manducat' in the centre, i.e. around 1:45, but because it's in a completely different key to what you've got, it sours the piece even more.

You've got alright mixing -- in fact, everything seems to be well-placed between the headphones, but I don't hear much volume control for the individual instrument. There's no loud-soft; it's basically the same loudness throughout. Another minus point for this piece, because it makes it dull and flat.

Now, that you did this to a plainchant that evokes joy and wonder ALREADY ruins it for me. I've uploaded two plainchant pieces to NG myself: Qui manducat, and A Solis Ortus Cardine. The way it's sung and the key it's written in can tell a story, even if you don't understand the lyrics. Now if the chants you used were coupled with, say, orchestral strings to bring out the grandeur of the chant, great! But no.... just no.

SUGGESTIONS:
1) Practise some form of volume control for your instruments, as well as for your full piece. You want some loud-soft. You want some change of atmosphere, whether it be an ambient piece or otherwise. Peaks and valleys, highs and lows. That's what makes a great piece.

2) Look up plainchant styles before you decide to pick one apart. This one JUST DOESN'T SOUND SAD AT ALL. It just sounds completely ruined. :/ Study the lyrics, see what feel they give off, hear the key and the notes, and then see what purpose each plainchant piece was written for.

2/5.

Svenzo responds:

Ok so i get all this complaints cos it doesnt fit the TITLE? its just a title,its what i felt personally,its not somethign i really tought about much.The midddle piece vocal is kinda out of place tho,but i made this years ago so i cant change it now.

For the rest this isnt suposed to be any classical number,its called ambient CHill out music,its suposed to be chill and simple