You know, I think it's an incredible shame that you ended up in a group with one of the highest-scoring participants this round. This is super high quality stuff. The ever-present, dark, ominous feeling melds so well with the thrilling drum and bass and triplet time, creating an incredible memorable style and captivating experience. You fill that up with a suitable amount of variety, but still always remain true to your compositional style, so despite the relatively long nature of this track, it feels like one cohesive experience throughout. There are some really cool things in here like the glock or piano solos. Very good stuff.
I'm afraid I absolutely agree with TaintedLogic that I was hoping for more tension releases in this track. I always feel like your track is accumulating huge amounts of tension during parts like 1:30, but that tension is kept lingering, due to the unfortunately anticlimactic buildups and transitions you employ throughout the track. You'd have created a much more satisfying experience with more effective control of tension, in my opinion. From a mixing standpoint, this is crystal clear and well-produced, but I was hoping for a bit more low end from the drums. I also feel like some synths stick out in the mix rather unnaturally, namely 0:22's synth and its reappearance at 2:58. I get that you use it to play one of the track's underlying motifs, but the way it stands out so much compared to everything else throws the listener off a tad too much.
I consider this one of the best tracks this round. It's not a track without its flaws, but most every aspect of this track is executed so well. Brilliant job, and it's a shame we're not seeing you in Round 2.
Yeah I see what you and tainted meant, 1:50 was meant as an anticlimax as contrast to the climax at 2:14, but that climax didn't really get through the way I wanted it to. I will try to apply the feedback you all gave me in my coming tracks and you will definitely see me next year!
OK so first off I adore the atmosphere here. It's spacey, trippy, upbeat, and just a total blast to listen to. Most of your synth choices (barring some questionable ones like 1:52's lead synth) synergise wonderfully with each other. The drums are present but not overwhelming, and the pads are sidechained nicely. I also have to commend you on the the sound design earcandy you treat us to at the very end. It might have been debatable to end an upbeat track like this on such an ambient note, but I personally support that stylistic choice.
I feel like you could have had more memorable melodies to tie the track together. You spent a lot of the time relying on cool chords and sound effects to create an atmosphere, but in the end we aren't left with much to remember this song by. At 1:52 we are given one of the few prominent melodies this song has to offer, but unfortunately it isn't all that profound or memorable either. Additionally, I agree with the other reviewers below me that, firstly, the intro is a bit lame in that it jumps right into the track without a proper introduction, and secondly, that the transition at 0:29 is pretty abrupt and off-putting.
There is some stuff to iron out, but otherwise it was a pleasure to listen to some more of Birdinator's standard-issue oddly likeable eccentricity. Thanks for taking part in the NGADM again this year!
Look Step, I'm responding and it's Februaryyyyyyyyyyy
1:52 is an organ, unless you mean the creepy synth in the background. I don't mind questionable, as long as it's not offensive, haha. Glad you like the sidechaining.
Interesting that you support the ending. In retrospect it really just comes out of nowhere (much like most of this song), so your comment encourages me to keep experimenting with weird parts like that. The very strangely designed synth is not of my own creation, I'm afraid. It's what helped shape the mood of the ending, though -- I really wanted to use it in some way.
Valid points on melodies and the intro. They are the weak parts of the track for sure, but I will defend 0:29 to the death, haha. I STILL think that shit's cool. I know, right?
Thanks for taking a look at this, Step, and for continuing to host and organize awesome events like NGADM. Cheers!
It is such a shame to see you go. You were one of the top scoring losers in the contest, and if you weren't in a group with such high overall scores you may very well have made it to the second round, so you could treat us with another gorgeous piece of music like this one is. There's a certain sense of maturity in this piece that makes it captivating, enjoyable and unforgettable. You have a masterful sense of melody.
Honestly, my main issue with this is something that may have already been implied; you played it too safe! For a piece with just two main instruments and a whole four minutes worth of content, I was hoping to hear significant changes in texture, mood, etc, or perhaps modulations, tasteful use of dissonance, or changes in tempo/rhythm. Even the ending was a bit of a cop-out, I felt, with an arpeggio into a simple tonic major chord. You wanted to reflect a journey/process with this track, but I felt like you didn't explore enough places for that.
Anyhow, this is still an emotional masterpiece. I love what you did with it, and while I personally feel like you played it a bit too safe, that isn't necessarily a wrong thing anyway. Brilliant work, and if we do another contest next year I hope to see you then!
Thanks man, your words mean a lot! specially your praising for my sense of melody , thanks! :D
Oh yes, I'll work in making cool changes in my pieces so that they have a nice flow and variety in them :D
Yeees, please let me know when you make another contest! I'll be checking the forum from time to time too XD
I have been itching to review this one. God, you really outdid yourself. I liked your other music but admittedly never regarded it as music that could win a whole contest. On 24th August, 2015, the day I listened to this track for the first time, you, my friend, blew me away, and I'm happy to say that you totally changed that mindset of mine. This is one of the strongest tracks of this round and it's a damn shame you didn't make it through, but I'm going to leave a nice, juicy, long review to make up for it, and explain exactly what I loved and didn't quite like. Here we go.
So, what I absolutely must commend you on is your brilliant creativity. This is boldly unique, catchy and chock full of really neat ideas that find a cosy place in the listener's head and stick right there for weeks to come (can confirm). There are so many cool things here, and I certainly can't even begin to list them all.
My definite favourite, and a crowd favourite as it would seem, is 1:29's switch to triplet time. And man, you don't even instantly play your main hook, despite making such a drastic rhythmic change. That's a temptation I would've probably fallen for, but nope, you play it cool and throw in a sweet synth solo. THEN, at 1:52, after teasing us for about half a minute, you finally treat us to your primary tune, adapted to your newfound triplet tempo of course, and it sounds so good. Brilliant!
Then you decide to explore half time, playing your hook in yet another new rhythmic setting and with some likeable synth noodling. That's another clear sign of solid musicianship and great ideas. Finally, at the end, you bring us back to 1:52's pace, but adding more synths and melodies on top of everything to emphasise the climactic nature of the ending, and wrapping everything up with a nice bow (or velcro, even).
I could spend all day praising this track, but I think explaining why I gave you a 9 and not a 10 will be of more use than you. So, basically, while I love your composition and ideas, your sounds and overall sound design... eh, they could use some work. Some of the synths are really cheesy, especially the ones in the intro (which REALLY didn't give me a good impression of the track at the start). You have some really cool lead synths with an enjoyable VGM style to them, though, so it's not all bad. Plus, crystal clear mixing with punchy drums and decent levelling!
So really, what deducted a point was some of the sounds you used. Oh, and I also feel like you could've had a stronger, more hyped-up buildup to the last part, but that's a small thing. Otherwise, this is incredulously catchy, fun, and universally likeable. Thanks for such a killer track, and you absolutely must keep it up!
=> you don't even instantly play your main hook =>
I guess my mind went 'I've just played the main melody, why would I play it again so soon?' :P Variation and maintaining interest was definitely a big part of my decision-making in this song!
=> primary tune, adapted to triplet tempo =>
I really wish I could say that I wrote the hook in triplet time first, since it sounds so much better than the one in non-triplet time, but it sort of all evolved from that first melody at 0:31. Glad you liked the tripleted version of it!
=> likeable synth noodling =>
Thanks, Step. Now I'm hungry.
=> (or velcro, even) =>
;)
=> sounds and overall sound design =>
You and johnfn are just two peas in a pod, aren't you? Cheesiness is my bread and butter! But yeah, sound design is something I definitely need to work on. Interestingly, I also got some critical feedback on the opening bells, which I really should've changed. I arrogantly kept them in, and I guess I paid the price. :P
=> stronger, more hyped-up buildup =>
I really regret not going for that now! I remember thinking that I ought to add something to make it even more climactic, but it was so packed with synths already that I didn't want to disturb the mixing! :D (also, it was like 3 am and I had to submit it during school the next day so that was basically the last time I would have to do any actual work on it)
Thanks so much for the entire review! And thanks a lot for letting me be a part of the NGADM. It's certainly taught me a ton about how to write better music, from the reviews of my song and from everyone else's music too! If there's anything you ever need for the NGADM, I'm ready and willing to help out. :D
Now here's an interesting track. Sure, I do have some qualms with your mixing and sound choices, but there's a certain spacey and unique characteristic to this track's overall sound that makes it a pretty unforgettable listening experience. That's a very precious thing to have in a track, and something which I certainly commend you for. I enjoyed listening to the atmosphere you crafted and the lovely chord progression.
Unfortunately, your mix leaves a lot to improve on. It sounds cluttered, and by the time the drums come in my ears don't know what to focus on. I also feel like the buildup to the "drop" (for lack of a better word, but I hate using that word lol) could have been more exciting. A generic dance-music-style snare roll buildup does not do it justice. One more composition-related point I want to make is that this could have done with a more clear, definable melody.
Finally, on a smaller note, the song is way too quiet. I took a peep at the waveform and saw 8 decibels of headroom on an otherwise fairly compressed waveform, and I'm just left wondering why that's the case haha. Normalising it would've taken all of a second and you'd have a louder and more eye-catching (ear-catching?) track straight away.
While this isn't a perfect track by any means, I feel like it's one of the most unique in this round, and I still enjoyed it. Bravo, and I hope to hear more of your music in the future!
Heya. Just dropping by to say that I am absolutely blown away by how much you've improved since the last time I heard your music. Like, holy crap. You always had solid composition so not much has changed in that department, but now you actually have the production value and sound design to do it justice!
This is really *really* great. 9.9/10... -0.1 for the terrible and overused song name. Good luck in the NGADM, and I hope you make it through the auditions.
Haha thanks, I'm flattered. The song name reflects a bit of what I was actually feeling when I made it, and to this day I feel like it really was one of the best names for this (most of my song names are just random words).
This is probably one of those outlier songs (I'm sure you know what I mean), but I hope that for the sake of this contest, I'll be able to outdo it.
Thanks for the review! So glad to hear you liked it :)
You know, for a first song, this is actually very impressive. I mean, I still think you have a while to go and plenty of room to improve, but if you're not lying when you say that this is your first song, then wow, honestly. This has a certain standard of musicality and production that I wouldn't expect from an absolute novice, so great job on that front.
One thing I particularly like about this is that the sounds you use are actually quite pleasant. I also like how you sufficiently fill out the mix. You've got a lead synth, an accompanying synth, multiple basses, and drums, and you keep a commendably steady grip on the volume balancing, such that nothing needlessly overpowers the mix. Great stuff!
In terms of composition, you have a fairly catchy hook, and good harmonies, if a little simple. However, over here I need to point out that, while the melody is alright, it's nothing particularly mind-blowing, and the only reason it's catchy is because it's repeated very often. When the melody is not being repeated, there's mostly uninteresting filler (0:56 and 2:04, for example).
This brings me to my next point that this track unfortunately does not have enough content to warrant three minutes. Things that can help break the monotony are changes in dynamic, buildups, alternate/counter melodies, new sounds, instrument solos, and a plethora of other different approaches.
Apart from that, there's also the fact that a lot of the sounds here seem pretty unprocessed to me. I'd love to hear some cool effects like filters, sidechaining, chorus, distortion, etc. Even more rudimentary effects like reverb, EQ and delay could do wonders here. Still, I don't know how much technical knowledge you have of your music software at the moment so what I said might all sound like mumbo jumbo to you for now. If so, definitely look into those effects I mentioned, and like I said above, work on adding more variety to the composition, sounds and mood of your music.
Still, what you've got here is a very impressive first song. I am very pleasantly surprised by the level of quality you've reached already. Keep at it, and hit me up if you need help with anything!
This isn't actually my FIRST song to be honest. It's my second. I made another one using the free version of Studio One, when I was just getting used to it. It was even more plain than this one (since I used the free software) and I didn't really have any plans for that one, so I deleted it. I'll make a refined version of that one when I have time for it.
But yeah, I'm not an ABSOLUTE novice. I worked on this over a few months, even though I did a lot more messing around than actually getting stuff done.
While I was exploring the music software, I did acknowledge some of the effects and all. Most of the stuff was kinda confusing when I tried it for the first time, but I did do a bit of basic EQing when I made this song.
I updated and remade the song a few times now. It's got a lot more effects now, but to be honest I'm not gonna add more melodies into this anytime soon. Still, I will keep everything you said in mind for my future songs. And as said before, thanks!
Gahhh, I wrote a long review for this, but for some reason it didn't post and I lost it all. OH WELL, TAKE #2.
Man, let me start by saying that, after reading your song description, I can't help but say that you remind me a lot of myself four years ago. I was in the same boat, having to figure out loads of dumb workarounds just to get a final export on my track. I was using EWQLSO on an old PC running Windows XP with a single-core CPU and 3 GB of RAM, which was an absolute nightmare, through and through. You should definitely look into upgrading Cubase, or finding a cheaper DAW (like FL) which doesn't place limitations like that on you.
Right, first order of business is the melodies and harmonies. Like in that other track of yours I reviewed a year ago, I think you did an absolutely wonderful job on both accounts. The unwavering sense of movement and 3/4 pace, coupled with the unorthodox sound palette, really make this a unique and distinct listening experience, that isn't easy to forget. With regards to composition, you don't leave much to be desired. If I had to point anything out, it'd be that you lent a little from that incredibly overused i - VI - III - VII progression, but thankfully you go places with it and use it well, so it didn't come off as generic or cheesy at all.
And wow, your instrument/sound set is just ridiculous. My prevailing thought while listening to this track was "how the hell did he think of this stuff" haha. You've got everything from an accordion to a piano to bells to weird squeaky percussion/effects, which give this a likable yet unique style. Additionally, I agree with the reviewer below me. The low quality of the real instrument samples doesn't detract from this piece at all. In fact, it arguably adds onto the obscure style you have going.
You saw this coming a mile away, but I think the primary issue with this piece is the production value. I have some good news, though; I didn't hear any clipping. Now, I'm not very good at noticing clipping, but from what I heard, you got rid of it, or at least got rid of the worst of it. As for the mix itself, it sounds too doused in reverb and lacking clarity for my tastes. It actually doesn't sound half bad at the start, but the further we get into the track, the more it seems to degrade into muddiness.
Also, the mix feels rather flat. I was hoping for it to open up at one point, but it never really did. I felt almost like I was hearing the same dynamic level for the whole track (save for the intro and outro which were suitably soft). I feel like the instruments are just squeezed together and need more space. I wanted to hear a disconnect between the foreground and background, but everything seemed to wash into each other (especially during transitions like 0:50, 1:33 and 2:00). Careful EQing and cutting down on some of the reverb can remedy this.
All in all, what you have here is an oddly relaxing, yet engaging piece, with a quirky set of instruments and some truly memorable and solid, waltz-esque composition. Enjoyed it!
Yay! Thanks a great deal for reviewing this track, not once, but twice! XD
I can relate to losing everything that you've written (or done in general) for something, and it's one of the most frustrating experiences I know of -_- Nowadays I try to remember copying everything, every now and then, but it's always the times that I forget doing so that something goes wrong D:
"I was in the same boat, having to figure out loads of dumb workarounds just to get a final export on my track."
=> Hahha, yeah. I think that many musicians, especially the ones starting out experience lots upon lots of technical difficulties and other issues while trying to work with DAWs. Or maybe that's just what I'm telling myself in order to not feel alone in this o.O
I will certainly upgrade my Cubase, probably to the latest version too. After all, it's not that expensive in the end. I'm having more trouble figuring out what VSTs I want to buy :/ I'll really have to think about what I actually need. I believe my computer will be able to handle pretty much, despite being a laptop, as it has 8 GB RAM, a decent sound card and an i7 processor. I'd like an external sound card too though. There'll always be to much I want compared to what I realistically can get XD
"...melodies and harmonies."
=> I actually wrote the composition on the piano before recreating it in Cubase, as I wanted a solid base to go on for this project. I definitely used very cliché chord progressions, mainly because I wanted to work with something simple to begin with. I tried to focus on having several different transitions too, so that I could practice automation. If I were to try to orchestrate some other piano piece of mine, like "Medley of a Shattered Mind", I'm sure I'd just destroy the composition and fail horibly :'D
In general, I think that my strong point lies in composing, and as we all know, certainly not it things like production!
"...ridiculous instrument/sound set."
=> I'm glad that you as well as many other people liked the weird intruments I used! I wanted to vary the intruments a lot, both as it keeps the different sections interesting, and because it's good practice. I grew kind of fond of the low quality instruments too, for this track at least. Sadly, you can't get away with that in every genre. Electronic stuff is pretty easy, but if you want to create somewhat good sounding orchestral pieces, great instruments would help a lot.
As I think I already told someone in the review, I might as well have thrown a dice for which instruments I would combine together (except for in the beginning, where I knew I wanted to use an accordion, bells and weird percussion). I couldn't combine any instrument though; I tried to make them harmonize (like the harmonica!) to some extent at the very least :)
"You saw this coming a mile away..."
=> Yup yup, it's also why I really wanted the help of reviewers regarding this >:D There is very little clipping left, but I've located two very minor instances while listening at a high volume, at 2:04 and 2:10. It's caused by the cymbal sound which I should've mixed better.
"As for the mix itself, it sounds too doused in reverb and lacking clarity for my tastes."
=> I must agree. I tend to overuse reverb in all my tacks, and this one is really muddy. I wanted to give it a sense of dreaminess, but I know I went far overboard. I think I should make a really dry track in the near future. All the reverb made the balancing of the different instruments far more difficult as well.
"Also, the mix feels rather flat."
=> Now that you say so, it's certainly true. Once again, part of the reason is that I started out with too high volume while mixing the track, and I couldn't really increase it too much without redoing all the automation, at least if I didn't want a lot of clipping in the track :( I should learn how to balance these things from the very start. It didn't help that I had to export half the track on beforehand and thus rendering it uneditable later.
You're also right in that the track didn't open up at any point (well, as you said, apart from the outro). I would've liked to do some kind of a breakdown at some point more in the middle of the track, perhaps right before the climax.
The instruments are definitely, so to say, squeezed together.
"I wanted to hear a disconnect between the foreground and background..."
=> That's a really good idea!
"Careful EQing and cutting down on some of the reverb can remedy this."
=> I'll think about this. In fact, I'll take all the advice you gave me to heart, and hopefully be able to implement it into future tracks of mine!! :3
Once again, thanks a million for reviewing my track! I'm truly grateful for the fact that you spent some of your time giving me tips! :')
Heed my warning, fellow musician, for my free time is limited and I am about to attempt what I never thought was within the bounds of possibility for someone of my habits - a short review. Pray for me as I enter this realm of unknown territory, with naught but my keyboard, my fingers, and, hopefully, my sanity.
So yeah I just wanted to drop by and say that I highly enjoy this little ditty of yours. It's tons of fun to listen to, and the main hook is just stupid catchy. I hope you still have the project file since you need to finish this. Some particular points I want to bring up:
- 0:12's chord change is really lovely, and I love hearing it every time it pops up in the track.
- 0:48's transition is such a brilliant idea. If I were you I'd highlight the contrast there even more, by making that break more sudden/quiet, and making the rise into the next part more exaggerated.
- Don't think I didn't notice 1:34's JohnFN Drum Fill™.
- I feel like you could've been a bit more creative with your intro. It kind of jumps right into the meat of the track with that catchy hook, and by the time 0:48 comes in, it already sounds like you've milked it a little. If I were you I'd add a few clever variations before 0:32 comes in, and make 0:32 more of a buildup into 0:48.
- Mix is pretty balanced, but a little flat and lacking the punch I usually enjoy in your tracks.
k thats everything dont forget to finish this byeee.
Damnnn, this is a really pleasant piece of music. I'm going through a pretty stressful time right now, full of work, and this is PRECISELY what I needed haha.
The composition is absolutely LOVELY. The first ten notes are indeed wonderful (props to Anthrogh) but you develop it well, especially at around 0:33 with that chord progression. You even end it perfectly. I mean, there isn't much in terms of composition considering you don't even reach a minute, but you make very good use of that minute. I also quite like the harp you're using. It's quite full-bodied and has a pleasant sound. What did you use?
Now for why I really came here - to talk about the note velocity/tempo editing. I honestly think the effort you took to tweak the fine details of the track was worth it. It shows, because the piece is infinitely more dynamic and expressive. There are some really nice touches like slowing down a little before the chord at 0:09, or slowing down for the ending. I'm curious why you didn't use softer notes that much though - there is a range of note volumes here but it's from, say, mezzo forte to fortissimo, rather than a more expansive range. I also think the pause around ten seconds in should be a bit longer.
I definitely think you did a very solid job on this. One little tip - I find that for solo passages like these, playing them with a MIDI keyboard (if you have one) with the metronome turned off (and some intentional rubato) helps a lot. Even if you make a whole bunch of mistakes, you can easily fix them afterwards in the piano roll. I've taken to recording nearly all my solo pieces on my MIDI keyboard now and editing them heavily later. Give that a shot if you have a MIDI keyboard and haven't tried it already!
The harp is a soundfont called "Beauty's Harp". I got it for free, but the sheer quality of it makes me think it /must/ not be a free soundfont, so I've searched for it to buy it, but I can't find it. You never know with soundfonts, haha.
I think you prefer a wider note volume range than I do. One thing that bothers me in classical music is just how much the volume of the pieces vary throughout. First I can't hear them, then they're blasting my face off with brass... haha. Anyway, this piece might sound better with a wider note volume range - I'll be sure to try it out some time. I completely agree that a longer pause would have been better.
I have an old midi keyboard but the keys have no dynamics and there is no pedal support. It's quite difficult to play emotionally since all notes come out sounding the same. "Buy a better midi keyboard" is on my list of things to do whenever I get a stable job.
Thanks for the review. You always help to sharpen my critical eye.
Hey! My name's Stephan Wells, and I'm a musician, mixing engineer, programmer, proofreader, gamer, aspiring game developer, audio moderator, and former host of the NGADM. Thanks to Youkos for the user image and profile icon!
Caliginous Newcomer 
Dive In (NGADM '15) 
A Droplet of Imagination (Original) 
The Last Dance 
Opus Pegasus 
