Gravey's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Revolution!!!]

Wow!!!

Normally I leave really long and thought out reviews. Because I believe a critical and honest well thought out review is so beneficial to the composer. But there is nothing I could say to make this any better.

Simply epic sir!

5/5 and 10/10 overall.

This has been favorited!

-Gravey-

blackattackbitch responds:

Glad you liked it, this is one of my older works too, back when I used to use an euphonium sample on damn near every song I composed lol. Hell, this is back when my drum library sucked and my dynamics were horrible lol.

I really need to return to this, since this is by far my greatest unfinished work.

Thanks for the review man, thanks for adding me to your favs!

[{B.A.B.} Cumulonimbus ~WIP~]

Kickass...

I like the whole concept.

I think that in the beginning you should use a different instrument than the strings (Or are they trumpets?) for that furious intro. It sounds almost 8-bit style, and unless you are going for that sound it kinda takes away from the rest of the piece.

I like the whole composition a lot. Everything really feeds off each other. I wish I could find some effing brass and percussion sounds like you have. Good god those sections are simply epic.

I like the furious tone this has throughout. It really creates a great visualization when you read your comments. Other than the strings that going insane, I like this a lot. I just think it should be a bit longer.

5/5 and 9/10 overall. Very nice work here!

-Gravey-

blackattackbitch responds:

You don't like the strings? Hmm, I thought that was what was driving the whole storm feeling, that's supposed to symbolize the wind, whipping around, and those are damn good samples compared to my other ones too. Oh well, cuz I can't change this section now because of a computer failure, so I guess I'll just have to make up for it in the rest of the song.

And if you want to know where I get my samples, send me a PM. Don't worry, it's not illegal stuffs, actually it's all freeware and demo stuff, believe it or not!

Thanks for the indepth review man. Peace!

[track 1.]

Interesting...

It really does have an ambient feel to it. Although, I'm not really fond of the overall sound in the intro, it sounds very nice when everything else picks up.

I LOVE the piano. So simple, yet so elegant. Being a pianist myself, I am more than slightly biased to the piano in almost all songs. :-)

I like the mix of instruments and effects you have going on. Very nifty touch indeed. I think you should lean a little more on the instrument side, rather than the effects side personally. But that is just me.

I really like the reverb on the drums. Typically I am all about punchy drums, and hate reverb of any sort on them. But it really fits this tune well to have reverb on them.

I think you should have a bass of some sort in the mix. I really didn't hear any. So maybe add something with a very soft attack. And give it a nice rich fat sound. Not punchy at all, but rather thick and smooth. I think it would really add a new dimension to this song.

4/5 and 8/10 overall. A good song, but not quite great yet. :-)

Best of luck on future projects bud!

-Gravey-

John-Gaden responds:

Thanks for the review, I really enjoy critical reviews from other musicians. :)

About the bass, it's there, but only in the really low frequencies. If I turn off my sub woofer I don't hear /any/ of the bass, which in retrospect is a problem I should've addressed before considering this done.

Thanks again, I'll be sure to check out some of your music. :)

[Constellations and Snowflakes]

Interesting...

I like the idea behind it. I do think it could be improved in a lot of ways personally.

Maybe add a quiet, yet rich bassline. Something full and robust, and that has a very soft attack. And keep it low in the mix. I think it would really add a new dimension to this piece.

Also, changing the melody instrument here and there is always a good idea. Although, I do love the main instrument you are using in this song. It has a very interesting timbre.

You should add some piano to it as well. To emphasize the chords. I would really like to hear what that sounds like.

It is really short. You should triple the length, at the least. It is far to short.

But this is not a half bad little tune. Despite how short and simple it is.

3/5 and 6/10 overall. Nice work here.

Best of luck on future projects bud.

-Gravey-

a22 responds:

Yeah I agree with your review when I look at this song in retrospec, thanks for reviewing. The lead synth is kinda blocking some of the stuff like the bassline with it's volume. Here's a link to a midi where the problem isn't present if you want to take a listen: http://koti.mbnet.fi/a22/constellatio ns.mid (remove the space)

[Omega- Song in A Minor]

Niiiiice...

Being a pianist myself, I am definitely drawn to songs like this one. Now my only question is, can you play it for real? Because if so, then that would really make me smile. :-)

As for the piece itself, it is pretty nice. I like the intricate melody lines. But I think the constant runs can become cumbersome after a while. I do like it when the left hand does a run every now and then. Help to break up the monotony of it.

The chord structure is nicely written. Although it is not extremely complicated, it is good. I would add some other instruments to it as well. But that is just m. It is still pretty nice as it is.

You should throw some heavier reverb on it in my opinion. That would give it a little more flavor as a whole.

4/5 and 9/10 overall. Nice work here.

-Gravey-

Dude09 responds:

Hey, thanks for the review. The reverb, yeah I use sibelius, cant happen. Two, i wish I could play this, but sadly i cant. Three thanks again for the great review =D

[MH16: Hopes And Dreams]

Cool...

I like it a lot. You have a nice balance with all the instruments. Very nice job mixing overall. And the melody lines are really interesting.

I like the choice of flute as for the melody lines. It has a very nice sound to it overall, and really creates a nice point of focus for the song. You might think about changing it to an oboe in one or two sections for a dramatic effect. Just an idea.

I like the harmonies created with the strings. You did well to create a nice and warm atmosphere with them. I personally think you could put some larger reverb on the strings. Maybe make them sound like they are in a cathedral or something. It might work, might not. Just a thought.

The one thing I don't like is the drums. It sound like you used a typical drum kit from a rock band. The exception being the concert bass drum you are using. It sounds good. But the rest really sounds like a kit, and I'm not really fond of that in these types of songs. Seems a little to classical for a regular old drum kit.

You might think about a french horn line somewhere. If there is one thing I've learned about composing, it's that you can never go wrong with a french horn in the mix. By far the most beautiful sounding instrument in the world. I think it would add some nice color to this song.

4/5 and 8/10 overall. I really like it a lot, but I do think it has a kink or two to work out.

Great job here bud!

-Gravey-

FairSquare responds:

Thanks for this review!
It's critical, but very honest and helpful :-)
I'll try to do those things you said, but tomorrow. I'm going to sleep now :P

MH16

[Golden Age]

One More To Add...

Tokolos pretty much said it all. Except I have one thing to add to his critique. You need a low cutoff filter on the acoustic. Get rid of the low warbly sound. Other than that, I have nothing to add to what Tokolos has already said.

3/5 and 6/10 overall.

-Gravey-

Theledge93 responds:

i would change it, but i have no idea what you are talking about. is there a portion of the song that this is the most apparent? because i honestly don't see a problem with the acoustic.

[MH16: Rage!]

WHOA!!!

I like it a lot! It has a cool groove to it man! And the guitar is bitchin'!

There are a few things I think you could tweak. The percussion is kinda weak. You should really compress the fuck out of the kick. And then raise it a bit in the mix. That would really help a lot.

The cymbal crashes seem to be distorting a bit in places. Not sure what is going on there, but you might want to work on them a bit. Because their sound isn't tight.

Also, you should vary your beats a bit more. Pretty standard and straightforward, which is ok. But you should change it up throughout the song to keep it interesting for the listener.

The bass is pretty standard sounding. It sounds kinda like it is from a pc generator. It doesn't truly real, which kinda dampens the effect it has on the song.

The electric guitar is awesome! The riff at 1:14 is fucking awesome man! Simple as can be, yet grooooooooooooooooooovy! Love that section.

As for the structure of the song, I think you could add stuff both vertically and horizontally. Maybe add another instrument or two throughout the song. And definitely add another section or two. Maybe another verse, chorus, or a bridge even. It definitely should be longer.

Overall though, this is a kickin' tune man!

4/5 and 8/10 overall. I liked this a whole fucking lot man!

Nice work bud!

-Gravey-

FairSquare responds:

Thanks for this helpful review!
Maybe i'll get back to this song someday and do what you just said, but i'm currently working on a song as you can read on my userpage :D
Again, thanks for this review!

MH16

[MH16: Still No Inspiration]

Interesting...

I agree, the melody line is awesome! Really like it a lot! The harmonies are decent, but are a little to repetitious. Maybe change up the bouncing chord structure in the left hand.

I like it when the strings and winds kick in. It creates a very nice, rich, and full sound. I think it is a little lacking in the low end though. Maybe add a bass line, or raise whatever bass you might already have in it. But as it is, I really couldn't hear any bass at all.

It could be a bit longer as well. Pretty short for a song. Perfect length for a loop. Maybe you should turn it into a loop instead. Because this would be an awesome loop for a video game. That is my opinion anyways. :-)

4/5 and 8/10 overall. Nice job here bud!

-Gravey-

FairSquare responds:

Thanks! :D

[Old Mountain Lake]

Very Nice...

This is very soothing and mellow. I like how you have created an almost distant feeling with the guitar.

I like your picking style. It is different than the stuff I'm used to hearing. I like the harmonies that flow along with the melody lines. Very nice overall feel and effect you have going.

Like I've said before though, this could really use some percussion. Congas really come to mind. A lighter drum feel, but with some flavor. You REALLY should add some congas to it. Whether they be recorded live or just a sound font you find somewhere. I really think that is the one missing piece from most of your songs.

4/5 and 9/10 overall. It just needs a little something more to get a full 10/10 for me.

Great work bud. And best of luck on your future projects!

-Gravey-

Boux responds:

Thanks alot again for your thoughts, yeah im no percussionist : ) sometimes i tap on the guitar while i play but thats the only percussion in my tunes, id love to add some beat. What program are you using for all the effects and percussion?
Yeah its quite different from what i've heard too, dont know how i came up with this style.

Its tune D,A,D,G,A,D if anyone needs to know.