Gravey's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Reason For Living Preview]

:-)

It sounds like it could turn out to be something very nice. I think the velocity on the arpeggiating strings feels a bit odd. I think they are emphasizing some odd notes in their pattern. Maybe rethink that a bit, but they do sound nice overall.

I like how it is building up with the legato strings and brass. It has a nice fat sound, which lends itself to building nicely. I'm excited to hear the final product my friend. :-)

3/4 and 5/10 overall. As always I'll wait to hear the final product in order to give a real score.

-Gravey-

Theledge93 responds:

I fixed the Strings, and i'm thinking about adding a guitar solo in after the demo ends. with the right distortion it would sound kickass. of course id be the one playing it :)

[Hardstyle Preview 2 (Check it)]

Well...

Some things to consider. First off, the dj vocals annoy the crap out of me. I get the idea, but I've just never thought they made any real sense in a song that isn't being pushed live by a dj in a club. In this sort of situation I just wouldn't use them, then when it is being played live with a crowd I would use the version with the vocals. But that is just me, a lot of the kiddies here really like them, and this isn't my real strong genre so I can't be the final judge and jury really.

The song itself is redundant to be honest. I think you have some very good melody lines that fit the genre well, at least from what I know of hardstyle music. I do think there could be more done with it though. Vary it later on in the song and switch up the synths using it in order to keep some interest in the song. Because these are made to dance to, but lets be real for a second. Nobody is going to be in a club dancing to this when listening on Newgrounds. So that being said, I would change up the version for Newgrounds from the live version a bit to keep it more interesting for the listener.

The percussion has a nice tone to it, but I think you could do more with it. Like they really sit in one place the entire song. You could add filters, flangers, choruses, delays, glitches, anything really to add some spice to the percussion. As they are now they are great samples, but they don't do anything but pound my temple over and over again.

Also, what is that synth that is playing one long note? It sounds almost like a car screeching to a stop in a weird sort of way. I think it has a place in the song, just not such a prominent one. :-P

What I mean by this is you need to introduce some new sounds to the overall mix, which would let you not rely on that screeching sound to hit on every other down beat. There is a lot of room in the mix for new sounds and synth, so don't be shy bud.

I think as it is it is a good foundation for something that could turn out well. So for a WIP its not bad at all. But it definitely needs some love in order to get it ready for the clubs. :-P

3/5 and 5/10 overall. All WIPs get this score from me. I reserve final judgment for when the song is finished.

-Gravey-

ShadowsOfLight responds:

As usual I love the bold and blunt force trauma to my music that is Gravey :) Haha thanks again mate. Your reviews really help me out!

[S.r.: Sand Ruin [rmx] [wip]]

Interesting...

I don't know the original song, which is a good thing. Means I'm focusing more on your actual work than what its "supposed" to sound like. ;-)

Well for starters, this is a good foundation. Like you have a cool melody line and a nifty little sounding synth playing it. Also you have a solid base for your percussion, which should make it easy to expand on. Here is where I would go from here...

First off I would add percussion. I would get some unique percussion packs online somewhere, be it freeware or something that you bought, it doesn't matter. You seem to need some better percussion samples so you can expand your sound a bit. Either that or create your own percussion samples like my one buddy does. Granted that takes more work, but you get the exact sound you want from them every time.

Once you get some new percussion samples, or create your own you can start creating new rhythms with them. What you have is pretty straight forward and bland. I would work on adding some sort of glitch effects to the percussion if it were me, that would give it some life for sure.

Moving on I would add some layers to the melody line here and there. During some sections I would have it layered heavily and in others I would drop a lot of the layers out so that main synth can just shine through on its own. Adding some filter effects would probably make the kiddies here on Newgrounds swoon, it always does really. I personally don't like them a whole lot anymore because so many people overuse them, but when applied sparingly and in the right places they can create great tonal changes to your song.

Also I would add some sort of harmony lines. A great way to do this would be to add a piano to the mix. Pianos go with nearly anything really, so adding one to a mix is super duper simple. You could create some rolling chords above the melody line with some thick hall reverb, or even have them in that middle range right below the synths frequency sweet spot but still above that "bass" frequency range.

And speaking of the bass frequency range, add a synth bass to this. It would be super easy to do and would fatten up the tone immensely. Really, there are two things a song can almost always use, a piano and a bass of some sort. This has neither, so add both and you shall see immediate improvements. ;-)

Lastly, I would lengthen this a bit in order to give it some more variety. Add some more sections that maybe have some call and response phrases in them. That would make it sort of easy to write and would help to fill up some space. It would also create some unique variety with the song that is lacking.

Hmmmm...I think that should be enough to keep you busy for a while. Best of luck bud. I'll reserve my true judgment for when this song is finished. Therefore you get a middle of the road score for now.

3/5 and 5/10 overall.

-Gravey-

jbarnett responds:

I thank you many times for the help and I will get to work on this as soon as I can. :)

[Hardstyle (Critisize Me :D)]

Haha!!!

Oh you kids and your hardstyle! You know what this needs now? Noizekick! If you don't know what that is, go DL sylenth. It's every nooby Newgrounds hardstyle artist's dream. :-P

In all seriousness though, this makes me smile just due to its simplicity. Its not a badly mixed and over compressed mash of a billion synths vying for my attention constantly. It's actually kinda cool in terms of background music for a flash game/video. The vocals might create some issues with that, but the music itself would be nice background for something I'm sure.

Not a lot in this one, but to be honest that is a nice surprise. For once I don't have way to much thrashing on my ears. I can appreciate that for sure.

4/5 and 8/10 overall.

-Gravey-

ShadowsOfLight responds:

Ah yes, I think "Simple Hardstyle" is better than normal. I agree, hardstyle demands a lot of attention and it's easier to listen in a simple form :)

[Paparazzi - Dirty Mix]

Hee Hee...

This is nifty if you ask me. Granted I wouldn't throw it in my faves, but at the same time this is enjoyable.

I'm not sure how the rhythm could be considered "silly." It's a pretty straight forward pop rhythm really, maybe with a little bit of house influence in it.

I think there are good things about this song, but there are some iffy things. I think you could have cleaned that bass synth a bit. I don't think it really fits the mix very well at the moment. I would go with something cleaner personally, because the lead off beat synth is dirty enough to give this song a bit of personality.

I do like it dirty at the beginning and end though. When the song starts up it sounds just fine because the mix really needs something dirty in it. But once the other synths kick in I would have changed it to something cleaner is all. Make the mix a bit cleaner.

Other than that though I really enjoyed this actually. Not my typical listening style, but a nice change a pace. Enjoyable to say the least. Nice work here bud.

5/5 and 8/10 overall. I gots to give you a 5/5 to help fend off all the zeros you just got. You got hit hard. :-/

-Gravey-

b0b3rt responds:

Thanks =)
I'm still working on this, I'll probably get an updated version up tomorrow.

[Image >Unmastered<]

What can I say...

...I love me some metal! This is great man! I am really enjoying this.

I like the riffs and the flow of the song a lot. It really melds together quite well. You have a solid mix going here with the guitars and drums for sure, which is crucial. I think you could bring out the bass in the mix a bit, cause I'm not hearing much bass at all. I think I hear it hiding in there, but I could be mistaken. :-P

Now my one major dislike was the flanger on the one guitar. I don't know why, but I personally didn't dig that in this song. That is personal opinion though, I'm sure you can take it or leave it for what it is worth easily enough. Despite that I loved this little tune quite a bit.

5/5 and 9/10 overall.

-Gravey-

mr-jazzman responds:

Thanks for the feedback broski, I always love me some feedback! =) Yeah, there was a point where I thought the flanger was a bit much. Honestly, I was working with a new piece of equipment, so I didn't know how to take it off, but I don't think it really detracts from the song all that much. However, I respect your opinion; you can't please everybody with EVERYthing after all!

As for the bass, I'm gonna look into that. I think the main reason that I didn't turn up the bass more is cuz, while producing this song, there were points where the bass was EXCESSIVELY loud, and it really pissed me off cuz the bass is not typically a lead instrument, like, EVER. So, I had to do some research and find the bass's niche in the mix. It took a while, but I think I may have POSSIBLY found it. Now, the problem is that it's TOO quiet, so I'm gonna have to check that out. I think a lot of it has to do with the way the bass was played as well. Maybe if I brought it up a little in the mix, and then made it harmonize better with the guitar? Not entirely sure yet, but I'm gonna have to do some experimenting. Also, boiling the strings might help; the strings on the bass are so dead atm lol =P

Thanks again for your review, much appreciated! And gl in the NGADM man! =)

[<PS> Conquest]

Very Nice...

I enjoyed this quite a bit my friend. The composition is quite nicely done. I think that you could have far more of a buildup, and even more so of a final powerful cathartic section. But despite that, this is quite a pleasure to listen to.

I think the big thing for you is to improve your sample library. It seems to be lacking. I'm not sure what you are using, but I would recommend getting something along the lines of EastWest gear or even ProjectSam stuff. Both are well worth the money, and you would benefit greatly from the upgrade in samples.

As a piece I enjoyed this greatly. But it never truly had that all powerful climax. It just needed a little something more for me.

5/5 and 9/10 overall. Nice work here my friend.

-Gravey-

PenguinSam responds:

Hmm...yes, I can see that. The most trouble I had was finding a powerful climax. Perhaps a different ending is within order.

As for the sample library, it actually sounds very nice. So nice, that Finale can't save MP3 files using these samples. I have to use online converters which inevitably decrease the quality.

AS for the buildup, I recently thought about adding an entire new section to the begining. I think that I will, and that it will add quite the contrast as well.

Thank you for the review. It was, as always, very insightful!

<PS>

[{PSYCH} True [WIP]]

Well...

It is interesting for sure. It could really use more layers though, at least that is what I garner from a couple of times listening through this. Right now it just sounds like a sort of gated trance lead with a filter effect making it sound as though it is going in and out of it's natural sound.

I like the kick/bass you used. It has a very deep and rich sound which helps to fill up space. I'm not sure if it is a simple kick or a bass. In the beginning it sounds quite a bit like a kick, but towards then end when it comes out in the song more it sounds more like a bass playing the same note over and over. Either way it sounds good in the full mix.

This needs some real percussion in it. I don't mean like a trap set or anything like that. But some sort of percussive hit would be nice to go along with the straight downbeat thump you have going on. Right now there just isn't much going on and I think that should be remedied.

There is a second sort of beeping synth I heard in the last halfish of the song. I'm not sure whether I liked it or not, but it is there and is worth mentioning. I think I would like it more if there were more layers to distract me from it a bit more. Right now it just seems like there is only three layers to the entire song, the lead synth, the beeping synth, and the bass/kick.

3/5 and 7/10 overall.This needs more layers, a lot more. That is the best advice I could give for it right now.

-Gravey-

jbarnett responds:

First off, thank you for the review.
Second, as you should know, I have no good percussion in my possession :-/. If I did, I would definitely add some more to it.
If you feel like helping out, you are more than welcome to send me some samples or something.

[Deathmatch (Updated again)]

Hee-Hee...

Well despite the awful production I kinda enjoyed this actually. Sometimes it is just nice to sit back and listen to something really gross and incoherent. I do believe that is why I enjoy Napalm Death's older stuff.

As for this song in particular, I want to start with the production. To be honest and fair, it is very bad. My headphones blew out, and I can't get a great grasp on any clipping issues with anything other than the vocals. But it feels like it is clipping constantly in my speakers, even though I can't really identify it.

The worst part is what you did with the vocals. You should have cleaned them up a bit. Now I'm not talking about changing the vocals, but rather changing the compression/EQ/and other effects on them. They come through oddly very many times throughout the song, almost as if you have them running through an amp and peak out the amps abilities in sudden instances. Also, the vocals are not consistently on the same mix level in the overall ensemble, which leads me to believe that when you recorded you were getting closer and farther away from the mic throughout the song. Make sure when you record you are the same distance from the mic at all times to get a nice flat level. That should help your vocals a lot in the overall mix.

Now moving onto the actual composition. I actually like what you have written in both the guitars and for the set. They fit with each other, even if their mix is quite odd. By that I mean at times the bass is quite overpowering and should be lowered a smidge, and at other times it isn't noticeable at all. I think keeping the levels consistent and getting a good even recording of your instruments before putting them in the mix would help the overall sound of this very much.

Also, I would worry about making it so in your face. Lower your compression a bit, it does sound like you are compressing the song quite a bit. Now I know that in popular music, and that includes metal of nearly all forms, that compression is overused. The louder the song the more people will like it because it sounds "better" to them. But this isn't the case to be honest. Sometimes being a little quieter and having a better tone can go a long way in making sure you get a good solid overall mix. It is just something to thing about.

Keep this up though man. I did enjoy this for the most part, especially when I focused in on what was actually going on in the song. Your production techniques are poor, but I hear good things in this despite that. And production techniques can only be learned over time through practice. So keep at it. :-)

3/6 and 5/10 overall.

-Gravey-

Pure-Metal-UTA responds:

Lots of things to go over then.
Starting with the clipping, I actually don't know how to get rid of any clipping in a song. I was told to normalize the track, but whenever I right clicked and clicked normalize, nothing would happen. So yeah, if you know how to get rid of clipping on Reaper, please tell.
Vocals, Changing the effects so that they sound better. As for the different levels. I keep my mic at the same distance at all times, it's just that I haven't mastered low growls yet, so whenever I try to keep a good level with the low growls, I can't, and the only thing I can do to stop that is more practice.
The bass, I actually used DSK Bass, and it's really fucked to put it simply. Some notes are extremely overpowering on it, while others are barely noticable, like you described. It's extremely difficult to try and get it at the same level, so I might just either get a new Bass VSTi or get a real bass.
I actually never thought that I had such high compression on my song, I only used compressors on the drums and the vocals. However, the VSTs I use to record might affect the compression. I'll be sure to look into that and see if I can't fix it.

As for the poor production, I had a poor computer. Key word HAD. I just got a new computer today and It's much faster, and much better. Because of that, my production value should be much better.
Hooray for new computers!

Thanks for the review, it's much appreciated.

[SkyGuardian-Metaljonus]

Not Bad...

...but it is a little to 3 Doors Down for my taste. Now I'm not saying it sounds exactly like a 3 Doors Down song, but there are moments that reminds me a lot of 3 Doors Down. Especially the intro, which I found to be quite drab.

Once the song picked up it wasn't all that bad. I think the guitar work is interesting, but nothing mind blowing. The riffs were pretty standard and unremarkable, which is why I think I am not digging this tune as much as your other work. I think there could have been a bit more work done on the rhythm guitar parts to make it more interesting.

The leads are quite wonderful, especially when they pick up around the 3:00 mark. You really seem to have gotten into it and really came up with some intriguing progressions at that point. Nice work on that section, it was by far the most interesting and unique part of the song.

The song flowed very well for the most part. There wasn't anywhere in the tune that I felt there was a sudden and unnecessary change in direction. Every section led into the next quite nicely, and the song built as it went along. So there was this buildup and release going on throughout the song that really made it feel quite wonderful in my ears.

The percussion was spot on throughout the entire tune. Not only was the sound quality good, but what you wrote really fit well with the guitars. I can't find anything negative to say about the percussion, so kudos to you for that my friend.

This song as a whole has a very nice radio quality to it. It sounds like it would fit on both a metal and rock radio station, because it has that rock groove and metal edge to it. I do however think that a solid keyboard/piano part and vocals would really make this mainstream, which is a compliment. A lot of people say "I hate mainstream!", but your style and quality of sound would fit very nicely on many radio station's playlists. Just need some vocals and possibly a keyboard part to give it that finishing touch.

4/5 and 8/10 overall. Good solid song, but this one just didn't grab me like I said. Could definitely hear this playing on a radio station if it had vocals, but I don't listen to the radio. :-P

-Gravey-

Metaljonus responds:

LMAO! 3 doors down lol how gay of you gravey! I approached this song with simple on my mind. Yeah it may not be your taste but it was what I was going for. Something melodic simple and fun. It would be cool if this was on the radio but I don't listen to the radio either lol. This song is'nt really meant for vocals but it would be interesting to hear it with someone who can sing on it. Key is'nt a bad idea either! Thanks for you super sexy review dude! :)

<3 u