Emid's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Laughing Sun (No loop)]

Thank you for inviting me here.
Nice composition. Good choice of instruments. Some areas in between like legato strings are very well executed. I like when piano part and the rest till the end.

Now what I noticed that as soon as the song starts there is a heavy compression going on giving 'pumping' effect. To avoid this first of all do not use any compressor at all. Find a frequency chart of each instrument and put an Eq on every instrument and remove any unwanted frequencies that are not the part of that instrument. Find an orchestral panning chart and put the instrument on it's place. Now lower down the volume knobs and slowly move them up until everything sounds clear. Leave headroom of -3 to -6db to let every instrument breath easily. Put a gain staging plugin on master channel and slowly increase the volume. You will ultimately find a pleasant surprise that how good everything sound now without compression or effect. You can also put a limiter with it's default settings. Don not use any reverb as yet until you are satisfied. Before composing, go to youtube and listen any song which attracts you and gives you inspiration and try matching the overall impression of your song to that one. This was mixing part.

Compositionally, I didn't get any idea where it is coming from and going towards. Lots of ideas sometimes clutter the composition. It's not bad if executed rightfully. But it is easy to take a simple idea and develop a full blown song on it. And this is what everybody wants to hear because it retains in our memory and we follow the rest easily. Too long piece also loosens the interest of audience. Keep it between 3 to 3 and half minutes initially. Have a look at this to get an idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgT2oKurtk4

I like this piece very much but it needs some work. I hope what I said is not displeasing you but as I also started at some point, I needed some advice which I am handing over to you. Hope to hear quality pieces from you.

Best!
Emid

ET16 responds:

Oh no dont worry, I am very grateful for the honest review, I taking in as much advice and criticism as I can thank you emid your comments were helpful

[FD - Well of Tears]

Very nice composition. Revealing your innerself. When you listen to yourself you tend to perform good and this is what you have done here. Excellent dynamics as well. Only one thing which is up to the taste to be frank is I don't like the reverb. It is metallic not warm. But it is not undermining the beauty of this song. Anyway keep listening to yourself and we will hear more good in you :)

ForgottenDawn responds:

Thanks for your insight! Indeed, reverb is a matter of taste, but I admit that I'm quite the offender when it comes to adding reverb to acoustic instruments. I generally dislike when orchestral instruments sound dry or with such a minimal amount of reverb that you nearly can't detect it. About the "timbre" of the reverb, well, there's not much I can say there. I'll look upon it further.

[One Inch From Death]

Now this is a serious head-banging song man. I really really enjoyed it man. I know you play guitar, I wish I had similar level of practise as you. Very nice piece Matt.

Mattashi responds:

Thank you Emid :) I do play guitar but for this song I used mostly Shreddage 2 IBZ I did record a couple of guitar tracks to add some layer :)

[The Assassination]

If you login and you find a Mattashi track, rest assured you have made your day.

Astounding track my friend. Top class drumming, intelligent chord changes and a great mix. Really love the vocals. You man always nail it when it comes to variety. No other I have seen have this class on NG. So I spilled my thoughts....

Mattashi responds:

Thank so much Emid, When I see that you've left a review you made my day too! :)

[Undersea Life]

Nice melody and a good composition. May be adding a minute or two with evolving melody and light subtle percussion will add more colours. Keep it up.

LawnReality responds:

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[Stars, Coconuts and dinosaurs]

This is really a cool track. It has so much diversity which is it's greatest strength. I really like how you have crafted the sounds and made it dark and moody. What plugins did you use? With that said I think (which may not be true) that it would have been greatly benefited by a main melody to keep it focused. But overall the track is lush and interesting. Keep posting more.

Daru925 responds:

I used free plugins for the most part.
Cool little fx like hysteresis and fracture that create weird delays, some reversed samples, trancegates on horns for instance...
Just with eqs et automated delays one can create all kind of textures in no time.

[Called to the Sea]

Hell this is really one awesome piece giving mystic feel. Very nice melodies going in it. I wonder why there are not many comments. Keep composing.

ChronoNomad responds:

Thank you very much for saying so, Emid! I'm really glad to hear that you like it, and the review is greatly appreciated. At least lots of people are listening, and I am pleasantly surprised at how this has been moving up the charts. :D

[Costa Concordia]

Very moody and dark piece just I like. You have made a tremendous efforts to carve the instruments to fit into the piece. This alone shows your talent. I really like the introduction of harp and harmonies evolving into brass. Brass lines are really awesome which has been very nicely sampled as well. I also like the ambient feel in it complimented by strings. This is one perfect entry just like @mattashi. Well done! It deserves in highest 2 places.

Phonometrologist responds:

I'm not sure it deserves such high praise, but I'm grateful you feel that way. Perhaps not as exciting and fun to listen to as your entry is. I really just wanted to start using the samples that were provided and attempt to allow the samples to just guide me through its timbre of where the piece must go, hence the simplicity in the usage of these samples in the very beginning to the evolving harmonies.

[Fantasiamaailma]

Now there you go.....

I am just truly captivated in this piece. I think you both have shown your finest skills and musicmanship in this piece which can be easily designated as a winner in this competition.

I want to give my 2 cents from a game's perspective basically. The start is slow which can be imagined as camera moving in different directions showing the chaos and then there is a gradual build up which is the preparation of some action, just right where it is needed. Like Matt said, I can also recognise dem0le's signature spiccs and a flow to rush in your adrenaline for some action, i.e., you know here starts the actual game. I am amazed how much going on in the piece which literally requires only a high level musician to do. You cannot just pinpoint one thing; there is lot and lot...Point is this piece can be a perfect blend in any game whether light or epic, just try it.

It deserves it place in top three. Hell, @RealFaction, I will bribe you sucker :D
Congrats to you both for giving NG this top notched composition to listen. Rejoice!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Whoo, thank you Emid! Dem0lecule says hi :3

We definitely tried our hardest and put in tons of effort and time into this. I'm sure that a lot of great tracks will be posted in the month that is to come! Maybe you will participate too ;D?

That moving camera visual is great! It would look amazing, especially if the art/visual department was good :O
Yeah, dem0 is definitely responsible for the spiccato action XD
We definitely see it as the "real" start of what is happening. That is also part of the reason why we let the transition remain so noticable.

I kind of like the effect in some tracks where there is a lot of things one could focus on, and the track sounds a bit different depending on what apect you're listening to. A melody, the backing melody, chords, percussion, etc.
Some of the more epic parts are really crammed with all of those things :3
Down side is that you can lose some simplicity, but that is why we also have parts like 1:17, for people who like a clear and beautiful melody, as well as to paint the full picture.

Thank you a lot for listening and for reviewing, Emid! Dem0lecule said he blushed while reading this, and so did I :')

[Our Last Hope]

Meowwwwww....:)
What a splendid, magnificent, spectacular, remarkably sick piece man. What a superb mixing! I just gave you a standing ovation! I mean literally!
Matt...your creativity at it's peak here. But I know men of your stature never stop. You have blown me away and I'll blow all judges if these piece doesn't find it's right place lol :) O goodness am listening over and over........

Mattashi responds:

Hahaha oh nooo I've created a "cat" battle theme xD
Thank you so much for your review Emid :)