SilentTakedown's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Boundless]

I haven't written a review for a long while, but here's one because you asked so nicely.

I think your main problem in this track is, that your instruments are positioned very unrealistically:
For example you need to position the brass and the drums further away, everything seems to be positioned right in front your face. Get yourself a profile on how an orchestra is positioned, get some real recordings of orchestras and try to position them like that using reverb, panorama and equalizing (the further away, the less high frequencies are heard).

Volume control and proper orchestration: A single flute would NEVER be heard while brass, percussion and strings are playing in that loud dynamic. And there are so many more woodwinds at your disposal you could use to power that main melody. Try mixing various instruments.
There are lots of extensive book about instrumentation and orchestration. Check them out if you want to get more professional.

The structure of the piece is very repetitive, I suggest trying to change the instrumentation (over time) and achieve a different mood with that, different tempi and rhythms and so on. Never repeat the same thing over and over again.

I think I covered up most of everything you should know. I'm still a bit rusty on this.
I wish you good luck and fun with your next track!

stunkel responds:

Well thanks for making an exception!

Yeah I was just going for a video gamey, heroic, and hopeful sounding song. So I wasn't really going for a realistic orchestral feel, just more of themed song with orchestral instruments. And I will take that into consideration, I have never really thought about how an orchestra is positioned. So thanks for that.

And I know it is impossible for a flute to be played over brass, but again, was just going for the theme, I will definitely take this into consideration for my next piece. And I will definitely try to use more woodwinds, good idea. But thanks for this, really made me think about it. Thanks again for the lengthy review!

[Happy Sunday Morning!]

I like this! Very Kirbyresque, especially at 0:28.
My favorite track in the whole game jam so far!
Good job!

Troisnyx responds:

Thank you! ^_^ I'm really glad you liked it so!

[Sins of Allegiance]

...

After listening to this I felt like someone is still learning the way to compose something. Since this review-function is made for saying useful things, so I decided to be honest to you.

This song is supposed to be something depressing. It is, yes. This motif begins really good but after the beginning it doesn't develop anymore and it repeats and repeats and repeats. There is no musical soul in this piece of work. But you can do better!

My music teacher in school would say, that this is supposed to be in a movie or something. Without it, it doensn't have the right expression and gets boring. I'd recommend you to spend more time and let your fantasy out of your mind to develop more complex and better compositions! Just sit back, hum something and you'll get something useful very quick. If you haven't read anything about harmonics and stuff, I'd recommend you to do this, too.

It's not about the soundset I'm talking about but about the composition behind this, so don't get me wrong.

After you asked me to review on your song in your review on my song (Which was really positive, thx), I felt like helping you than saying something like "Wow this is awesome m8, keep up the good work". Don't be angry on me if you feel insulted because honesty if something very difficult to express.

I hope I could help you with my advice!

- intero

godset responds:

Yeah, I've got zero musical training, so that's the major difficulty for me. I hardly know the first thing about music theory. I know what you mean, it does drag on, but it's hard to say it "repeats and repeats and repeats" when it's only two minutes long.

[Boss Battle! (Intero Remix)]

Dude...

That's creepy awesome!
I wanted to make a metal remix of it, too, but I wouldn't have made it that good!
You should teach me in that genre!
Keep the good work up buddy!

rtnario responds:

"creepy awesome"? That sounds weird ^^;

Anyway, thanks for the review! And fyi, as a fellow 16-year old (lol), your specialty is in Classical while mine is this ^^ So let's trade genres? You teach me and I teach you! ...just kidding. =) (although...maybe...who knows >> XD)

Again, thanks, and let's both keep making awesome music,
~rtnario

[S.A.N.C.T.U.M.]

Wow, nice chords!

This is AWESOME!
I like the clean guitar chords at the beginning and the distortionguitar comes so cool. :D

1:25 = Holy shit, nice FX

You are really gifted in playing guitar!
3:30 was a really cool one, too.
And an interesting ending lol.

*Thumbs up* Keep the good work up, dude!

- Intero

Kor-Rune responds:

Thanks for the review!

The outro was very fun to play, as bizarre as it sounds, haha.

[Through Adversity of Night]

Nice song

Merry Christmas!

The first thing I noticed, is, that the highs are not hearable. The sound quality is not the best. :(
The song is really nice, and I like the pianopart and the end most.
It could be more epic... That's my opinion.

Well, good luck in MAC8 and happy birthday BlazingDragon! :D
Keep the good work up!

- Intero

Tamadrum responds:

Well, yes... the quality could have been better. We did not have the amount of time that we really wanted to write this, so we kinda had to eq and master on the fly. Thanks for the wishes of luck.

And I will be sure to pass on the birthday wish to Blaze for you. :)

[Iku Ze!]

Holy shit, nice one!

Hey, this sounds really cool. I wanna make one like this, too. :D
Good luck with the MAC8! I'm not in the list, but maybe next time...

- Intero

Zero123Music responds:

Hey thanks - i was gutted I didn't have your expertise on this one :(

but thanks for the 10!!!

btw love the pirate's theme, but I'm sure i've heard it before ;-)

[Wodan's Army]

interesting

Nice, sounds not bad. But in my opinion it's too monotone and large.
Maybe next time better!

- Intero

newskies responds:

thanks! I'm improving all the time!

[Infinity Ambience]

Very awesome!

I never heard such a sound great before.
Are you using Omnisphere or something? ;)
Well done with this, it's fantastic and calm.
Keep it up, I'm going to hear some more of your stuff, soon. :D

- Intero

KaiyotiMusic responds:

I use Synth1

[-Regret-]

Nice one!

I like it! The only thing I had swapped is the violin with a trumpet, though. Everything else is good! Keep it up and make more than one submission. :D

- Intero

Assassin2 responds:

Thanks for listening dude. Yeah I've been doing studying graphic design (graduate this friday, yay) and I have been aching to make some more music. MaestroRage made me realise the beauty of classical music, and composing music and telling a story without words, and Zero made me appreciate making music and that it is possible. Then there's people like DanMan87 who blow my freaking mind. And of course there's you with a clean sound and gently arranged compositions. Anyway thankyou for your advice more than anything. I promise another piece will be submitted as soon as I can.