Score: 9

"Pretty damn slick, relaxing!"

submission: (Song) Out in the Alley

date: October 2, 2007

I can understand the words to this song perfectly! I don't know if it's just because i've been listening to more songs with lyrics, or you did something with the recording this time around.

There were some parts that the voice fell out of sync, it's pretty hard to sing exactly to beat with a recording, I am all too familiar with this, so top notch for what it is there, though of course, there is room for improvement in this department.

I like how you started off with this low-fi filter, and then bust out of that. I thought perhaps the whole song would be sung with this filter applied, i'm glad you did take it out, not that I felt the beginning was bad, but the contrast was a pretty neat effect.

The lyrics are pretty decent, solid. Nothing that blew my mind, or changed my view of life, but it flows, it speaks, and communicates a story, which is ultimately where it should be. So good stuff.

A healthy high quality recording of the instruments too, I do like your arrangement, and for some reason I really liked the small things, like the shaker at the end, with that slight piano finish at the end. Small things like that, which made this song special for me.

All in all, good stuff Neal, I am glad you shared this with us, keep up the good fight!

Score: 8

"Great vibe, smooth flowing, a tad repetetive"

submission: Mirrored Dimension

date: September 27, 2007

I really liked the melody work on this piece, the synths worked very very well. For some reason the beginning piano melody sounded like the Pirates of the Carribean melody. In fact the core of the song seems to resonate this vibe.

Then again, a lot of things sounds like Pirates to me lately. When I shake my saltshaker, I see an entire ocean of boats and the such D:

Some nice thick hits, though I would have liked to have more power behind them. I realize from an equalizing standpoint, thats gonna be hell. It sounds like the Hit 3, or 4 from FL. Am I right?

Try to go into the piano roll and play it a few notes lower, it would have a thicker, longer bang, which I think would have benefited the song.

There is no dispute of the flow of the song, that seems to work quite well. All in all, a great track, the piano melody gets a tad repetetive but nothing major. Good stuff, keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 9

"Brilliant, epic as usual :)"

submission: Freedom is a step away

date: September 19, 2007

Hey Madboss! Sorry for the super late review man! Energy and time are both things that simply did not reform in mah brain.

I love these epic works, though they sound quite similar to the other files, I am hoping that later on *at the first minute mark right now*, it will change directions!

god bless your choirs. I just can't get enough of em, again similar melody, yet my ability to care is severely hindered.

You know what, this song should be used for the Wolf Team lounge music instead of what they have, this speaks volumes and volumes more then what they have.

I can't quite figure out what style this reminds me of. John Williams'ish? It's got Hans' epic flair, and Danny Elfman's melodic styles for the celesta/glocken? like segment.

Nice epic end again. You can make an entire small album out of this tune, it's brilliant. With all that said, I still have no words of advice for you. I will of course, come back to enjoy all the collection again.

Keep up the damn good fight! I hope to hear more from you again! Let me know when you do!

Score: 8

"Flows well, great mood set up, transitions weak."

submission: @DFL@ - And flows Water

date: September 12, 2007

The addition of the flowing river really did help set the atmosphere. The steady and slow instruments really do serve the piece well. I'm so glad to hear this kind of improvement from you.

There is still some parts where I felt instrumentation was a tad too abrupt, like at 1:01, where that violin just busted out, and left the kotu? guitar behind. It comes back, and that violin then suddenly disappears again. Proper transition is what was missing there, I think with some better handling of this matter you could have done the song more justice.

For example you could have taken a small gap, to let the Kotu? guitar die out, and let the listener's ears rest and then introduce the violin. Or perhaps a build up, and a slight crash to bounce towards another direction.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable piece, there is great improvement around you, I look forward to your next works!

Score: 10

"7th 10/10 i've ever given. :D"

submission: Mountain Clouds ft. SMM

date: September 6, 2007

So this is the super clean account eh?! Well I brought popcorn, and enough butter to kill a small animal. So lets see how oily my hands get.

Not much, my fingers are constantly waving around, messing up the popcorn, the floor, and my privelages to not be grounded.

You said I have clear sounds, these are some very interesting and crisp samples you are using, this if of course, not including the guitar as I figure that is live? If it isn't, that too is damn impressive. Where do you get your sounds? I am very interested in where you got that super crisp sitar you got playing at the beginning, and that low woodwind like sound you have 2 or so minutes in.

I can totally see this in a video game, very retro feel, constant, not distracting.

Love the build up at 3:19, incredibly effective, and it really picked up the energy levels of the song. Despite the very raw saw, the instruments still maintain a rather clear sound. You have I assume, good experience in equalizing/mastering. Props to you on that.

I'm glad this piece you have this place for your best pieces Scrapenon. I have always admired your ability, and now I too have a place to visit when it comes to seeing you at your best! I would do likewise, but i'm afraid if I made another alt i'll develop split person

NO YOU SHUT UP!!!

That guitar solo was also slamming. I too can make that kind of sound and melody, by using naught but this here small cricket!!!

I r dat gifted!

My sincerest congratulations to both of you, I do not have words of criticism, nor words of advice, but you have my support. Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 9

"Damn entertaining, very fluent!"

submission: Chinese Dance Machine 2- F-777

date: September 6, 2007

You have some very impressive sounds and licks here. I especially love what you did with that beginning stringed instrument. I also love the flute you're using, what sounds are these and where did you get them?!

The song flows very well, and it truly has a very oriental feel to it, very appropriate, and very entertaining! Simply wonderful!

A quick question, that synth you have at 1:32 onwards, did you use a filter on that, and then automate it? If so, which parameter did you change? Frequency pass? Just wondering, any tips would be quite welcome!

In any case, I don't have much else to say, being inept in this genre, I can not offer you any advice, only my support! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 8

"a bit muddled, but overall very nice."

submission: [Kriz] - Fluctuations

date: September 6, 2007

I could learn a lot from this. I like the melodic flow, I like the overall sound of the song, and the percussion beat, works well. Basic, but effective.

There were parts when I felt that it was too muddled, too many things going on and off at once, with no distinct melody. I might not be hearing it, I hear faint traces of it, but it does get slightly difficult to differentiate them. Keep in mind however i'm not at all a dance artist, nor do I know how the genre works properly so take that criticism with a grain of salt. it's like asking a blind man to describe the sunset, it's a bit tricky.

I really like those quick builds up with the cymbols and snares. I knew snares were often used, it did not register in my head to use cymbols, for in instrumental music using the cymbols like that is just not possible, I should stop thinking inside the box!

In any case, work well done! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming! I see you already know how to use events and automation clips, so you're well on your way!

Score: 8

"great vibe, enjoyable, somewhat repetitive."

submission: Gargamell

date: August 25, 2007

Wasn't Gargamell that cat in the Smurfs... the one that was owned by that guy who wanted to capture them or something?

I can't keep shaking off the image, and this song doesn't really say evil cat to me, so I must be thinking of the wrong image. That or for some reason you felt a semi fantasy/journey tune would befit a evil lap cat...

I've heard wierder things :D!

But enough with the imagery. The mastering on this piece, like all that i've heard from you thus far is immaculate. Things pick up when they should, in the right way, and diminish in the same.

You seem to like having a string pattern playing in the background nearly throughout the entire piece.

The percussion beat doesn't alter much during the song, I would have liked to hear a few changes here and there, and though at points of transition you do have some kind of change, I would have liked to hear changes in the middle section as well.

Those background strings are rather loud, and because they do not change, they become a bit tiring to listen to. I would have lowered their volume.

But still, a great tune! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 9

"Very happy, peppy, humerous!"

submission: Runis Brun

date: August 25, 2007

The first thing that I did was laugh. Hard. I read the description and then I heard the timpani bouncing away in the song and I couldn't stop imagining this over happy person raising the sticks and busting out that timpani like nobodies business!

A hearty laugh to go with a hearty song! A simple melodic beat for sure, there isn't too many layers, but that is where this song draws it's power. It's very easy to understand, and as a result, very easy to enjoy.

I really liked those bells and xylaphone thing you had going on in the latter half.

It also loops INCREDIBLY well. Without a single hitch. Well done on that department.

The brass at the beginning was a tad quiet, I would have loved to have that a little louder!

Good use of the pizzicato strings throughout the entire piece... I think those are pizzicato strings anyways! Whatever they are, they are slick.

All in all, a very enjoyable, happy piece! A job well done! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

Score: 7

"Sweet melodic work, bad ending, low percussion."

submission: Make Your Escape

date: August 23, 2007

Making as many songs as possible does not gaurantee entry, as i'm afraid you've already found out :/. See the thing is your work, musically is superb, but the samples you use are rather mediocore. I wish I could hear your work with some high end samples, and hopefully one day, even live! That would be brilliant!

This song also cuts off suddenly, again, it is rather useless as a loop.

I loved the build up, once 0:15 hits, the song picks up, and the song picks up really good! Another thing I find lacking in some of your songs is dynamics. I mean all the instruments seem to play at the same volume, the whole orchestra is always booming.

Also, Make Your Escape is not a title I would have thought of for this. It has no sneaky attributes, no sly elements, as far as i'm concerned this is a noble epic fight beat. I suppose you could say that they are fighting to escape, but even then I would then have named it "Fight for your Freedom!" or "Struggle to Escape!" which would have been much more appropriate for this piece.

But enough about that, naming is all preference, and in the end, means little.

The percussion is soft again, I would have liked to hear that crash a bit louder.

All in all, a slick track. The opening for it was my favorite part, first 15 seconds were epic as hell! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!