MaestroRage's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[†A Fabricated Walk of Life†]

Impressive

An interesting story, I am a little surprised to hear only feelings of peace, joy, and overall pleasantness. For my friend you are forgetting, not everybody could look at life with a smile.

In any case I know you are using Fruity Loops, so i'm going to tell you where you can find some excellent soundfonts.

www.sf2midi.com

That place has some EXCELLENT soundfonts. One of the best strings soundfonts is called squidfont. Trust me, it's brilliant!

Once you download the soundfonts simply place them into the fruity loops folder (create a folder if you'd like), and when you enter fruity loops you should be able to find that folder (you might have to restart Fruity), and you can use all the soundfonts.

Back to the song, I like what you did with what you had. I know this song is mostly supposed to be you learning the system, but still you have managed to bring about a pretty neat piece.

In any case, don't give up! Keep up the good fight! I hear some excellent potential in you,I can't wait to hear you once we pump you up with some good samples ;).

TheWisestMagi responds:

You mentioned the peace, and overall good feeling portrayed in my song..and that I forgot that some people can't look at life this way. While I respect this opinion, I must give you my input, and thoughts I had while writing the song.

It is not supposed to realistically depict life, like "These game we play" or anything of the sort, for with this song I was going for the "Romantic" (not in common sense of word) approach... meaning that I was trying to portray what life should, not what it is. Also,the song was almost named something like "As the Leaves Fall" or some other name portraying not life as a whole, but a peaceful, or hppy place within it.

Thank you so much for the website, and soundfont ideas, I will download them as soon as I have the time..(I don't even have enough time to start another song right now...very busy for me this time is..).

Also, thank you so much for your input, kind words, and moral support! It means so much to me comming from such a renowned author such as yourself Maestro!

[*+-Kings Throne-+* (Theme #1)]

Impressive

I can tell right away that you do practice violin, because you can make the instrument sing so pure, so clean, you know how to make it speak!

The song is so short, but from what it's there it really does speak a lot. You've conveyed the image of a royal chamber rather well, it makes me think of nobility.

The spiccato cello sounds pretty neat, definately adds to the piece by offering a low end sound. I would have liked to hear it play a bigger role, perhaps another melody along with the violin.

In any case the piece was well done. Keep up the good fight and keep them coming quickshot!

quickshot-x responds:

Thankyou again maestro, i cannot live without creativity in my work. I find the violin interesting so i have been taking lessons for two years now. Things in iran have been busy for me lately, it gets very difficult to have spare time on the computer. But i do whatever i can on my computer when i have spare time. You indeed know very well how to express another mans song, thankyou for the review maestro. i will be expecting much more from you to, keep up the good fight maestrorage!

[Apology]

Interesting

what an interesting image I get from this piece. I don't get a sad core, or at least not a pure sad core. As if the person who is apologyzing is doing so with tears of frustration, or subconcious anger. As if they have to do it, but do not fully believe in it.

The lower end notes WERE a tad loud, and as mentioned before hand there was some minor clipping, but not that bad in my opinion.

The repetitive melody at the beginning serves to induce a form of trance like state to the listener, and is also appropriate for these kind of songs.

I wonder what the song would have been like if you had added another melody on top of all this on a higher octave. Sad fragile feelings in my opinion are very well portrayed by the high end of the piano.

In any case, good stuff! Keep up the good fight and keep them coming Karco, you have composed this well.

Karco responds:

Huh, that's an interesting way to put it. Similar to the message I was trying to give in the song - I won't say it here for the sake of other reviewers' images - though you can PM me if you want to know the message I was trying to convey.

Yeah, the lower notes were a bit loud. I thought the steady, consistent lower harmony gave that "I have to do this even though I don't want to" feeling.

Anyway, glad that you like it. =) I think I'll try another classical sometime. Any chance you could send me a PM with some good places to get orchestral instruments? All I have right now are the instruments that came with FL 6. =P

[-={CC}=- Pushing Beyond]

Impressive!

Well I don't know what everybody else is talking about, I really liked the drums! To me they provided a great and energetic core for which the other sounds stood off. It emphasized the happy euphoric kind of feeling I got from the synths and melody and reinforced it with the needed strength to keep them going.

What really impresses me however is the instrument choices. The synths are really strange, yet they work so well together. It makes me think of riding a bike through an orchard of cherry blossom trees. Don't know why exactly, but there you have it!

The melody only furthars that feeling.

I would have liked to perhaps hear another synth come in somewhere along the way, to kind of mix it up you know. What you have here all mix in perfectly, but sometimes I felt myself yearning for a contrasting instrument, you know, like a deep saw. GRRRRRRRR!!!!

That could just be my current mood. In any case, I leave the track once again very satasfied. One of you these days you guys HAVE to tell me who you are, you're both (all?) doing a great job, keep up the good work!

Critical-Collision responds:

Thank you for another review MaestroRage, we're glad you like the piece.

Strange instrument choices, we wanted something a little less conventional, and were careful in the instruments we chose, some may like it, others may not like it, we just make what we love to make and if others love it too, that's great too.

Thank you

-={CC}=-

[Strangelove]

Neat

your voice comes through very clear I can actually understand the lyrics. Well said.

I don't have much to say Birds-Fly-By, but I wanted to give you my support!

Keep up the good fight! The samples were a little strange, but it helped with the whole feel ^^.

Birds-Fly-By responds:

Thank you for the respose. I appologize that I couldnt respond sooner. And you should see the mic I'm using. I have to run light hiss removal twice in cool edit to get it clear enough to stand. As for the words... I dont know everything I write has actually happened to me so I try not to rap about guns, women (except for one) and cars... bullshit topics like that are played out. And yes the sampling was a little strange...

[Sliding Lights]

So soothing...

Lovely... so soothing... simply wonderful.

The production and recording is damn impressive. What is your equipment your using!?

I'm sorry I don't have much to say, I just wanted to drop my support, keep up the good fight! I'll be taking a short nap here with this in the background.

ibbotsoni responds:

Thank you. That is a lovely comment. I use a Roland VS 1880 to record with. Quite an old machine now, but the sound reproduction is superb.

Thanks again for your review. Means a lot. :)

[The Empire in the Sky]

Impressive

I felt the kicks were far too overpowering, distorted the song a great deal, but wether this was actually beneficial to the song or not is up to debate. On the one hand I feel that they ruined the flow, yet due to the nature of the song, the deep, distorted hits may have actually furthared the image.

I'm a little iffy about which one I think that kick did, but what I do know is be very careful with it :O!

Melody wise, it's immaculate, truly, very energetic, very hardcore. Definately worthy of being in a video game of sorts. What is your gear, what are you using VST and software wise? That guitar is damn beastly, is that a real guitar?

The percussional was pretty slick, moving, and insistant. Just that kick I have some debating to do.

Slick organ, loved it.

Overall, this easily gets my 5. Good stuff Le-Best, I can see how you progressed by earlier songs, leaps and bounds my good sir, leaps and bloody bounds. I'd like to invite you to check out my works sometime. Keep up the good fight!

Erectronik responds:

Thanks for the honest, critical review MaestroRage. The problems with the kick may have been to the final mastering stage, as I don't have sound monitors and I added a bit too much punch I guess, to the kick as it was way too quiet before mastering. I actually use Reason 3.0 for my works as of now, all software based composition. The guitar is also synthesized :)

And of course I will check out your tracks, Le-Best

[|-| Destruction |-|]

Impressive!

Pretty damn brutal >:(

It makes me want to kill something, and in an unpleasant way, like rip things apart, skin things alive and the such.

The drums are well made and compliment the guitar well. The guitar itself is screaming rather well, well played indeed. I would say the only problem was I didn't think the quality of the recording was the best, but I understand the scenario, and really without a multi million dollar studio with uber expensive recording software this is as good as it gets, so beyond that, it's bloodtastic!

Well done to both of you! Gets my 5 no problem.

DarKsidE555 responds:

yeah, that is bugging me too my good man. >:(

Though, I'm getting a better mixer in the next time so maybe this problem will soon be forgotten.

Thanks for teh review MaestroLoL!

[Dance Of Illusions]

Impressive

I remember long time ago, when I was listening to a lot of midi songs, so unlike some people I have learned to listen past the samples and the actual melody itself.

Injected-Reality, I must say I am quite impressed by this track. The violin swift and sudden notes are very well performed, and are in fact a skill I am training in myself. It is difficult when you do not play the instrument as you cannot fully comprehend how to make it speak fluently. I however feel that you have made it speak rather effectively.

The organ in the background served a great purpose, it really spread the core of menace, of a moonless night. A pitch black sky, shadows dancing around one's mind, soul, and eyes.

There are great overtones of masculinity in this piece, meaning there is a rough, angry tone. Like a subtle rage. Have you seen the Count of Monty Christo (I think it's spelled like that), it reminds me of him, and the insane amount of anger in his soul.

I wonder what would it sound like if you had some french horns in there as well. It would in my opinion give it a more angry, subtle feel, though it would bleed from it's pure evil core and lean towards the evil destruction side.

In any case, it was a rather neat track, I definitely enjoyed it!

I'd like to invite you to check out my work sometime Injected, keep up the good fight, and keep them coming!

Injected-Reality responds:

Thank you if you want i could email you the SFs i used they are my best quality
SF2s and french horns all mine suck sooo yah... i couldnt add any. But hey any ways
let me know if you want to get them sound fonts ;D

[-={CC}=- The Journey Begins]

Impressive

heh, OCON I must regret to inform you that I am not the other. Though in truth I would be quite happy if I had the ability to create electronic arts like this, I practice, but thus far I still trail behind. One day maybe ;).

In any case the song itself is one that held interest in me. An interesting mix for sure, when that reverbed snare came in the songs core actually changed, whilst keeping the same face. As if you look at somebody and watch their personality dissolve into something new.

I believe that is this song's greatest strength. Without much of a great crash, or momentous roar for sudden change, you guys have managed to alter the song drastically, and that is a skill I can respect.

I felt some bass low end synths in this song, I would have liked it to be louder, so that I could hear it pumpin up the leads :D. The song also loops quite decently.

Overall i'm quite impressed by the work. I don't know who the two of you are (I don't even know if it's just two), but whoever you guys are, you are doing good thus far. I'll keep my eye out on you, keep up the good fight! This gets my 5.

Critical-Collision responds:

Haven't been on for a few days, and have built up a collection of reviews. Our apologies for not responding sooner

Sorry about cutting you short OCON, hit enter before finishing, thank you for your review OCON.

Apologies for that too MaestroRage, We appreciate you coming to review for us and are happy you like itm we shall be continuing to submit so feel free to drop by once in a while too

Thank you

-={CC}=-