MaestroRage's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Pirates of the Seven Seas p2]

Very impressive

I really really like this opening, that guitar and structure of the song is so smooth, so well flowing, holds a high amount of reserved energy, whilst keeping things relaxed, firm and commanding.

I felt this piece was much clearer, it portrayed a great deal of energy but managed to stay intact much better. I credit this to what I feel is better volume mastering. The quick violins are in the back, with some support violins, and they become loud at the appropriate times.

Great ending btw.

I also hear some more diversity instrument wise, you've got that guitar and flute and that really adds some spice to the piece.

There's really not much to criticize here madboss, I felt this was a very stable, solid piece. A lot of effort went into it, I can hear and appreciate that. easily a 5/5 from me, keep them coming madboss!

madboss responds:

You know it's strange thing because the instruments in this part are the same volume level as they are in the first part. Hm... maybe it sounded more clear because I haven't used that much instruments at once like in the first. But the second part of this song - before the Jack Sparrow's theme-like music - is also a complex job with lots of instruments...

Thanks for the positive comments! I'm glad you liked this one better!

[Pirates of the Seven Seas p1]

Excellent

Hey Madboss. This piece holds a great deal of power in it, you've got a huge mountain worth of energy being portrayed here, and that I think may have worked against you. The song was very loud my good sir, I would consider equalizing the high end a bit more.

Though I can hear the POTC influence I felt this song really was original to it's core. I felt the most excited parts were also the most muddled, you've got so much going on, they are competing for space, but if you lay back and not particularly listen to all the melodies, pick one (my favourite is the horns), then the piece's power nearly doubles.

I think the most chaos comes from the really fast moving violins, they are overlapping, and trying to compete in the same octave, have you considered using another instrument for the second set of fast moving strings (the one that kinda goes up and down really quickly), like an oboe or bassoon? I have no idea how it would affect the piece, maybe for better, maybe for worse.

My favourite part of the piece is near the beginning when the timpini and beat come in before the french horns come in. That part simply has such an adventure feel to it! I loves it.

In any case thats all I can think about for this part, let me head on over to the second. Good stuff madboss, well constructured overal, I felt you did a great job on this piece, with some minor fall backs is all.

madboss responds:

Thanks for the review maestro and thanks for the warnings on some stuff. With this music I wanted to test myself in composing really complex and greatly varied piece. And Reason 3.0 is not the best platform for this but I wanted to test myself.

During the composing process I haven't feelt the high end too dominant but I'll check out.

About the fast moving string: well yes it was really difficult to match them in volume to the whole mass. I think you mention the last part - where there are a string section playing a constant and fast up-down melody and the trombones melody in staccato. Well yes... they are hitting each other. I've realised this too late.

Anyway thanks for checking my music and thanks for your advices and warnings!

[Immortal Crossings]

Simply awesome

such an interesting piece Aresdev... there is such a great mix of emotions. You have this calm, ambient, confused and lost feeling with the sweeps, the high hat reverses.

Then you bring in the timpani rolls, and the disjointed strings and vocals. Spurts of anger, of randomly striking passions.

Such an interesting image, if only I could show you, for sure words fail me horribly...

You've really impressed me with the mix of sounds and presentation of the song, this is pro quality in my eyes. Easily deserves a 5. I'd like to invite you to check out my work sometime. Keep the good fight up!

Aresdev responds:

Thank you so much. I used to be in band for 5 years in school, and chamber music is the most emotional of all genres. I have been experimenting with this beautiful form of music. I will certainly check out your works! Thank you again!

[Wilderness]

Inspiring

what a brilliant tune... really got me all emotional. The choir was really something strange. Where did you get it from?

In any case I remember why I liked your page so much, the melody again was just so bloody brilliant.

The only thing that I felt this piece may have benefited more from is a nice bell, a nice deep resonating tower bell you know... I just love to see images to this. Devastated, gray, bleak, hopeless almost. Rain is another thing that comes to mind.

It's a short song, but a very well made one. Another 5 from medieval7, keep up the good fight, i'll be here to witness it ;)!

medieval7 responds:

thank you!

[Gorgeous Waves]

Neat

theres a great deal of dissonance in this piece, there is a looming kind of feel. A darkness creeping up on you :O!

I don't know about the percussional aspect, I felt that was a tad weak, but the songs feel overall was pretty damn fine!

It's a short loop so I don't have much more to say, but good work! Keep up the good fight!

newskies responds:

oh coolio. thx for your review!

-NewSkies

[DJTylo: Prison of Snow]

So well equalized!

Such an excellent beginning, such a sweet choir progression. You must tell me from where you got those choirs! The bass the synths all seem incredibly well balanced, there was something about this track that sounded so professional.

After the choir ends, you bring in this piano melody layer, and again it sounds so pristine, with such tonal control. You're really surprised me with this. I felt the snare build ups could be handled better, start them off nearly mute, and build up. Or so I believe that would have made them better, I could be wrong.

The song takes many turns and twists, laid back yet energetic. I don't have much more to say about this track Realmguys, really this is just something I ca totally just sit back to and listen.

5/5 from me. I'd like to invite you to check out my work sometime. Keep up the good fight!

Realmguys responds:

The choirs are Yamaha choir samples. They are part of the Motif sound set. Thank you for your comments and ideas. I will definitely take it to the table next time. Everyone and myself agrees, my drums and percussion need some serious work. I might have a decent song if I could work out my beats.
Thank you for the props on my mixing/tonal control. I'll check your stuff out Maestro.
-Tyler

[Dj~SlingSh0t-Cooper instrument]

Neat

hey zakk! It's been a really long time since I saw your page man. How is that album coming along? In any case I'm glad to see you submitting again.

I felt the bass here was so damn smooth, it was so effective, especially with that gated and panned saw on top of it.

I felt there was a lot of empty space here, I think some pads underneath, some counter melodies would have made the song more full sounding.

Then you had this gentle, angelic kind of pad, and then you KILLED it with what sounded like a gun >:(

why would you kill it T-T?

In any case, it really was an entertaining listen! I'd like to invite you to check out some of my stuff sometime zakk, keep up the good fight!

zakk123 responds:

I didnt think it would kill it lol. But hey man how you been its really been a long tiem. Ill check your stuff out right away.

[DC - Hand of God]

Interesting

an interesting piece DC.

The immediate and sudden changes to the piece could be viewed negatively and truth be told such drastic transitions are usually looked down on. However I find if you just let the song play in the background without paying attention to it, the strange transitions actually create an interesting feel!

The detuned choir sounds a tad freaky, which is good, because the song itself is pretty strange, so strange choir + strange song = strangely good!

The blips, added an interesting feeling to it.

All in all the song is such a strange mix, I'm not really sure how to critique it to be honest, all I know is i'm walking away from it with a grin on my face... so you must have brainwashed me :O!!!

In any case, keep up the good fight!

Duglus-Cruentus responds:

Wow! A Maestro Review! I feel special now. xD

Thanks!

[Make it Rain]

Impressive!

In so short a time you've uploaded many new pieces Setu. I'm quite interested to seeing what kind of melodies and ideas you'll throw at us next.

Now this song in particular, was one that held great interest to me. I could see the perfect dialogue to this that gave me chills. I was even considering doing a remix of it, sadly though I have so many other projects, I don't know when i'd have to time for it... but I shall one day you wait and see. One of these days I will make the song "Make the Rain Stop", in tribute to how many ideas this piece has given me.

I am getting a forceful, bitter sadness from this piece. From the description I felt that perhaps it would be more laid back, sadder, the feeling i'm getting from this is a more confused, angered loss. Not a "WHY!?" kind of anger, but an accepted, yet bitter anger.

I felt the low end of the piece was a tad too quiet, I felt a nice deep cello may have really pushed the song, gave it a larger bass a more driving core.

Church bell sfx would have helped nailed the whole loss of somebody home. Nothing says "death" like some nice church bells, or so I find. I'm pretty obsessed with bells!

In any case, this was excellent track. Fully worthy of a 5. Keep them coming!

Setu-Firestorm responds:

Well, this piece actually is in a fantasy setting. I wish I could tell you more, but I may just try doing the movie attached to this piece as a flash (I've been wanting to make the movie for a long time now).

Ironically, you hit the nail on the head. In the scene this piece is in, the man had spent 5 years waiting for his lost son at the pond they always fished at years ago, never knowing that the boy was dead for the 5 years. The boy was killed in a struggle against the tyrannical leader of their society, and the main character, who was friends with the boy's father, found out about what had happened. This piece takes place when the main character reveals the news to him.

[Yogosun: Beutiful Sunset]

Impressive

wow in so short a time you've really started making some serious serious progress. Are you still using Sytrus? If not have you moved onto Vangaurd and/or Z3ta+?

You really seem have grasped the ability to make the song flow quite well. The high synth works well with that deep bass, I am not sure if i'm hearing a pad or not, but what I can say is I think for the first time i'll say you don't really need one, this is of course assuming you're not already using one, what you have going seems to work pretty damn well.

The ending was abrupt but I felt this actually helped the song's core, helped it loop. I know this probably wasn't the intention, but it did anyways.

In any case, it was a pretty slick piece :D. Good stuff, keep them coming! You get my 5.

Jiao-Zhang responds:

Wow! Im glad you like it =p And yes, I have Vanguard, im using it right now! Yes, I learn very fast as you see now =p anyways, thanks!

-Yogosun