MaestroRage's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[=Radical Insanity=]

Good vibe, good melodic flow, sweet segments!

I see you're still learning, and you've got a good start here, so well done! The melody work in this song is pretty damn sweet. Swift, energetic, well gated, and upbeat.

The transitions here are a bit abrupt, without a buildup, such quick transitions can be bad for the song's entertainment value.

I see you already know how to use automations, good stuff, that kind of build up would have been helpful to use when you jumped into that quiet segment.

Also I think the bitrate of this song was far too high, try to export in 128 kb/s. The standard for most sites, you will get almost identical quality, for nearly half the size.

Also have you considered maybe adding more reverb? I think this song would sound really really epic with some extra reverb, since you don't have that many instruments going on.

You might want to consider having a pad, or some low synths playing in the background at that percussion introduction. Would help fill in the silence!

Though all in all, great work! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming! Welcome to the portal!

shade45 responds:

Haha holy crap thanks a lot for the huge review. I'll totally take all those things into consideration and maybe remaster this song and put up another version. Thanks!

[Deus Ex Makeena]

Awesome use of the phrase, great vibe!

For a simple test this song rocks so hard D:

At first I thought it was going to vary, that you'd make them sing different things, but once the song started rolling, I really didn't care that it didn't, the familiar phrase picked up more power with each repeat.

Melodically I LOVE what you did from 1:09 onward. Again repetetive melody, but once again I am not at all bothered, and then the reintroduction of that sweet sweet phrase. You've accompanied this dark sounding phrase with such energy.

Incredible work, I hope Symphonic Choirs serves you well! Keep up the good fight!

Ludzix responds:

I didn't make any other phrases because running SC in FL Studio requires 3 applications open at the same time and recording output right from the speakers :( That's why I had stamina reserves (lol) only for that one :)

[Mirrored Dimension]

Great vibe, smooth flowing, a tad repetetive

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!

XMalick responds:

Thanks dude. I really appreciate the constructive feedback. Seems like you're a vet in the music field. I've gotten much better at equalizing and just composing in general i think, seeing as I made this song almost three years ago. But I'm making a newgrounds comback with ALL NEW TRACKS. Make no mistake, dude. X Malick is back.

[Freedom is a step away]

Brilliant, epic as usual :)

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!

madboss responds:

Thank you maestro to hopping by - and sorry for the ultra-late response. I'm suffering under tha same circumstances that you do...

I know that I'm doing a bit too much epic stuff and there is not too much variety - I try to change it in the future. You know always I sit down to my keyboard to create a melody I always find myself playing a slow noble and epic melody with a slight dramatic and sad edge... To be honest I like these tunes and I like to be an epic-music composer - altough I know it's a mistake to stuck in one mood. (And it was me who was saying that a music composer must try himself in different moods and styles...)

I don't want to be similar to any film-composer altough I can't avoid to be close to Hans Zimmer's epic music - he's an idol for me in a way (but it starts to bother me that he's doing his job with a lot of co-composers...) - I always imagine a story and try to give a musical background for it.

Thanks for your review and your kind words. Your reviews mean a lot for me.

[Chinese Dance Machine 2- F-777]

Damn entertaining, very fluent!

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!

F-777 responds:

Well i just surfed the interent and collected some .sf2 files and edited them. I can't remember where i got the flute though. And yes i used quite a few filters in this song. There are about 30 different automations or somthing.

Thanks for the review.

[[Kriz] - Fluctuations]

a bit muddled, but overall very nice.

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!

Kr1z responds:

yea lots of things in there! :D
maybe ur right, a bit muddled, but at least it wont get boring, its well variated u know :D
and yea, im still figuring out myself what dance is exactly ;)

[A Stealthy Move]

broken loop? smooth flow, good imagery

hey Rocktee mai buuuuuddddaaaaay!

This is a rather strange song, I get sneaky, I get movement, but often in the song I feel that image changes all together. Like that ritardo (correct term?) you have at 0:22, and then it goes into that slower melody, that initially completely changed the mood of sneakyness, that is until those quick staccato sounds came in.

And i'll be honest, i'm not seeing too much... sneakyness in Castle Crashers. I mean you don't make wicked weapons to sheathe them *though I totally would, wicked looking weapons are wicked looking weapons*

The loop also sounds broken. Maybe the exportation didn't work, but the end definitely sounds like it was cut, doesn't loop well.

All in all, it was a good submission, it didn't captivate me, then again I don't think it was aiming to, I can recognize a good piece of work when I hear it, and this is one of them, so best of luck to you my good sir on the competition, keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

MusicalRocky responds:

yo yo yo
lol

After that ritard, it is a bit of a different feeling ,but I still get the sneaky vibe there, if not more so than the beginning theme.

I think I fixed the loop. You can never be sure though >:[ Oh well.

Anyways in Castle Crashers I was just hoping there might be some kind of sneaking. I mean, come on. THere has to be some.

Glad you liked it. It's fine that this didn't win, my Batalla placing up there is fine :D
And good job YOU getting up dere.

Thanks for teh review,

Rocky

[Oleo-in funk]

Very slick, smooth piece!

It really is a shame that the masses here neglect, even get out of their way to degrade songs of this caliber.

I have never tried composing a funk song, nor even a jazz one, yet I do realize the level of skill it takes to build a solid tune like this, so even if I don't find much to say, I do tip my hat off to you. A song well made, is a song well made, without a doubt that is universally true.

I had this song playing on my speakers as I did some work around the house, it really helped fill in the silence, and the song loops incredibly. Maybe it was my own fault for not directly paying attention to the exact details, but I don't remember going "And from the top!" as the song started again.

Slick smooth saxaphone riffs you got going on, steady simple bass to underline it all. As I sit down to write this review, I see that the song does have a punch ending, which still serves the listener well so thats all good.

I'm afraid I don't have much else to comment on Soro. I don't think I could give criticism to make it better, but I did enjoy it, so hats off to you! Keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

sorohanro responds:

thanx Maestro, you are very kind...
almost everytime i cut the song on bars, so, i guess that's why is looping ok
and i think i'll do another version, i'm not very satisfied with the trumpet solo.... and next one i'll do a little bit faster ;)
thanx for your very nice review

[The Castle is Breached!]

good vibe, flow, good melodic work

I've been listening to this piece for a while now, and I have to say it's quite awesome. Doesn't get tiring at all, though that loop end is an area of debate. It is good, but not flawless in my opinion. Maybe Newgrounds looping style makes me think so, but there you have it!

I felt the thumping at the end was a bit much, a little too much of teh beatings there. And I also feel there is some energetic joy in this piece, but only because the image in my head is not the castle being breached, but being taken back! And in a sense, being breached by being taken back. Can't take things without breaching something, like trust, or a life... or both.

A grand majestic song for sure, with some slick flow. I really do like what you did with the woodwinds and strings when you got the timpani going into full gear though.

All in all a slick composition, keep up the good fight and keep em coming!

MusicalRocky responds:

Hey, yeah, it really is a catchy song (I think), doesn't get tiring to my ears either. As for the loop, it's perfect on my computer...Ah, well.

Now the thumping...I'm guessing you mean when the song goes into a faster tempo and the timp is pounding on each beat? I didn't think that was too much. Anyways, I do get what you're saying about the castle being reclaimed. Indeed, indeed, not too dark of a piece.

The melodic work with triplets in the faster section was great fun, I assure you, glad you liked it.

Well, thanks for the nice review. Again, good lucks with the contest :D

Rocky

[The Castle Comes A-Tumblin']

good vibe, misleading desc >:(, good flow, mix

Well for a castle falling loudly, this sure is a rather quiet song :O! It also has a very noble, epic feel to it, like a grand adventure, I am not getting any kind of sorrow, or bitterness towards seeing the castle fall.

The melodic flow and direction of the song are all top notch though, truly entertaining! Perfect loop too so good for you thar!

I'll be honest, I was expecting something else entirely when I read the description and title, a little disappointed at not having my ears blown off by super crazy beams of high energetic death, but after getting over that loss, I have grown to love the song.

Nothing to criticize, it is a well written song, and I didn't even know you have more then 1 submission. Yay :D! Time to go hear the other two, keep up the good fight and keep em coming Recky!

MusicalRocky responds:

A review from the Maestro, woot :D

Yeah, I guess this piece isn't as energized as you might think, from the title. But, I personally thought it perfectly fits the scene I hads in my head. It's not really like...OMG THE CASTLE'S CRUMBLIN' LET'S ESCAPE LOL! It's more like a heroic departure after a great day's work :D Oh, well, as for sorrow -- they're the Castle Crashers, right? That's what they do, I didn't imagine they'd feel any sadness about it

Also, about the description, I wasn't really trying to emulate the sound of the castle falling through the music, more about showing the mood of the scene, you know? Sorry about the misleadingness : (

Well, anyway, I'm glad you could still enjoy the piece, and much luck with the contest!

Rocky