ChronoNomad's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[To Save You]

Okay, so first off, you guys have done a fantastic job with this AIM collab! The track had me enthralled from start to finish, and it possesses so many wonderful melodies that mesh together beautifully. The overall feel of the track changes so smoothly and effortlessly, from soft and light to big and epic, and back again. The track ends so prettily with the sound of crashing waves followed a sweetly nostalgic refrain. Quite the journey you have both painted for us with your joint musical canvas!

Like others before me, I do need to echo the somewhat thin quality of the mix and overall master. Most of the elements seem to exist more or less in the center of the mix, and I feel that the stereo field could have been put to greater use to make the overall sound even richer, fuller, and more expansive.

That said, the palette of instruments meshes together in a highly organic manner, and I adore all those little grace notes and subtle touches that beg for more than a single listen. In fact, I am currently on my third!

Such a gorgeous piece, LucidShadowDreamer and BlueOceans! You two seem to make an excellent team, and—as always—I really look forward to hearing more from both of you in the future. Best of luck in the AIM and all you do going forward!

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you for all the lovely words, Chrono-chan :3

Fun story. Those waves are supposed to be a breeze soundeffect. We just downloaded a royalty free sound quickly, because symbolically it fit so well. We might update it to sound better in the future, even though it's not bad now. Also, it's no issue that you heard waves. Once again, symbolically that expresses the same thing, in this instance ^___^
Huge props to the art for the story, btw! We love it. That's why we wanted to translate it into music :)

It's possible it might seem like most elements are centered, because many of the melody instruments are within 50% from any extreme. Even more than so, some compression can probably be lowered a bit, and the reverb reviewed a bit. Sequenced also gave some good advice on discord.

It's awesome that you love the details! We put a lot of effort into making instruments play articulations in ways that both fits the piece, and feel natural. It seems like it paid off! :D
Aww, thanks for them listens!

We really debated a lot of parts in the track, until we were both content with them (arrangement wise, and regarding details). It's a somewhat painful way of doing it, but it means we held each other responsible for making the piece as good as we could, given the time! We're looking forward to hearing more from you as well! :333

P.S. Your NG page looks so cool now :O!

[AIM - Foreseeing Melody]

Yeah, so while I dig the jam from a musical standpoint, it crackles almost constantly because the levels are way too high. I get that you were under the gun to nail it down, but there's no excuse for neglecting the mastering process so much that nearly the entire track ends up clipping.

If it helps, I actually brought the score up a bit from 2.92 by giving you a 3. Small comfort to be sure, but it is what it is. Rushing the process is a surefire way to end up with post-production issues due to lack of polish. It can also result in extreme ear strain, which only serves to exacerbate the problem.

On a different note, the reversed intro was pretty cool, though I wondered for the briefest of moments if you weren't going to overuse the effect throughout the track. In the end, I think you made good use of it without going overboard. There were some moments where elements failed to mesh well, and the main offender seemed to often be the bass. Percussion was minimal, but nicely done. Can't say that I care tuppence for that ending, though. It felt uninspired and rather lazy.

Welp, I never enjoy doling out hard critiques, but I'm guessing it doesn't come as much of a surprise. Like I said, the overall motif is nice, but it clips like a beast and the bass ends up overshadowing the rest of the mix. The percussion is slow and trippy, which fits nicely within the piece, but it can't really make up for the other problems inherent within the mix, and it certainly can't overcome a lack of care when mastering.

Regardless, I'm glad that you could finish your track, and I hope that you'll work on fixing some of those issues once the contest has come to an end. Best of luck with college and getting those wild mood swings under control. Been there myself, and I know how hard it can be to focus when even your emotions seem to be at odds. Take care, man.

[AIM - The Dragon War]

You know, I'm totally in work mode here, trying to get through all these great AIM submissions, and you've forced me to come to a complete stop. This track is gorgeous, and quite simply blew me away. So much so that I had to take the time to leave this review.

What's kind of funny is that, in that very first choir section, I was actually feeling a bit underwhelmed right out of the gate. It wasn't that the voice sounded bad or anything like that, no...quite the opposite. I guess I'd have to say that the timing feels kind of inorganic when it first comes in. And as I listen again, I still feel that the first 11 seconds or so just don't sound right. The choir notes are "sung" too fast, some end or change too quickly, and they lack a certain sense of realism. In a way, that almost makes it sounds like an afterthought when compared to the staccato string harmonies. But you know what? That's my only real criticism.

In those first few seconds, as I examined the waveform to see what my immediate future held in store, I could see that things were going to blow up in a big way, and it was that very tension that drew me in. Suffice to say, my anticipation was well rewarded! This is an exceedingly rich and full orchestral track, and whether you consider it good, bad, or something in between, that's what I've ultimately come to expect from your tracks.

Honestly, I have very little else to critique regarding this track. Your instrument choices are excellent, the mix comes together beautifully, and your mastering is quite solid, overall. This is also one of a handful of tracks that I really feel matches the artwork and expresses the grander ideas therein. In my opinion, you have truly brought home that artistic marriage of illustration and music, and I easily tell that you were inspired by the visuals.

As a singer, there's a very natural sense when it comes to how notes should be sung, and that's really what needs to be kept in mind when dealing with this kind of choir. Making it sound real, organic...that's the hard part. Admittedly, it's much more difficult to create a choir solo than a background layer of choir harmony. After that first handful of seconds in the track, with all the other layers to back it up, the rest of the choir sounds just lovely, switching from a more soloist style to layered harmony, and back. But hey, if I didn't give you something to chew on, I'd be remiss in my job.

Thanks for the epic audio journey, CloakedSoup! Best of luck in all you do.

CloakedSoup responds:

Oooohhh. You're gonna make me cry! <3 It's nice to know that my track connected with you so much, because it's always been my goal to do so! Getting the solo vocal library I have to sound realistic has been quite the challenge. I still have a ways to go with mixing vocals and MIDI programming with voice stuff in general, but I'm super happy you enjoyed the piece! I'm looking forward to posting more music in the future as I continue to strive to improve!

[Love the Night]

Such a gorgeous solo piano piece, Lucid. You switch so effortlessly from the more delicate sound to the fuller and deeper chords, and back again.

As always, for an improvisational session, the overall quality is impressive. There were only a few discordant notes from start to finish, and your skillful playing helps to maneuver the mind's eye beyond those brief moments and on into the next.

Even when the music stops, it continues to reverberate within. A very emotional piece, and clearly inspired by your trip to Iceland. Welcome home! I'm glad to hear that you had such a fantastic trip, my friend. I very much enjoyed your playing, and am feeling thoroughly relaxed. :)

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Aww, thank you Chrono! ^___^

It felt very different to play this improv, than my usual ones, since this was recorded on my stage keyboard (a synth, basically), instead of on my electric piano. I think it was refreshing, in a way!

Yeah, I'm always prone to make a few mistakes when improvising, but I don't usually mind them, as they add to the fleeting moment :3

I enjoyed my trip indeed! In fact, it was an indescribable experience :D
I think I must've taken like 2000 pictures and 100 short videos xD
Thanks for the support, I hope you're doing well!!

[Shaft]

This is some pretty nice Deep House you've cranked out here, Hallow. But while most of the percussive elements are spot on, the more melodic content is more or less being, well...shafted. Interestingly enough, this reminds me a bit of the DKC2 Swamp Theme with its deep bassy undertones and ethnic percussion. Check that out, and you'll see an example of how ear-catching melodies can be added to break through the otherwise very repetitious nature of the House style.

Okay, so like I said, the drums are generally awesome. The one aspect that I don't think works very well are those quick hits in rapid succession. They're too close together, and could definitely sound more interesting with a bit more spacing, which could also help break up the monotony somewhat. The timing also sounds off, as in when they start or end, which isn't doing the rest of the percussion any favors because it's so obvious.

While the synth elements and bass all sound very nice, there's just not a lot of differentiation from one section to the next. The song rises and falls a little bit, slowly, over time. Those stabbing arpeggios are nice, but they never really change things up very much. Your bends are interesting, but while they make for a nice layer, none of these things really makes for a solid melody or theme that is ultimately very memorable.

In conclusion, while this is nice and relaxing to listen to as a background track, it's not honestly something that will stick in my mind and make me come back later. That's like the holy grail of musicality, along with emotional appeal, which is also lacking in this kind of track. And while that may sound rather harsh, it isn't meant to be. Making music that appeals to a wide audience is never an easy task. That said, I quite enjoyed listening to this several times over while writing this review. Nice job!

Hallow responds:

It was supposed to be pretty slow-moving and progressive and I guess I made it a little too much so. Even such this was my first ever attempt at anything house, so I think it turned out pretty well when I made it, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't change stuff now. Thanks for the review!

[Love and Adventure (Orchestral)]

Beautiful composition, Bosa! Thanks for sharing this on Newgrounds. If it weren't for a trailer, I would definitely be complaining about the length, but who wouldn't want to hear more? It's so full of emotion and mystery.

What this brings to my mind is a little boy, staring outside at the rain pouring down from the sky, sighing with his head in his hands because he wants to go outside and play. But then someone, maybe his dad, tells him about the power of imagination, and how it can transport you to distant lands without actually going anywhere.

And so, the little boy, eyes filled with new hope, embarks upon an epic journey within his mind's eye. He reads books and plays with his toys, but instead of the usual walls and floors, his home is transformed into distant shores, far away galaxies, and places so fascinating and bizarre that they could only come from his own imagination.

The only part that's hard to connect to this narrative is the deep, rather ominous-sounding bass at the end of the track. Although, now that I think on it and listen again, perhaps the father returns to tell his son that the rain has stopped and he can go outside. But when he opens the door to his son's room, he sees the boy playing happily, with a smile on his face. And so, without saying a word, a gentle smile of his own smoothing the careworn lines of his face, he closes the door and leaves the boy to his adventures. Fade to black.

Bosa responds:

Another great story to go along with the music. Yeah, I could've continued further and expanded my ideas a little more, but a good length for a trailer is around 1:30; however there is more music coming in the future. Thank you for always encouraging my work!

[AIM - Something Evil In The Forest]

This is a delightfully creepy track with a fantastic piece of artwork for its inspiration. You've nailed down the suspenseful vibe with your intense mixture of ambient sound effects; deep, throaty brass; and cinematic string ensemble. Your drum riffs are equally solid, and they serve to ramp up the tension even more.

That said, the main issue I found was that there was no real break from said tension. It ebbs and flows, but remains constant. A bit more harmonic work within the piece would be really effective, and I can easily imagine some equally creepy yet sparser sections where the main focus could be some kind of piano or, better still, music box progression. Oh, a bit of hellish music box would fit right in, especially since - in your version of the story - the woman is searching for her lost son.

Some variation in tempo could have really changed things up nicely, too. While the slower, more even tempo works well enough, slowing things down or speeding them up a bit can really spice up the storytelling. You clearly put a ton of time and effort into this, so I'd love to see it go the distance!

FateModified responds:

The music box is a great idea, I don't know why I didn't think about that, darn it! I think you're also right about the tempo change. I've thought about using tempo changes in my music before, but I'm not sure why I never have yet. I'll have to experiment with that next time. I can see how it could add dramatic intensity to the song.

Thanks for your review, I really appreciate it! :D

[AIM - distance]

A truly lovely addition to the 2018 AIM offerings, indeed. Exceptional job, TroisNyx and EliteFerrex. The song itself has a very wistful, ethereal quality throughout. Something about it brings to mind "You Were There" from ICO, though much more on the lyrical side than the instrumental.

In my personal opinion, there are some fantastic opportunities for lyrical harmonies early on, but the solo line works very well, regardless. The harmonies later on are pretty hard to understand within the mix, but they sound stellar.

I did find the sudden removal of the bass at 3:17 to be rather jarring. A slower fade, beginning around 3:14, would have fit the atmosphere better and been less ostentatious. Creating an automation channel for volume could iron that right out.

Obviously, there is a lot of very delicate, softer singing in the mix here, and that's hard to accomplish. You've done a great job here, but there are ultimately going to be a few pitch issues, especially when switching back and forth from the lower and higher octaves. Similarly, it's hard to maintain a steady volume level when singing like this, but once again you've come through admirably.

Beautiful work, and best of luck to the both of you! AIM for greatness.

[As My Heart Beats (Remastered)]

This is simply gorgeous, Jon. Once you fix those moments where it hits the wall a little too hard, it will be perfect. Well, about as perfect as we're capable of achieving here on earth, at least.

Rather ironically, my initial thought was that the vocals were the tiniest touch too loud in the mix, but some of her notes are sung with such emotive softness that they would be almost washed out by the instruments if they were any lower.

Not ashamed to admit that the song got me a little choked up. Hitting an emotional chord is like the holy grail for any musician, so I would be remiss if I neglected to mention it.

Bosa responds:

Thank you SO MUCH! You don't know how much that means to me, and I really needed to hear that from somebody; but coming from you makes it even more special!

Yes, I do plan on cleaning up those few spots a bit and maybe editing the voice some more. Hopefully by the time I'm done we will have something worth the effort. Again, I am very thankful for your review and always appreciate your friendship.

Take care of yourself Chromo,
Jon