SoulSecure's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Can't Be Swayed (Ft. Pink Nois)]

I think the vocals are too aggressive for the instrumental during the rapped parts, they should be spoken more softly IMO. I would also double the vocals for the verses, but that's more of a personal preference and I don't think that would be necessary. The vocals I think should also be mixed more quietly since at this point you're probably just keeping these recordings (AKA they are too loud).

This song is pretty much a smooth jazz song with quick, palm muted guitars. Reminds me a little bit of some Dave Brubek mixed with the Spyro OST (Stewart Copeland) except without pianos. I get that you have a busy guitar riff going throughout the song, but it needs some improv or a solo to break it up and make it more interesting. Like, right after the first chorus you could put a busy solo there and after the end of the song you could easily jam a trumpet solo or keyboard solo while dropping most instruments except the palm muted guitar and light drums with a bass line that riffs off what the soloist plays. Man, after that you could finish on a big chorus or a drop out chorus. Like I feel the song has more potential.

As it is the whole song is a bit of a plateau. Yes, I hear your swells, but they are mixed/played in a way that the volume of the song isn't much affected, this is another reason to mix your vox quieter. It needs to be more dynamic.

I enjoy the sound you got here and your drum mix is really good with that hard hitting snare ( reminds me of this one song from the Trigun OST) Nothing sounds like it's badly EQed and I get the work you put into it. Keep it up.

(listened on headphones and some old 2003 emachine pc speakers)

TeraVex responds:

Wow what a great review! I greatly appreciate your feedback! I can tell you gave the tune a good listen! As for the mix, I slightly fixed that issue in the mastering phase as the master was realllly loud which I fixed while mastering for release with the album. The vocals are still a bit prominent there, but I think the overall loudness issue was alleviated. Believe it or not, this track was going to have a horn section but I couldn't get them recorded due to the sudden change in scheduling due to everything closing. I'll always think of it when I play this tune!

[Carbon]

Love the riff and the instruments used, it's just way too repetitive. It needs more variations and maybe some vox w/distortion on them or some toasting vox. I like it as a concept. I'm sorry I can't currently give mix feedback as I'm not listening through headphones right now.

But seriously, when everything came in at 00:35 I was like, "Aw yeahhh," but then it just basically repeated over and over. Like, I get that you had a few drum pattern changes and took instruments in and out, but it needs more overall variations.

AlteredSignal responds:

I felt like I'd ruin the piece and make it incoherent if I added more stuff, but can't disagree on the fact that it's repetitive. This happens when you want to keep it simple, but don't want to force odd variations here and there, my bad. For a vocal track's instrumental though, I think it'd pass.

[The Fallen Lounge]

I like this, especially the first part. I recommend adding some high end treble to the entire track, maybe put an exciter on it. ---- EDIT ---- Just found out my headphone jack is going bad and I wiggled it around to listen to the song again and it sounds so much better in this regard. So the problem here was on my end, not yours. o.o

I'd also suggest panning your high hat somewhere... As I'm listening I'd pan around a few of your instruments as well, it's very much like a 'wide mono track' rather than a stereophonic experience. Now, there's not much wrong with that if that's what you wanted, but some panning would give more depth to the piece.

I think the piano is too loud to start with, and much like the other instruments it has a muffled sound to it (which is why I recommended an exciter). ---- EDIT---- It's not muffled anymore thanks to the aforementioned wiggling. I do though hear a huge difference in timbre between the higher velocity notes and lower velocity ones. I recommend putting those notes in separate instrument tracks and EQing them to sound more congruent.

Honestly that first riff on the frequency isolated keyboard is great and you could make a whole song just revolving around that. If I rip that idea off I'll add you as an inspiration!

--- EDIT ---- In the second part of your song when a honky tonky kind of keyboard comes in, it sounds like you're slamming up against your limiter.

Overall I think it's a nice song, but the mix is messy. I wish I could help you clean it up more with better advice, but I've gotten verrrrry bad at mixing these past few years, because I forgot how I used to do this stuff.

Celudoc responds:

Thanks for the listen and the tips! This was also one of my first ventures into playing with piano velocities, so I'm sure I made mistakes in here with that. Will definitely try to fix when i release it again into an album.

I definitely will take any mastering tips and tricks that are offered, as it's still kinda confusing for me (I only recently understood what gain staging is, if that gives you an idea how new I am with mastering).

I've not tried dedicating specific notes to a whole new mixer track before, I usually just dedicate instruments and then side chain; so I'm rather interested in that concept and may try that in later tracks.

I'm not sure if my ears are honed in enough to detect it yet though. If you have any good comparison videos or resources i should check out for that, I'd be grateful, as it's rather confusing on what to specifically search for when it comes to mastering and final sound quality, since there's so many opinions on mastering correctly out there, it can be a tad daunting.

Thats why I really appreciate the criticism and tips from the userbase here. Thanks again!

[Arctic]

Well, it started good and then drums with too much punch for me came in and then a vocal sample and then WHAT IS THAT? OWWW, DUDE WOAH! IT'S TOTALLY DISORIENTATING MY BRAIN! NO MAN, OH! I'M FALLING OVER NOW! SOMEONE HELP! IT'S AWFUL! NOOOOO! IT JUST KEEPS GOING!!!! Oh, OK it's over now.

Look, I cannot understand how you heard this mix and thought it was good. That sidechained synth is so incrediloud it's unbearable. I can't really tell what else is going on in the track as a result. I've always hated this kind of compressed, "WOAH LOUD!" style of mixing and I've heard way too much of it during my years here on NG.

Your song isn't terrible in it's composition (I think? it's hard to listen to, period, so I'm a little unsure of myself). The percussion at 0:50 is actually pretty sweet. All the loudness needs to go and you should put a lead melody during those parts (that are currently intensely loud).

The bass drum is too loud. Your bass line synth is too quiet. Your snare is alright, but your hi hat should be on the left pan and your second snare should probably be on a 'roundpan' (moving pan) or something.

There's potential here. Just needs work and some more melodic variation.

B3yondMusic responds:

Thank you so much for this. I have been trying to make more music but haven't had any good ideas. I got this idea but couldn't figure out how to make it sound exceptionally good. Thx for this and ill work to make it fit what you said.

[My rendition of 'Enjoy The Silence']

My favourite Depeche Mode Album was Violator and I think you captured the feel of this song rather well.

The mix is a little messy, though. Might want to remove some freqs here n there, but my main gripe with this is that the melody during the chorus, or bridge, or w/e is a synth that is far too similar to the other synths being used and it becomes obscured in the soundscape. (in other words: it doesn't stick out enough).

I suggest using a different synth there. (the part that starts at 0:45). Pretty cool, though.

tallestrose responds:

I'll admit: I'm a noob when it comes to mastering songs, especially EDM tracks. I still have a lot to learn about compression and EQ, though I completely understand what you mean when it comes to the 'lead synth'. It doesn't stand out. I'll improve on that in future songs!

Thank you so much for your review, I really appreciate it! :)

[The Banshee]

I really like this song. There, I said it. In any case, I love the atmosphere you went for here with the instrument selection. Very much a water/ice sound to it. Reminds me the old Sonic games on the Genesis.

Your percussion really makes the song, though. Greaaat selection of percussion samples!

When that chord playing synth comes in around 1:00 with the timbre modulation on it, I was impressed with the specific modulation you did to it. Very nice sound. Good to hear something tyhat is a bit different from other house songs on NG.

Your mix is good. I might put in a slight more hard panning in there, but it's your song.

One of things I thought this song needed was some more complex lead melodies. It's a little stale halfway through especially considering the length of the song. That's not to say the song itself is stale halfway through, but the melodies being presented are stale halfway through.

I think this is a good song to chill out to and I find it generally enjoyable.

MaxPoly responds:

I intend to focus on melody a bit more in my newer tracks, since that seems to be a common criticism.

Thanks for the review!

[I am made of sock]

You've got to be kidding me. I love this. This is the house music I remember, not that new crap that people call house. I don't really have any criticisms. This is just pure awesome.

Reminds me of the first three Sonic The Hedgehog games.

PolarTrance responds:

Thank you, yeah the bass is actually really close to what the older sonic games used. I made my bass using the same synthesis aka FM, which is what the genesis used in it's synth engine.

[Free2Play - Crazy]

I gotta say, I don't usually listen to NG house, since I like the OLD house music, but I'm glad I clicked on this one. This is a pretty stand up (although pop-dumb, but I do pop-dumb stuff too) house song and having live vocals is something you don't get in a lot of electronic music, much less on NG.

Your piano melody on the right pan should variate or drop out at 00:49. It doesn't fit there. In fact some variation in that melody PERIOD would be a good idea, especially during the verses, but then leave it the way it is during the chorus.

Mix wise... Pretty great, fitting for house. Might cut a little of the low freq on the piano reverb, though (hearing reverb of hammer sounds in the left pan). Push your bass up a bit in volume as well.

You have a good sounding mic. What is your set up?

The panned delays on the vocals are pretty sweet. Your voice sounds like Jimmy Urine mixed with Daman Albarn and considering they both do electronic music this is a good thing. (Do a cover of Park Life :P)

Overall, it is as you said, "a mediocre single," but we need more singles with live vocals on them here.

Good work.

Free2Play responds:

Yeah it was kind of a weird concept I had to try and not vary it to make it sound more like house? It was a dumb idea.

Thanks for your review!

Oh yeah and my mic set up is hillariously bad. I don't even have a pop filter. I just know how to mix and record my voice after like 10 different songs utilizing it.