Suspended-3rd-Chord's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

["After Sunset" F-777]

Night at the Roxbury

lol dude everytime I listen to one of your tracks I can just see Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan bobbing their heads in a nightclub to one of your music :P

great main riffs, super catchy and appealing for the dance genre ~ this is why you've gotten top 5 well deserved 3 or 4 times now? Excellent job at that man. I like how you start off with the weak EQ settings, and then introduce bold bass sounds, and then emerge with two super catchy synths with sweet melodies. The melody around 0:45- very nice square sound or whatever. Love the pads in the interlude, and the main melodies this time incorporating bends-great way to keep the same catchy ideas without being repetitive. The ending is quite nice again too, could have finished more dramatically, I was anticipating the track too manuever into something more epic-like a phase with sharper wetter EQed synths-but thats just me.

Near perfect job mastering, good synth development, drums sound nice. I can feel a pretty good groove, but I cant feel enough of the bass kick. During your larger layered sections I think you could use a more rounder, fat kick. The snare rolls add lost of intensity to dance tracks as well, so they could be raised about 1 DB IMO.

overall, excellent production, well put together man!

[Oceans Within]

Christopher Columbus

I think this an excellent composition. Does indeed portray what you described it as-reminds me of a pirate themed track.

I think you could've opened the first 10 seconds with a subtle timpani in addition to the 1 violin note. Good voice leading in the intro, I think you could have made it a tad longer, like atleast 2 more bars. youve got a nice melody on the brass, the second time time around you couldve made the last note on the melody one step higher up. Really cool clarinet melody(I think it could be louder). Is there a synth bass in here too when the drumkit is playing? I think the volume could be raised on that too.

Drums are nice! the main melody flows very nicely with the rest of the track, you could change the high string note every so often. Loving the easy feeling melodies around 2:00, and the opening back into a more serious tone, complimented with nice snare rolls. Great job of building intensity with the drums throughout the track, I think you did an excellent job at this.

One aspect that kinda decreases the epicness in this track is the amount of slow paced breakdowns (if I'm using the right word hear)...i dont think there was ever a consistent minute of continually pounding drums and those great melodical ideas. not necessarily a flaw though.

One step I think you should or need to take is losing the midish sound-in this day in age there is no excuse! :P just download a program like FL Studio (the demo would be fine), get some free soundfonts or VSTs, and you're piece will sound much more realistic. Otherwise superb composition!

Nermio responds:

Hey thanks!
I actually did use some soundfonts with cubase SX1 and I used the "sfz" VSTi to sequence them and no these sounds may not have been the best today but finding good soundfonts is not that easy at all, especially not brass, like trumpets (yes there was something that was supposed to be a trumpet) and so.

And there was no synth bass, maybe I should have had one in there.

Before I reformatted my pc last time I had a VST called SFP, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. It was very nice, sequenced the soundfonts very good and I kind of miss it a bit. Do anyone know where it is? Thanks!

And Thanks for the review!!! I'll take all these things in account the next time!

[-{[Dvvv Dvvv]}-]

well...

There is both positive and negative aspects in here...I certainly like specific parts about this track.

The opening melody is nice- liking the synth. The synth over the top of it is alright by kinda drowns the opening melody and even the drums- and seems like the FX that are on top of it are used too randomly. the interlude that starts around 0:40 is very nice, very cool choir and piano sounds, and transitioning going back into the main melodical ideas. There is bassline in here that sounds worthwhile of showing off, but its too quiet, or you just need to lower the volume on the lead synth. Some synth strings in here would be cool as well.

conclusion was done fairly decently, I think you could have sustained the final note longer, and maybe formed a resolving chord with some of the choir pads that you used in the interlude.

unique drum loops, i would look into finding better samples tho-sounds too cheesy. I like the ranging volumes tho. the claps could be higher.

Keep at it, interesting track!

[Nav- Kirby's Mirror (idnb rmx)]

Better than Paragon X9 IMO

really captivating cover you got goin on here. I havent heard the original but from hearing past Kerby music I'm gonna guess that you put alot of work into this to make it have its own personal DnB flavor. btw, what makes this "intelligent"?

I love the floaty melodies that flutter from ear to ear, some nice light pads, and a nice lair of air been the subass and other synths @_@ I especially love that organish melody around 1:35ish...great job mixing the drum beat multiple times throughout the sequence, and all those kick ass FX mixes...i like the ride cymbals in combination with the hi-hats...Slowdown section is cool too, I like how it gradually progresses with more effects and sounds, and flows right into the main patterns

I think the best part of this track is definetly the mastering production. Not only was it clear as a cloudless sky, you used a combination of interesting, obscure effects on a fantastic selection of synths, which I believe you make from scratch? The panning is supercrazy and minddazzling. sounds straight up professional. Beautiful phasing/flangerish stuff, love when you do the crushing on the drums and the other little mixes that give it an "intelligent" sound!

cant even give a damn critique, lol. This was well sequenced and all. I guess it doesnt get a full 10/10 because it doesnt have any super-striking melodies, and the melody that you start with could use a tad more variation-but it still kicks ass

Kickass ass track navij, are you still offering help services? cuz man it would be great to learn a few of your techniques!

Nav responds:

Ok, first off :D

It is called intelligent because that is the name of the genre. Its another genre similar to trip-hop and atmospheric jungle, but... it has the chords, I think. If you want to hear my inspiration, listen to "Who are you? (Original 12" Mix)" by Omni Trio. That's pretty much what I did with the track.

About the mastering... Thanks! I actually post-mastered this, running it through Izotope Ozone to get a REALLY clear sound, and accentuate the sub-bass.

The synths are actually really varied. For the chords, I used a 70-80s string VST. For the atmospheric thing playing at the same time as the chords, I used a VST called "String Theory" and messed until I got something cool. For the wobble, I used a Theremin emulator. The rest were made by me in 3xOsc. Each synth has effects on it too, so don't think I just took the VSTs straight on.

I used multiple panning LFOs on all of the synths I made to make it sound a bit more interesting. The first mix of this song was really boring, and the panning helped, so I left it in :)

Yeah, about the melodies. I didn't really have much to work with here... http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/
nintendo/gba/mirror_opening.mid is the midi, that's all I had to work with o.o It took a lot of time simply to think of stuff to do with it. Another problem was that the melody was in 3/4, and the song was in 4/4, so I needed to convert it. You'll hear some of the 3/4 come out in the breakdown, so listen closely >:)

Sure man, I'll help you out! Send me an:
AIM: Navij11
MSN: [e-mail]
GTalk: [e-mail]

Thanks for the review! :)

[Time Travel]

Great!

Quite enjoyable atmospheric intro with a nice opening beat. Reminds me of standing over a large cliff above the ocean in a foggy environment.

The intro into the main phase of the song could have used a bit more impact..the melodical structure increases quite well throughout the course of the song, I like the background arpsynth around 1:50(could be a tad louder). I especially like the section around 3:35, tasty......

good work! good work!

Twistedtechnology responds:

I only post my tasty treats XD anything i find untasty doesnt get posetd LOL

I wish others shared my tastes XD thanks for the review!

[==(Morning Sun)==]

Morning Sex

very wet like a dewy morning. Relaxing but the chords pack energing, beautiful juicy tones on those synths. I love the "ahhhhhh" orgasm and water droplet effects. Glad you included some realistic drums, volumed and EQed perfectly, and plays a really chill beat, especially the tom and snare riffs at the ends of sections. pads are well nice and airy, and soft like a bed to put the other melodies to a graceful sleep. Piano sounds great and pleasant. I like the chorusy plucked synth. Those vibrato notes are really tight, lots of flavor, I would like to hear more melody from this synth. Around 3:00 I think the piano could have ended in gradually increasing volume including louder velocities on the lower notes.

GREAT SBB

[Insanity In A Glass House]

aggravating but cool harmonies

and a kickass title...lead melodies could definetly drive me insane but I personally like it.

Interesting, queer opening melodies on that thin snyth....I especially like the backing organ melody...the thin melodies work really well too, too add more epicness I would include a bold saw in here with some intense drums (say right after the 2:00 part), I think that would help quite a bit...Another good melody around 1:20, and another nice harmonization riff...lots of variety in here, but you could try expanding on the melodies more. Glad you included bass in here, I think it could use a more bassy tone tho-sounds a bit boring when it plays by itself..

now there are countless ways of ending sounds by messing them up, but including sharp loud noise isnt one of them-thought that was quite unnecessary and you could have put more effort in wrapping up your track.

and replace those lame drum samples I wont be the only one to tell you :P try panning your hi-hat a little more to the left or right, and the snare sample could be raised a tad.

Aside for sounding a little too much presetish(which makes some sections cheesy) freaky mix, keep up the good work.

SoulofDeath responds:

Thanks for the review, very in depth and descriptive, i will have to take some of those critiques into thought. maybe add those into "Insanity In A Brick House" which will be coming soon

[Rig - Concentrate]

This would help with my ADHD

I enjoyed listening to this loop 200 times repeatedly while trying to be beat Blockout, and without this music I probably would not have been able to complete the game. so thanks.

What are those "wishy washy" sound Fx? DnT = Drum and Treble. haha dont be eqist man. lolo j/k sry. anyway, they definetly add a real nice touch and help define the track, sounds great in replacement to tradtional percussion. I can see a slow robot cleaning out a pipeway-this loop would also work great in one of those "infiltration games". I also really like the bassline, real serious melody, and the little intracasies and sound bits of short melodies that you put are quite relaxing but encourage a focused mood. Love the fx you got on the main melody. very innovative electronica mix with cool synths.

really cripsy fresh sweet sound, thanks for keeping it real. and i'm totally gonna PM you for that update :D

[Rig - Interlude]

Riggonance

just as a piano solo itself i actually like dis piece very much :D could use more variations and more stuff like you said, but it sounds nice overall..

That fuzzyness/wind sounds makes for a well produced creepy feel..nice intro melody, adds to the atmosphere. I think when you hit the first the first tritone it came into suddenly, and you could have constructed a better melody to more smoothly introduce the dissonance-but for the most part throughout the track the dissonance sounds very good and not overused, IMO-I love this kinda stuff. I think it could use more different rhythm schemes to add more diversity, it kinda sounds like your holding back in the start. Chords and lower notes blend nicely, and I especially love the thick clanging dissonant chord at 2:20ish...could conclusion...the melody in the end sounds real dark...after the note around 3:35 I personally would start throwing in fast right hand arpeggios, to dramatically finish the "interlude" and transition back into the beef of the track @_@

nice piano tone, the darkness adds some character, i like how the lower notes sustain well

anyways, just my 2 cents!

[~ Dry Sunset ~]

An end to poverty!

Gorgeous ethnic african music! This reminds of music they show in those "save Darfur" type of documentaries. Your track is very powerful and relaxing in its current state.

Great beat, well panned, and nice to see you using congas as the percussion. The choral pads have great chords and carry an amazing melody, a very hopeful inspiring one. Excellent job at putting together the voices, the lead melody is dead on inspirational over the top.

When you decide to finish this, I would addon a faster melody, add more to the beat, like a consistent 8th note shaker riff, and an Udu would be a pleasure to see. Great work!

kelwynshade responds:

I'm happy to hear you liked it. I actually have quite a few different plans to push the power of this song. This is truly only the introductory phase. It's one of those songs that I want to perfect before releasing the full title. Already it hits the heart pretty hard, and I want it to explode. Keep an ear out, hopefully I get around to finishing it sometime soon.