Quarl's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[AIM - Deep Dawn]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
SomeGuyMusic, Deep Dawn: 9,9,7,4

Next year will be very interesting, I've been hounding on competitors for not providing enough data in the author's comments to help direct the judging process. I often had to guess and make my own sad connections to the art. An original theme of the contest when it started in 2013 was building community. Rule #2 from the original 2013 rule set was "ask the artist if you can use their picture for the contest and make a song inspired by the picture." Though the contest dropped that rule I'm sitting over here judging songs and wishing that more users realized that the judges are peers. We have feelings and you can toy with those a little by mentioning your feelings, ideas, which instruments echoed elements to the illustrations, lyrics, anything. I love getting to know more about the artists, musicians, animators, and programmers that I'm surrounded by. Offering up those deeper conceptual ideas can add a degree of authenticity to the aspect of "inspiration." You can endear yourself to your peers by just saying a little more. This is a tough contest to judge and I take EVERYTHING into account to justify the scores I give people. Only took off one or two points for failing to help bridge connections, often music didn't speak for itself. Newgrounds has become a global community and artists need to realize the power their words can have in shaping this community, I want to "inspire" everyone to participate in it just a little bit more by not being afraid to post a manifesto or feelings. You can be more than just a webpage. You can be a role model, memorable, and layered.

There are some incredibly inspired tracks in this contest, you mostly used the author's comments to promote your own music on other platforms. I'm glad that I was asked to judge for "emotion" because I'm feeling a little annoyed writing up essay after essay to justify my scores only to notice that some artists couldn't be bothered to write anything at all. I actually appreciate it when artists and musicians have the self awareness to promote their other projects and websites, good job, but I could have used more insight into your creative process. You've left interpretation entirely up the listener and that's a little dangerous. I took off one or two emotional points for everyone that failed to share their feelings and inspirations but you're also losing an emotion point for keeping the track at one constant energy level for the majority of the time. Some more diversity would have played into crafting a more interesting song.

I also hawked on people for not making use of atmospheric sounds and samples to transport listeners into the scene. The image implies a lot of nature. I can imagine hearing birds and rain. I've pointed to nature documentaries and 1 hour meditation YouTube videos as a decent source for atmospheric samples. Though it's questionably unethical, the judges for this competition and Newgrounds audio mods won't care or hold it against you so long as the sample doesn't become the primary focus of the track. Citing and giving credit back to a particular sample in the author's comments also keeps you honest and we understand that. We're your peers and this is a very forgiving contest. Though copywritten samples can be troublesome, we on the judge panel know it's still a creative tool and you could use it sparingly/justifiably. Not everyone can afford a field recorder and a trip to the ocean to record the sounds of waves crashing, many composers on Newgrounds are young or broke. You could also try to synthesize SFX as an alternative if sampling feels too risky. Another competitor managed to produce very accurate racecar engine noises via a sawtooth synth. You can make rain and wind from a little white noise. A simple sinewave synth with pitch bends and reverb can emulate water droplets.

I hope this was helpful in some way, I'm sorry if you don't understand the point I was trying to make in regards to using the author's comments section to your advantage. I go a little overboard when it comes to feedback but I think I've unintentionally highlighted the simple fact that it's fairly easy to take a little extra time to stand out for your peers. This is a review you might remember for a little while because I'm trying to get you to think. Some of my professors at Alfred University tried to stress the importance of writing blogs or publishing books. As an artist, you can always have a voice outside of your craft and that makes you a more accessible person, skilled in defending a thesis or work of art. The critique process was a huge part of receiving my BFA and there were times when I needed to defend more conceptual work. There will be times when you have to explain yourself. Music doesn't always speak for itself, especially in a contest like this. I wish you the best. Do have a good day Mr. SomeGuyMusic, and I hope to see some more from you in the future :D

SomeGuyMusic responds:

I will definitely keep this in mind for next time and I definitely see your point! The knowledge you've gave me with this review is nothing short of gold that will carry through not just a competition but through some aspects of my music production journey! Thank you so much! I can promise you, everything from me will always improve!

[AIM - Lowlands Scrapyard]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
Everratic, Lowlands Scrapyard: 10,10,10,10

Very lovely orchestrations and elements. Providing me with info in the author's comments was a common point I levied at users who failed to make an effort to write much. That one element can guide judges and listeners to the musician's inspirations possibly not apparent via the music alone. Music doesn't always speak for itself (though my favorite tracks did), it's always worth sharing your thoughts or feelings for the users that are willing to engage with it. This is a community first and foremost that rewards honest engagement. The track was also good enough that I couldn't really be bothered to wait until the end of the track to give you a perfect score for emotion. The orchestral transitions were lovely, chimes and cymbal swells well used. Even a little gentle synth play midway. This is an expertly done soundscape the relies on many traditional elements, very professional and commercial.

I asked many other users to make use of atmospheric samples to echo back to the illustrations. That storm at 2:16 was very subtle. I looked at the image again and there is a hint of rainfall. That illuminated ending gives way as if a storm is gently passing. The intro might have benefit from some running water SFX but I actually thought I heard water drops on my first listen. After going back and really listening for it I realized it was a percussive instrument. This track implied a lot with very little. I suppose I could nitpick the mix being a little quiet but despite that tiny waveform the instruments manage to be full and lush. You orchestral people and your paradoxically small wave shapes are an enigma to us hardstyle EDM losers.

Out of 92 tracks I reviewed, you are the 6th and final perfect score. I had hoped the other judges were little more critical to make up for my friendly scores to avoid a short list of perfect 40s. I wish you the best and encourage you to listen to the other submissions. This contest is always a blast because I get the opportunity to get to know Newgrounds musicians a little better. Though I recognized your name in my score sheet I'm giving everyone the same critical eye but I couldn't take off any points for this without feeling overly critical. It would have hurt me to do so. Have a wonderful day Ever <3

Everratic responds:

Thank you so much for the detailed review and for being a judge! It was a fun event and I enjoyed listening to many of the submissions - there were indeed many excellent ones this year.

[Beware - AIM]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
Spadezer, Beware: 10,10,10,10

I would expect an old regular to understand the value of the author's comments. Thanks for providing your thought process, lyrics, and equipment. Since I don't need to waste my time needlessly analyzing how this song connects to the art I can quickly hand out top scores for emotion and relevancy. Working the song title into the lyrics via acrostic poem was sassy. My fiance could hear the song despite the fact that I was wearing headphones and he made a connection to the Gorillaz. For certain this is a fun track and it exudes commercial professionalism.

I actually filled out my score sheet with a perfect 40/40 before I finished listening to it, only song to nab that. I'm trying to keep perfect scores rare but the production was through the roof. I can't nit-pick anything. You're on track for getting the shortest review out of everyone but I thank you for saving me the time and energy. The previous review I wrote was six paragraphs long, mostly sharing production techniques. This was such a pleasure to start my day with, thank you so much Spade and I wish you the best.

(This is an additional footnote I'm adding at time of posting my review because it's not fair that I gave everyone else like 8 paragraphs and you only got two. If you want me to be critical I suppose I could wait outside your window every day and every night, waiting for you to forget to brush your teeth so that I can punch out your window and say "FUCK YOU, YELLOW TEETH HAVING MOFO. ALWAYS BRUSH YOUR TEETH TWICE A DAY AND FLOSS," but I'm not sure how helpful that would be in regards to your music. You wrote something special and I hope you feel proud of your work. gg)

Spadezer responds:

A Gorillaz connection is new. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and I'm deeply honored by your compliments. I'm glad to hear that you think I have a professional sound.

I don't think you need to punch out my window. My cat would not appreciate that

[AIM - Neo-Noir Nights]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
LuckyDee, Neo-Noir Nights: 8,5,10,10 (33/40)

I'm going to open up my review by pointing out something silly. You went with futuristic Japanese Zen garden vibes but I'm feeling like the image more closely resembles Nordic culture with that big tree of life emanating in the center and golden circles radiating over the canopy. In Norse mythology, life takes the shape of a circle. When one generation dies the next will take it's place for eternity. MINUS FORTY POINTS, CULTURAL FAIL D:< oh wait there's Japanese font in the image... this is awkward... you win this time Lucky but I'm watching you.

You can keep your points for now as I write up my review. It's a 100% bona fide inspired piece of music. There were two other competitors that went with a Japanese illustration and evoked that culture's instruments. Whether they realized it or not, I studied a little music history while at University and came across the fact that Eastern music was counted differently. Most people are familiar with bars and time signatures but traditional Japanese music was rubato as fuck, players would emotively express themselves free from time restrictions minus a discernable pulse. It's why that culture of music has an impromptu style. A measure played on traditional Japanese flute is counted in how long the player takes between breaths. Or so my music appreciation teacher told the Uni class so many years ago, she could have been high for all I know. Half of my art professors were high like 50% of the time. I might have liked to hear an ambient section that takes full advantage of those traditional rhythmic elements, lacking true rhythmic pulse. For the most part the song hits at the same energy level for the majority of the time. A good drum and bass song gives listeners a little time to rest and DJs a time to switch up or drop samples. I might recommend listening to Noisia's Moonway Renegade to hear how they really play with that energy the track over. They take long segments to build up atmosphere and creatively slow down the drums to a hip-hop esque down-tempo kung-fu break.

Thank you for taking the time to write what you did. I've been analyzing author's comments in this contest to better understand artist's intentions and inspirations. It feels a little silly that I can write so much about people's music but they seemingly couldn't be bothered to share anything themselves. Newgrounds is a community of nutty-creative renegades and outcasts. I was asked to judge emotion and having a better sense of the people behind the accounts helps me feel like I'm making the right decisions. This contest is too often left up to interpretation but I fall back on one of the original goals of the contest which was to encourage us all to reach out and get to know one another. I'm giving you solid points for emotion and relevance because you didn't risk letting the music speak for itself. A manifesto is a powerful tool to manipulate my feelings while I'm forced to sit here, taking in the sounds.

I can however take points off for the other categories. It's always dangerous to put Drum & Bass in front of me because I can really nit-pick the mixdown of my own genre. I can appreciate a lot of what I hear from the perspective of a fellow Junglist but the drum samples are a little pale compared to what's popular these days. That was a relatively tiny drum kit for a genre that prides itself on over compressed drums and tight fidelity. You're layering an adorably snappy ghost snare but without the power from the main snare drum to drive things the two snare drums fight for my attention. The most powerful element from the drum kit was the hi-hat, a sound that usually get's a little panning bias and is turned down considerably. When a sound get's panned it creates the illusion that it is louder than it actually is so you can then turn it down a little. That makes room in the mix two ways, the opposite side of the field will have more space but you also turned levels down. Win-win. While bass tones are best mixed towards the center, thinner sounds can bias left or right and find happy little homes to balance each other. Masterful panning takes a lot of practice but it's such a powerful tool and too often underused. Feel free to take notes from the pros, listen to their music and compare it to yours and try to get that fidelity they so effortlessly drivel out constantly.

The genre of Drum & Bass has gone through many evolutions but I somehow doubt this is what it will sound like in the far future. You went with classic clean jazz guitars commonly heard in liquid of earlier decades and I commend you for taking the time to use them. They had a romantic sound but could have benefit from fidelity tools, a little compression, some more pan bias + balancing. I'd have hit that futuristic vibe with timeless sinewaves. A simple sinewave can take so many shapes and grooves. They have long been used in the world of cinematography via theremins to evoke mysterious aliens and UFOs. Any program with a sine wave synth can emulate an ear test with some pan strobes. A sound that gently tickles one ear then the other activates the brain to start trying to locate where the sound is coming from. I assume the future will feature music in much higher definition than surround sound but I've always found surround kind of gimmicky tbh when you can do so much with only two channels. So many people don't make full use of that stereo field. Pan like it's the future Dee. Pan like it's the year 5000, get brave with those stereo locations!

That saw synth jarringly hits full blast at 00:27. There are ways to introduce those kinds of instruments casually. I slap automation lanes onto my volume knobs to slowly crescendo instruments into the action a measure or two early. You can simultaneously play with the pitch bend wheel to slowly "rise" the sound into play. In fact, these kinds of synths are commonly called risers, I assume because they warm up the listener and elevate the energy from section to section. I want to take this moment to apologize, the next critique is very specific and a little unfair. I've been listening to DNB for a long time and the classic reese saw-synth reminds me of a world before 9/11. The 90s were a time when Junglists could wreck a dance floor with that synth. It doesn't necessarily hit the same in 2023 but maybe slap a distortion unit on it? Follow that up with a graphic EQ to boost and cut key frequencies into a compressor. Then you slap a filter of some kind on the signal and play with the freq/res knobs. Use automation lanes to tell the filter what to do and suddenly that cheese-reese becomes a nuero bass. I'm sorry I used the phrase "cheese-reese," that was hurtful and uncalled for but I did warn you of danger when putting DNB in front of me. I mentioned Noisia's Moonway Renegade earlier but that songs a really great example of just how much can be done with a simple sawtooth reese synth after modulating it. Automation is power. Go look it up while realizing that most sources like YouTube will diminish the audio quality some. I bought that track in 2008 like a very simple Noisia whore.

I had a chance to loop this song many times while writing this review. Do understand that I loved what I listened to. There is so much great music in this contest that I'm really taking everything into account. You wrote wonderful melodies and rhythms. Just because the snares didn't pop, and some of the elements are dated, I still liked the offbeat accents and moods. A good ghost snare rhythm can carry the track. Salutations Lucky and may you have a wonderful rest of your day!

LuckyDee responds:

Wow, thanks for the extensive analysis! I won't argue your points either, I'm by no means an expert when it comes to DNB - I do enjoy listening to it from time to time, but never did a deep dive into it to figure out the basic production techniques - nor do I know the first thing about traditional Japanese music, so I'm bloddy intrigued by the picture you paint of it. Like I wrote in the description, all I was looking for was to release some music again, and I'm grateful for the AIM to help me along here. And all the better if I can get some people to dig it along the way. Thanks again, thrilled by the effort you cared to put in <3

[Amiss]

LucidShadowDreamer, Amiss: 10,9,10,9 (38/40)

I didn't even realize you snuck into this contest, who let you in LSD? Was is Annette? I'll let it swing this time BUT I'M KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. I haven't even listened to your song yet as per when I wrote this. I noticed your name on the score sheet, got excited, and skipped ahead to write this initial paragraph. I hope you enjoyed it.

Ok, now I'm listening to your music. Haunting and beautiful, colorful. Despite such a small waveform you got some really loud elements and I love that. Many users gave me tiny mixdowns but at max volume this hits my ears pleasantly. Not too loud but not so quiet that I can't make out the finer details on a cell phone. I suppose these mix elements are a side effect from the one instrument you chose to write with. Your melody stylings stand out powerfully, a strength of yours I'm familiar with. I reviewed one of your songs a while back and critiqued your use of synths which are not a strength of yours but I'm always happy to hear people go outside their comfort zone. I didn't feel like this song ventured too far from that comfort zone of yours, this might have been a wonderful track to practice some gentle synth patches and evolving panning data. Dammed if you do damned if you don't, right?

The clouds in the image could imply the movement of wind. That tree is either beat red because it's a Japanese maple or it's fall. Dampness is common in the fall, the water colors makes the road look damp. The instrument patch you used almost sounds like windchimes. You have the orchestral chops to make use of chimes but you didn't. Cymbal swells could have been used to gently crescendo into transitions evoking wind and light. With panning data, those swells could have implied ghostly movements or vapor. The image uses light and shadow very well, gentle bass drums could have darkened the mix up a little to echo the potency of the darker colors. You left it up to the melodies to do all the work of creating all the contrast A VERY BOLD DECISION LSD. WHO LET YOU INTO THIS CONTEST? THIS IS WHY I DON'T TRUST YOU. GOING ALL EXPERIMENTAL FOR A CONTEST YOU COULD HAVE STUCK TO YOUR GUNS AND OWNED. This is why I love you. The competition this year is steep, and I'm trying to be fair to everyone. I hounded other competitors in reviews to write more about their work. You were very brave to say "my personal interpretation of the artwork differs somewhat from the creator's" because I feel like that showed a small flaw. You didn't perfectly embody the spirit of the original illustration despite doing it some serious love and justice. A church bell would have fit the scene well because we have headstones and even one with a cross. The artist aimed to make an illustration that showed "letting go of a loved one's loss," and she spoke of happiness. The sparse but brooding mood your dissonant notes created was odd in comparison. Though the artist was trying to illustrate a positive scene the melodies you used created feelings of unease or lingering. I honor your bravery to make a contradictory statement in the author's comments, so many people chose to say nothing of substance or value. One or two persons mentioned nothing at all. You got my emotion points for toying with me.

I'm sorry I'm not handing you a perfect score but I'm trying my hardest to keep those rare to be fair to everyone. This contest has been a small nightmare to judge because I impetuously decided that I would leave everyone a personalized review like this. You're still one of my favorites Lucid, I wish you the best and may you have a wonderful day <3

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Firstly, I wish to apologise for the delayed response. I try to reply to every review, but when someone has put so much effort in to writing one, I also want to sit down and properly take time to respond. It’s been a while since someone took such time to really put their interpretation of my work into words, so I must thank you for that; it’s nice to feel heard.

As you say, nowadays I feel more like a shadow that lurks in the darkness of Newgrounds, only to share a dream here and there (perhaps for contests or events), so one has to remain lucid or my work will pass by unnoticed.

As for the waveform, I’m guessing that many people master the tracks to -0.1 db, or perhaps even 0. I believe the NG player waveform visual might exponentially grow the closer you get to 0. I master my tracks at -1db, since this better circumvents issues with certain playback devices, and I find achieves enough loudness. These are just some thoughts I haven’t really tested too thoroughly, however! Naturally, it tends to be easier to mix a single instrument.

You caught me trying to stay within my comfort-zone. Well, rather, I chose to stay close to it whilst still experimenting with something I found novel and worthwhile. The methodology brings the Zone of Proximal Development to mind. The main reason I didn’t dare venture too far is because I was travelling, and in Portugal I had no access to Cubase. This meant I had to use FL studio which didn’t require that dongle I forgot back in Finland :p

I see that my (admittedly only slight) worry of people not really ‘getting’ my choices were unfounded with you as a judge. It was nice to mentally listen to the edits you verbally added to the piece! A good reminder that there is never really a complete song, as a single addition or retraction could completely change it, and one could argue for eons which choice is superior.

Whilst there might be some peace in death, I find it is rarely surrounded by merely one emotion. The whole array of feeling might be present in differing degree, for different people. All of this is difficult to understand, even more so to convey. This piece is my attempt to come at least one step closer to conveying that complexity, still falling far short, of course.

Never be sorry for not giving a perfect score! Always give what you feel is right <3

You wished me a wonderful day, but as I am so late in responding, I must wish that you have had a great month (precisely, in fact), and that you on top of that will have a great day.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

[AIM - Dusk]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
Dryest, Dusk: 9,8,9,10 (36/40)

Lmao, massive relevancy points for that non stop rain. You didn't need to spam it all over the track but I laughed a little because of it. So many competitors missed an opportunity to make use of atmospheric samples, you went the opposite direction and Saran wrapped the entire track with one. It's honestly a little distracting from all the other elements. You wrote wonderful melodies and contemplative Jazz. I'm a huge fan of Mouse On The Keys, I like to point people towards them when someone manages to write a sound so similar. While the rain and thunder gave you massive relevancy points, I took off points to "Composition/Structure" and "Production" because that same element just brings everything else down a little. You handed me high-class down-tempo jazz and then suffocated it a little with that storm. For a guy called "Dryest" you ironically drowned the mix with that massive atmospheric sample. It's why I mentioned "I laughed a little because of it."

It would have done just as well at the intro and the outro, without playing entirely throughout the track. If it was your intention to depress everything with it's ever present and menacing omnipotence, you should have said so. I really dug into people during the review process for not making use of those author's comments to direct the audience's attention and confirm inspirations. The primary theme of this contest is "inspiration" and if you leave it entirely up to the judges to draw their conclusions you might miss the chance to captivate our feelings. Newgrounds is a community of like minded misanthropes, creative juggernauts, and vagabonds. We're like a crappy family sometimes, we'll argue or disagree but we still like to know more about each other. Back in 2013, an original AIM rule involved reaching out to the artists and asking for permission to write music to their illustrations. The goal was to build bonds, make new friends, and strengthen our shitty social skills. I'm reminded of that because so many users made the mistake of assuming that the music spoke for itself but there is always something to be gained by having a voice. I took one point off of emotion for missing an opportunity to connect to your audience but don't worry, I did it to like 90% of the people in this contest to stay fair. Don't be afraid to have a voice for those that will pay attention to it.

My college advisor and video professor at Alfred University had once taken a moment to inspire her students to blog about their work and several of them recommended publishing books. It's not necissarily an artist's primary focus but writing about your work is an emotional hook for those that can read. A successful artist can't exist in a vacuum. Publishing content is an important aspect of our lives and everyone does it now via facebook or twitter. It can be a little annoying in this day and age when digital opinions and thoughts seem to oversaturate everyone's lives but you're an artist and so am I. From this day on I challenge you to have more of a voice, if for anyone it's for your peers. I don't always read a wall of text but there are times when I do and am usually grateful for it.

All in all I hope this review was helpful in someway. I despise coming across like a raging bitch, have a good one Mr. Dry!

Dry responds:

Thank you for the review, ngl this made me think a lot more than I thought it would have otherwise

[AIM - Sweet Tooth]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
Codefreq, Sweet Tooth: 10,9,10,10

For a theme song I feel like this was very well done, possibly even perfect. I looked at Ortani's original artist's comments about wanting to make "something cute and fun" and you managed to echo that very uniquely. Probably the most common critique I gave people is that they didn't make use of the author's comments to say a few things about how the art might have inspired elements in the music but you managed to make a song that spoke for itself better than most others. Music doesn't always speak for itself and an artist can always direct attention to key ideas. An artist can play with the judges emotions by adding that small human element. We love on our music much like a parent might dote on their kids. We love what we do and so many people just missed that opportunity to appeal to our feelings. I was asked to judge "emotion" after all and I take everything into consideration. We're a community, cult like at times. You didn't say much so I'm a little upset that I'm stuck over here doing all the work of trying to make the connections to the inspirations but at least you wrote a song that appeals to the imagery almost perfectly. Those kawaii fem vocals suit the Candi character and yes, I factored the silly candy puns. "Chew on this," "take that suckers." Very cute and in style. Jeez Code, you wrote a good one.

The music has an edge to it while still staying sweet and cute. I suppose the figure in the illustration could be ready to use that loli-pop as a weapon. A little Harley Quinn, a peppering of fun Adam West Batman high action orchestrations. I felt like there might have been minor issues in the mix but I'm not sure I can offer any meaningful feedback to improve it. I mean, the vocals sound like they were recorded in a big ass room. Aside from a negligible amount of room space on those voice recordings, the kick drum might have benefit from some more attention and power. I'm not sure if you sidechain at all but in EDM genres the kick drum is a massive part of the mix down and via sidechaining will push everything else out of the way. I'm used to heavy, charismatic EDM kicks. Compared to the energy and colors everything else has, the kick drum is the one element I can gripe about confidently. It's just not quite powerful enough, sorry my love.

I used that as my logic for taking off one point from your score, it really hurt to do. I really wanted to give this a perfect score but I'm trying to be as fair as possible to everyone in this contest. One last time, this song is so good. Have a wonderful day Codefreq and keep rocking out wonderfully.

Codefreq responds:

Wow, thank you so much for the detailed review! :D

In terms of inspiration, there isn’t really that much to say that hasn’t already been said. I saw the character, who’s name I assumed was Candi, based on the title of the art, and thought the character would fit in a 2D action game like Dust: An Elysian Tail or Metroid, and I wanted to convey the energy and vibe I felt would be appropriate based on what I was seeing through the instrumentation I chose to compose with. As with my other music, this piece is an audio-version reflection of both what I saw visually in the existing picture and what kind of corresponding animated story was playing in my head.

I did use the “music box” sound heard throughout the song to reflect the sound of an ice-cream truck driving by, given the “sweets” and “candy” themes of the drawing. Also, the lines in the song were intended to be possible catch phrases that Candi would say during combat.

I’ll keep in mind your tips about the production. Thanks again. :)

[AIM 2022 - Rock 'n' Roll]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
UncouthkidAC, Rock 'N' Roll: 10,5,10,10 (35/40)

Damn, you and Yoshiii343 got that teen grunge-indy-angst vibe down perfectly. Scott Pilgrim meets the Pillows FLCL OST. Your song brought a huge smile to my face. As someone that used to play a lot of acoustic drums for noisy youth bands I can respect the genre. Truthfully though the fidelity is going to make this hard to listen to on repeat. These high frequencies are scratching my ear drums painfully and makes everything sound a little too thin. Affording the equipment and space for high fidelity live studio sounds is a painful hurdle. You got wonderful song writing chops and I'll give you high points for everything except production. If you play a live set at a venue, ask if they can record via the mixing board.

How many mics are you putting on that drum kit? As an EDM artist I can tell you that auxiliary percussion like hi-hats and crash cymbals can be panned left or right to reflect the drum kit's location or balance the stereo field. Tom fills and rolls can emulate a right to left movement, with the first tom panned in a direction and the final panned opposite with the middle tom sitting in the middle of the field creating dynamic breathing room in the mix. That kind of sound fidelity requires more mics than you probably have. The first three songs I uploaded to Newgrounds in 2005 had maybe two microphones on my drum kit and the recordings were so embarrassingly flat. We recorded those songs in a dark basement using an old 8 track mixer that was given to us with a handful of microphones. I know the struggle all too well.

I can't overlook bad production just because I'm aware of the struggles while romantically remembering that time in my life. I'd recommend researching how to get better stereo recordings but you can still fix stuff up a little with digital tools. I'm not sure what programs you're using to mix it all but if you have the ability to slap a graphic EQ onto things I might recommend it. You're mix looks fairly full but there's still room for more bass and an EQ can help boost those lows. EDM producers have the ability to just drop fidelity tools on everything but you can also make use of those same digital tools to a righteous degree. If you have less mics you can try to record parts separately, would recommend structural elements such as drums first. Mics can be shared between instruments and voices but the more recordings you can divide the band into the better. Heck, one guitar can be recorded via two mics, one panned left and one right to get a much stronger sound. I do the same thing with my synths when I make dubstep but many a guitarist I've talked to attests to the efficiency of that stereo recording technique.

I loved hearing this track. Thank you for sticking it to "the man" and writing some old-school punk/grunge recorded in the same teen-basement energy that spawned the genres in the 80s. I'm sorry for being critical over the mix quality but I feel like I've adequately explained myself and will move on with a huge smile. Thank you for providing something unique to this contest and have a wonderful day Uncouth <3

UncouthkidAC responds:

Hey! Just wanted to say so sorry this took me so long to respond to! I had been away from a proper computer for a minute and really hadn’t time to go on Newgrounds much!

Thank you so so much for such an indepth critique of this track! I really appreciate you taking the time to listen and give your thoughts. It really means the world to me! Makes me really happy to hear that this track brought you some joy!

I think I totally agree with everything you had to say about the track including the things that didn’t vibe with you! I think something I’ve been trying to learn recently is that just because I like a crunchy punk aesthetic/sound doesn’t mean it will be nice to listen to. A conversation I had with a lot of people I showed the track to went something along the lines of:

“I really like it! It’s very catchy but it kind of sounds like shit!”
“Thanks it's supposed to sound that way!”
“... Okay. but it still sounds like shit…”
haha So definitely something I would like to get better at in capturing that punky vibe while still being enjoyable to listen to.

What I will say was kind of an unintentional compliment on your part is those drums were entirely sequenced digitally! That main break on the verse was sampled and chopped up from the Zero G Sound Sense Grime Scene sample pack and then whenever the drums kicked in on the verse/Choruses it was mainly the Spitfire Audio LABS drum kit with some subtle humanization added to the midi sequence and velocity and then layered with some samples from my DR-770 run through the filter on my SP-404sx for some added grit. Makes me really happy to hear that they sounded convincing enough to be thought of as an acoustic kit that we mic’d up!

Once again thank you so much for taking the time to really digest and give your thoughts on the track! You’ve given me some great pointers and a lot to think about with my production! I hope you also have a nice day Quarl!

[AIM - A Skilled Warrior]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
AceMantra, A Skilled Warrior: 10,10,10,10 (40/40)

Yay, someone I recognize! The community here evolves so much as the years pile on, recognizing someone often feels good and rare. Unfortunately I can't give you any additional points simply because I recognize you, sorry love. +0 points :c

This is the second Japanese-style art inspired track in this contest, you both wrote very strongly. Something the other composer made use of was rubato. Traditional Japanese music had a very flexible pulse or even lacked any sense of concrete timing. This was an emotive tool traditional Japanese composers used. I was told in college that a phrase in Japanese flute was divided not by a traditional Western count or pulse but by the length of time a player took between breaths. I doubt the other judges would be aware of that but I gave high relevancy scores to Azurenite for nailing that element. You took a very different contemporary Western orchestral approach with Japanese instruments tied into it. Though you have a very "metal" approach it still works nicely with that art. The artist chose to paint with black ink, reflecting traditional Japanese calligraphy but the scenery is high action. One of the figures is seen leaping into the air while the brush strokes imply comic like movement. The art is both traditional and contemporary. I can very easily connect the energy of the art to the energy of your song. I can't take off any points to relevancy, the two creations are near perfect for each other.

You know what, I've written so many long winded reviews at this point that I'm willing to venture giving you a perfect score to just save myself a little time, COME FIGHT ME AIM PEOPLE. I could nitpick the guitars sounding a little flat or electronic but I respect the fact that you included all the software tag so I could look it up. I could nitpick small elements here and there but the production is honestly great enough that it really stands out from the majority of your competition. Professional work, inspired sounds, and killer mix. You did great work Mantra. I'm moving on from this contest with a small nod towards your skills and ambitions. Good job Ace!

AceMantra responds:

I finally have some time to reply. Sorry for the wait.

First of all, thank you so much for all your hard work and in-depth reviews! It's not easy to go through all those submissions and even harder to write reviews for each one.

You hit the nail right on the head. I decided to mix something traditional with something more modern, much like how the image was. I experimented with some things new to me with this piece; using Hirajoshi and Blues scales in a couple parts for example.

I'm already hearing things I would do differently with this song, but that is part of self-improvement. Thank you again. Keep being awesome, and don't stop creating.

[Lost [Extended] (AIM)]

Quarl AIM 2022 Review
Composition/Structure (0-10), Production (0-10), Emotion (0-10), Relevance to Artwork (0-10)
V1ZION, Lost [Extended]: 8,6,8,8 (30/40)

Thank you very much for posting that instrument/synth data, I like to know that artists are staying honest when they write their music. I used to mod Newgrounds audio in 2009 and an artist that can talk about their creative process to any degree comes with a stamp of authenticity. It's super easy for users to upload stolen content but posting the extra data is a power move that says "I'm real mothafaka." You can save yourself a little time by using preset tags upon upload to clear up what tools and instruments you're using instead of writing that all in the author's comments. Just pointing that out to help you in the future, make some preset tags :3

The category I'm taking the most points out of will be production. Despite the lo-fi chiptune genre fitting the scene nicely, it wasn't necessarily impressive. Chiptune music in this day and age can be surprisingly immersive and complex. This illustration has shooting stars, I'd have used glittering arps with panning data moving from right to left to emulate those comets. Stars twinkle, chiptune synths can be used to gently paint the illusion of twinkling stars (or chimes if you want a more orchestral sound). Though sound doesn't travel through space there could have been some low frequency groans to emulate celestial planetary bodies moving. Explosions could emulate the excitement from a supernova. The planet looks gassy and a simple white noise synth strobing around could have given me the feeling of swirling gas giants. Please don't tell the artist I said what I'm about to say but I'm not very impressed with the illustration, you might have been better served seeking out some of that high-class animated pixel art, so many users used visual movement to their advantage. The music is a little boring and so is the art you chose but is that a good thing? I'm a little torn.

I remember reviewing this track early in the contest before it was decidedly removed for whatever reasons. I wish I didn't delete that review so I'd have something look back on and gauge improvements. I'm giving you decent emotion points for just taking the time and care to put genuine blood, sweat, and tears into your work. Writing music is an emotional process, we artists love our creations much the same way that parents love their children so I love seeing that. I took off a couple points though because the overall vibes just felt a little odd. The author's comments section is your chance to draw connections that we judges might not have noticed. What was the purpose behind the drums? I know it's a song writing contest but sometimes songs are better without needless contemporary drum rhythms. In your shoes, I'd have drawn a connection to a ship flying through space, that the drums could have driven the song much in the same way an engine drives a spacecraft. You wrote a fair bit in the author's comments, I took many points off while judging other contestants for saying nothing at all but you might have done yourself some more service by talking about how the music reflected the art. Music doesn't always speak for itself. The "emotion" points I'm being generous with revolved around what you did manage to write. Thank you for saying what you did say. The melodies were enough to make a small emotional connection for me but this track could have been many other things as well. The track is fairly low energy but even ambiance can be amazingly colorful.

I hope this review doesn't come across negatively, I do love hearing what the Newgrounds audio community is up to. I hope I notice your work some more in the future. Salutations V1ZION and keep finding joy in writing music!

Kiraichu responds:

Oh shoot, thanks so much for your review. Um, I wasn’t really expecting this lol. I will keep the tags in mind for future reference.

To be honest, I was thinking about the overall feeling of the art and not looking at the tiny details of it. I kinda regret that now reading this. Also, definitely not telling the artist you said that, mm-hmm. Definitely not…

You reviewed the unextended version? Never even saw it lol. I know this song could’ve been so much better considering all of these things you just said, but I’m still happy with this. Who knows? I might just come back to this.

Man, what you’ve said in this review is really making me think lol. Thanks again for your review. :)