JonathanKonopka's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[can it please be over?]

Hello, I noticed your PM so decided to come over. Let’s have a listen…

OK, the song starts, I like how it unfolds. It’s on the calmer side, with smooth ambience and a steady beat. Your reverb blends very well, with mixing & mastering is very pleasant and blends well. It looks like you used a plethora of VSTs, I think? That’s great! The best way to maximise uniqueness and emotions is to blend varying instruments, as you did. Your samples also flow with motion, inducing something more than a loop, well done on that!

The ponging noise (xylophone?), creaks, whooshes, also give the music a feel of storytelling. Can it please be over, yet…it already tells a full story! The LoFi-like beats/chill and your own personal sampling adds that extra flavour. It’s amazing that we can sample everyday things with basic gear, and using free plugins, can cleanup so much of the audio.

Vocals sit nicely in the song, not too upfront or too far back.
Overall, the song flows well for its genre, there’s really nothing wrong. It looks like you got a good grasp of musicmaking. Your effort and passion shows, with your 1 month of work producing a unique story. If you keep this up, I bet you’ll go far!

Thanks for sharing this!

OVERSCORE responds:

Thank you SO MUCH for actually stopping by, Jonathan!! Your opinion on it means the world to me, and this positive and THOROUGH feedback on the song gives me a lot of confidence in this new direction I’m going.
Also, I actually did not use any VSTs in this song, or any of my work! I’ve been using SunVox, a modular tracker program with no plug-in support, for my whole time creating music. I do intend to get a PC, FL Studio, and the proper software/hardware soon, but until then it’s iPhone mic and SunVox.
Recently I’ve been overwhelmed by the incredibly emotional music of indietronica, and how alive the ambitious production feels. But heading toward a niche sound like that is a risky move, and a difficult one to pull off… so I just wanted to weigh in with you, since you seem to exhibit a profound amount of musical knowledge. And this has absolutely helped. Thanks once again!

[Town Theme]

definitely feels retro! like a SNES RPG. how you use the oboe induces this solemn feel, with the strings adding to that saturated feel.

The song does feel a bit sharp, like all the instruments strike directly forwards, or maybe you used a bit too much compression?

You can use up more panorama by panning each instrument slightly to moderately left or right, and also adjusting the sliders to adjust volume. this helps widen the sound, makes it easier for the ears to pick up. Basically, if all sounds are right in the centre only, it's harder for the ears to grasp all instruments. If you ever wish to have a massive wall of sound, Big Mono works very well, but should be used sparingly.

overall, I think your musical flow works well! Oh, and one more thing, your drums sound a bit light. you can make drums vaster by duplicating your drum tracks, each duplicate having different EQ and reverb while slightly reducing volume. this is the easiest form of layering.

I hope this helps, thanks for sharing!

ClarH responds:

Thank you for this! It's been a while since I last composed, but I am grateful for the advice you gave me. I tried posting on soundcloud, but I never got any actual input because it was mostly filled with bot traffic.

[Tale of the Forgotten Hero]

a pleasant piano piece, with some orchestral plucks for a while. the movement and emotion blends well. I also hear an occasional 'hshh' noise, gives the song lifelike vibes, feels human. real. in a world where music is often overpolished to a point of mechanical perfection, the subtle reminders of being human is nice.

also, your description is formed well, you have decent skills in writing!

[Music for an emotional climax - Comission]

don't get much orchestral strings in NG. this strings ensemble / movement induces movement and anticipation, like there's something down a royal hallway...

strings work well with reverb and Haas effect (delay 25 to 40 milliseconds), makes your strings sound expansive and brilliant.

thanks for sharing!

TurtleBox420 responds:

Thank you!

[Cold Lightning]

synthy and retro, the fast tempo and rhythm induces motion and persistence! the rising feel and softer piano gives us a break from it.

note you can duplicate drum tracks to increase their depth, especially when you use the Haas effect (delay set to 25-40 milliseconds). each duplicated track should also have slightly different settings in EQ, compression and reverb (if you have any more plugins, you can play around with the,too).

thanks for sharing!

Skystride responds:

Thank you for the advice!

[Little Mouse, Big House]

ha, even sounds like it! the bass plucks, taps and bells blend well the muted trumpet later on really gives it that sneaky vibe.

reverb sounds good, nothing much to suggest. I think you formed this very well, so well done! thanks for sharing!

[An Endless Stretch of Gray Wasteland]

definitely suitable for a game on the moon's face.The gradual buildup of more piano and strings induce emotions, making the listening feel alone. the happier finale induces hope, somewhere...

Since the setting is on the moon, I would have used the Haas effect (delay set to 25-40 milliseconds) to induce depth and width, but your finished album does a good job nonetheless. you can also duplicate tracks, with lowered volume, each panned differently left or right, then given varying settings on EQ, reverb and compression, to expand the soundfield, something you may consider for your next musical journey!

Thanks for sharing!

[Click Clack Clock]

what came to mind for me was Click Clock Wood from Banjo Kazooie XD your synthy chiptune themes blend well into a simple but pleasant rythym. feels like playing a 2D sidescroller! I like the ending, just two little notes.

Not sure what else to say as this genre usually remains simple. You can induce vastness by using the Haas effect (delay set to 25-40 milliseconds). you can also increase ambience by duplicating the same tracks, slightly lowering their volume, and adding more reverb and compression, then adjusting EQ.

OK, that's all for tonight, thanks for sharing!

Hexsie responds:

thanks a lot man! this review was very nice of you to make!! x3

[Hunter Milo - Morning Call]

very cute and bouncy, as if to induce childhood adventures. risers, piano and synths blend well, but the louder synth instrument (I think it's sine?) is a bit, well, loud XD but I can see why, it's to grab attention. Backed by a playful rhythm, and then adding more bouncy notes, the song retains an optimistic sensation. thanks for sharing!

[Storming Efficience]

synthy and retro! with an upbeat rythym and tempo, the risers and choir help induce vastness and brilliance. I did not expect the woodwinds, they blend well before brass. the piano and drums for the last third give it that extra punch. overall, a very nice setup!

to make your drums sound thicker, you may duplicate the tracks with drums, then adjusting EQ, reverb and compression for each one, then adding Haas effect (delay set to 25-40 milliseconds). it won't sound as good as real drums, but it helps create depth and heaviness.

thanks for sharing!