pitbulljones's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Boss Exploration Theme]

My man.

So much good going on here and it's hampered by a high comp, heavy limiter. It's just too loud overall. I can't play this even at 50%. Now, nothings peaking, it's not clipping but you're drums have set the comp point, nothing else gets to breathe. I hear promise in all parts, the acid bass, the slow flange/phase pad, the acid stab melody. But the comp washes everything away. I also suspect this was a headphone mix as its narrow with a bass compensate.

I think you have good work here if you go back and remix this. I recommend doing some cross referencing with producers you want to emulate, look up the production notes and emulate as you can. Be testing your mixes on 5 different set ups too, 4 should be on other peoples gear. if it sits on everything flat, you got a mix.

keep it up. I always enjoy your work, just need to continue refining

[Star Links Village (Mastered)]

Haaaaaaaaa, yea let's get chromatic :)

It's nice, that flutey/oboe thing from 0:40 sounds out, can't put my finger on it. Maybe its timbre just doesn't sit. Love the deep bass pads, that is serious wash. The percussion is ok. Those low tri's hmmmmmmmmm i appreciate them.

I am not sold on this, it feels like a nice exercise, but something in me finds it a tad clashing tonally...and it SHOULD be sitting right. I may need to go over this again with cans and monitors but I feel confident nothing much would change.

So yea. I'm kinda meh with this lol.

(btw mate i have posted a bit of work, nothing exceptional but I would appreciate your thoughts)

Midnights-Ocean responds:

Thanks for the feedback! If memory serves, I used my concert kalimba, which is quite large and has very distinct odd order harmonics. Sometimes that can cause issues. The other instrument is a sampled Atari system. I don't know what the harmonics are on that but I HAD assumed it was also odd order. Maybe it's just something that isn't mixing well with the kalimba.

Cool beans. I'll take a listen and leave a review for you before bed. : )

[Humboldt Hill]

My man.

Your work is getting cleaner. I dig this. Drums a clean, your rhythm cuts well. It's a shame you are lacking a bass, just to beef up the range. Nice chorus, the verb'd delay and flange work well. It's overall a solid track.

I think your mix could benefit from being a little wider, your guitars should be floating around 33-50 on left and right, allowing your drums and vox to sit mid without competing for clarity. Sadly, I think your vocals are the weakest part of the track. They sound detached from the tune and a little bit whiney. I'd advice to maybe tune to the basic roots, project some more, a touch of verb, maybe a multitrack too.

Love it though.

ConnorDeVaux responds:

I'm still playing around with it, thanks a lot.

[This Is The Way]

Lovely. Really clean reverb on this which is mighty impressive. Nice glitchy bit crushed drums. Tune is incredibly relaxing, though it's rhythm really helps to propel it from a passive experience to something that is incredibly engaging and full of energy. As a meditative piece it's positively motivating. That drone from the minute mark is beautiful. The syncopation in pattern, the use of call and response, every aspect of this track is working in harmony. This is genuinely a sublime piece of ambient music. The mix is perfect stereo with a deft touch in pan and delay. Clean as a whistle, eq is superbly balanced. To find fault with your work on this would be a fools errand. This is for all intents and purposes a perfect recording. Well done.

Midnights-Ocean responds:

Holy fook! Truly a mountain top compliment!

It's more than encouraging since I intentionally did no editing and very little post processing. Just straight live takes with just a touch of polish on the mains before bouncing. I know some people might think me arrogant but I really DO listen to critique. I purposely thought twice about all my settings BEFORE I hit record. I'm guessing it's why the main instrument didn't need a multi-band comp and the reverb didn't muddy up. I applied what I had learned and it worked.

It's my belief that, a well thought out recording/performance, shouldn't need hours of production afterwards. I still have a long way to go but this was one of many first steps I've been attempting to really hone in my technique, as to get consistently GOOD results with little post production needed.

Thanks again for the feedback. I Really appreciate it!

[They Call Me Mister Sunshine]

Someone is verbing an 808 :)

Yea like this. Dissonant. but ambient. not on monitors so won't be harsh, that groove 1:00-120 there's a tune there.

I like you breaking away with glitch.

There's money in that groove

5

ps

posted a thing....nothing special

Midnights-Ocean responds:

Thanks man. Long time no hear. This tune for me is still kinda meh. I don't like the bass line at all. the main melody is yum but I was hoping to make this more catchy overall. Not so, well, weird lol. Oh well. I'll work on it more later maybe.

[Blooming Flowers on Neptune]

OOOOOOOOOO bass peaks.

See what you did here. masered on peak instead of comp.

kicks murdering the mix. I hear everything else. but because you have peak limiter your kick destroys the mix. run a true dynamic comp

[Bring Me Back (demo)]

i like this. I like what you are going for. I would personally do this a bit cleaner. Your vox, i'd have a clean verb'd take and a second low effected double track. A simple kick drum would go a long way to maintaining a sense of rhythm. Try having your guitar and support at 33-50 l and r to spread the mix. There's some minor peaking on the mid low from the action on the guitar, a compressor in that lower range will help eliminate that.

What you have here is very indie, sounding like west coast post grunge and british shoe gaze. It's full of potential. I can imagine a real nice deep clean bass underpinning with a funk groove like early rhcp.

I think the key thing here is getting clean vox, a clean guitar, bass and kick as the main groove, use the fx to support rather than being the lead. Just time, rewrite and refine. there's a hit here somewhere.

[Maybe]

OOOOOOO

This is dripping with cool. This is a proper chill track. I'm glad the guitar is leading the mood. Drums are good, working with the tune, but I would like something a bit more brutal in the 'chorus' sections to really sell it! A strong drone, if maybe a bit too static. My preference would be something cleaner. Love your vox. They sit well on top of the mix with no heavy high or lows.

It's right in my wheelhouse as tunes go. Whether late night ambient trip hop has a place in this modern era is for debate. i certainly hope it is.

Maybe there is rope for a full breaks mix towards the end. maybe it's best left be.

Fantastic work.

[Ambrosia (Demo)]

love it. this is nice and bright. needs work. but what is here is good.

We need to focus on separation and clarity, some verb and overall brightness

[Rain (demo ft Rylan)]

love it, sent a quick remaster