Codefreq's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[War Across The Galaxy (mastered v1)]

On a technical level, this version is much better than the previous versions. The levels are louder and certain elements became more noticeable as a result. Good job. :)

looking forward to hearing what else you can come up with.

yeajimmiboi responds:

Thank you! Your comments have helped a lot thank you very much.

[Lazer]

This song has a lot of varied instrumentation in it, which is a nice break from much of the more mainstream Dubstep I've heard. It's almost chiptune in terms of fidelity, as if it was a Dubstep song in a GBA game that unfortunately never existed. Production-wise, it's pretty well mixed, I can hear everything and pick it apart. The only knock I have against it is there could be more compression/limiting to raise the volume. I realize the plugins you used are stock plugins, but if you can, I'd either search for a compressor/limiter in the stash of plugins you currently have or save up and shell out a few for one. It'll be well worth it.

As for whether or not this is Dubstep, call it what you like. I call it awesome. Looking forward to more music from you. :D

FatdelxeGD responds:

I actually lowered the main volume control cause when I was making the song, the volume kept going to the red zone, there is a compressor and limiter stock plugin, but I never use the limiter, and I only used the compressor for side-chaining the song to the main kick. Thanks for telling me about the limiter, ill try to use it in my next song, and I'll try to figure out other things I can do w/ the compressor other than side-chaining.
Thank you for reviewing :)

[War Across The Galaxy (Finished)]

I'm comparing this to version 2, the one I previously reviewed. The changes you made are subtle, but it is an improvement. The overall sound feels larger and more aggressive. The volume levels are definitely louder in this version. The instrumentation still seems a bit up-close, but if you are going for the sound of urgent conflict, you've certainly done it.

Now, I don't know how you mixed this, but I think in your future works you may want to consider using some mastering plugins for making the song louder. From my experience, it takes a lot of practice. I'd start by comparing your song's levels to one of a similar style that you like (to use as a reference) and playing around with levels and plugins to get your song to sound the way you want it.

I hope this helps. :)

yeajimmiboi responds:

Thank you for commenting!! I'm using reason 11 so I shall mess around with compression and see what I can do. :) Thank you for taking the time to review!!

[War Across The Galaxy v2]

The song sounds good to me but I don't think it fits the title, sonically. The piece is a bit more "up-close" sounding. Think "futuristic hacking job." The title of "War Across The Galaxy" to me indicates vast and epic, with lots of physical space everywhere. I'd suggest making some adjustments so the instrumentation sounds bigger. Maybe a little reverb here and there or some other effects. Maybe change the instrument sounds a bit to reflect a larger, more epic sound, such as adding synth pads or changing up the drums. Just a thought.

One other thing: I think the track could use some normalizing or a compressor/limiter or something to increase the volume so the listener doesn't have to raise the volume for this one piece and then lower it to listen to other music.

Seeing as this isn't the final version, I'm curious where you go next. I hope my feedback helps. :)

yeajimmiboi responds:

Thank you for comment! I will use it I have uploaded a 'finished' version but seeing this comment made me realise it may need more work. I would be grateful if you could check it out and give me tips please. Always looking for ways to improve. Thank you for your feedback! :)

[GWS - Rogue Robots]

Sounds like it's straight out of Paper Mario. I can visualize a scene with Mario and the X-Nauts about to battle. A cartoon-y almost whimsical impression of imminent doom.

It was a little jarring to go from the cinematic beginning to synth-y music, but otherwise I like it.

Thumbs up! :)

GammaWardS responds:

I'm glad you like it! I was trying to make it sound like an attack/invasion of some sort. One of the songs that gave me the idea for this is "The Calm" by Valve Studio Orchestra. It starts calm, then turns into more techno sounding (it's also the theme song in Tf2 for man vs machine, where robots are invading).

[Rock Sample]

I find the music pleasing to listen to, but I have some gripes:

1: The mix is considerably too quiet. I recommend using some mastering plugins, normalizing, or some kind of compressor and/or limiter to boost the volume. I shouldn't have to manually increase the volume for this one song and then have to manually decrease the volume for other songs.

2: I realize the title is "Rock Sample", but I believe there should be some further development. As it stands, it's too short. The end gets cut off very abruptly, and as a result the song's prior buildup feels anticlimactic, like it doesn't lead anywhere.

3: It's a common mistake, but, and I cannot stress this enough, there needs to be a description besides the title so I know what you're going for, even if it's just messing around without substance, messages, themes, or goals. Since I don't know what you're trying to do, I have to judge the song by my subjective opinion rather than also considering your perspective. It may sound tedious, but it does affect my score.

I hope you find my feedback helpful and constructive. :)

[Welcome to Hajima industries]

Very well done! There's a clear sense of tension throughout. Feels like I'm playing Watchdogs or Deus Ex and being sneaky in a secure industrial warehouse.

Definitely not for listening to at night... unless you want to be creeped out.

Yqarus responds:

Thanks, I really appreciate it!
I never expected to get so much positive feedback on this track.

Well then, keep on sneaking through Hajima industries in this case.
The journey into the complex will go on very soon. :)

[InCharge]

I'm left confused by this piece more than anything. So many questions: Why is it called InCharge? It doesn't sound like Industrial to me, so what genre is this? What are you trying to accomplish with this piece? Is it a deliberate attempt at avant-garde writing or just messing around with instruments?

I may never know, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Still, the lack of clear substance and the harsh sounds knock off some points for me. This piece at least needs a description so people can see what you are trying to do.

F1regek responds:

Its basically some random song i made i dont know the genres i do so i just put similar ones