Codefreq's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Spring Time]

The instrumentation does feel like a Spring walk in a safe suburban neighborhood. To me there's a hopeful quality to it.

I think you could make the volume louder with compression and limiting plugins. That way no one has to raise the volume for this track and lower it when they listen to something else. It's more convenient that way. That said, a light touch may be all that is necessary. The dynamics, as they are now, are well done.

It's a nice listen as it is, though I wish it were longer.

Your message is clearly expressed. Good job. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

SharkwithSideburns responds:

Hey thanks for the feedback! :D I just used this song to test out this piano I got as a plug in, but it was definitely a really fun song to work on. I'll be sure to work on it a bit more :))

[If you don't think about it - instrumental]

I have a few problems with this piece. First off, It sounds like everything is mono rather than stereo or even pseudo-stereo. This gets in the way of your intention to make a spacious sound with your recording.

If you are going to make a recording that sounds spacious, there are many ways to do so. For example, you could double-track at least one of the instruments and pan each recording left and right; you could pan certain instruments that aren't double-tracked, fully or partially, in either direction. You could use stereo reverb, sound-doubling, or stereo delay plugins, and you may want to use multiple plugins like those at the same time.

What's the story behind the name? Right now, it's unclear what it means, and to me the shoe doesn't fit.

As the recording is now, some of the instruments blur into each other. I can barely hear the harmonica, if that's what it is. You may want to tweak it.

I can see some potential here to make a pretty and spacious song, but the production falls flat.

Even still, it makes for a pleasant piece to listen to.

I hope you found this information helpful. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

Bitbeak responds:

Really appreciate the time you took to say all that. Never tried to intentionally mix something in stereo but I'm definitely gonna play around with it on future projects :)

[choccy]

The first quarter of the song is beautiful, yet melancholy. It's powerful.

The song's vibe gets more hopeful as the song goes on. It's effective at acknowledging the pain while also saying that it is possible to move on.

I think your expression is effective. I'm curious about the name. What does choccy mean?

I do wish the song was longer and didn't end abruptly. Given the subject matter, I recommend ending the song on an unresolved note. If done well, this can be very compelling. The reality is, no one knows what the future will hold. Leaving the song on an unresolved note could reflect that. As it is, the sudden stop at the end makes the song feel less deliberate and more unfinished.

I hope you find my feedback useful. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

vidu3k333 responds:

thank you for the very constructive and in depth feedback for a track i've made for april fools. the name "choccy" comes from a dumb meme in 2016 and it meant "chocolate". this track is mainly just me experimenting with harmonies and bassline so i'm glad that you enjoyed it :)

[String Theory]

It's unusual for electronic music to have odd time signatures, so I think this is a bold move. :)

There is room for it to be a tad louder, but otherwise the mix is great and well balanced.

What inspired the name "String Theory"?

I'm not certain how this fits in with the "video game" genre in particular. It kind of throws my perspective off a bit.

Still, it's a fun and enjoyable listen. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

iElectrocat responds:

Thank you for the feedback :)
The name "String Theory" comes from: In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. It describes how these strings propagate through space and interact with each other.
The way I composed this song made me think of that, and so I decided it'd be cool for that to be it's name.

I also just changed the genre to fusion. That makes more sense as an Electronic/Jazz/Fusion Combo :)

[Skerp - Shooter]

It sounds melancholy. The first part of the song is very powerful. I can imagine some people would be brought to tears from it. It certainly makes me feel sad just hearing it. It's kind of an abrupt ending, though. I wish it were longer and/or that it didn't cut off so suddenly.

The message gets across quite clearly, though.

Nice job. :)

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

Skerpp responds:

Thank you so much for the feedback!! Im so glad to hear that this track is so powerful and i was able to achive that goal. Im sorry about the ending as it could be longer and a stronger ending, thank you so much for the feedback and have a great week!!!!

[Black plague]

This piece almost has a fantasy-like quality to it with elements of seriousness. Unfortunately, I found that the mood didn't match the scenario in the description. It came across to me as determination rather than the bleak outcome stated in the scenario, particularly when the percussion kicks in.

If you aren't going to change the music to better fit the description, I'd suggest adding to and editing the scenario to make the song's message come through more clearly.

Technically speaking, It's well done, although I think you should increase the volume of the song via normalization. That way I don't have to change the volume just to listen to this song.

Still, I think you expressed yourself pretty effectively overall.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

IndexatioN responds:

Thank you for your review. Yeah, I always had problems with making descriptions and titles to my works, so I'll be working on that

[imaim]

I could see this in a Pokemon-type game near a coast. It definitely feels like a beach-y vibe to it.

I think this should be longer and have more variety. As a loop, I found it gets annoying after hearing it several times in a row because of its length and repetition.

Overall, I think It's a pretty good start.

There's room for the mix to be a bit louder, too. I'd suggest using compression, limiting, and/or normalizing to increase the volume. The reasoning behind this is so the listener doesn't have to change the volume when listening to this specific piece.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

ScottJacob responds:

Hey! Thank you for the feedback. I agree with everything you mentioned, i just intended to make a quick thing to put out for fun. I hear(no pun intended) you on making it louder. Gain staging is still a weak point im working to try and improve on. By the way i like your philosophy on giving critiques, i think it's an effective way to give feedback

[Spirit of the Oak Trees]

This is an interesting take on fantasy creatures in a forest, like you mentioned in your description.

The fast-paced percussion provides a manic energy to this piece. It's as if I'm in the forest, chasing something or someone very urgently, but without fear.

I think the description could be a bit misleading; when I think fantasy beings such as spirits, sprites, and faeries, I imagine something more peaceful than the tune you've got here.

Still, for the most part your point comes across pretty clearly.

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

oddfellowfloyd responds:

Thank you for the positive vibes! True! In my mind, I was seeing large, spellbinding, looming Oak trees that inspired fascination, and the lighter synths and atmospheres were representative of the peaceful and flighty aerie spirits and orbs of light... :)

[child of the woods]

Wow, this is powerful. Music like this doesn't come often. I'm floored. The lyrics and the music work perfectly together.

Technically, it's great, too. The music is quiet, but I think in this specific instance it highlights the small, yet strong and determined voices that the piece is about.

Truely amazing job! :D

More info about how I review music here: https://codefreq.newgrounds.com/news/post/1089806

Troisnyx responds:

Oh gosh, thank you for the kind words ;_; <3

This was a heart-wrencher to record and produce; I'm just grateful that it touches others similarly. I'm grateful that it has touched you this way, too.