Soapbubble's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Wishes (Candlelight Fight)]

Bad samples ruined this song

This isn't necessarily a bad song, but the incredibly low-quality samples really ruined it.

The guitar sound was very generic, I'm pretty sure almost everyone has heard it before, and not necessarily with good response.

In addition, the song was very repetitive, and lacked a spine. By spine, I'm meaning something to back up the entire song. Something in the bass. Sure, you have drums, but without a proper bassline, it feels very simple and thin.

Also, don't be afraid to experiment a bit. This sounds very generic, melody-wise, so you should try to experiment some more.

Review Request Club

Hikigane responds:

i feel bad for not promptly following up on this- 4 days is a long time for me to leave a comment standing around. That said, again; the repetivity comes from the fact that it was originally a song made for lyrics, so the music itself wasn't supposed to be the part that stands out. However, I totally understand that the music should be just as good with or without lyrics. And yes, I'm actually disappointed with how the bass doesn't stand out much. I've been thinking about making songs with more prominent bass parts.

Honestly I'm not fully understanding what you mean by generic guitar sound aside from the fact that it's pretty much just the FL Slayer plugin... But I think overall I understand it. And I'm always willing to experiment, I'm just not 100% how sometimes. The search for something new or at least rare is... well, neverending. Thanks for the feedback!

[Get Ready To Dance {durn}]

Groovy. Creative. Danceable!

It's always nice to hear something on Newgrounds that could just as well be blasting from the speakers at the local nightclub.

You keep the beat going throughout the entire length of the song, and still avoid it ever being repetitive.

The easier beginning, before the bass drum kicks in, introduces the song slowly to the listener. A good start, absolutely.

When the song starts for real, at about the minute mark, the listener has been prepared with a build-up, that wasn't overdone, but fit very well in.

The melody of the song is interesting. It's simple, rhythmical and varied, with different synths used to bring it forth. Transitions in the song are great as well.

What I really like about this song is the groovy feel it gives. It's not just all thudding rhythms and a simple fun melody, it's also got some groove to it, accomplished through applying various filters and breaking the song down at just the right places. Then the melody starts up again. Feels good, man!

You've been quite creative with this song, but I'm really sure you can be even more creative with future project. Don't be afraid to push those boundaries.

Review Request Club

durn responds:

Thanks for the great review, Soapbubble. :) I'm glad you felt the groove, I'm all about funkin' things up. :D

I spent a lot of time on transitions and making sure the melodies were all a little bit different each time they came in, whether by shortening note-lengths, switching synths or through filter automation. Glad to know the efforts didn't go unnoticed. :)

And damn straight, man, I'm always pushing myself. :) Working on a track right now that's slower and ends up taking you somewhere unexpected. :d Changed up my structuring quite a bit for it.

Thanks again for the great review. :)

[World Of Sound (DRX)]

A bit thin.

Seeing as this is trance, there should be a bit more going on. This seems a bit thin, with no spine to carry it over the top. A bit basic, really.

I see you wrote this is very old, so I guess we'll take that into account. I haven't listened to anything else by you.

Considering this being trance, it's a slow and skinny song. There's not a lot going on, and there's little to no bass pumping the song up to dancefloor level. Because that's what trance songs should do, make people get out of their seats and dance. Y'know?

Also lacking is the eventual high-point of the song. Most trance songs have it. The song builds up with a huge crescendo, before switching to a scale a few tones up. Sort of like a climax. Nice use of piano.

Review Request Club

DavidRx responds:

yea it kinda old and somewhat i lost the .flp :S so i cant edit it...but i take every opinion 2 account...so i can put THAT into my future projects :3
but anyways i agree there is a lack of bass..but ive come up with ways of putin more into it (as i mentioned this is old xP)

well thx for the review :3

R.R.C rock ;D

u havent checked out my other tracks? :O

then do it good sir :3 well at least listen 2 the discoSex Teaser

[Electrohunter {Dj-Abbic}]

Neat buzz

Well, it does feel quite professional, but I haven't compared it to any of your earlier work.

The beginning really works out. Introducing the listener to the sounds of the track, by kinda putting them on display.

The sounds used for the melody were great, had a neat buzz to them that tickles my ear drums.

You introduce some pretty generic drum rhythms when the song actually start, and as far as I can tell, these don't really change much, except for the addition of a clash now and then and another rhythm on top. The thudding bass drum really wears on the song after a minute or so.

The short period where only the melody with the buzzing sound can be heard is also pretty cool, but it's a let-down when we're reintroduced to the exact same rhythms and drum samples you just used.

Try to be more varied, rhythm-wise. Would really help on the quality of the song. Same goes for melody, it doesn't really change up a lot.

Review Request Club

DjAbbic responds:

Thanks for all the feedback, I know drums and stuff were pretty repetitive, but that's just me. I've listened to some electro and I now know that this attempt at proffesionalism has been in vain. I can hear all sorts of variation in most professional songs. However, the drums never change, so I guess I'm alright for now. Thanks for the review though :)

[Stargenx - Juicy Moist Pickles]

Nice groove, dude

What a neat track. Feels really groovy, but I have to say, I don't think it fits the Techno genre either. Then again, I don't know which genre it fits.

It starts out pretty slow. Introducing a soft synth with some easy rhythms and keyboard(?) in the back. The melody is easy to follow, and the pace it keeps makes it very easy-listening.

Liked the toned-down segment at about the one-minute mark. When the music starts again at about 1.30, the soft synth is back with some pretty neat melodies. The rhythm and keyboard/bass in the back also really works out well.

Then comes another toned-down segment, which suddenly grows into a new melody with a different instrument. This makes sure the song doesn't go stale and end up being cheesy and repetitive. I really liked it. The ending was also pretty fitting. Didn't go out with a bang, and didn't fade out. Well done.

Gave this 5/5 due to massive 0-bombing.

Stargenx responds:

Thanks for the review. DX I believe there is a group of people who hate me that are doing this to me. :L
Anyway, I used techno instruments for this song, that's why I called it techno. I'm getting lots of comments that it's not, but there's no "Synth" section, so I have nowhere else to put it. :| Also, that is a classic electric keyboard sound. :)

[Dig This!]

Pretty heavy on the bass in parts

I didn't really dig it, but that's just personal preference.

You did really well on this track. With a full five minutes (and then some) of music, it's easy to slip up and make it repetitive at times, but I really don't think you did that. Sure, the beats went pretty much in the same tracks throughout the song, but the tracks on the top, with "dig this" and different melodies, made sure it didn't feel to repetitive.

The rhythms you used were somewhat generic for this type of music, and it lacked some originality. It works well for the genre it's supposed to be, but it's not something incredibly new.

There were some parts where I felt that something was lacking in the back. There was a thumping bass drum, but there wasn't anything actually backing the entire song up, no tunes in the back to make it sound less stripped and naked.

I really liked your use of "You're gonna dig this", though. That was pretty neat, indeed.

Review Request Club

Dj-GST responds:

Yeah, I tried to make every bit a little different.

I'm pretty new to making songs of the harder styles, so yeah, it's a little generic.

Now that I think of it...a pad would have been good eh?

Thanks, the song was almost completely based off of the vocals.

[Oceanic Expedition]

Makes me want to play Golden Sun

I'm not really sure why, but this really feels like the theme for an RPG on a handheld device, or an older console. Reminds me of some of the scenes in Golden Sun.

The beginning of the song has a sad mood to it. The melody feels either romantic or sad, hard to tell those two apart at times. At about the one-minute-mark, you seem to completely halt the music, except for some background ambient, which sounds good when backing the melody, but alone, it sounds like you're ending one song and beginning another.

Then again, after the pause, the song has changed drastically.

Not sure I like the sample you've used. The drums use samples that are of, what seems to me, low quality, and the rhythms are boring and get repeititve. But again, the melody sort of feels like something I'd hear in Golden Sun or Final Fantasy. I really like the short transition at 2.25.

I think you drag out the ending a bit much. The last 40 seconds or so are just slowly ending the song. The ending itself isn't too bad, but it could've ended after 20 seconds, and it feels a bit forced when it lasts for 40 seconds.

Review Request Club

Birdinator99 responds:

Yes, I do seem to do that odd type of transition a lot, don't I, haha. As for the drums, I always ensure they are mixed down at the highest quality possible, but they probably weren't EQed as well as they could've been. I chose the long ending to give the song the most relaxed feel as possible, but I understand it's not for everyone. I don't think the song changed too drastically at any given point, but I guess it's all in how you look at it (or listen to it, for that matter).

I really appreciate your comments; thanks for the review!

[Eden massacre - TTC CHG]

This doesn't belong on Newgrounds

This might just be the first ten I've given an audio submission since I returned to Newgrounds.

This, this is a masterpiece. I usually don't want to copy someone else's review style, but I think it'd be much easier if I reviewed every section of yours, like Supersteph did. Here goes.

0.00 - 0.20
Starting of smoothly and slowly, not really building up to the next segment, but preparing you for the next couple of minutes. Sure, it might be a bit too quiet, but I'm not sure it should be much louder.

0.21 - 0.34
I don't see how this one fits what you say is the story (loading the cannons), but it fits for someone preparing for the festivities. You introduce a new instrument, with strings, which works out great.

0.34 - 1.05
Wow, what a great segment. This is what the build-up was for. You add a few more instruments and create an extremely happy and lively atmosphere. Reminds me of Bilbo's birthday, if I may say so.

You managed to keep it controlled. There's a lot of life in it, but nothing chaotic, nothing over-the-top. It's just right.

1.06 - 1.24
Didn't really like the sound of the cannons going of, but that's nitpicking. However, I did get the effect of shock, which is what this would feel like to the innocent citizens. Out of nowhere, explosions, death and destruction.

The piano plays a vital part, and it plays it very well. Brings some real power to this part.

1.25 - 1.39
The immediate aftermath. There's a slight feel of despair and sadness in the segment, but also of pure fear. Towards the end, it feels like you're left behind, with nothing.

1.40 - 2.15
Another beautiful part, that seems to be "somewhere else". If this were a movie, we would have skipped from one day to the other. The break before this segment sort of breaks the song into multiple pieces, and it feels like this is a completely new song. Well, not completely, it just feels like a new chapter, not simply a new paragraph.

I don't really know how this fits the story you wrote either. There was a huge battle here, wasn't there? I loved the strings being introduced again, but it seemed slightly off.

2.16 - 2.42
Eerily! Such a heavy atmosphere. Feels lonely, probably due to the great choiring going on in the background on this. Feels like the ambient tracks of a heavy forest.

2.43 - Finish
A fantastic ending to this track, which doesn't really completely close the book, but leaves it open to more chapters. Which I hope there will be.

---------------

Wow, that took a lot longer than I thought, but it was worth it. I think I've listened through it about five times now, and I gotta say, I'm very hungry for some more.

Throughout the whole piece you use a nice array of instruments, with some great choiring in parts, and when it all comes together, it makes for an absolutely stunning atmosphere. An atmosphere that completely draws the listener into the story.

Did you use the story as a starting point, or did you compose the music first, and create a story from that? Or did you just make it all up as you went? Either way, it's an absolutely fantastic track. I'm adding you to my favourites.

Review Request Club

Calamaistr responds:

Argh another long review! you guys honor me to much!

Now let me explain one thing about the cannon loading scene :)
Its not the cannon loading that i score but the festivities, i wanted it to be seen from the side of the musicians playing eden folk music unaware of the cannon loading and then the blast to completely disrupt the whole thing. The fact that the cannon loading is mentioned is for the understanding of the contrast, the listener has to be in the rejoycing mood for the horror of Icle's attack to be as powerful as possible.

Indeed i skipped a bit, in the original novel the death (?) of emperor istus is mentioned as he holes himself up in the destroyed castle's tower for days, lone escaped the castle grounds but is tailed by icle. The 'travel' is just generalised in the score's segment that then plays, there is no detail given until icle catches up with him again at Trine though i keep it lighthearted in the music.

If you're hungry for more then why not check out the rest of the album already, theyre all uploaded, youre always welcome to review it all without having to wait for me to post it to the request club, ofcourse' if you have the time to do so. :)

Thanks alot anyway for being perhaps even more elaborate than steph (you choose the impossible! :P ) till we meet again in the reviewsection. :)

-Cal.

[Sweet Wish]

Makes me feel all weird!

What a WEIRD song! And as usual with me, weird is not a bad thing.

I'm actually quite a big fan of synths. When used right, it sounds absolutely aweseome and awe-inspiring, sorta. Your use of them is just what I like to hear.

The best part about the song is the simple melody. It goes throughout the whole song, not being repetitive, but being simple and soon enough, stuck in my head.

Of course, melody doesn't make the song. Your use of drum samples to keep the rhythm going was great. The music in the background, be it the bass or the ambient sounds that went with the melody, really worked out, and created an all-around unique atmosphere. In many other cases, such simple background sound could end up with the song being shallow and feeling really plain, but your use of varied sounds was just what I like to hear.

Unlike supersteph, I don't really feel this is too repetitive. If I had plaid Drug the Mouse, sure, I can understand that it might eventually become repetitive, as the melody doesn't really change, but when it's not on a loop and I just listen to it three or four times, it sounds just about right.

Review Request Club

Radidsh responds:

Huh? I thought I had responded to this review. How strange!

I am really glad you enjoyed the song. Yush X3 Always makes me happy to hear. When one can listen to the song more than once like that, it lets me know that I at least did something right, haha. XDD

Thanks a ton! Tusen takk for den hyggelige og konstruktive tilbakemeldingen, fortsett slik! =D

[A Ticking Time Bomb]

Absolutely interesting.

I gotta say, I rarely hear percussion used like this, at least on Newgrounds. Using nothing but percussion is a bold move, because it would either end up a huge failure or as something absolutely fantastic. This was closer to the second.

Not once did the song feel repetitive. It starts off really easy, and sounds a little bare, but quickly picks up. The fast-paced melody starts after a few seconds, driving the entire song forward, giving it all a fast-paced sort of feel, that, as Supersteph said, feels filled with tension and suspense.

Seeing as this isn't a full, finished work, I guess I'll have to take into account. The ending is a bit abrupt, coming out of nowhere, which isn't necessarily negative, but I was left wanting something more, as the song never reached it's peak. That climax you're speaking of? Add it.

I'd like to know what program you're using to make this, because the sound is pretty awesome, and the samples for both the bells, the xylophone and the... I can never remeber the name (language barrier), the drums used in the background. Now I'd love to see someone try their hands at this. Would be really impressive if someone could actually nail this composition.

A truly impressive composition, considering the limited amount of instruments you used. I'd love to see this set to a bunch of different isntruments, but I'm not sure that would work out at all.

Review Request Club

Cimba responds:

I use Finale 2010