Soapbubble's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Christmas [OML]]

Couldn't get my hands on headphones

As with the other track I sort-of reviewed, I like the simplicity in this track. I really like your idea for the entire album, going simple and using only one or two instruments, while trying to create an atmosphere, with just one mood throughout the song.

I don't really get the feel of christmas, but I get the feel of sadness, which goes with your "I wont be home for Christmas". The simple melody and bassline in piano creates a somewhat sad atmosphere, bringing up the image of someone not being able to spend Christmas with his loved ones.

I also liked the background noise. Sounded either like the cracking in a fire or rain. Either way, it enhanced the effect of the piano.

[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.

[Kieranmau5]

A simple, fun loop

Due to this being a loop, I'm not going to say anything on the length.

You've got a pretty fun tune here. It's nothing great, but it's pretty fun.

It is a loop, so it doesn't last long, but it still does get a bit repetitive. You only use three different tones, and the melody isn't bad just because of that, but it gets repetitive and unoriginal rather fast.

The same goes for the other sounds used. It's very generic and unoriginal, it doesn't really seem to be anything new throughout the entire length of the song. Rhythmically though, it was pretty good, and the bass drum kept it going throughout the entire song.

Review Request Club

[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

[[CG]-Imperfect Serenity]

A great overall feel

What makes this song is absolutely the feel. The ambient background sound that goes on throughout the whole song really sets the mood and feel for the entire 4 minutes and 23 seconds of the song.

I didn't really like the sound of the instrument used for the melody, but that's just personal taste. It reminded me of one of those drums that look like trash cans that I connect to stereotypical Caribbean music.

Still, when combined with the background synths, it really worked out. Totally removed any feel of Caribbean drummers. Speaking of drums, I really liked your use of drums in the song. Not too hard to follow, and catchy, sounding well.

One thing I really would love to see more of, would have to be variety, because there's not too much of it here. Sure, there are some difference after bridges, but in general, it's pretty much the same.

A good track that could use a little bit more variety. Serenity indeed.

==Review Request Club==

KroweMusic responds:

Yeah...I agree that there should be more variety, but I wanted to keep the trance-y feel that it currently has.

Thanks for the review!

[-RG- In a Teardrop]

Oh, I love that song!

I was certain I was listening to Mansell, but seeing that you didn't copy it, then I just have to say that I'm in awe. In our day and age, everything sounds like something, and the kind of music you went for here would eventually end up sounding like something. The fact that it sounds like Lux Aeterna (Requiem) is not a bad thing at all.

I didn't know what to expect when I saw it requested. The title sounds more like something Britney could make, and I didn't expect this at all. It might be because I've head this song (and so may remixes) set to epic battle scenes, with slow motion camera and bare-fisted fighting.

It doesn't sound like an orchestra, mainly because it sounds a little thin, like there are few people playing it. If you could simply add more to it, more bass or in general, more sound, that would make it even more epic.

Great track.

==Review Request Club==

Raven-Guard responds:

Ha, thanks!

"I was certain I was listening to Mansell, but seeing that you didn't copy it, then I just have to say that I'm in awe. In our day and age, everything sounds like something, and the kind of music you went for here would eventually end up sounding like something. The fact that it sounds like Lux Aeterna (Requiem) is not a bad thing at all."

Heh, at least :P. I asked Darklight17 why he made it sound so much like Lux Aeterna, but he just said he heard it so many times in YouTube videos that he found it impossible to make his melody not sound at least slightly like Lux Aeterna's.

"I didn't know what to expect when I saw it requested. The title sounds more like something Britney could make, and I didn't expect this at all. It might be because I've head this song (and so may remixes) set to epic battle scenes, with slow motion camera and bare-fisted fighting."

Yeah, you're not the first to say it reminds you of an epic battle. Not exactly what we were going for, but I suppose it works xP. The name might not fit well with the song at first, but I think that after hearing the song in full listen, I find that the name fits more, since as I said to Fro, this song represents all the emotions (sadness, anger, revenge, hatred, etc...) all brewed into one teardrop. Weird concept, I know...

"It doesn't sound like an orchestra, mainly because it sounds a little thin, like there are few people playing it. If you could simply add more to it, more bass or in general, more sound, that would make it even more epic."

According to Erik, this has 15-note chords in it :P. But yes, we didn't incorporate as much of the orchestra as we could have, and didn't cover the bass part of the spectrum as much either. Thanks for the suggestion, and obviously thanks for the great review!
--
Supersteph54

[Fire Spider]

Awesome use of quotes

===============
Score: 9 / 10
Summary: Awesome use of quotes
Review: Moar quotes.

This was awesome. I liked the quote in the intro, that you could hear later on in the song as well. It fit in well, and it made the song less repetitive.

Great beat, great music, great melody, and great use of the voice for vocals. A tad repetitive, but the vocals fix it. Nice use of instruments as well, I liked the choices you made.

I know I said I loved the vocals, but that doesn't mean it should be the same quote all the time. You should find more and use them throughout the song as well.

-=Review Request Club=-
===============

Bracksta responds:

ya, good advice i should have mixed it up a lil with different quotes in the middle, instead of repeating the beggining, thanks for the review!

[{BPS} A Big Repair]

Oh snap

===============
Score: 10 / 10
Summary: Oh snap
Review: BRAIN GOES AXPLOD.

I really want to end this review with that one line, but I have to write something constructive for it to follow the rules. Bah.

This was awesome. I loved the glitching, the rough sound, and the way it never became repetitive. Some generic sounds in the rhythm section, but god damn, this was fricken AWESOME!

-=Review Request Club=-
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BudGPStudios responds:

Thanks, I tried to avoid that bland generic industrial they have these days...