LucidShadowDreamer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[In Search of Asphodel]

Sorry for being late... I got distracted by the internet (and listening to this: http://tinyurl.com/TLaToSMD [on a cd] while reading the story it's inspired by). I also improvised like half an hour on the piano after I listened to your piece again. So it's your fault that I'm late, for making me improvise a good waltz and not record it nor recall it >:(
Also... I was kind of on a slalom skiing vacation, which is really why I'm so late; sorry for that D:

Well, to begin with, I really like this! I am a pianist, so a well composed solo piano piece is sure to catch my attention :D
Hmm, to me it sounds like two talented people would be enough to play this, but if you say 3 are needed, I guess you're right. I was never good at hearing theese things anyway :p (Edit: I can kinda see how three people would be needed).
So, down to the actual song itself.

The first thing I notice is that this might not be how I would have mixed the track. It's definitely not bad, just different from what I'm used to. What VSTi did you use?
I use a real electronic yamaha piano, and I record these things live, so I'm REALLY not used to working with piano VST instruments XD
That said, I think you did pretty good for making this sound in a DAW. I tried working with Piano One, and while I managed, I noticed how difficult it was to get the sound I wanted out of it, compared to a real piano. And the more I listen to this, the better it sounds. Maybe it just took some time getting used to :D? The beginning almost sounded like something SteamPianist could come up with XD
Personally, I think I would've added a bit more reverb. I've never known how to EQ a piano, so I won't even mention anything regarding this = I don't know if it's good or not :/ Also, for some reason, it sounds like the piano is far away, or something. Maybe the piano sound for some reason isn't wide enough? But I'm going to shut up about this now, as I know nothing of mixing and such XD

Down to the composition itself. This is where I think you did an exceptional job! I already heard a part of this song in your wonderful song submitted on the 1st of April :D
I didn't use to be that fond of Waltz music long ago. But, long story short: That was long ago, and nowadays I mostly love it, and this piece is no exception. I especially like them a bit dark, so the introduction of this piece really made me excited for what was to come, and I was not disappointed!

I like how you used so few chords for such a long time in the intro, up 'til 0:39 (no more than 2, unless I'm even worse at listening than I think. Well, there where the transitions between the two main chords too, I guess :). If I'm not entirely dumb, this composition is in C minor? And the two chords I mentioned are, well, C minor and G minor (with the minor third Bb, as the base, when the chord is G minor)? Please tell me I'm right, or this will sound stupid -_-
Well, it's not like I spent a lot of time trying to figure them out, so I might very well be wrong, actually.

Then you continue using very few different chords at all, until 1:57. I love all the harmonies that you still managed to create. I sometimes make songs that use only one basic chord. That's really fun! Oh right, this was a review... Let's get back to it then!

The melodies are all great too. I think you did a really good job with the velocities, which might please you. I also like that the left hand (although there are more hands, but you get what I mean; the bass and middle section) doesn't only play the chords, but transtitions and has melodies of it's own!

I like how you used a very classic transition at 0:39 - 0:43, but still made it feel a bit different. It's a perfect transition btw. It's a good segway to the next part of the song where a new theme is introduced and more "hands" begin playing. The "left hand" at 0:43 reminds me of the beginning of "The Black Pearl" from "Pirates of the Carribean". I don't know if you've heard the song, but it doesn't matter, as you don't even play the same notes anyway. It's just the rythm that's similar :)
The lowest tones at this part (as well as in later parts) almost sound like bells XD
The way the song transitions and switches moods actually makes this a pretty good soundtrack piece! (Of course, you wanted to portray the journy into the Underworld, and the quest for the flower. Hence, it's no wonder that this might be a good soundtrack piece).

I like that low volumed note that is played over and over after 0:52. It fits perfectly. I also like how you bring back the melody from the beginning shortly after this, but with a slight difference. Now you've really got a lot going on!

1:18 BOOM!
This was great! Not only the sliding transition, but that whole thing with those hits there in the middle, before you continue with the same part as before, like nothing would've happened. If this was a soundtrack, something special would happen between 1:18 and 1:27. The funny thing is, for some twisted reason, this part reminded me of the Original Angry Birds Theme, even if it's completely different o.O Scary stuff...

As I said, I like how the piece goes on after this as if nothing had happened. Except... It's a bit more dramatic. The melody from the beginning makes yet another return, which really gives a good sense of flow to the piece. I think that the section after 1:27 is one of my favourite parts, especially after 1:35, when yet another "hand/part/whatever" is added. This was a great addition, btw. The velocity levels were simply great here! So many distinct sounds with only one instrument. That is one of the reasons I love the piano; there's little you can't do. 1:43 sounds quite interesting too.

The pause after this is of perfect length. I know some people would complain, but I like the way the mood switches entirely (some would say the change is too drastic, but I'm guessing this is where the hero obtains the flower?).
The cool thing is that you still keep some of the structure from the earlier parts (after 1:57, that is)! The breakdown before that is cool too. I like gliding to a note like you did at 1:55. It often adds a lot to a melody. After repeating the melody once after 1:57, I personally would've liked if you would've varied it just a little bit after 2:05, like you did with the other melody in the intro. But that's such a small thing, and just an opinion that it doesn't even matter. At least you added something else in the background, so there's that kind of variation :p
This section sounds especially classical.
Did you use only one piano VSTi, or did you mix the high regions differently? Those high notes at 2:14 sound really good, I just have a hard time imagining they belong to the same piano :3

2:32 => may just be my favourite part of this composition. Those strings, for one, are beautiful. But even more, I love how you (or well, your DAW) scaled down and up the piano at 2:33, 2:39 & 2:42. These parts especially sound the best, and the sound is the most realistic here as well, I think! You MUST've used several VSTi:s, no? Mixing separate regions or notes would be so much work, at least for me o.O
Did I mention those strings were beautiful? I know I did, I just had to do it again, so that it'd really sink in. Remember how I complained about how the piano was mixed in the beginning? I've now looped this I don't know how many times and I'm blind to any faults. I'm just going to trust what I said earlier, which is why I removed half a star :3
Maybe that's unfair, but meh :)

Anyhow, great portrayal of atmosphere throughout the entire piece.

The ending is simple, but fits well. I don't really have much to say about it. It might've come a bit quick, but then again, this song began immediately as well!
But wouldn't it have been fun to make a dark ending, similar to the beginning >:)?
That short part of happiness would wither and become twisted and meaningless; false hope >:D
It would be like a great success, which ended in a horrible accident, which would haunt the minds of the involved for years. Muahahahahahhaha!!!

Funny thing is: Even if this is a great solo piano piece (what strings? There were no strings! *looks/hears the other way*), I think this could be a great orchestral piece! Especially since I think it has the "soundtracky" feel to it. Maybe that's just me though.
I would probably keep this as a solo instrument piece, as the strings were absent for so much of the piece. I don't think it really matters that much :)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnyhoooooooow. As I said, I liked the piece. Or well, I still like it. It's not like I suddenly don't like it now...
Interesting Greek mythology. I've always liked, Greek mythology :3

While the beginning of the song was slighty mysterious, I could still hear the venture in it. The underworld took over quite quickly though :)
As I said, it would be an interesting twist with a dark ending, as it turns out that the flower actually was a deadly poison D: !!!
Or not.... I like the ending as it is. Maybe I'm just a bit tired...
I'm sorry for this review being so messy, incoherent and totally impossible to grasp. I have a hard time keeping myself focused, as one might notice :/ (Oh God the spelling mistakes and similar errors...)

Since I arrived here so early, I decided to only leave a short review, but I hope it was at least slightly helpful, even if I didn't really complain at all; I only analyzed o.O
Oh well, you'll live.

P.S. Feel like explaining your tags? They are always some mysterious references...
(Good luck with the competition!!!)

P.P.S. (How's that bagpipe song going? I'm still waiting :3)

LunacyEcho responds:

What?

...

What.

Holy crap, dude.

AHEM.

I don't blame you for getting distracted by the Internet and me! Those are two of my most favorite things in the world! (Link doesn't work, btw. Stupid copyright claims. :( )

=> two talented pianists =>

The reason I say three are needed is that some sections have over 12 notes playing at once, namely those quarter note blasts near the end of the first movement. (I say "movement" because that's how my classically-trained friend refers to them and it makes my piece sound grander :P)

=> Edit =>

HOW THE HELL DID YOU EDIT A COMMENT?!

=> VSTi =>

WAHAHAHAHAhaha... I throw around terms like "DAW" and "VST", but in reality, Garageband doesn't use any of those things. There are preset sounds that you can use and you can edit them to a degree, but I've yet to figure out a way to get new sounds in that weren't tailored to fit in Garageband. I used four piano sounds from Garageband, each edited slightly differently.

=> reverb =>

Really? But I added so much! What I've learned from this and Echoing Calm is that no reverb is ever enough. More. Always more.

=> piano is far away =>

That was done on purpose. I noticed that certain edits of a kind of piano gave you that faraway, melancholic feeling, and I enjoyed it, so I put it in. In hindsight, I probably should've changed it for the second half, but eh.

=> wonderful song submitted on the 1st of April =>

I just wish that this one could compare to that. I'll never make something that good ever again.

=> waltzes =>

I'm not sure if you could classify this as a waltz. Sure, it's in 3/4 time and sure, it follows the typical waltz bassline, but I could only imagine people dancing to this in a Halloween-themed ballroom. Darker themes ho!

=> chords =>

Yup, you're basically right. The first half was basically all in the key of C minor, with some other chords thrown in. You're very good. :P

=> I sometimes make songs that only use one basic chord =>

Please, keep going! It's the LSD Show!

=> transition at 0:39 =>

I was so proud of this when I wrote it. I'm glad you liked it. :)

=> 1:18 BOOM =>

I actually wrote that part at a sleepover at my friend's house. In fact, that's where most of this was written. Everyone else was busy playing Age of Empires, so I figured that I might as well just continue my work with this. I write music best when I'm tired, it seems.

=> Angry Birds =>

wat is dis
idgi
wtf

=> there's little you can't do with piano =>

That section was pretty fun to make as well. One of my friends (the same one who suggested I call the two parts 'movements') remarked on how I basically used the piano as melody, percussion, and bass. Wait, I just realized. Technically, it's a solo instrument song, since you could play the string parts with a piano if you ran a bow across the strings in the back on the piano!

TOTALLY MY OWN IDEA

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VqTwnAuHws)

=> hero obtains the flower =>

For songs like this, I enjoy storytelling. Another such example would be Winding Canyons, in fact. I'll defend drastic changes to the end!

=> varied the melody =>

You know what? I should've. I tend to write really progressive music, so I'm not sure why I kept the melody there for so long. I guess, subconsciously, that's why I played it three times instead of four. It's like my OCD is battling my progressive side.

=> one piano VSTi? =>

Basically, yeah. I had four piano tracks, one for each region. One for bass, tenor, alto, and soprano, if you will. The part you were talking about was the soprano part, and it stayed the same throughout the whole song, also playing during the heavy part of the first movement, when you hear all the eighth notes in the really high register.

=> 2:32 =>

Those scales were all hand-dragged through the piano roll and had their velocities edited personally. Thank you. *bows* :P

=> beautiful strings =>

Yup. I was struggling not to add other instruments, since I knew I could do something really cool with percussion or other layers of strings, but I managed to hold back to keep it in the Solo Instrument category.

=> piano mixed in the beginning =>

The intro isn't perfect by any means. It's the emptiest part and probably my least favorite part, since it was the part written with the least experience behind it. Then again, if changed it, another would have to be the one with the least experience behind it, so... vicious cycles, man.

=> dark ending =>

I'm not sure why, but lots of my friends, when "beta testing" this song, expected some sort of surprising screamo ending, probably because I don't really do this kind of music very often. :) It could've been cool to base this off the story of Orpheus, though. He traveled into the Underworld to save his maiden, but were instructed not to look back as they left. Naturally, they did, and then they dieded. I'd love to hear how a song based off of that myth sounded, but that's not this one. :)

=> great orchestral piece =>

Since I like this one so much, I might return to it some day, after this project is all over. Might...

=> messy, incoherent, and impossible to grasp =>

It's not your most focused review, but it was extremely long, full of detail, and entertaining to read. What's not to like? :D

=> I decided to only leave a short review =>

...

Sometimes, I think you're crazy.

=> Feel like explaining your tags? =>

Well, one of the reasons I've been into Greek mythology lately is because one of the games I enjoy, a TCG game called Magic: The Gathering, has been in the middle of a few Greek-themed sets. One of the most powerful new cards is called Gray Merchant of Asphodel, nicknamed Gary. The other tags are nicknames for other famous recent black-colored cards.

Nerdy as hell, but good for a laugh at another's expense.

=> bagpipe song =>

Garageband doesn't have any good bagpipe sounds... ;(

I PROMISE TO PUT A BAGPIPE IN MY NEXT SONG WHETHER I HAVE TO SAMPLE IT OUT OF A SCOTTISH SONG OR NOT

Thanks for the epic, extensive review! This is, by far, the longest review I've ever gotten. At 1,772 words, this really takes the cake. Thank you so much for spending so much time on my little corner of the Internet.

[Falling Snow]

This is great! It might be a bit short, but I occasionally make even shorter loops so I won't hold it against this. Good job! :D

Satyre responds:

Thanks. Creating a short loop can also be challenging. I like short loops too, even after I get annoyed after a couple of hours hearing the same sound over and over again xD.

[Song Preview 19]

This sounds like a combination between dance and trance to me too, but I've never been good at genres. I just wanted to tell you that this sounds really good! It's not your typical "BlueOceans sound" (not that that is bad, but I like variation :D), and I really enjoy the chord progressions, melodies, the transitions, and pretty much all the instruments already. But I have to agree with LunacyEcho still: Those jumps on the second beat just after 0:53 sound a bit off.
Anyhow, this is great. It reminds me of some of the music from Platform Racing 2, which is a good thing!

Everratic responds:

"It's not your typical "BlueOceans sound"
I think this song definitely has a "Blueoceans" sound. You only started listening to my music recently, so you probably haven't listened to some of my older songs that sound similar to this one.

Thankyou for the review! and I will fix the melody at :53

[impossible battle]

Seeing as SkyeWintrest and LunacyEcho were already here giving their thoughts, I don't have much to say. I've played a lot of games, and while this could definitely be figthing music, I'd say I've heard music that more immediately makes me think of a nearly impossible boss fight. It really depends on what kind of game you're thinking of (and what the general mood of the game is). The beginning especially is really good for portraying a boss battle though! The more I listen to this though, the more I can imagine a boss, so ignore what I said. This is actually pretty good fighting music. I'm on a slalom skiing vacation, so my mind might be a bit off music :p
I can hear the two halves too.

I enjoyed the song :3

"Johnfn's not dead, he's surely alive!"
(I genuinely hope you DON'T get the reference...)

johnfn responds:

haha I like how you started out thinking it didn't fit at all but then you changed your mind in the end. I'm glad you liked the song. and I'M NOT DEAD (and I have no idea what that reference is to hahaha)

[Lili's Song]

Happy birthday, Lili!

It's good to see you back with yet another great piece of music, Michael. I like that you're singing for us once again in this piece. One of the filters you used made it sound like you sang into a muted megaphone or from a very odd space :3

The lyrics are nice too. But gadd duurrrn you're good at mixing and composing in DAWs. Everything from structure to transitions to production seems great. Even if you used electronic sounds and percussion here, I think my favorites were the guitar and the piano :p

Great job!

Ps. You wrote "Lili, you're so neat..." and then sweet in the description, but at 1:19 => 1:28 & 4:08 => 4:17 "sweet" and "neat" seem to be reversed (in the description, that is) XD

GhostLawyer responds:

Thank you very much! I did do a bit o' experimenting with vocal filtering and what-not in this song. Getting it all to sound just the way I wanted was a doozy.

I dedicate a good deal of time to mixing and song structure and this song is definitely no exception. I really appreciate you noticing 'cause I'm pretty meticulous about it! I've spent many hours on this song just listening through, tweaking small things and trying to squeeze out every bit of clarity as possible.

The guitar and piano are definitely my favorite elements too. They make the song IMO!

And whoops! Imma fix that description right now...

Thanks again!

[After Us (updated)]

Well damn. This is just great. Have you seriously been composing for no more than a couple of months? In that case, your skill level must be extremely high! I havn't heard the first version, but what I know is that this one is stunning. And not only that, it captures the theme of the picture SO well. Do you know what this reminds me of? Have you ever heard about Gustavo Santaolalla? He made music to the movie "Amores Perros" and to the game "The Last of Us". I'd say that this style is similar to his, in a very good way.

I think the panning might me a little odd, but I don't really see it as a problem. I like all of your instruments too, as well as the nature sfx. Immediately when I heard the guitar in the beginning, I knew this was going to be a great track. Especially 1:04 is a highlight, since the drums enter. What free sample library did you use for this, I'm interested to know?
All the strings are amazing as well, not to speak of the melodies and the atmosphere. I know you said you wanted brutally honest reviews, but honestly, I have nothing I really feel like complaining about at all. Even the structure and most of the mixing seem just fine to me.

Once again, the artpiece that inspired you is simply great. And since you were searching for a post apocalyptic theme, which musicwise was extremely well done in "The Last of Us", I'd say you managed just great, as the style in this piece is similar to Gustavo's!

I'll look forward to future stuff from you, and I'll probably check out some of your older stuff as well :D

Good luck in the contest!!!

Thonz responds:

I loved the soundtrack Gustavo Santaolalla made for The Last of Us and it definitely influenced me with this, especially with the beginning of the piece. It's really nice that you think it's great, but I think my inexperience can be easily heard, especially with the panning and the use of EQ and reverb. I really don't have that great of an idea what I'm supposed to do with them. I'm just trying to trust my ears while turning the different knobs. :D

The strings and brass are from Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra and the Kontakt Elements Selection R2, which I thought was free because I got it with my MIDI keyboard but now that I checked, it actually costs $50. Also the toms are actually from the Epic Room Percussion from 8dio which I payed only 10 euros for. They are sfz files so you don't even need Kontakt for that.

Thank you for the taking the time to review my piece!

[Our Legend Falls]

Incredible.

[The Place of a Skull]

This is not really a review. I just wanted to tell you that this is quite astounding. I love it!

Good job ;)

Phonometrologist responds:

I'm grateful that you decided to tell me this. I'm very surprised by the amount of feedback I've gotten on it to be honest. It's all new to me :)

[Waves of the Alchemist]

Wow. This is beautiful. The beginning instantly reminded me of Erik Satie's "Gymnopédie No.1" (Same thing 2:17. Perfect lenght on the break before that too). I love that change at 0:57 =>, same thing with 1:17!
In fact, this whole piece is amazing!
Well done, and good luck int the contest! :'D

MetroPiano responds:

Thanks for your review! Yes the beginning does sound similar to Gymnopédie No. 1, which was actually a song I used to play when I was little! (Though if you try and play the melody of Gymnoédie using my chords it doesn't work heh, I know, I tried when I noticed). That's because I'm playing in the hypolydian mode (or aeolian) so it actually sounds major but it's actually slightly minor (I did this to make the transitions into the new keys more subtle and it worked quite well!).

[The Nightingale Order]

The percussion is amazing. I personally think I would have enjoyed if there were some lower tones to accompany the strings in the introduction (at least I feel something was missing), but everything after 0:35 and onwards was great. I can't comprehend how many good pieces of music have been done for this competition. This suits the artwork well too.

My favorite parts were the intro, the ominous change at 1:02 =>, and the part between 1:23 and 1:43.
I would've enjoyed if the song would have been slightly longer too, but I realize that there's not that much time :D
Extremely well done!

LunyAlex responds:

Thank you very much. In retrospect I agree with about everything you said and I'll definitely work on improving the track.