im-leia's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

["Training Montage" - Theme]

Clear as fuck! Production and mixing on this is spotless!
Music is great too. The chords and melodies are amazing, and I enjoy the guitar work very much. Percussion is insane, by the way. This is 80s as fuck.

This whole track is immensely exciting and satisfying for me to listen to. Thank you so much for making it. Mind spilling some of your production/mixing secrets?

[vsbl - A1 - Troja (triplebarrel Remix)]

I like it, but I think more experimental glitchy, unique percussion would sell it a lot more. I'd say clear up the percussion, and make room for glitchy crap (anything by Mr Bill is the kinda feel I'm getting at). I mean, I can barely do that myself so that's as minor a nitpick as it can get.
Good job, either way. I enjoy how rhythmic it gets, even if it's messy it's rhythmically messy.

triplebarrel responds:

Thanks for the criticism! I didn't think of clearing up percussion in this track, but in hindsight I could definitely benefit from adding some clicky bits around the 1:40 mark. I'm thinking about experimenting some more with these types of rough, rhythmically messy tracks in the near future as I'd say this type of music is somewhat unique. Again, thanks.

[Just Wanna (Love Ya)]

I like this! It's light and heavy at the same time, makes for a really comfortable listening. Light kick and heavy bass is a really nice combination. Very jammy.
It's repetitive, but in a good way. Gives me time to enjoy the loop and have a tiny little jam session in my head. You kept it repetitive and interesting at the same time, and that can sometimes be a complicated act to balance so good job on that.
I like the ambience. Makes for an even lighter atmosphere. The image in my head is a very comfortable one.

Profeta-Trece responds:

I truly appreciate your feedback, thank you! <3

[Hunter Milo - You]

I like a lot about this. It's happy, with chords and melodies that are unique and make me feel all fuzzy inside. Definitely skilled in that, you did a great job.
Production as well. Unique sounds being used, makes everything more alive.

My main gripe, though, is the mixing. Of course, it's improvable.
What I hear as the main iffy thing is the kick and general bass in the drop. It's rumbly, and overtaking the track. It's like the kick is being compressed oddly, or something with the bass is complaining in a strange way. Something's off and it's doing strange subby things.

Check your compression, check your sub bass. If you're having trouble working with a specific bass, maybe try high-passing it and putting on a sine?
Perhaps multiple sets of audio devices could work as well. If you use speakers, try headphones. If you use headphones, try earbuds. Mix with different audio sources, because things will come up in some that don't come up in others.

Either way, that's something to look at on the next mixing pass for this, if there is to be one.
(A little bit of releveling and/or master compression could help the parts between and before the drops as well.)

Again, this is a great track. It's short and sweet, and something I genuinely enjoy. It works very well, and if you can figure out the mixing just a little bit more it'd sound even better.

[DJ Ses - No Emotion (Produced By Kenshi Muzik)]

despite this not being a genre that i like, this still sounds fairly good to my ears. the mixing is real tight and clear, though with how few things there were to mix it would have been easier anyhow. the lyrics have a nice rhythm to them. you've done a good job with making them interesting, not only with the words themselves, but also how they're incorporated into the track.
i like how you decorated the track with ambience, it helps make it sound more professional and complete. it's something i seem to miss on a regular basis.

this song's well-produced, and is probably already ready for a mainstream release (but that's your decision, of course!)

[Cadmiae - Racing]

i dont listen to deep house often, but i gotta say this sounds crystal clear, especially when the percussion really kicks in just past the halfway mark. the intro is really interesting, and it does a good job of both introducing the rhythm and building up to it. not to mention, that guitarish pluck thing you have going on sounds really nice. i love the melodies you have going on with it.
and, god damn. that rhythm is really satisfying to listen to. all the different pieces of percussion going on around the whole track sounds really cool. i just feel like its a bit of a shame this is so short, but that's your decision. keep it up!

CyroNG responds:

Thanks so much, surprisingly this is my first Deep House track :P

[T.E.O.M. - Newgrounds Anthem (Produced By TheEyeOFMusiK)]

first of all, the intro is really interesting. i love that melody you build with it, but my immersion into that melody is kinda broken with that standard hip-hip buildup that i've heard literally everywhere. maybe experiment a little with that, see what happens.
speaking of the next part, it's good, but it could use some work. first thing i notice is that it's mixing is dodgy. i can't help but feel like i'm in a pressure chamber when i'm listening. my guess would be because there's a lot going on (stabs, basses, melodies) without going back and making sure it's all sounding clear. i'd turn everything down then slowly rise them back up one by one.
the kick is nice, but adding something that has a slight bit more mids and highs would cut into the track really nicely.
the rhythm is great! it's a good break from other mainstream hiphop while still staying within that realm. i especially like the crash on beats 2/4.
something that i don't think works is that fifths bass you have sliding around. it's not going along with the melody, and kinda clutters things up more than anything. i'd either remove it or re-notate it to work with the melodies.
i like this, but it could be improved.

[Fighter Bay Funk]

you know, this actually sounds kinda cool. i like the melody and instrumentation; it makes it feel chill/positive, which is a nice break from what i usually listen to. what soundfonts did you use for this?

SuddenGASP responds:

Thanks a bunch! After checking the file the grand majority of the channels are using a soundfont called YM/FM Font, but I chucked an 808 hat in there too for good measure.