Absolix's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[~'{Tishtari Rain}'~]

Transitions!!

I really like the way you use transitional effects, by taking leads and turning them into either arps, or pad like sounds. Really a cool thing :)

I have no clue how the new songs are related to your other songs or as you call them "aura's", so I'm not even going to guess! :P

Good song overall. I suggest making that Kick a little more "punchy". :D
(I tell a lot of artists on newgrounds that :P )

Keep it up! Keep your head up for some of my new trance songs!
I'll keep my head up for yours!
I think i got some friendly competition here :]

~absolix

[AF - Forever (Original)]

I don't get newgrounds

Newgrounds Trance in my opinion, isn't even trance these days.

Great overall composition, but lacks key trance characteristics.
1. The Intro:

Your intro is alright, but should be layed out in a "special" way in order to classify as a certain type of sub-genre'd trance.
Each different type of trance has it's own way of starting the song, each way by starting off simple, with for instance a kick, hi-hat, and bass (just an example).
Most professional trance artists use an instrument in the intro, or add a new instrument later in the song, to give a "sneek peek" to the song's full emotion / sound.

2. Breakdown:

As an intro is as important as the breakdown, it goes to show how much every little character helps form a trance composition.
In this part of the song, the artist tends to introduce more key sounds, emotions, key rolls, etc. Everything is built up, then downlifted in this term.
Sounds are usually introduced, and then taken away until a later time when they can shine fully.
The whole purpose of this song is to "build" on an introduction, leaving behind the song's wonderful feeling: to amaze the listener as the trancegates / pads gracefully approach the speakers.

--------

I could keep going on and on about this. This is only 2 of 4 steps recommended for a complete trance song. I only wrote 2, because of the limited time I have, and because that's all I heard in this song.

I myself have been trying to work on trance following these rules. Check them out and see what all 4 of these tips can achieve! I think they're well worth the time to study. It's just worth studying a genre so you know it inside and out and then you can compose it with your eyes closed. ;)

~Absolix

aliaspharow responds:

What you dont get about newgrounds isnt really about newgrounds. What you dont get is that the newgrounds audio portal is made of artists that make music because they like making music.
They make music they're way without paying attention to a certain set of rules. In fact, no artist should. If you write a song from the start to fit a certain set of rules and go out of your way to follow them, you are not truly making music... Your doing homework.

To be quite honest, i find your review offense. You seem to want to assimilate all artist with what... a set of rules? music cannot be dictated from a book. music is art: thus has no bounds or predetermined path.

Thank you very much of sharing your opinion. and i did realise you wrote "2 of 4 steps RECOMMENDED". Thats precisly why i didnt write everything in caps. lol

[A State of Mind - V1]

Not so much "Trance"

I enjoy surfing newgrounds audio for trance. This song here has few trance characteristics.

If you want a better sounding song overall, Just keep playing with buildups.

I don't really want to write a review as to how you can improve this song, because of the fact it's so far from trance.

scrappy777 responds:

thanks i guess :P
perhaps I put it in the wrong category.

[Dreams {durn}]

Trance

To start out on my review, I'd like to mention that I have recently been starting to develop trance songs and hopefully I can aide myself, and others by giving advice that both I, and the artist who's music i review, information to profit from.
So hopefully I can give you a tip or two from this hefty review lol :).

First thing's first:

You have the basics down. I see that you have a nice intro, a breakdown / buildup, semi-climactic point, and somewhat of an outro.
If i were you, I would add some sort of atmospheric phase, or something to make the song sound "harmonic".
Trance is based upon emotion. When the song is started, the first few notes should reveal just a taste of the song's full emotion / key / overall harmonic sound.

Second:
I would make the kick more "punchy". All songs, and expecially trance should have a punchy kick. A punchy kick can be created by taking a normal kick sound, and playing with the EQ. Look on the internet, (I learned from YouTube), to find out how you can emphasize your kick to yours, and other's personal desire.

Overall, this is quite a good track. There are things that I as a different artist would change, but It's YOUR song. All I can do is give advice to you on how YOU can improve :).
I ask a small favour of you as well.
Could I get you to review some of my trance songs? Preferably "Trancendent"

Thanks !
Absolix

durn responds:

Aye, I completely agree with your first point. Would've been neat if I'd lightly introduced the build riff during the intro. Could've easily done it too as I didn't use the main rising lead synth during the intro at all.

Second, half-agree. :) The kick had punch, what it was lacking was oomph (thanks bjra ;)). You're right that I could've eq'd it better, I didn't raise the lows enough to give it that pound. The compression I used gave it a nice knock and punch-through but I didn't balance the low-end of it well enough.

Thanks for the great critical review. :) I'll get listening to your track shortly!

[Drive (Remix) [Demo]]

A corrisponding review

Hello, Here's a quick review for ya :)

To start off, I found the "humming" and "snapping" at the beginning quite catchy, but personally, I would try and find a different way to start off a dance song. I myself would start with, as you probably seen from my trance, a decent buildup beginning with just a kick, progressing. But then again, that's me.

Cool transition at around 1:15, fading the echoing voice into a lead.
You have a great melody line down, and it seems well organized, but I think it's missing the "Booming" kick, and I think the bass should be a little, either more harder, or a bit louder If you get what I'm trying to pull across.

I'll be sure to check out other stuff from you as well!
I'll contact you via PM to arrange something, maybe possible collaberations, or song for song reviews?
Dunno, i'll discuss via inbox i suppose!

Keep it up!
Absolix

DjDema responds:

The beginning track is actually Bobby McFerrin who's famous for his song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" I appreciate your critique it's nice to have people legitally critique so much appreciated ;)

As far as everything else, thanks again! haha but the finalized version is very much what you said needed fixing. ;) It's also a lot longer obviously :P

[Solus- Adagio For Strings]

Sounds Nothing Like Tiesto...

Quite a bit of a letdown, because I was waiting for the trance vibes to kick in, and a bit of a buildup to eventually run on through the piece.

The first bit of the song, gets bunched up n starts to sound a bit bad.
Example: 0:50-1:20

Around 1:30, I quite enjoyed however, it was graceful, yet emotional at the same time, great job with that.

I suggest adding different sounds.. if you get what i mean. Leads, Bass, Kicks, the usual, etc.

Turn down the volume at 4:43, 5:18, 5:42, etc. ; got a bit painful to the ear :P

Overall, this song is missing quite a few characters, I don't know if you were just practicing out your pads / atmosphere's, or, but it was decent.
Thing that kept me listening was the amazing pads and peaceful atmosphere. For a song that was just made up of those, I'm impressed.

SolusLunes responds:

Whoa.

Whoa there.

Hold on just a second.

Holy shit you think that the Adagio for Strings was written by Tiesto.

It wasn't.

The Adagio for Strings is nothing like a trance song, this is closer to the original than Tiesto's.

In any case, it was written by Samuel Barber, in 1936.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adagio_
for_strings)

But on to the technical aspects, yes, I suppose this song did have a bit of a problem with the volume leveling (will have to fix that, didn't even notice it myself, suppose I had it really well turned down :p)

I wasn't missing parts- you were just thinking of the wrong version. This isn't a remix of the remix, this is a tribute to the original. :D

[[e99] Ukulele Jam]

Creative

I like the idea that you use whatever is just layin' around your house as an instrument.. I've always been a fan of that sort of creativity.
It takes skill to make them into a song as well.
Kudos!

~Omnimaga

e991e responds:

Thanks Absolixomnimaga

[Unfinished Untitled]

Bit of a Letdown

This piece of work, has a great opening which is a plus.
Now for the negative: throughout the song, I was hoping for a buildup, which i thought i started hearing around 0:50- 1:00. Sadley there wasn't really any climax.

A climax always makes a song more enjoyable.

that's why i was let down :(

[Hurricane of Sounds]

Not a house song :p

I'd get rid of the vocals if I were u :P

& this song isn't exactly a House styled song either.. I'd go with Misc. or Ambient.

It REALLY helps to know where you put your songs.. people judge more harsh depending on the category, and if your song doesn't belong in the chosen category, it won't get too far when it comes to votes.

& I'd get rid of the high pitch sine @ 1:55. A bit hard on the ears

Overall, this song is somewhat enjoyable, so I say, keep it up, you have potential as an artist... ;]

~OmNi

kingbotina responds:

Ok, thanks I will chage the category. I thought that the vocals are a good thing to add in the music! but perhaps it isn't.