JohnFloyd's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Kill Rock]

crunch crunch crunch

You're on the right track. Darn good sound considering the hardware you're working with. If I made animations I'd consider using this. I really don't even have any suggestions. Just keep doing what you're doing.

[-WV- Fogata (NG Exclusive)]

nice

This is a great little piece of audio! It sounds like there is a lot of frequency overlap, one of the mastering techniques that DJ Seri was probably referring to would be to EQ each track so that they overlap less, giving each one more clarity. I hope to hear your stuff get used in more Flash submissions.

[Thunder Storm]

go go gadget guitar

I'm really, really glad to see how many submissions your works have been used in, because they deserve it. That's what this site is all about, right? The next time I see someone using licensed metal in a flash I'm going to politely refer them to GoreBastard. And then sucker punch them.

GoreBastard responds:

Hahaha! yeah that would be cool. The majority of liscenced metal used in animations these days is the same shit that people have heared thousands of times! People should check out the audio portal more often. There's some kick ass shit here!

Thanks for checking my music out mate! Rock On!

[Brutal Melody]

alcohol + performing = no

For those of you who don't know how to play guitar, getting drunk will *help* you play guitar, or at least, will give you an excuse for making an ass out of yourself.

For those who *do* know how to play guitar, if you've never tried to play guitar drunk, I suggest you try it, just for fun, but it's really, really hard. I imagine it gets easier with practice but all the sudden your fingers don't move the way they're supposed to. This is an awesome song, would be even better without the libatial impediment!

GoreBastard responds:

Hahaha, yeah beer is funny! I do alot of my songs while under the influence, because it's not very often that I'm sober! Haaaa!
Thanks for the cool review mate.

[B.F.D.]

rocked my eyelids off

Great sound! There was only one small part that I didn't like, where the snare hits repeatedly... a little harsh to mine ears. I'm guessing that you're using drum samples (they sound great for samples!), so alternating between two different snare sounds might make that part sound a little more natural (turning down the drum reverb a little might also help), but then, if you're *trying* to fuck with my ears, ignore that suggestion and more power to you! Rock, rock on!

[_-=[Serenity in a rose]=-_]

i've run out of positive words to use

This is great. The way that I critique my own works is whether or not I accomplished what I set out to do, and even though this isn't your favorite piece I'm pretty sure that you accomplished what you set out to do. And, made a beautiful piece of music in the process. (all I have to go by is the title and what I can infer by the musical choices that you made.) Unbelievably, this "tough love" reviewer has another 5 for you.

MaestroSorrow responds:

And thats the only type of love I appreciate most ^^.

Your honest words are ideally what I need most, and for that I thank you.

[_-=[Insanity Inside]=-_]

i think i'm in the minority here... : )

Maestro, don't get me wrong -- I like this piece a lot. I just wanted to point out that there isn't a clear melody. There's nothing wrong with that at all, I just thought it should be said. The piano comes in with a theme at the beginning but other than the very beginning always sounds like more of an accompaniment than a melody to me. I'm not saying that I could do any better, and once again I am NOT saying that it needs or even *should* have a melody. I think this piece is awesome and I really like the drums. (If this were a Pop song, by, say, Tatu, the piano would be the accompaniment to the vocals, which would carry the melody. Just a thought.) -1 for not sounding insane enough. (and I would know :D )

MaestroSorrow responds:

heh, yeah I'd know by that... you crazy nut!

And once again your right, this piece had no definate melody, in fact I made this piece quite experimental, and worked backwords. The melody you hear at the end, was actually what I made first, and then just expanded backwards from there...

... for all composers, don't do that >_>".

[_-=[Ballet of Darkness]=-_]

no low end : (

I agree that this needs a bass, or SOMETHING "down there." I'm holding the 10 and 5 hostage until you add that.

MaestroSorrow responds:

okay, for you then John, i'mma go add some bass and expand this bad boy!

[_-=[Bitter Sweet Harp]=-_]

i disagree

There IS a beat here... it's in the harp and tambourine. And it rocks. But, I can say from experience that a cave in which I'm fighting spiders is NO place for a very repetitive loop. I hate spiders and will just get more frustrated by the repetitive music. I suggest pulling the harp back into the background to act as percussion instead of the "melody" as everyone keeps calling it, and throwing in some dynamics to make the piece sound like it's changing more than it really is. This track made me think of Lufia for some reason. I don't know why, I don't even remember what the Lufia music sounds like.

MaestroSorrow responds:

See i'm going to cut and copy this and show them!

"HERE'S PROOF!" i'll say, and they'll HAVE to let me put in that beat ^^.

Many thanks for confirming what I had suspected I should have done John, and again for the review.

[_-=[Alone I die]=-_]

my take

Obviously others disagree with me, but I found the song to have a frustrated/tense/nervous tone to it. The phrases don't cadence often enough, and the dissonance is ambiguous enough, that I just can't find comforting *or* sad here. But then, I might be a little over-sensitized to musical cues... :) Personally I found "Alone I Die" to make perfect sense with a nervous/frustrating feel, I guess it all depends what you were going for. Great orchestration (as usual)! As others have said the mix of classical and electronic instruments was well done. You get an 8 because, having heard your other works, I think you could have done even better.

MaestroSorrow responds:

I can do better now, and from here on, I gaurantee it, I will not disappoint ^^.

Thnx for all the reviews.