Score: 5

"A little rhythmically spaztic."

submission: Burning Heart [Hardcore]

date: October 7, 2007

Well, an interesting work. I will definitely give it that. It would make a nice backdrop to a very action packed sequence in a game both because of it's high tempo and classic, almost 16-bit, instrumentation. The instrumentation before the tempo change was a little contrived sounding, and didn't really serve to draw me into the piece. But that improved after the tempo change to the 190 BPM section with the addition of a driving percussion section and a synthesized descant that served as the melody for the remainder of the song.

Now, the descant, while melodically fitting, felt a little rhythmically spaztic to me and my percussion-trained ears. I can't descern a very clear or standard accent pattern in the descant, which just overall gives the piece the feeling of being slapped together. I am sure that this is just my interpretation due to years of rhythmical training, and that the normal person wouldn't listen with such detail to the lack of precise accents. But I just couldn't tell what pattern was being attempted. In particular, at the end of the patern, there's an accent pattern that starts out in straight tripplets, but then ends the last accent slightly behind the beat, ending the phrase in sixteenth note tripplets. Even the opening accent patern, seemingly trying to accomplish a straight "1 + a" feeling, is slightly behind the beat and slurred beyond ordinary recognition.

Again, I know that this nitpicking of interpretation of rhythm is something that will not be covered by many reviewers out there. But my main point of nit picking the accent pattern is that the lack of a clear pattern gives the descant a general feeling of being behind the beat. And this clashes with the other instruments, which play on the front of the beats to keep the pulse driving. So, with the drum track pushing time, and the descant dragging it, the piece just has a certain sense of conflicting with itself and tearing apart.

But it is a nice piece, especially when the descant isn't playing: a nice chord progression, good accent patterns in the other instruments, and nice choice of instrumentation overall. It's just this descant that makes the drummer in me cringe because the piece doesn't feel solid and together.

Score: 8

"I hear the inspiration"

submission: Canton's Theme

date: August 5, 2007

I can definitely hear the Danny Elfman inspiration. What really gives it that feel is the bass line going "middle up down up," which gives the whole thing a bit of a circus feel. And the melody also is pretty on with his style. A little different resolution in the chord progression, but, like, having the strings playing that descant up top near the end is really good.

And the synth you used is quite good. The instrumentation was awesome. All in all, I think you accomplished what you set out to do.

Score: 6

"Little too much distortion."

submission: At home

date: July 19, 2007

It was a nice track, and I liked the melody. There was just too much distortion for my taste. It's like you turned your input for the bass way too high, which causes it to spike when it doesn't need to. The parts without the distortion are great, though. Especially the part that sounds kinds like a guitar.

The drums are also very good; it sounds like a real set being played. Too bad the distortion also drowns them out for most of the song.

So I suggest taking down the distortion. Let me know if you do that, 'cause I really like this track.

Score: 5

"Nicely excecuted."

submission: [haxxy] Evil Genius Apocalypse

date: July 19, 2007

Well, it was an interesting idea to build a whole song around Mandark's laugh. Interesting and inovative. And for what it is, it's fairly well excecuted. The instrumentation is fine, and the chord progression is dark, which works for the overall evil theme for the song.

I just think that it's a rather annoying laugh to build a song around. And the pattern gets a little boring after a while. As a percussionist, I like to hear songs that have a little varriation in the rhythm, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Maybe if when you change from the laugh to the spoken words, you could think of a different rhythm to use.

Anyway, that's all. It's fine, but only fine in my opinion.

Score: 6

"Pretty repetative"

submission: .::Trance-a-lot::.

date: July 18, 2007

While I like the generic beat you have established by using the old sixteenth-sixteenth-eighth note pattern, I think that pattern gets a little boring after a while. There is some nice instrumentation, especially with the distortion of the chord every once in a while, but overall it just needs a little bit more than a repetative melody with some ambient distortion going on above it.

Although, it would make a nice loop for a character select screen or something of the like.

Score: 8

"How relaxing"

submission: Aphasiaphile

date: August 11, 2006

Well, I definitely feel like I've been miditating all day. The nice use of synthesised chimes in this song gives it a very laid back feeling that makes me wonder if it shouldn't be in the "Ambient" genre.

The author makes good use of reverb and syncopation, which makes the song have an uplifting and floaty feeling. I also like the choice of tempo, because it easily could have been too fast, but it's just right.

Anyway, if you're looking for a nice relaxing electronic piece, this is one that would be awesome to wake up to in the morning.