Oakwood's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[A Summer in Ponyville]

Lots of potential!
I'm a complete noob when it comes to classical and cinematic music but I've been a regular at the Audio Forum Lounge for so long now that I should be able to give you my 5 cents on this track.
At first I was surprised by the minor vibe you started with, considering your title suggests people are gonna listen to a happy track. The switch from a minor to a major progression around the middle came as another positive surprise, it was unexpected and it made me feel happy for some reason. I really liked that, it's not something you hear a lot so if you keep this up in more of your songs you could use it as a way of identifying yourself.
I really like the lead instrument too! What is it? Sounds like a mix between a classic guitar and a harpischord...
Downthings: like I said, I'm a stranger to cinematic but I keep hearing terms like 'East West', 'dynamics' and what not all the time. That said, I'm missing some reverb here. No, I'm missing A TON of reverb here. You're violin has some (I think?) but your snare is really tame. Adding some reverb (throw it on the master bus if needed) really adds depth to classical tracks.
Also the kicks. Need reverb, but it would be better if you'd replace the kicks with some timpani, that would contribute to the classical and epic feeling and would fit in better, in my opinion.

You've got a lot of work to do, but one can never stop improving! Listen to other tracks and what other people say, then you'll get the hang of things ;)

3/5
6/10

- LiquidOoze

DoctorMania responds:

I actually made this song before i even knew about mixing! Haha. That's why there's little to no reverb, among other issues. Thank you so much though! c:

[Castle In The Sky Remix]

Very nice!
This track definately captures the rave vibe and can easily get anybody bouncing. The synths are well chosen (love that violin or whatever it is), the various percussion samples you're using match well together and the effects are really nice.
One thing you need to work on is your mixing and balancing. Whenever your cymbal hits with that reverb on it, the track gets overpowered, which is really noticable at the first second and at 1:43 for example. The track also needs some more sub in the bass. I hear that you're using a Sytrus preset as your bass synth and that's perfectly fine (hell I've used that synth so many times) but it really needs some more emphasis on the lower frequencies. which is easily done with a Parametric Equalizer in FL Studio. Search for some tutorials on mixing and compression and work on it, your tracks will sound a lot better, I garantuee it ;)
Also, I don't know the original to this song, but it could use a breakdown to give the listener some rest, you know? I can definately hear some bells in the middle somewhere, that would also really add to the rave idea.

I dig what you're doing man, keep it up!

- LiquidOoze

PhatBoiJ responds:

Thanks man, I appreciate long, dedicated reviews like this. Honesly that's the only reason there has been an evolution in the way I make music and the way I better myself. Thanks!

[Nothing Lasts Forever]

Has potential, but needs some fixing.
The melody is really good and catchy (sounds like something Basto would use), but the beat is extremely weak. The kick fits the progressive feeling you've got here, but it needs to stand out way more. Compress that shit like a mofo and turn down the lead synth just a little bit so there's a bit more room for the kick in terms of loudness
The snare is way too weak as well, needs some compression as well as a shitload of EQ to get those mids out there. Remember that even though progressive house focuses a lot on melody, the beat is extremely important. In my honest opinion, I'd prefer a snappy clap here rather than a snare, but that's a matter of taste.
You also could've added some hats at 0:46 to avoid the track getting repetitive.

I dunno if you were planning to make a full track out of this but if you do, pay some attention to the details I just mentioned. ;)

3/5, 7/10

- LiquidOoze

Mea-Anima responds:

Thank you for your WAY WAY WAY too big review LiquidOoze.
I made this in just one hour, using a custom made Sylenth1 house lead.
Haha the entire track was made to test/show off the lead.
The kick is a compressed minor house punch and I think I just randomly dragged a clap out of my VEC samples :P. I do appreciate the review, but i'm afraid im not going to do anything with it.
More likely I will think of a melody myself (cause this is a melody I tried to imitate off of a youtube song).

Anyhow, thanks haha =P.
Cheers,
PotencY.

[This Isn't Science Rocket]

Heck yeah! This is one of my favorite songs of the album. I think this song alone was pretty much worth the ten bucks. :3

Anyway, like I said, one of my favorite songs here. What I like so much about it is the beat that's so driving and pumping. The first few seconds of this song already bring you in a dancing mood, which actually goes for al your songs but I'm just mentioning it again here,so great job on that. ;)
I also really like the melody. It's not the most original progression I've heard (hell, with the amount of EDM songs today it's hard to be original for everybody) but you gave it a really nice spin. I like the way you made the main section (1:00 - 1:30) sound very bright by keeping the melody and the pads in there, and yet very clubbish by using a synth with some bass in it. That's what I like about your style of producing: you are one of the rare producers I know that can make a song sound melodic and club-like at the same time.

Are there things I dislike? Not much, and they're just details. One thing is the segment where you decide to pitch up your bass synth (for example, around 1:10-1:11 and around 1:25-1:26). I always think these segments are a tad loud, maybe because of the sudden highs.
Another detail is that the song is kinda repetitive. It's still an awesome song, but I think it would've been cool if you build in a bridge or a different kind of break.

9/10
Keep on rocking your tunes, man, you're gonna be big, I know it. :)

- LiquidOoze

[[Transtep] Track 1]

Pretty neat for a first track.
I liked the gated saw you opened with. The reverb on it gave it a great 'breathing' sound and it sounded great together with the piano.
The transition from the piano part to the dubstep part was something you could've worked on. It sounds incomplete and doesn't quite fit either. The dubstep part itself wasn't too bad, but sounded kinda empty and needed some variation. It would've been better if you left the piano in so the transition wouldn't be that awkward.
The part where the gates came back together with the dubstep beat was pretty good, although I think you could've added some more bass to this section, and maybe bring the piano in as well to complete the picture. Also you should've made this part a tad longer.

6/10
I can hear your music has potential, so you are now scouted for the Audio Portal. Enjoy your stay! :)

- LiquidOoze

Transtep responds:

Thank you :) Yes, the dubstep part was very rushed and not well-thought out. Also I have no dubstep presets and am not good at creating instruments. If I can find some decent dubstep presets for Sytrus or Nexus I will make changes

[Monodisc - Airflow]

Sweet stuff!
When I heard the beginning synth, I thought this would turn in some ambient space thingy, but when the reggae beat kicked in I couldn't hide a smile. You really got that dub groove going and the vocals really added to it. The guitar-ish synth on the afterbeat, the organ, the relaxing bass, they really make this song a dub song. The only negative point I have is that it's a bit too short and repetitive.

5/5, 8/10, faved!

- LiquidOoze

tijnn responds:

It really is repetitive! And a tad too short. Don't worry though, it's just a rough concept i made in an hour or so, i'm gonna extend this song to a worthy piece soon :)

[Just Listen!!]

Duude, this has so much potential! Why don't you extend this stuff right now?

The kick was mastered extremely well and feels really punchy, perfect for a proghouse song. Claps are good as well, although they could use some more treble. The hoover synth and the bassline are also kicking ass.
The vocal you occasionally use should be toned down a bit, it's too loud according to me.

The rest is uber-awesome, this would make a great song if you'd finish it.

Blijf zo doorgaan! ;)

killerhoofd responds:

eey bedankt man!! ik zal kijken of ik jou kritiek punten kan fixen ;)

[Make You Sile (DUB DEMO)]

Sweet mother, this song is awesome! The beat was very catchy and mastered pretty damn well. The kick sounded perfectly flat and the claps were really snappy, and the hats have a great rhythm to them.
The bassline also sounds really good, and so does the lead synth. I was hoping that you would bring more of a climax to the song, the one at 2:04 is good, but I was waiting for some more 'umpf".

5/5, 9/10

- LiquidOoze

Krupinkin responds:

Thank you! I will add uplifting in the final version. Again thnx for your comment!