Chimpazilla   Judges ⚖️

Yeah, thin drum sounds. Snare feels quite boxy and mid-heavy and lacks high end, kick lacks punch, the rest of the drums are barely there. Cheesy center-panned clap. *sigh* Ok so that's out of the way. The rest is amazing. Chiptune and epic wub work, great arrangement, really unique and varied ideas and sounds, cool glitching and plenty of source. The entire mix could use a touch more brightness. But wow, just a great mix here. Love it! YES

I hear mainly brass. The articulations at 0:19 and 0:27 sound a little clunky. There's a really flat note at 0:32. Piccolo sounds good, could be a touch louder. Be careful to eq the low end out of every instrument that doesn't need it, that's the best way to avoid orchestral mud. You shouldn't have to eq too much, other than that. And go suuuuuper easy on any reverb (most things shouldn't need any added reverb at all). The intro synth is almost sounding a bit too prominent against the softer backdrop of orchestral sounds. This will sound better when the orchestral part gets more filled out I'd imagine. You will definitely be needing to layer articulations. Use the 64 bit Kontakt if you aren't already, and use midi-outs and not individual Kontakt instances, this will save lots of memory. Gonna be bringing in strings next? I do hear the low strings, but no celli or violins? You could use the higher strings to bring in a wider chord structure with the higher voices. In my mind this should start happening around 0:47, because at that point all I hear is the piccolo and brass playing the same line, and just that little bit of low strings. Or you could bring in the higher voices right after the end of what you've got here. If you want to get better at orchestral writing, I'd suggest keeping this track primarily orchestral. Use the orchestral drums you now have, instead of adding more EM. That FFCC compo track I did was my first 100% orchestral and it was tremendous practice. If you want to send your file over, I could show you any tricks I've learned about orchestral. Hit me up on FB if interested. (wait, I forgot, do you have the Kontakt full version?)

Why thank you, good Sir Argle.

*ahem* The newbie judges became judges on Dec 13th and judged like crazy fools right up through Christmas and to New Years, at which time we both (in fact, MOST of the judges) went to MAGFest. After that, many of the judges including myself became amazingly SICK and have been doing their best to recover and get back to the voting bizzz. I did seven tracks yesterday. [/defensive rant]

Whoa... cool dance/trance mix here! Haha I didn't expect that with a name like "Requiem!" Dem's some punchy drums fo sho. The kick tail is *almost* too long. The bass is super cool with nice upper end crunch. (that bass crunch competes with the leads sometimes, but not enough to be a problem) Great lead sounds and writing, nicely sequenced glitching and fx. You've used some really nice sounds and automations. The low end could be a tiny bit cleaner but that's a nitpick. Maybe it's that kick tail causing just a touch of mud against the bass. The mix gets a little washy with reverb at times but never too much so. My biggest nitpick is that the drum writing gets a little repetitive sometimes in the hats and snares. The hat hits seem to be all the same velocity, some velocity variation would add more interest. I haven't heard the first version but this one gets my vote, I love it. YES

Whoa, this is super cool! That organ and the bass give this track a bit of a groovy 60's feel! That bass is so super funky. I'm loving your vibrato leads. You've used the source really well, with some really fabulous personalization. Nice changeup at 2:23, and soloing at 2:47! I wish that vocal clip had been more clearly audible (I assume it says "turtle power!"). So many fun ideas and great writing in here. This is quite a busy mix with many things playing in the same range... it borders on too busy, the organ and other backing synth work gets buried under the lead sometimes, but overall I think you've separated the sounds well enough. The care given to stereo separation really helps in this case. Fadeout ending? Huh, well ok then. I dig this. Turtle Pies! edit: I don't want to hold this vote up. I'm going to agree with my fellow judges that some eq/balance cleanup is needed, also bring the bass out a little bit better. Shouldn't take much to get it to a pass, it's still super cool. NO(resubmit)

Whoa, what a COOL source! Definitely sounds like BrOA (haha, love that name) nailed it with his critique. Great arrangement, wonderful sounds used, and some good writing... but this mix is waaaay too bleedy. Way too much reverb used. The instrument balancing is fine, but definitely it could be eq'd a bit better to let each instrument really shine. For example, the lead at 1:30 is totally buried, frequency wise. I also agree with Andrew about the bass, I love it in the intro, but afterward it seems to have... melted into the track? Where'd it go? I agree there is an overall almost bitcrushed feel to the mix, not sure if that was intentional... or is the master simply overcompressed by an overly pushed compressor or limiter? (if so, please bring that down so the track is not getting smashed) I wonder if it will sound different in a better encoding format like 192kbps or VBR1. The ending cuts off abruptly before the final reverb tail dies away, just make your render a bit longer. This is SOOO CLOSE for me, I really love it. It has almost an X-Files vibe. The writing and arrangement are top notch. Please make these minor fixes and send it back over so we can get it posted! NO (resubmit)

The mixing for an orchestral piece is working generally pretty well here, the instruments have enough of their own space while still maintaining that "wall of sound" orchestral feel (which can come off sounding muddy sometimes, this is somewhat inherent with orchestral samples... so it is important to really position the instruments carefully in the soundstage, cut low end out of all the instruments that don't need it, and use minimal reverb). The pizzicato cello could definitely use more definition and less low-mid mud. The brass in the chorus section sounds a little fake, but the rest of the instruments are sounding pretty good and generally cohesive. The snare works for me, although it sounds a bit repetitive with the same pattern and rolls throughout. I like the piccolo in particular, yet those trills are all too similar. No bass instrument though!!! There's a bit of low brass, but I hear no double bass. There's a whole range of sound missing from this mix, and missed writing opportunities. The writing is definitely the biggest problem here. Tons of repetition, very rigid throughout. I agree that the repeating harp pattern wears thin, if the harp writing flowed and changed up and even had a few runs, that would be nice. The pizzicato cello notes bother me more though, the pattern matches the bass pattern in the source perfectly, but that pattern feels quite unnatural to me when played on an orchestral string instrument. This cello pattern feels like it works better in a fuller section such as 1:47, rather than where it is more exposed. Perhaps if a proper bass instrument were introduced, playing a gorgeous legato line, the cello plucks would seem to fit better. I'm not a fan of the chord changes in the chorus section either, it loses some of the emotional impact this way. Overall, this needs a ton more variation to work. It's a good base though, I'd love to hear this again, filled out and varied quite a bit more. NO (resubmit)

This starts out with a wonderful atmospheric feel, nice dreamy pads, distant choir. The drums sound pretty good. Then, that first lead, I'm just not a fan of it. It just feels so soft and weak when I'm expecting something that makes more of a statement. Also it is mixed in a muddy way with too much reverb, and the patch has a weird high-pitch resonance as well. Then the next lead at 0:47 is SO much louder than the previous lead, the volume contrast is jarring. This "hyper vibrato" lead (great term, OA) also has way too much reverb on it. These two sounds are used repeatedly throughout the mix. You have some good arrangement ideas, but a lot of the writing ends up being repetitive (and this is emphasized by using the same leads again and again). I do like the breakdown section at 2:30 with the deep drumming hits, although it borders on too sparse. The section at 3:10 is a direct copy of the section at 0:47 which is a copout. The dropoff ending though, I feel like that works and is fine. Overall, this mix is bleedy as all heck. I'd suggest you start by lowering your reverb on everything (especially leads) by at least 50% if not more. Then take a pass at eqing the instruments to make sure they each have space in the mix without overlapping each other too much. I'm not a fan of either of those two leads, in my opinion they sound kind of comical and silly compared with the cool ambient background... but they could still be cool if they each only appeared one time, and the next sections had different lead sounds. (I'd personally love to hear one section have a wicked solo using a legato synth lead!) And please make the final section a little different than the first section, either in writing or instrumentation or both. I'm looking forward to hearing this one again, it's a good arrangement and has a lot of promise. NO (resubmit)

Issues are already well covered so I won't repeat. The lossy master has a warm feel to it, it doesn't bother me too much. Really great performances and sequencing here, arrangement is solid. Lots of fun tempo and time sig ideas. Fun listen! YES

Wow, I remember this track from nearly two years ago in the wip forum. Such a beautiful arrangement. I loved it immediately, but the samples and sequencing were not up to par. This is a HUGE improvement. The samples sound so much better, and nicely humanized. The drums are still sounding a bit muffled, and the playing style is a bit repetitive and may actually be at times a bit too upbeat for the mood of the track, for example the breakdown from 2:08-3:20 feels to me like it could use a softer drum pattern and/or a bit more variation. Mixing could even be improved further, the bass could use a bit more definition and slight mud cleanup, and I think there is a bit too much reverb overall, most noticeable on the piano. Haha, those brass staccato notes at 4:35 aren't fooling anyone! Leads are clean and clear and nicely placed in the soundstage. I hate fadeout endings. You could easily have ended the song right at 5:00, without going into the extra verse and the fadeout. *sigh* Still, this sounds terrific now, and I'm comfortable passing it. Nice work! YES

Creepy fun!!! I am LOVING the sfx! (big fan of sfx and vocal clips here) Really great arrangement too. Fun panning and effects. Tons of yummy ear candy. I do hear some issues, such as the thin-ish leads. Mixing could be cleaner, with elements separated better and a bit of mud cleared out. Wobbles could have been more epic with more low end added, but the sequencing and automation are really good. Kick could use some more low end beef, it's a touch "clacky." I'm loving this overall and the above issues don't hold it back for me. The arrangement and creativity carries it. Ghoulishly delightful! YES

Andrew and Larry have covered the issues here perfectly. Very nice arrangement, some interesting ideas and writing. Ending is quite abrupt. But yeah, the mixing and balance is seriously off here! I actually had to turn my speakers down when that synth came in at 0:33, wow. While I always think it is fun to combine sound choices, in this case a lot of it doesn't fit together, mainly due to the mixing, but I also think some of the choices just aren't working. For example the synth solo at 1:54, I wonder how that would sound with a synth that compliments the guitar tone just a touch better than this sine lead does. But again, mixed properly, these sound choices may all sound more cohesive. Ethan, if you did the mixing here, I recommend taking the individual stems and starting a re-balance from scratch, one item at a time. I hope you have individual stems for each element, including each drum element separately. Loop the sections of the song one at a time, bring up the kick first, get it nice and beefy, and then bring each element up slowly until it fits into the soundscape nicely without being overpowering. Take your time, get feedback from others on this, and this can sound a whole lot better. NO (resubmit)

Neither the piano nor the lead guitar are blowing me away. The piano is mechanical sounding and a bit too sharp, loud, and up-front, and the guitar just doesn't sound real at all and is often too soft and buried. Bass seems a bit buried as well. But what you've got is used SO WELL here. Drums are very well written and exciting. Wow, what a great arrangement. What the heck is wrong with reverse cymbal transitions, huh? I LOVE those oh well. YES

Have a very happy birthday, Joe!

Whoa, cool time signatures here! So nice to hear the main Mario theme in 3/4! And the switching between time signatures was nearly seamless, kudos. There are some truly dynamite ideas here. I really like the little bit of synth work thrown in, too. The sequencing is in fact quite rigid and un-humanized. I think the worst offenders are the low brass and bass clarinets. Also, the supporting percussion (especially the tambourine) is too loud. Even so I think this might work if the track came across as one cohesive song. Build a bridge between the two parts, do some humanization on those instruments, and it'll get my vote. NO (resubmit)

I've loved this song since I heard the first wip version. Really fun and varied arrangement, smooth transitions, great sound choices and mixing. Loving that Middle Eastern mood. Dat dulcimer, dem drums! YEP

ToB (Theory of Birthday)

Continue please, Markus. Another winner here. You're so talented!

WOW T... I had no idea you could draw like that, those are super awesome!!!!!!!

It is super duper easy to use. You just set up the patterns you want on the front of the interface, and switch between them using key switches. So fun! I love it. As for creating your own, I haven't tried that... I don't think you can do that actually, but there are so many combinations there I don't think you'll need to create anything else!

I'm struggling to hear enough source in this track. The first minute relies entirely on the four notes from 0:06-0:10 in the source. After the 1:00 mark, I'm really struggling to hear any source, I think it is loosely there but after several listens I can't pick it out very well. At 1:58 I hear clearly a few notes of the main Zelda theme, then it sort of loses focus again. At 2:42 the synth bell is playing the Temple Ruin source more clearly, but it seems so marginalized. The sounds are nice, if a little plain. A bit too much reverb and low end on the piano, it gets a bit muddy. That sleigh bell bothers me because it hits a bit behind the beat every single time, making the timing of the track sound off. The sleigh bell feels quite over-used by the end of the track. Some percussion changes would be welcome. This is quite a mellow track, but it feels quite sparse for much of it. I feel like it needs quite a bit more development. NO (resubmit)

The pace of this starts out feeling a bit plodding, after hearing the source, but picks up pretty well after the intro. The sounds are really good, even with the stiff sequencing. The glitching, vocal, and scratch effects are dynamite. Lots of nice little synth fills. Track is mixed quite well. The arrangement is fairly straightforward. Bass has good presence and nice upper-end buzz. Synth strings work well. Fun soloing. Piano is a nice addition at the end. The bridge/breakdown at 1:21 is a bit plainly written, but it'll work. I'm liking this a lot overall. YES

There is so much to like in this mix. Dat kick, first off! The sweeps, risers and filter effects are great. Production is fantastic overall. Andrew is right, a few more drum patterns would be great. He's also right about the dubstep bass parts, it would be better if they had more low end presence, but I think they work well enough in this context, especially when paired with the super low kick. A lot of the synth sounds here are indeed quite generic, the worst offender for me is the saw beginning at 1:32, it has very little character imo. Many of the same synths appear repeatedly throughout the mix, making the arrangement and textures feel unnecessarily repetitive. The ending is really abrupt, but not a dealbreaker. I feel like this is close. A few more drum variations and a few lead synth timbre changeups would make it feel less repetitive, especially since the lead writing is so similar all the way through. But I think in the grand scheme, the track is over the bar, and I personally enjoyed it. YES

I'm loving the sound choices here! The flute, the mallets/bells, the delayed piano, the synths! (I love the synth writing, wish there had been more) A bit heavy on the reverb overall, but I happen to be a huge fan of reverb. I think the instruments are separated quite well, considering you've got lots of elements in the same range, kudos on this. I like how you've used noise and sfx so it almost feels to me like it's raining at times. The transition into the piano break at 1:38 is a bit sudden, the piano could have started a few beats later and it would have made more sense to me. Tiny nitpick, though. The arrangement is quite straightforward, but you've created a terrific mood here. This get my vote! YES