Hippokopter's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Varsity - Noise Party]

No problem for reviewing your songs! :D

This song is pretty good! I like the melody, and the overall feel to the whole thing. My only complaint with this song is the mixing and mastering. On the subject of mixing, I think I've told you about this, but there's a course about mixing on a website called Udemy (https://www.udemy.com/mixingtutorial/). That course is the only reason that I (sort of) know how to mix. For mastering, I don't know how to really do that, but I just stick a multiband compressor and then a regular compressor on the master and call it good. The multiband's compression ratio isn't that much(you could probably get away with using an OTT with a low ratio), and the regular compressor has a medium knee, medium ratio, and some random threshold around -10 dB. I don't know how it's supposed to be done, but for now, that does the trick, for me at least.

I pointed out mixing because it sounds like mixing could make your songs 5 times better, at the very least. I really like all of these ideas, but nobody likes to listen to tinny/muffled/otherwise-obfuscated music. Your songs have a ton potential, and I really think that the mixing course could do you a world of good. (And really, Udemy has website-wide sales all the time. Just wait for a bit if you don't want to pay the full price.)

[Varsity - Next One Down]

Hey, this is pretty cool! The drop has this kind of futuristic-eroded quality to it, and it sounds really cool! All I have to say is that there's this kind of massive sidechain-y feel to the whole thing, like everything just stops happening for the duration of each kick. Sometimes that's okay, but I think that here, it's just a bit awkward. Maybe only sidechain the medium/low elements, and not quite as hard?

Still, I think this track accomplished the goal of sounding creepy. Cool!

Lot7even responds:

So, yeah. The side chaining thing was inspired by a dubstep remix of pumped up kicks. I will try to tone it down a bit in future songs. Thanks!

[Envium]

It has a great groove, but it seems a bit awkward and the parts feel unconnected. Also, try to add more stereo width. It'll do you good.

SkyZorGD responds:

Ok i agree

[Venomite - Fragile ~VIP~]

This sounds really spectacular. The only thing that you should think about at the moment is stereo width. I used to think that it would be stupid to have something panned all the way to the right or left, but it's actually seriously cool. So for something like the hats, you could have some kind of a trap rhythm and then when there's a bunch of hats in rapid succession, you could turn on some kind of auto panning to make it go left and right, like in EH!DE and Spag Heddy's "Selecta": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmGauoXbREY#t=0m46s

Speaking of Selecta, that song is pretty stereo wide. Can you kind of hear how it has this interactive feeling? The panning just makes the song sound better, fuller, and shinier. There's no good way to describe it, just do it. And if you're unsure what to pan where, then find pairs of instruments that play at the same time (same time in the grand scheme of the song, not necessarily the same rhythm) and pan one all the way to the left and the other all the way to the right. Along with that, use the strange panning effects like ping pong delay because that also makes the song feel more stereo wide.

And as a final point, I know why this song turned out well. It's because of what you did to make this song. The techniques you used, the amount of time you put into this song, what time of day you decided to work on it (work on stuff in the morning, you'll do better). Try to remember all of the decisions you made, and make those same types of decisions again on your next songs.

Now go listen to more music, and try to notice the panning on the different sections of each of the tracks.

Venomite responds:

Thanks for the review! I'll work on that in my next song :D

[Varsity-Hero]

Hey, this sounds really good! I'd like to know what you did mixing-wise! By the way, quick tip - use panning to its fullest extent. It adds a specific flavor and excitement to a track. An example of what I mean would be something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLB8tSA2GFA#t=1m43s

The electric guitars are panned all the way, one on each side, and it still sounds pretty legendary. It adds that kind of flare that's just unattainable without panning. Try it out on your tracks, it's really cool. If you have things layered - e.g., one melody played by two instruments - and those instruments are in the same octave, then try panning one all the way to the right and the other all the way to the left. It's cool. :)

I talk about panning because I think it could help here, especially in the choruses. Otherwise, this track is pretty nice! There's not so much of that awkward exposed feeling when I hear this track. Major improvements are happening! I hope that more improvements come your way.

Lot7even responds:

Totaly. Panning can make a song move-im just not good at it yet.

[Xtrullor - Samsara]

Honestly, some of the transitions didn't feel quite powerful enough. But in the face of crystal clear mixing, stereo width, masterful arrangement, and that classic alien-orchestral style, it's a rather minuscule problem. Keep the great work up!

[Varsity - Exiled]

A few things. First, I'll say the bad things, and honestly, they're not terrible. 1) The lead that happens at 00:17 is a bit muddled and doesn't have enough harmonic content. 2) The hat that hapens at 00:06 sounds a bit low quality, it doesn't have quite the right timbre. 3) The space around 03:59 is a bit odd. (An easy fix would be just to have a long reverse crash.) 4) The song is a bit quiet.

That's all. And if that seems like a lot, just remember that that's all of the nitpicky things. If someone needs to nitpick to find something wrong with your song, you're doing a lot right. And you are.

Now for the good stuff, which is that the drops are astonishing! That's really awesome! Crazy grimey basses! I really like that weep-wop sound at 01:07! The noises sound just a bit too phaser-y for me, but that is totally a matter of preference. The drops are still really awesome!

Keep making stuff like this, and you'll be awesome in no time. :)

Lot7even responds:

In response to your essay, I'll say one thing-Thank you so much!

[Dapieday - Daybreak]

Hey, sounds pretty cool! It's mixed and stereo-wide and everything! Kind of small, but still great!

Xtrlua responds:

Yep! This is me trying to use more synth pads. Glad you like!
-Dapie

[Crazy Stuff - Charliux]

Much compress.

...is that meme dead yet? xD

But no, that's fine. Compress the heck out of this dubstep type stuff, because it's a core part of what this genre is all about.

One thing I think you could have focused on better is instrumentation - giving each instrument its own octave. I tried it and it made my stuff quite a bit better.

Also, about originality... don't worry about being "original." It will make your producer life easier if you don't worry about being original and just say to yourself, "Hey, let's do this thing that I heard ___ do!" Don't be afraid to steal ideas. It's not like they're copyrighted or anything, and if it sounds good, it is good... for stealing.

There was a quip I heard about originality, and it's that having an original idea means that you just don't know who you stole that idea from.

That being said, this still sounds pretty good! I really like the buildups, they sounded great! The drops were okay, but if you're going to have a rapid fire kind of bass, try to make the bass hits sound a bit more distinct from one another.

Good luck with your next one! :D

charliux210123 responds:

thanks for the advice

[Dapieday - Imminent Danger]

Really awesome! The only thing I have to say is that the entire thing sounds like a drop, not that that's always a bad thing... xD

Even if the entire thing sounds like a drop, it's a really cool drop! It reminds me of Xtrullor's old style. Keep it up! :D

Xtrlua responds:

That's Nice, glad you like! I'm making some shorter songs so I can get some stuff out. I will try to make the quality as high as possible! Or just throw quality out the window and make it EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!
-Dapie