Bosa's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Fear Not This Night]

You should have contacted me and I would have gotten Asja Kadric for you lol

Seriously though, I am glad to hear you guys finished this at last. Very good rendition of one of my favourites of Soule's work.

Step responds:

Right! You've worked with Asja before haven't you? As amazing as it would've been to have her voice in the arrangement, I can't say the current singer didn't do the original justice!

Really awesome to get in touch with you again after so long, Bosa! Thanks a lot for dropping by :).

[Blind to the Storm]

Now this does tell a story, and it's specific music like this that is useful for certain scenes. What's great about orchestral is the fact that the music can tell any story you want, and you're not restricted by your instruments or the contents of lyrics. As the song progressed, I could really picture the dance scene you described, and that's how you know you've created a good piece.

The strings in this -- particularly the solo violin -- are well written, and you utilized percussion very well to compliment the other instruments. Everything adds a satisfying fullness to the entire track.

Here are a few things you may improve on:

The production quality is very good, though I would have liked a little more reverb without going overboard.

As far as instrumentation, everything is great except a minor issue -- the snare/field drum is just a bit too loud -- percussion blends much better as instruments in the background, and that's why they're usually the ones in the back of the room. The celesta and glockenspiel combination works really well for this song. The break at 1:19 was a stroke of genius and really adds to the atmosphere.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this. Just keep working hard, improving, and trying out new ideas -- that's the best way to define both you and your music; and to make your work stand out above all the rest.

[Complex Delusions]

This has a very unique style to it, and has a good lyric structure.

Here are a few things you may improve on:

I know good recording equipment is quite expensive, but if you get some financial excess, you should consider investing in high quality mics. You can clean up the overall sound in your mastering and editing, but you'll have a more broadcast ready quality to your audio if you have higher quality mics.

I also wanted to hear more instruments in this -- to make the song even more interesting than it all ready is. I've never agreed with a minimalist approach to music, so maybe add another layer of acoustic guitar or other instruments/synths to fill in the gaps during the breaks in the lyrics. I like the acoustic sound, so more guitar added to this would have made it even better for me. Just experiment with different sounds and eventually you'll come up with something that makes the song more full.

I did enjoy listening to this, and in the future you may create something that will catch the attention of industry professionals. Just keep working, improving, and trying out new ideas -- that's the best way to define both you and your music; and to make your work stand out above all the rest.

Good luck in the future!

kynivoid responds:

Thank you, this was very helpful! This track seemed to have more instruments than any of my other songs, so I was afraid it was already too "clunky", I guess. I will keep your advice in mind! In relation to the contest, there's probably not much I can do to upgrade my mic by the next deadline, but I have always wanted to buy a better microphone, and probably will in the future.
Anyway, thanks again!

[SKYWARD - Jessie Yun]

This song shouts adventure -- a theme that tells me a great journey is about to unfold in some way.

You used each instrument pretty well in this, and I enjoyed the builds; and basically the overall structure of this piece. I am especially a fan of key changes as well, so you get a high five from me for that!

I could go on and on: good use of spic and staccato, the quality sound of the unison of different instruments, the extra cherry on top that's added with the violin performance -- just to name a few.

Please let me know when you compose more orchestral work. I truly enjoyed this piece!

JessieYun responds:

Hi Bosa,
Thank you very much for such detailed and constructive comment. I'm glad you enjoyed this track! And sure, I'd be happy to let you know when new track comes up!

["Footprints" (feat. Lady Albatross)]

I've come to expect only top notch quality from you, and it's certainly on display here! You're always the go-to when it comes to authentic jazz.

sorohanro responds:

Thanks for your very kind words and constant support.

[Calycycle]

Newgrounds songs doesn't loop well anymore it would seem -- a side effect to the the new non-flash based system I guess. Unfortunate for loops now, but regardless this song really lifts my spirits. You certainly have a distinctive style that only you can produce, and your melodies always have an emotional feeling to them. If you continue to write with emotion, then people will continue to flock to your music no doubt.

I really cannot think of anything to change or add to this piece. It does remind me of some classics I used to play on the Super Nintendo, but this song has much more depth obviously. I truly enjoyed this one.

Flawless victory as usual. Keep on triggering my nostalgia!

Onefin responds:

Woah Bosa showed up okay

Yeah I noticed the thing with the loops after I uploaded; tis a shame, but it'll be okay I think

My crud always reminds you of Super Nintendo tho that's what you said last time I remember

[Be My Super Hero]

Does anybody listen to Newgrounds audio anymore? It seems like the amount of listens we get have dropped terribly compared to what it used to be.

hania responds:

I agree; it used to be buzzing as 'the place' to go and discover new music. I'm not sure what the audio portal is about now... I'm guilty of not having been too active on here myself...

[Seres]

I'm not sure why people are hearing shrieking. It sounds fine to me?

Anyway, after I heard that intro I knew I was in for a treat. It's always a good thing to start your song off strong because people today have very short attention spans. If you hook them early, they'll stay for the ride.

I love your style -- a mix of both nostalgia and new techniques. It reminds me of good DOS games I played back in the day with solid soundtracks, but with a modern mix and updated devices. Like I said, I love it.

I also love music that tells a story rather than music that is just placeholder and generic; and this piece definitely tells a story. Much like your earlier track -- Peaks -- the transitions are intricate and balanced well enough to retain my interest, while expressing the feelings and emotions behind a scene. The arrangement and writing is truly skilled in that each instrument has received enough attention that its roles are necessary for the track. In other words, I can tell you worked long and hard on each section of the music.

The instruments have a very distinctive sound. Like ChronoNomad said, relaxing and chilled. If there were any problems with them, then I wasn't able to hear anything. Overall I can say that the instruments are very easy on the ears and I can handle that.

I can see why this song appeals to so many people. Well written, well produced, and released with humility. I hope that you can continue in your success, as I see you growing further as well all are. Truly blessed.

-Jon

Onefin responds:

Hey Bosa, thanks for all the kind words!

DOS games huh I wasn't even alive to see those :P

Ah yes transitions. I guess I've finally gotten to that point where I can consistently command a good transition between very contrasting sections, which was admittedly a long journey to master. Next thing to try is to make consecutive sections sound more like each other so I can avoid doing musical gymnastics to my sound :P

My secret to instruments is pretty much "use presets" which is pretty great as well :P

[The Afterlust]

Wow, Finn! You have such a great piece here and it shows me that you are both experienced and determined to produce the best work you can -- something I admire considerably!

Your intro is good, and it hooks me from the start. It also does a great job of showing off the recording quality of the song, which I will touch on soon. This intro is done the right way in my opinion.

The main body of the song sounds like something I would hear broadcasted on mainstream radio, or even something played on a TV show. The recording quality is very professional and is more than broadcast-ready. I can assume you've already done this, but I would see about getting some work pitched to advertisers. If you ever need help with that, just let me know.

You have your own style and you stick with it, which is good. I can tell you must be doing well for yourself, so I feel like there isn't much more that needs to be said. Overall, this song is done right.

Kind Regards,
Jon

FinnMK responds:

You're very kind Jon.

I'm fortunate enough to be writing music full-time already, but I'd never be fool enough to turn down an opportunity. I'll PM you!

Cheers,
Finn

[A Little Older, A Little Wiser]

You have a good track here, but let me elaborate a little more:

I know what you meant when you said you loved the vibe of this song -- something I think other listeners will be able to relate with as well. It gives me a calm, chill, and almost soothing vibe; and I can explain this a little better: the bass and the lows in general do overpower everything else and sounds like it's kept under the ceiling by a limiter. This is actually something I like about the lo-fi experience, and I don't know why; but it seems to ease tension in my head if that makes sense.

I think your choice of instruments were superb, in particular the constant guitar and the vocals in the background -- really good taste and was like salt and pepper to an already good meal.

Critical Analysis:

One thing that bugs me with all chillout tunes is the fact that they are so repetitive (however the same could be said for just about everything that is released today). I can understand instances where a composer lacks computer power or resources to do too much at once, but I felt as though this track was confined to a specific pattern that it couldn't deviate from.

The instruments are all good at what they do, but I felt like at least a new lead instrument could be introduced around 2:19 when the percussion and bass comes back in, or maybe do something even more crazy and keychange to lead up to the fadeout.

Final Thoughts:

I feel like this song has actual marketing potential. However I already know that if an advertiser would hear it, they would get somebody to EQ it, master it, and replace the bass; but as for me I like it just the way it is. Heck man, I think this would be great to listen to while you're studying or relaxing in the evening after a long day.

What I'm going to say here is off the record and did not impact my score:

You are one of the best Newgrounds musicians we have. It's not because of what you produce, but it's because of the support you give to the community as a whole. Most musicians are out for themselves, but our community thrives when we have users like you who are more than willing to encourage others. Music is one of the toughest businesses to get into, and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my Newgrounds community to go to; so don't ever get too discouraged out here. Remember that there are people here who support you because you support us.

-Bosa