Thank you very much for the review, Folderol! i'm happy, you like the idea at least. problem with me: it is my typical style (or whatever one may call it) to overfill the songs. sorry.

My "reviews":

Bjulin - 30 Seconds to Alpha Omikron
Totally reminded me of the Mass Effect series I have been playing a lot lately, so I obviously had to vote it first... That was absolutely not because it would be good in any way (who would get an idea like that) with that nice piano perfomance and the beautifully complementing pad/s in the background and the overall nice complete-ness

SLD Music - Excelsior
While it may be true, that the human voice is always a very impressive Instrument, I'm sure I would have enjoyed this just as much if it was on any other "instrument". The harmonies, especially at 0:17-0:19 in the background... really haunting and breathtaking.

lowcloud - Low Clouds
Very simple, but therefore absolutely fulfills the "complete"-ness requirement. Plus the realistic-ness of the piano gives it the "meaningful"-requirement. Everything absolutely met I'd say

forw - Captain Crashys Sky Taxi
After these three slow&emotional pieces (if you can say it like that) something a little faster - although it still feels quite "intimate" if you can say it like that, even with the pad in the second part being a little too static for my taste, it plays a nice melody - and the ending gives it the proper closure.

slartibartfast - Awaken
Feels remarkably "complete", you definitely did a great job, it doesn't feel snippet-ish at all or anything - it's a straightforward track and sound- and production-wise it feels very well done (as far as I can measure)

EmeraldTablet - It was clear
Reminds me of old SNES JRPG soundtracks, evocating the same feelings - using nice melodies, only difference being this one doesn't loop but has proper closure

mikebenson - The Omniscient Narrator
Sadly this one ends when it feels like it is just about to begin - would really like to hear how this one would continue, given that it gives one a really cool "moving" feeling during its progression

Vulcandj - Take Off
Another nice rocking track, I just like the "softer" guitar-sound, but this one also provides proper closure - differently than slartibartfasts track, but it still feels absolutely complete.

Mister Natural - Aging in the Mirror
All these sounds whirling around you leave the remaining choir-ish pad in the middle only hinted at - I really like that, but the track doesn't really have much progression or closure IMO

Doc Jon - Goldfish in da Hood
Well, this one... gets the remaining point for perfectly entertaining me xD Not to speak of the very good execution of the time, sounds very polished and complete

Inbox Zero - Get To The Point, Already
Well, I personally found the Overdriven-ness of the track quite enjoyable - at least for the 30 seconds the music tried to press its way into my skull

bzur - Snippet!
Once more you manage to create a very comforting track with that gentle bass and the subtle melody

Thanks for the points guys, but i'm more grateful for the tips from your reviews, so i can improve myself a bit better. I need it.

Anyway it's curious that people prefer too much reverb as some of you said about my track, because i was thinking just the contrary, some of you got too much reverb amount. Maybe it's a matter of taste.
But i'm glad i can count with nice tips and critics, so thanks.

Sorry for not having time lately. I hope this month i will have some more.

Have a good day to everyone, and thanks again for listening to my track.

To all that took the time to comment on my piece, I thank you. This was my second entry, and I value your comments and/or critiques. Once I've gotten a few under my belt, I will start posting comments. Still getting my feet wet, so to speak.



Thank you. It is a bit obvious that I'm a product of the 80's, isn't it.



Thanks!



Thanks for the kind words!



Thanks for the comments, especially on the production side of it. I can use all the help and encouragement when it comes to that.



I'm feeling rather humble right about now. Thank you! And no explanation needed. I know what you mean.



Cars. Planes. Trains. Any mode of transportation.....

I worked in radio for 10 years, so I'm very familiar with the :30 music bed. Now if I could just get Porsche to use it.



Thanks for the kudos, and by softer are you referring to the EQ? I ask because I'd like input on that.

I struggled with that... Just didn't have time to re-record the whole stinkin' thing at another tempo. Time was quite short this month.

Thanks for listening and reviewing

Shrikant

Yep, thanks, folderol.

These are my realtime notes as I was listening to each track . . . please cheerfully ignore or use to massage your ego as you see fit!

///


1-2-Many - Your Biggest Fan --- unique, fresh and complete. Really liked the accordion.

beanpole - Every Night --- good little self-contained track here. vocal tuning sounded really unsteady, even for the style (but could be my classically trained OCD ears at work here). good job.

Bjulin - 30 Seconds to Alpha Omikron --- pleasant piano track, but sounded like it was produced very quickly; felt a bit musically inert to me.

bzur - Snippet! --- interesting inorganic instrument choices, and to me it all worked together well. definitely a snippet . . . not sure how musically meaningful it was . . . another for the "maybe" pile.

Cheeso - Yes? --- definitely short & to the point. Just not sure what the point was....

D.H. Miltz - Gobbets --- really liked the "heaviness" to the sound. Original, complete and made some sort of statement (I think!).

Daniel Pompougnac - Les papas --- nice use of rubato and space; great french café mood here; needs a better/smoother fade-out on final note!! (people always remember the beginning & ending; the stuff in the middle notsomuch).

Doc Jon - Goldfish In Da Hood --- hilarious lyrics. loved the double-take ending. great.

DrApostropheX - Lost Cat --- liked this; has an almost homemade sound, but in a good way! I think you're developing a sound here that could really work. complete sounding work, but I wanted to hear something more interesting going on with the cat!

Emerald Tablet - It Was Clear --- great, professional sound overall except for the strings - might want to consider finding something better to use there! unfortunately was snipped at the end.

evo2slo - Live Well --- a very complete idea within 30s. low end sounded really boomy and made the whole mix sound really thick, dense and hard to hear - but maybe that's what you're after. Hmmm.

farlukar - Dumil --- man . . . you really had me until you brought the distorted guitar in . . . it was just too much to shut down in too much of a hurry after that. that was a GREAT groove you established with that soft, rolly bass line, snare, light hi-hat and untuned percussion instrument (?) . . . really original and interesting.

forw - Captain Crashy's Sky Taxi --- well done . . . the title had me expecting something a little more out of the ordinary or adventurous, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

GMoneh - Footsteps on the Hallway --- Kinda fun; sort of postmodern Pink Panther; would've loved some more harmonic interest in there, it's all happening on one chord right now and sounds very triadic.

gorgorgathgorgorgor - Shut the Funk Up --- really great bass sound, good ending. thought you could've done a whole lot more with the the bass fills between the main recurring riff. they were a bit blah.

inboxzero - Get To The Point, Already --- good listenable track, but honestly didn't really get the point.

Irion Da Ronin - Saranghee Yo --- really nice mix; last note sounded cut off . . . would've been so much better with a slight ritard or a better punctuated final structure.

knockman - teenage level 4 --- very well done in just about every respect. I didn't think your voice is well-suited for the teenage theme; too rich-sounding, or maybe not angry enough. but still a very nice track.

kryptonaut - The Sound of Spandex --- yeah I guess if spandex could write music, it just may well sound a lot like this....

Laguna Rising - Urban Traffic Driven --- on the right track here for depicting urban traffic, but the mix didn't really work for me (esp. the clean & raunchy guitars in adjacent channels), and it stopped too suddenly at the 30 s mark.

Liqih - eastim --- some nice Middle Eastern noodling, but kinda slams shut at 30s, which works against the idea of it sounding "complete"....

lowcloud - Low Clouds --- nice, but sounds like an intro with an ending and nothing in between.

mellotronaut - Believe --- maybe if it had more time to develop . . . as it is, I just couldn't really get into it, and the ending come up too suddenly.

mikebenson - The Omniscient Narrator --- musically this worked for me, but the ending seems to come arbitrarily, without purpose, hence feels incomplete. would like to hear a full-length version.

Mister Natural - Aging in the Mirror --- really intriguing stuff, but ends too abruptly. you should definitely build on that....

nikp2000 - April Fools --- quirky, slightly bizarre, and I like it.

offthewall - 30something --- really nice guitar sounds - extremely well miked and recorded. I thought there were timing problems that made it all sound a bit loose, and the ending sounded forced.

Patrick9 - Crash and Burn --- nice complete sounding ditty and good performances, but didn't feel the music especially brought out the meaning of the lyrics, nor was there anything terribly unique or original about it.

peppy197 - LONG JOHNS --- really liked a lot (most) of the musical components, but didn't really add up to anything that made sense to me. slammed shut at the end - sounded incomplete.

pljones - Sigh --- nice rich, full, morphing pads, not sure if it really said anything ?!? (you go in the "maybe" pile)

robojam - The Fallen --- really liked this; wanted to hear that last whistling patch continue falling down into an abyss, but alas yer 30s were up! still, there was a complete idea here.

RuediRena - To the point: Silence --- uh-huh. but I dunno. maybe. I'm not sure.

Shrikant - Sunny Rains in the Plains --- interesting collage of sounds, but it doesn't sound like each part is serving a musical purpose with regards to the piece as a whole. also, it just kind of stops and doesn't feel like a complete entity.

SJMmusic - The Decision --- really nice build . . . the climax could probably have been bigger & louder (more decisive-sounding?). but good musical idea.

slartibartfast - Awaken --- yeah, that worked. well-mixed; the shimmering sweeping thing added a lot of interest, but otherwise not hugely original.

SLD Music - Excelsior --- very well done and nice vocals, but it sounds like an intro to something much larger and more powerful to come.... maybe cutting off the delay and adding a lot of reverb before singing the last note would've helped the ending sound less arbitrarily cut-off(?).

spirulence - Thirty Second Blues --- that was great. very authentic and traditional-sounding harp playing with a more contemporary bass line, and it all worked, and fit into a nice, tight little 30s package. well done.

Vulcandj - Take Off --- some nice guitar playing. for my ears, sounded like the compression drained some of the energy out of it.


---
Peterhud

Thank you, Peterhud.

DrApostropheX wrote:


I tip my hat in your direction sir; I can't tell you how much your comments have made my day! Not that I want people to react this way to ALL my music....

And thanks for being one of the few to watch my little animation!

---
Peterhud

Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen to my track and provide feedback. I'm delighted that some people thought it was worthy enough to make their top 10. I apologise for not providing detailed feedback; my only criterion was "enjoyment" and I'm sure my votes would change from one day to the next. I look forward to next month's contest although I probably won't have time to enter. Robert

Thanks for the review.

Also thanks to Daniel Pompougnac for the vote and to Irion Da Ronin for the HM

Shrikant

Sorry I've not said "thanks" individually for the feedback messages after the first few, I've been trying to get university stuff sorted out... time moves on so fast! Week 11 of a 14 week semester means deadlines are looming horribly. Many thanks also to those who voted/HM'd for my piece, of course!

For those who felt it wasn't complete: the aim was to capture the feeling of a sigh, musically. To a degree, there is always a sense of incompleteness about such an expression ("something is missing" is one thing a sigh can indicate) and failing to capture that would have been to fail. My goal, then, was to be musically complete in getting this sense of incompleteness across. I'm quite happy with the responses in that context. I like the idea of seeing it as an introduction, though -- after the sigh, gathering one's self to action. When I have more time, in a few months, I may develop it further.

Damn, I orignially wanted to write that I'm not so fond of "softer" sounds rather than harsher or crsiper sounds. I don't really know how to describe this, since I'm mostly not really happy about my own amp settings either whenever I try to accomplish something with it, but (even though today the tracks seem so much different than they seemed yesterday) maybe you can compare it to slartibartfasts track... yes, perhaps the guitars have more high frequencies in there, your track generally doesn't seem to have too many of these - the drums sound just as "filtered", if you know what I mean. I often encounter that problem, too... perhaps either boosting the higher frequencies can solve it, or you can try distorting guitars and drums a little more - but then again, that's just my opinion and especially with the guitars it really is a matter of taste and I'm sure you'd find lots of people to disagree with me Hope you understood what I meant and can forgive me that stupid mistake (better proofread things thoroughly next time)

thank you very much for the review, Peterhud!

while i was recording, i discussed with my girlfriend, if a proper ending was better or an open ending was more appropriate. she suggested the former and i told her, the song was about questions, not about answers and so i didn't like a proper ending. the only thing, i'd change, was the kick drum sound.