lol

Well, it's fuck loads better than mine :3

The sign thing made me laugh haha.

Great.

It's simple, but really effective. lol @ Jim!

Well made.

Good job, but it's not too challenging, which I guess is the point, so technically there's nothing wrong with it, it's just not particularly appealing to me, as I'm very good at Tetris.

Still a good game, though.

Yo, what's up? It's birdy boy, poppin' in for another OL jam. Let's take a look...

Overall, this is pretty agreeable, but not memorable enough to make it a favourite. I'll try to explain why!

My main problem with this song is that the drums feel like they're just...there. They play different patterns, but they don't feel particularly essential to the arrangement. I guess what I'm saying is that I could easily see them being replaced without affecting the mood of the song. I will say however that their dry sound helps them stand out from all the reverb you've got on the synths, which is a good mixing decision.

The synths and melodies are all pretty good, though I could've used something more different texturally around the middle of the song (1:47) just to prevent fatigue (the dynamic change is welcome, though). 2:51 to the end is the strongest section to me; it really cements that main "hook" in to your mind, and the lingering of the backing tracks followed by the cutting of the drums and that warm pad make for a solid outro.

To help this song, I would change up the drums to something heavier -- something that complements the big sound of the synths you've used (especially that pad!). The panning you've put on the existing drums is alright, but I feel like it's there to compensate for their lack of power, making them stand out in a different way that isn't as satisfying as it could be.

A extra synth or two used somewhere in the middle of the song as a main atmosphere builder/base would help the song sound a little less generic and add variety.

Melody writing is not a problem for you. The stuff I hear here is naturally interesting, so if you want to improve, focus on other areas first!

Overall, I don't have issue with the mixing, but the arrangement could use some work. I hope you find this constructive and helpful. If you have any questions, or want me to take a look at something you post in the near future, shoot me a PM!

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this version, SW. I agree with your statement about the emotionality of the instruments, and actually prefer them by themselves to the full song that you also have posted.

Great drum patterns. Dope chords. Instant download. Thanks for making this.

Is it the OpenLight Signature Series Synth? That shit's out of my price range, but it seems to be working for you, huehuehue

Whatever you used, is it responsible for the bass? If so, is it a preset or did you make it yourself? It's nice.

When it comes in at 0:13, I dig it. It really helps to build that intro, along with the cymbal sweep at 0:26 capping it off.

My initial reaction as the song kicks in to gear is that the kick sounds a touch too loud. I like the sound itself -- it's thick, and you're smart to have the bass sidechaining to make room for it, but if you turned it down maybe 1 or 2 dBs, it might fit better in the mix. Right now it overpowers the snare, even though the snare is panned to the right (which I don't mind). By "overpowers", I just mean that my focus is drawn to the kick more than I'd like, and you've picked a good snare sound, so I wish you'd have brought that out more and left the kick back a bit (drum balance).

The arpeggios are cool -- I like how they filter fade going in to the section at 0:39.

I don't think giving the bass chords at 0:58 was a good idea; I know you wanted to transition in to the next section, but the layered sound that you ended up getting is pretty grating. Instead, I think just keeping the bass notes the same there and intensifying the kick's pattern that you start at 1:01 would work better. By that I mean making the pattern get faster, like you've started to do, but even to a greater degree in the final bars before it cuts out at 1:04. Since the part at 1:04 is a bit of a break, having an intense kick pattern like I suggested right before would add even more contrast, emphasizing the difference between the two sections.

Good snare pattern at 1:04. A bit more of that bass grating at 1:17, but it leaves quickly.

The main synths here are playing very interesting melodies. Cool and fast paced. I love how they start fading in and out at 1:43.

Bringing the bass back in at 1:49 -- genius!!! Really ties it back to the intro. Good decision.

Nice simple hi hat pattern at 1:56.

Were you intentionally lining up the peak of the cymbal sweeps and the fading in of the main synth that I mentioned before? I just noticed it -- together, they have a nice "wave" effect.

I enjoyed you bringing back the first part of the song at 2:15. Simple, but powerful.

Cool snare patterns at 2:28.

Overall, this all sounds like pretty typical OpenLight. Lots of reverb, good melodies, and gosh darn it I wish the drums were just a tad different haha.

Please enjoy my wall of text, bro.

Sincerely,

Kirby <(-_-<)

I mean Birdinator99.

Or do I.