SFaPiL2's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Baby grand piano.]

Ah...

It's good to return to Newgrounds after a few weeks of absence and listen to this kind of music.

I agree that the last bit was sweet, but I must disagree with the "favourite bit" part. MY favourite bits were 0:18-0:44 and 1:44-2:12 and 2:17-2:24 (I just loved that chord progression) and I think I'm missing a few more :o).

As you said, it did sound more like a selection of ideas more than an actual song since I seemed to "see" where one idea ended and the other began, but that means nothing. It still managed to make me close my eyes and drift away to a pleasant place.

Bravo as always.

Stalagmite responds:

hey thanks man! its great to have you back! Did you know i got third place in the kids music contest with baabaa fluffsy and got $100!!! :D:D:D thanks for all the support man! it is VERY appreciated!

i am dissapointed with this composition... it has alot of ideas, but they are not gelled enough to fit with eachother... i will be working hard on them all to make more songs in the future. :D:D:D welcome back! time traveller! speaking of which! i am off to watch heroes now! lol

[The Terminators Bad Day (VA)]

Here goes

Heya Stalagmite. Ok, first off, LOL! There are so MANY funny voices and comments that it's almost impossible NOT to find it hilarious.

You made some excellent old-people voices (Not to mention the script: "discarded tampon at the back of a strip club... ah, proteins", "my children have aids contracted from their anhorexic puppies"... LOLed HARD).

The voice-message was ok (elleventy-ten, batman-symbol... lol)

Arnold Schwarzenegger accent was well done, but wasn't deep enough (but, of course, I can't pretend that you make a vocal-chord transplant in order to get a deeper voice). Ah damnit! There are just too many funny quotes to quote here XD.

The narrator's voice changed compared to the one heard in the beginning (careful with that). I think that it was the only voice that I didn't like. I found it (here I go again) not deep enough, but maybe I'm just so used to those typical movie-trailer voice (you know like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMngjD MZTWo) that I just can't picture it in any other way.

I LOVED your script. You are really good at both writing them AND acting them out (damn, some speeches were tongue-twisters for me!)

Excellent job m8.
9/10
5/5

Stalagmite responds:

wowzer! lol. that is a wicked review for me! i was putting myself down because i didnt think the script was good enough... also i am guessing most arent judging for my other voices... they are propably making a deal out of how UN-like arny i sound lol. that is gripping my testicles i must say.
however i completely grasp what you mean... like you say i would definately need some kind of a transplant for lower voices... but i guess that is where i fail! everyone has a weakness. it just means i have to train my voice more...
i am really pleased you enjoyed the script... and i was sure i had the accent fairly right, although the pitch didnt match it. the voice message guy kind of sucked lol. i regret putting him in i think. and the narrator does actually change, because it is a different person. but i guess i didnt write it well enough in that context.
I really am trying to improve my range. that is why i have worked on this submission.. and tbh, i actually think my range is improving.
thanks so much for your excelent input! i you have made me smile with your positive approach and helpful ways! you rock. as always. thanks man :D:D:D

[Discover[Dj-S]]

Nice!

That's a really original melody you made right there.

I love the Hat that would slowly go on forward play and reverse. It almost gave a song some sort of "breathing-effect".

Cutoff & Resonance from 1:09-end was beautiful... too bad it ended at that point :o(.

However, I found it doesn't loop too well: it loses the rhythm it created. It would be more appropriate as a song imho.

Anyway, kickass job.
9/10
5/5

P.S.
"Its a sloop, but it attracts more viewers to call it a song...": lol, sadly true ^__^.

Sorry to hear that your computer's still down... dat sux =__=

Sacrafan responds:

YAYAYAYAY!

[the third lulllaby"Stalagmite"]

Nice

Great job to LeviaNeo for the original idea and to you for putting the extra touches + explanation.

I both enjoyed the piece AND learned something out of it (at least I hope so)! DOUBLE THE FUN!

I'll definitely re-listen to this now and then [hoping to learn by repetition how you gave "the atmosphere" ;o) ]

10/10
5/5
downloaded
fav'd

P.S. I LOVED the keyboard-dial (would it be correct to call it a pitch-bend?) thing.

Stalagmite responds:

yes lol. the wheel is called a pitch bend wheel. so i guess so :D
in terms of atmosphere. i would define it as an EXTRA presence caused by the merging of instruments. it is the unity of the instruments that creates another sound... like adding another dimension, which you can feel.
it is not something i hear, but i feel it kind of.
I am not preaching high and might opinions of music at you. Just how i percieve atmosphere. and what i would judge it at.

i think to capture such a feel, their must be something mimicking the heart beat... at a subconscious level i mean. your mind can create the illusion of hearing a heart beat. that is what i think i achieved with the (here i go again LOL) PIZZICATO strings lol . I try to make the Strings flow as much as possible. just to keep something always present in the piece at a nice friendly pace. um...i cant really explain it very well. sorry! lol. i think if i really thought about it i could explain it. but not in a response review lol.
i will PM you if i get any ideas.
OH! try making some. posting it. and i will see. Also DO NOT add any drums or synths that whine or have attitude. just use the synths closest to sounding orchestral. it may or may not be more challenging. but if you need help i am always here.
thanks alot for reviewing this work. and i am glad it is worthy of a ten! :D:D:D
you rock :D:D:D thanks.

[Mars RE-BOOTED]

Nice

The rhythm is really engaging [don't want to steal one of your terms, but it's the best word to use ;o) ].

The concept is really interesting and you managed to give the piece a brand new sound. This would be awesome (as MJTTOMB said) in some kind of spy/infiltration scene for some reason. Maybe it's because of those synths or simply because of that flute and xylophone in the background.

Anyway, excellent job!
10/10
5/5

Stalagmite responds:

yayness! funny thing. i was thinking about you today and how much you helped me. i really appreciate everything you do. you are what i would class as a good Internet buddy!
thanks for the review! i dont think i added any xlophones. but i have pizzicato strings, synths and flutes.
i am glad the beat was kewl. i tried to go for an irregular approach with this beat. i was fed up hearing the same beats lol.

Well thanks again dude! and i am glad it was worthy of one of your tens! :D:D:D

[Adrenaline 1.0]

Too bad for the quality.

Your sound is nice. Excellent job considering that it took you 20 minutes!

Unfortunately the conversion sucks, but it would be plain stupid to judge on that.

I especially like from 0:44-1:12.

Please refine it and upload it again. This would be some fine mp3-player material.

9/10
5/5

Virtual-Reverb responds:

Will do man, the conversion thing annoyed me cause i like the song alot hah

[the lonely mouse]

hmmm :o|...

Sorry m8, I think you won't like what I'm about to say, but... I loved the 1st five seconds of it!

What's the bad part you say?

Well... I liked it because it seemed like some kind of horror movie carillon music!

The rest was ok, but a bit bland (and too soft).

P.S.
...I see you submitted two new songs for the kid contest...
...I'm afraid that this is no good news...
...They didn't accept your previous submission, am I right?...

Stalagmite responds:

thats fine lol. I know it is crap. i always did. only my previous submissions as you say are excluded becasue i entered them a bit earlier than i should have. and i am GUTTED. :(:(:(

[Drunken Sailors dance mix]

What do you mean?!?!?!

"My entry for the childrens music contest"?!?!?! What about the other song?

Anyway this one's quite a fun and interesting remix of the drunken sailor, but I think it has less charisma compared to your other "kid pow" songs.

Once more, good luck with the contest :o).

Stalagmite responds:

not as fun i know lol. infact i hate all of the songs i am allowed to enter for the competition. but i thought i should still give it a shot. even if iot means using my crapper music.
i dont think that fluffsy is going to be accepted. i tried contacting him twice but he hasnt replied still.
thanks :D:D:D

[Hypnogogia]

*drifting*

I read Cayler's review and completely agree. It's ridiculous that this song initially got a 2.5 score. Lol, no comment.

This IS a wonderful gift to newgrounds. I could imagine this song with the sound of a nearby waterfall in the middle of some magical forest.

Sooner or later I'll do some massive downloading on almost all of your songs and will make a folder in my mp3 with "Stalagmite" written on it.

The chill-king has struck once more ;o).
10/10
5/5

P.S. You should seriously consider putting "[Ambient]" in the title name of your next submissions so that these down-voters don't come listening to your song in the first place.

Stalagmite responds:

i will take that advice dude. and i cant believe about downloading all my stuff! lol. i really like ambience, and TBH i never thought anyone else really appreciated it. but i have got a few people who pop in now and then to check out my newer works.
they too despise the kid pow selection! LOL. yeah, it really sucked about the zero bombers. they dont deserve to be on NG.
thanks so much for the wicked review and scores! you rock> :D:D:D

[Dreaming with pianos]

Very good

The piano's melody is excellent (as always). Maybe playing it slightly faster in some parts would've made it even more fabulous, but I could probably be wrong.

I hear you also added that nice flute of yours that would timidly make it's appearance once in a while. Am I wrong or did you add also another two flutes in? It doesn't matter. Good choice.

The chord progression of the strings is enchanting. However, I must agree with KillerExchange regarding a part (1:52-3:36) that sounds "rather harsh". It's nothing drastic but it's noticeable.

I appreciated the chorus alot.

The indian drum was good, but I personally didn't like the part where you left the drums by themselves [1.44-1.52 & 3.36-3.42] since it took away the whole mood given by the strings and chorus. That's probably me just thinking that, though.

The gong in the background was a good touch, and with that indian drum gave a very appreciated ethnic feeling.

Overall, the song was like some sort of blend between eastern and western music. Excellent work.

9/10
5/5 <- I'm NOT going to be the one lowering your score. I hope it'll stay 4.76/5 :o).

P.S. Sorry for being such a stingy bastard in the review, but it's simply because after listening to most of your repertoire I believe you can push your music even further. I know you're capable of it ;o). Become the chill-king.

Stalagmite responds:

LOL. wowza! that is one hell of a review! well!
the piano melody is played extremely fast in some areas, just subtly though.
i certainly used two flutes in this piece. very faded, but i wanted to make it all subtle.

LOL. and yes. that synth is OMG how powerful. i am sorry about that. it needs master alot more. I will certainly resubmit it if votes will change.
I liked the drums, although i personally feel they gat a little annoying LOL. leaving the drums solo was a bad idea to i agree. it wasnt neccesary.

well, thanks so much for this juicy review! I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT! but i am well guttd that my score has gotten lower than my other musics. damn! LOL. it stayed on 5 for about an hour! with 5 votes too! LOL. GUTTED!

thanks a bunchy! :D:D:D