by

Przemek Jazzman
(Jazzman)

*File Specs* [Filename]m6i-rsth.xm [Title]Rainy Since Thursday So now you are the lucky one having two reviews of one judge, first as additional and now in technical aspect... *Musical Values* I still enjoy this piece as whole concept, it's so delicious yet suitable for a nice background song loudly noticable in a soft environment. [Structure]The structure of this song is comparable to that of an ocean in calm mood, you can see the deep and far when looking from a distance and when you go down to the small waves you see the small details which make the waves distinguishable in difference, i don't understand what rain has to look for in this song... opening with sea and gulls looked a more logical combination... [Harmony]The chords are really deep, the baseline is surrounding you, the main is swifting through your head... the harmony is farout! [Realness/Fantasy factors]N/A *Technical Values* [Instruments] Fair [Samples]Good [Arrangements]I have respect for the attempt to emulate thunder and rain environment with those short looped SFX samples, i really would not be able to do such thing in five minutes, your technique of balancing in patterns is good, you really know how to mix [Use of...]N/A [Sample Quality]Fair to good, no notched samples found. *Sounding Techniques* [Depth]Oh yeah...[Width]Groovy...[Headphones]Internal enjoyment [Speakers]If you are mad, turn up this song here to become calmer again.

INSTRUMENTATION/SAMPLES: Nice thunder samples and catchy bassline. Quality is definitely good, though the high-hat could have been a little bit crisper---the upper frequency range just seems to be lacking that sharp clarify. -=-=-=- TECHNIQUE: Good jazz piano work and quiet chords complementing the solo sections. Good stereo arrangement and well-placed instrumentation---it almost sounds like a studio recording. -=-=-=- ORIGINALITY: Basic rain/thunder opening---not much new about that. Everything else is pretty standard as far as groovy songs go: 1) put in an atmospheric intro to set the mood, 2) play the main melody with a strong lead instrument, and then 3) let the piano do some solo work on that melody using the same chord progressions, making slight adjustments each following iteration. -=-=-=- FORM: Bass section could use a little more work. Of course, the point of the bass is to support the lead/solo stuff, but it could have been better to accent the other instruments. Same goes for percussion. Really, the piano sections are what keep the song moving along. After heading the synth lead in the beginning, I expected to perhaps see itself reappear later in the song, but that didn't happen. -=-=-=- OVERALL: Solid, clean tune with pretty good leads but an overall short song. With a little extra tweaking, this could extend to about 6 minutes long... -=-=-=-

Samples: Thunderclaps aren't quite realistic (at least not in my part of the world :-) ). The pan-flute hits should probably be 16-bit samples. Effects: Sample 3 is great but you aren't even using it. Sample offsets, a better release envelope, and an echo track are all needed to make full use of that sort of sample (this implies a very full effects column, yes). In general, more effects were needed. Composition: Clever and coherent, but it needs another mood change or two. A flip back to sample 3 wouldn't have gone unappreciated. Maybe a bit more tension in strategic places. Tracking: The piano line is great but needs a bit more piano technique to sound just right. For example, don't let the piano slowly dominate the song, starting out as a single-note line and progressing to really heavy not quite continuous chording. Subtlety: Some effort was put into rounding off the rough spots, but it didn't seem quite finished. Balance: No gross panning errors, no volume errors. Strong points: Solid foundation, quality tracking, carries the mood. Weak points: Lack of depth, slight monotony, unfulfilled potential. Could improve: more polishing!

first impression: "sounds like a demo for some expensive synthesizer" - mainly because of the drums... that resonating synth is not the best choice of lead IMO but the melody is nice.. form - very clean and professional.. smooth.. little overkill on the soloing (synth and piano both).. sounded fine but went on a little too long... technique - dont overlay too many pads or they bleed and it gets a little sloppy.. otherwise, great mixing and clean sound... samples - that synth lead is a big detriment.. awesome bass sample.. drums are clean but a little 'standard' even for a tune of this style (this could be the drumtrack and not just the samples)... overall, nice work just needs a bit of tweaking and some excitement :)

This is a well constructed song with a professional sound. It would have benefited from different rain/thunder samples at the start however because it does not sound at all realistic. Perhaps it even would have been better if they were left out altogether. Another point is that occasionally the rythmn sounds a little too mechanical and it would have benefitted from a little more attention. The timing switch in the middle of the song to get a jazz feel is a little non-subtle too and perhaps more could have been done to build up to the transition. Otherwise a very listenable piece.

Impressive tune - definately! The beginning is very well done. The use of panning and different notes playing the thunder-sample in layers makes it sound like there's real thunder and rain outside (well, actually there _is_ at this moment) :) Anyway, this tune has a really great groove to it, and some great relaxed chords to build up the moody atmosphere. The first part of the lead - played by the tiny sweeped synth sample, I don't like. First of all it's no match to the awesome jazz piano-showoff in the second half of the tune, and secondly it sounds too messy - but I can live with it because... THE REST RULES 100%! I've yet to hear a module with such great cool and relaxed jazzy piano! It sounds realistic and perhaps more important it really suits the tune perfectly! I therefore find this tune extremely appealing and damn original. As far as technique and sample-quality goes, I would have prefered a different lead-instrument for the first melody-section of the tune. The samples are overall very clean and well picked. There's just one thing about this (and other) tunes, that I don't quite get. How can you as a composer not enter this kind of work into the veteran division?! This is extremely high quality stuff!

Very enjoyable song - well done! Although this is quite a common style (I like to write it myself!), it is not often achieved so well. However it could use more of a melodic theme, I think - the solos wonder a bit but they do remain initeresting and enjoyable. The technique is very neat and the fine samples are effectively used. The opening riff fading in with the thunder is excellent and the following bass is nice and solid. The mix or balance throughout the song is spot on although I thought the percussion could have used a little work - perhaps more subtle volumes in the hihats. The string work and progressions are good and the synth solo makes good use of the natural resonance filter in the sample. What I really enjoyed, though, is the piano work - the solo and rhythm chords are great (and I'm a keyboard/pianist too). The subtle thunder in the finish is nice. Congratulations!

Originality: I've hear this kind of rythm quite some times before. But it ok "originality speaking" Form: Nice chord-progression. The "piano-section" is really good. The variations is ok, with the solos in mind. You could have come up with a better ending. The intro is good, though. And the mood is very "rainy", very good Technique: You don't use much effects, but the g effect on the lead is good. Samples: Nothing to complain about. Mostly ripped i think. Overall Appeal: I could fall asleep listening to this song, that was maybe what and in mind, far as I know. A really nice tune.

Easy listening song. It's basically the usual song constructed on a single armonic progression. The musician shows talent in improvisation and arrangements, but the song doesn't present any particularity that helps to remember it, even after the fourth listening. The samples are very good and variegate.

very nice atmosphere, nice intro although the initial samples are a bit muffled. slightly repetitive, mellow, but awesome pianos!

This modul is ok!!! Realization & idea are over everage. The modulation and melody have still some little errors. With some improvements this tune would have a comletely different groove. The tune is quite cool, but it was not blowing out my mind. At least nice to see, that the scene is going to grow and that there will come some innovative ideas to the scene. Perhaps this modul was to straight for me!!! :-)