HERE’S A guide I give field recording students to guide them through their first in-progress critique ( for a "soundscape" assignment). Some basic questions help remind them of what's a stake in the listening process (also see my post "Why Are Critiques Important?").
Identification: Can you recognize the kind of space represented in the work?
Sources: What variety of sounds do you hear? Do “key” sounds provide a focus for the space? Is there a sound you wish you could hear more clearly? What sounds are particularly interesting and/or effective?
Mix: Is there a balanced mix of foreground & background sounds? Listen to how sounds are positioned: loud and soft; left and right; small and big; constant and intermittent; differently textured(droning, swooshy, clicky, chirpy, etc); Any suggestions?
Dynamic Range: Are low (bass), mid-range, and high-frequencies (treble) all represented? Or is it mostly amassed in one part of the frequency spectrum (making them hard to distinguish from one another—they compete for the same ear-space)? What do you advise?
Tempo: How much time does the composition give you to “discover” the space? Does it move too quickly or slowly? What do you advise?
Space and Reverberation: Are key aspects of the “size” of the space conveyed accurately? (The lakeshore should sound more “airy” than woods will. A parking garage sounds more “echo-y” than a carpeted hallway.)
Note any issues with QUALITY (if you can, note the time or section where it occurs, for reference):
Do you hear:
Hum / Hiss
Clipping; Clicks / Pops
Muffling or other clarity problem
Mic / line bump
Tinny / boomy
Needs to work on fades
Cramped composition (but not productively so)
Other: ________________________
OVERALL: In your opinion, how successfully did this soundscape convey the reality (or an idea) of its chosen space? What suggestions do you have that may not be covered by the categories above?