General:
This map requires manual lead in time to ensure the first note doesn't appear as soon as the map starts on older clients. If you are using a client such as my modded b20130303 client you can Add this in song setup. If not you can open both of the difficulties in a text editor like notepad and edit this line: AudioLeadIn: 0 Change this to AudioLeadIn: 500 . This ensures that there will be 1500ms of time before the first note has to be hit.
Your background is very large in file size because it's a png. I have converted it to a jpg at 100% quality. Also I recommend renaming the file to something small like bg.jpg
I will say, this isn't required but I think a 4:3 or 16:9 background would be better. The black bars on the side are really weird to me.
Hard:
00:50:838 (1,1) - Why are both of these NC'd (new combo'd). Why not standardize your NC's. Let's NC sounds sounds at 00:45:324, 00:46:868, 00:48:633, 00:50:838, 00:52:162, 00:53:927, 00:56:133, 00:57:456, 00:59:221, 01:00:985, 01:03:191. Or something like that.
00:55:471 - This loud drum fill is not represented at all, I really think this should have something at least
00:59:221 - This sound should be active, don't let this be represented by just a sliderend imo
01:02:750 - This sound should be active, don't let this be represented by just a sliderend imo
01:07:162 (4) - The spacing on this note is very large despite there not being a large emphasized sound. If anything, I think you should emphasize notes like 01:06:941 (3) - 01:08:044 (5) - 01:08:927 (8) - with spacing instead, as those hits go really hard. Right now they are all passive (based on spacing)
01:09:809 (3,4,5) - This triple isn't justified. Remember we need to represent the music to the best of our ability, and I don't hear anything on 01:09:919 (4) - to justify a note being there. Most of your triples in this map have that problem. Ones like this 00:48:633 (10,1,2) - work better though
01:14:000 (1,2,1,2,3,4) - Aesthetics are subjective, but I think the flow on this is quite difficult to read on a map that has so far been very predictable to read. If there was something you were trying to emphasize by doing this I am not seeing it. Same thing applies here 00:00:985 (1,2,3,4,5,6) - Just feels messy
Tbh this map feels more like a normal with unjustified spacings, and no distance snap. A Hard difficulty does not need to be distance snapped, I'm just giving you my overall impression of the map.
I really want to see better playfield usage. The bottom right of the screen gets way too much love. Those these patterns be spaced out around the screen there's lots of room for fun :D
This is what your current playfield usage is
Overall good start for a first map! I think with some more work this can go somewhere. I won't check the top diff for now, I know some other modded it, I wanted to focus on the lower one for now. After you apply or respond to my mods I'll recheck.