Short Transmission
Mr Sandbags
This is my second experiment with “song form”.
In this case I tried out probably the simplest form: “IABABCABE” where I - intro, A - verse, B - chorus, C - break, E - end.
Although I’m not sure if the verse is supposed to build into the chorus or just that they be different, and maybe the break should lead up to the 3rd verse in some sense. All still a bit of a mystery to me.
Sound wise I like most of the sounds I ended up using but I’m not sure about some of the chord progressions which were a bit haphazard. Harmony is another mystery still :)
I used a few samples as fills, a little chaos and replicant on the kicks and snares, some delay and compression, and some mastering stuff, but otherwise little in the way of effects.
So, what works? What doesn’t? What should I do better next time?
:)
First let me say that this is wonderful, especially for someone who keeps claiming that things "are a mystery to me". :) When it comes to song form, I'd say it's a big fat "it depends". Probably most of the time, you would want one section to lead into another via some... thread? So this could mean anything from like a chord progression, a melody, lyrical content, even instrumentation I'd think. But then again, you may also find that you can get the emotional impact you want by having an abrupt change from one section to another. It all depends, eh. :) That said, I think you did a fine job on the transitions between verse and chorus on this piece. They're different enough that they sound like independent sections, yet lead well from one to another. As for harmony, I want to say that it was Aaron Copland who said something pithy along the lines of "There's no such thing as dissonance - it just means you haven't heard enough of it." Personally, I feel like the chord/melody at about :45 and 1:28 are a little too clashy for my tastes. Though it's such a blip in the grand scheme of the song and not all that noticeable, even for someone who's looking for it. I'd say you have a good ear for picking the right patches and effects to make a piece really gel as a whole. And I'm impressed because it sounds like you're really progressing with each new piece you release. Keep 'em coming!
I'm really digging all the layers and melodies. The rhythm section moves very nicely too. Loving where your music has been going over the past several months.
Knightrider and Abba!