Re: Song Structure and Transitions
I don't care how cheesy it sounds, but it's the truth.
The songs I enjoy the most, whether it be jazz or electro house, are the ones that tell a story. Like most stories, a song will usually have a very climactic part, where the artist puts their all into it. A good story is literally a build up to a climax, and tends to resolve after the climax. The climax isn't always in the middle though. There is also something known as the denouement (French term, I think it's spelled correctly) which is a climax after the climax, but not as much of a peak. I've seen songs that have this too. I compare a lot of good songs to stories, because they follow a lot of the same elements.
As for transitions, consider each section of a song a chapter. Every story is going to be different, and so will every song. So consider each transition setting the mood for the next chapter. The problem is people always want to get technical with transitions, but sometimes they don't realize that people listen to music and visualize a story with it. People really get into music, that's why it's huge part of society. If you read a book and you see a foreshadow of doom, it can be expressed in song as an eerie sound or sudden key change. Even a dark melody coming in slowly can give the same effect.
Kommisar, don't think of it as a technique. I think you do the same thing I do, which is to listen to an awesome song in your head but get stuck as you actually create it. Start thinking more about the song in your head, and think about what emotions it could spur with certain sounds. The hardest part of creating music is to take what you have in your head and put it in song exactly as you envisioned it.
This definitely sounds all philosophical, but there is some psychology to it. I definitely feel emotions as I listen to certain songs. So pay attention to how a transition affects how someone internalizes the song to be able to give your song a specific feeling.
I don't care how cheesy it sounds, but it's the truth.
The songs I enjoy the most, whether it be jazz or electro house, are the ones that tell a story. Like most stories, a song will usually have a very climactic part, where the artist puts their all into it. A good story is literally a build up to a climax, and tends to resolve after the climax. The climax isn't always in the middle though. There is also something known as the denouement (French term, I think it's spelled correctly) which is a climax after the climax, but not as much of a peak. I've seen songs that have this too. I compare a lot of good songs to stories, because they follow a lot of the same elements.
As for transitions, consider each section of a song a chapter. Every story is going to be different, and so will every song. So consider each transition setting the mood for the next chapter. The problem is people always want to get technical with transitions, but sometimes they don't realize that people listen to music and visualize a story with it. People really get into music, that's why it's huge part of society. If you read a book and you see a foreshadow of doom, it can be expressed in song as an eerie sound or sudden key change. Even a dark melody coming in slowly can give the same effect.
Kommisar, don't think of it as a technique. I think you do the same thing I do, which is to listen to an awesome song in your head but get stuck as you actually create it. Start thinking more about the song in your head, and think about what emotions it could spur with certain sounds. The hardest part of creating music is to take what you have in your head and put it in song exactly as you envisioned it.
This definitely sounds all philosophical, but there is some psychology to it. I definitely feel emotions as I listen to certain songs. So pay attention to how a transition affects how someone internalizes the song to be able to give your song a specific feeling.
Comment