The Evolution of a Song
Part 3: Stuck In the Sixties
So now we have some good lyrics, some so-so lyrics and some lyrics that probably aren't anything more than a placeholder for a re-write. We have a nice hook in the form of a tried-and-true I, IV, V three chord riff. Where to go from here... For starters, the beginning is too abrupt. Songs don't generally just pounce on the lyrics right out of the gate. We need an intro. You've probably noticed that interesting music is dynamic - it ebbs and flows in volume, complexity and energy. There are all different ways to accomplish this, but I chose here to build up the intro and let it relax a little into the first verse. I repeated the three chord riff and moved the vocal further down the line. Then I fiddled (no pun intended) with a string patch on a synth until I got a pleasing and simple melody. It still sounded a little empty so I laid a fat (not phat!) electric guitar line over the top of the strings to both disguise the artificial sound of the synth and make the melody line stronger. Not bad. As the guitar and strings peak and trail off, the vocal starts. I also added a basic framework for the B section of the verse (Fair summer...) more piano chunking (that's wearing pretty thin) a bass and drum line and continuing the scratch vocal.
It was getting late by this time. Sleep was beckoning and my wife was tired of listening to my efforts. See, I don't have a big budget soundproof studio in which to work. I have what's called a 'project studio'. That's like calling a guy who drives a garbage truck a "recycling engineer" - it's not necessarily inaccurate, it's just a little grander sounding than the circumstances warrant. That having been said, you might be surprised how much of the music you listen to is at least partially produced in 'project studios' just like mine. The heart of my setup is a Yamaha AW16g - a 16 track dedicated hard disc recorder.
I also have a dedicated PC running Cakewalk Sonar. This adds additional audio track capabilities as well as virtually unlimited MIDI tracks. MIDI tracks are data tracks that control synthesizers, samplers and other equipment. Everything you hear on the MP3 demo above except for the voice, bass and guitar is MIDI data. So then, I have more recording tracks than I need; keep in mind that the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper was done with 4 track equipment. It's not the hardware, it's the creativity of the people using it. Would that I had the creative ability of the Beatles or the production skill of George Martin... <sigh>
Anyway, I burned a copy of my work to CD to listen to in the car again. I find that's a good use of time that's otherwise largely wasted. First impressions - the intro sounds like a Gary Puckett record. Gak! I'm stuck in the sixties! The vocal really makes me cringe, but I know it's only temporary. I have to do something with the piano chunking. It's like listening to the slap slap slap of windshield wipers. I also need to add a basic framework for the rest of the song.
Thanks to the folks who've commented already. You've all been at least polite, and some of you even claim to like it... :-)
continue with part 4: A Taylor Made Solution
Words
and Music
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