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How To Make The Same Music More Effective – #7 of 100

The individual parts are great. They work together beautifully. But you’ve still got a niggling feeling that the finished whole is less than the sum of its parts.

Face it. It sounds flat and boring. Why?

Your music lacks contrast. There’s no light and shade. Contrast creates tension and release, the driving force of music. Without it your music will sound lifeless, no matter how brilliant the parts.

I learnt this from Nirvana. The first time I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” I was blown away. Two contrasting sections – the sparse laid back verse and the heavy distorted chorus. Extremely simple yet unbelievably effective.

In house and techno there’s often a slight nod to contrast in the form of a break. The rhythm comes out. Everyone’s supposed to put their hands in the air and then (usually with an almighty woosh) the rhythm come crashing in again. But there are more interesting ways you can create contrast.

Remove almost everything

Taking stuff out is often more effective than slamming in with everything you’ve got. Not only does it make for a huge moment, it gives you somewhere to go.

In my forthcoming club remix of Robot Go Disco I build the track to a point where it’s almost noise, then (with an almighty woosh) take nearly everything out leaving just the kick and bass:

Add chord changes

Create contrast compositionally.

If you’ve got a section which stays on the same note, add some chord changes. Or if you already have some, do the opposite (or change them).

I wait until almost the end of my Robot Go Disco remix to get to the chord changes, which after nearly six minutes on the same note, creates impact:

Change instrumentation

In week 4 of my 10 tracks 10 weeks album project I got completely stuck. But by concentrating on creating contrast I finished Crush, and it ended up as one of my favourite tracks off the album.

The early versions of Crush had two distinct sections – one with chord changes and one without, but sounded completely flat:

But in the final track I contrasted the two sections by changing much of the instrumentation:

Simple to complex

You’ll also hear that I didn’t just change the instrumentation of the two sections in Crush.

If you make one section that’s rhythmically, harmonically and/or melodically simple then make another that’s more complex. You’ll end up with a piece of music that sounds technicolour, not black and white.

What other music uses contrast to devastating effect? How much do you think about contrast when you write music? What techniques do you use to create contrast? I’m sure I’ve made some glaring omissions – feel free to share below in the comments.

 

Filed Under: Featured Post Tagged With: 10 Tracks 10 Weeks, Composition, Crush, electronic music production, mike monday, Robot Go Disco

Why Am I Giving Away My Favourite Mike Monday Tune For Free?

I scratched my head for ages. Which track from my recent album should I give away for free? My favourite? My least favourite? Something in the middle?

Despite writing the album in ten weeks, in hindsight it turned out quite well, with four of the tracks – Robot Go Disco / Crush / Lullaby / Do Be Do – ranking amongst my best work (in my not-so-humble opinion).

But more than that, after a few months and a number of listens, I’ve realised that Lullaby might be my personal favourite. Out of anything I’ve ever written. I get goosebumps every time (especially at the ridiculous “Whitney Houston” drum hit). This could be down to the subject matter, but even taking this into account may I rather immodestly suggest that it kicks some serious butt?

It feels weird to give away your best work. Despite all my big talk about the new reality, for someone who’s been a participant in the traditional industry for a good few years, there’s still a residue of attachment to the old model of ownership. I mean, I’m not giving away all my music for free (yet) am I? Doesn’t giving Lullaby away for free then devalue it and suggest that it’s worth less than the ones which cost something?

No. Because as a gift it has to be the very best of me. And I hope you enjoy it.

Download Lullaby for free

Filed Under: Featured Post Tagged With: 10 Tracks 10 Weeks, Crush, Do Be Do, Lullaby, mike monday, Robot Go Disco

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