When independently producing music, the bulk of the effort has to be on that final 1%. That’s where that “major label sound” is. You want it? Well, here’s how you get it. It comes down to producing yourself correctly.

“Production” is a very broad and frequently misunderstood term. Some people think it’s the “mix.” But that is only a small part of production. Others think it’s the “arragement” – again, that’s only a part.

A production aims to get ALL the elements of a song right:

1. Song structure, including lyrics, melodies, chord structures
2. Vocal performances, dynamics
3. Instrumental performances, dynamics
4. Sound selections, quirky vs reliable/predictable
5. Song arrangement, flow
6. Special effects, if any
7. Mix
8. Market direction, verification, feedback
9. Corrections, alterations
10. Final mix

Every one of these areas is a book. As a producer of your own music you must accord maximum attention to each of these. It can be extremely helpful to have a few reference tracks. This is NOT in order to “copy” them or “rip them off”, lol – but only to help you stay on track. (What is a reference track? It’s a successful, well-produced song which sounds a bit like what you’d want your song to sound like. Some reference tracks may only have a single sound you’d like to emulate, others may contain a whole arrangement that you’d like to get inspired by, etc).

Check back frequently as you build your mix! Now, it’s best to start by asking yourself some basic questions:

1. 1. SONG STRUCTURE
   1. Is the song meaningful?
   2. Does it tell a story or convey a mood?
   3. Does it do it optimally?
   4. Do I love it?
   5. Who would relate to this song?
   6. Is this the audience I want to reach? Is the language consistent with that audience?
   7. Can the lyric be tweaked and improved?
   8. Can I do this in under 20 rewrites?
   9. Is the lyric “strong”?
   10. Are the melodies strong?
   11. Do the chords support the melodies in a “natural” way?
   12. Is the song too predictable?
   13. Can I find alternative ways to do this?
   14. Does the song structure contain HOOKS?
   15. A hook is NOT “chorus” although a chorus SHOULD be hooky.
   16. Does this song even need to have a chorus? If so, how often?
   17. Are there memorable riffs or phrases here?
   18. Instrumental? Vocal? Lyrical?
   19. Can I play the song on my guitar and will it EXCITE a casual listener?
   20. Will it EXCITE me?
   21. Do I think this is a “pretty good” song? Or do I think this is a song that HAS TO be heard by others? In other words – do I believe this is a great song?
   22. What to do to make sure it’s a “great” song?
   23. Is it credible?
   24. Revise.
   25. Know when to stop.
2. VOCAL PERFORMANCE
   1. Diction: Is the vocal delivery clear? Will they understand what the hell I’m singing – without making it sound too school-book either…!
   2. Is the vocal rhythm & phrasing optimal? Does the phrasing go against the syllabic structure of the lyrics? Or does it support it?
   3. Is a rewrite neccessary at this point?
   4. Does the vocal build throughout the song/performance? Or does it drone from start to finish?
   5. Are there high/low points in the vocal performance? Will the song benefit from pianissimos and crescendos?
   6. What’s the best and most appropriate dynamic range for this song?
   7. Will harmonies help? Will they unneccessarily sweeten the sound? Will they help build the power of the song?
   8. How many different emotional sounds can I create that will work within the context of the melody and lyrics?
   9. Does it sound cool? Am I PROUD of this?
   10. Is it credible?
   11. Am I ready to record this?
   12. Revise.
   13. Know when to stop.
3. INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCES
   1. Are the selected instruments in keeping with the intended genre of the song?
   2. Are they played optimally well?
   3. Do they SOUND exciting?
   4. Are the sounds clean, strong – credible?
   5. Do the instruments clash in places?
   6. Which instruments should play while others wait?
   7. Do I have a signature way of playing my instrument? Should I use it here?
   8. Do I have strong, catchy riffs or “hooks” planned?
   9. How to use the instruments & layers of instruments to create maximum dynamics?
   10. Revise.
   11. Know when to stop.
4. SOUND SELECTIONS
   1. Do we need to worry about coming up with weird-ass sounds?
   2. Does each sound come across like there’s “money behind it”?
   3. Can I play a given instrument in an innovative way – make it sound exceptionally interesting?
   4. Will it matter if I use sounds in my recordings that I may have a problem reproducing live? (the answer is almost always NO)
   5. Revise.
   6. Know when to stop.
5. SONG ARRANGEMENT
   1. Does it flow?
   2. Does that chorus belong there? Or sooner? Or later?
   3. Should there be a bridge or a pre-chorus here?
   4. Should there be an instrumental break?
   5. Should the time signature remain the same?
   6. How do I make the song interesting at ANY point during the recording, without making it confusing?
   7. Should the intro be repeated further within the song?
   8. What are the HOOKS and are they appropriately and logically integrated into the arrangement?
   9. Revise.
   10. Know when to stop.
6. SPECIAL EFFECTS
   1. Will the song’s dynamics be helped by special effects?
   2. What kind of special effects will be appropriate for a song like this?
   3. Keep this to a minimum, but don’t be afraid to be bold, once you decide on using something – If you decide that.
   4. Revise.
   5. Know when to stop.
7. RECORDING & THE MIX
   1. Are all the parts recorded at an optimal singal level?
   2. Is every instrument appropriately EQ’ed?
   3. Every performance has to be recorded TO DEATH – until it’s RIGHT.
   4. Certain instruments have their natural EQ pockets which can be exaggerated somewhat through the EQ process, panning, and special effects processors.
   5. The key is always the vocal – does it have its own EQ “pocket”?
   6. Ensure that the EQ placement of the vocals does not fight for aural space with other instruments.
   7. If you have a guitar sound that plays a riff running across the lead vocal line, you’ll confuse the listener.
   8. Arrange the instrumental parts and vocals in such a way so as to ALWAYS give the vocals room to “breathe”
   9. Compare the mix to a commercially successful song in a similar style. Does your song sound the same? Better? Worse?
   10. Relative levels of drums, bass, guitars, pianos, synths, effect – and vocals – are as important as EQing.
   11. And so is panning.
   12. What effects processors would benefit the mix?
   13. Some parts could be chorussed, others could be tracked/ghosted/doubled.
   14. Is there ANY unplanned noise on the track?
   15. Revise.
   16. Know when to stop.
8. MARKET FEEDBACK
   1. How do people react to this song, at parties, social gatherings?
   2. What do your friends and family say? (Predictably, they’ll love it)
   3. What do strangers say? Don’t tell them it’s YOU.
   4. Will they stop to listen? Or will they keep right on talking over it?
   5. NEVER get offended by critiques and disses. Learn from them.
   6. Did they ask you to play it again?
   7. Revise.
   8. Know when to stop (you can’t win ‘em all!).
9. CORRECTIONS
   1. All the feedback you got has to go back to the studio and anything that’s not exactly the way it should be MUST be fixed.
   2. Repeat feedback process until you get desired result each time.
   3. Revise.
   4. Know when to stop.
   5. FINAL MIX
   6. Mix and play back in different environments.
   7. You need to be able to hear EVERYTHING clearly.
   8. Are there messy, dark spots there? FIX them. Unless they’re SUPPOSED to be that way.
   9. Is this something people will want to pay you money for? They worked HARD for it… Why would they give it to you? Is the song THAT good?
   10. Revise.
   11. Know when to stop.

All of this doesn’t even begin to explore the fact that during the recording stage you can spend endless hours fine-tuning each performance, until it totally rules. It doesn’t mean you wanna get anything fancy – just that it has to be super tight and “vibey.”  One final role of the producer is knowing “what the market wants,” and what this implies is knowing “what the labels are looking for.” Having the contacts to go with that knowledge is the final key. But the role of the MASTER producer is knowing what the market will want and knowing which established rules to trample!

What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of your song? Make a list! Hear it in your head clearly. Print this page out!
And then, make a list of what fixes you would apply – and just do it.

The above method will ensure that you spend up to a month on a single song, as opposed to cranking out 3 songs per day. But it will be your ultimate shortcut to respectability and artistic success!

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All professional music productions, irrespective of genre, always set out to achieve perfection. If some such recordings occasionally strike you as “less than perfect,” that may be part of their design. For instance “punk” is not supposed to sound polished. But it must have “perfect” energy. Rap must not be “square” – it must feel “perfectly real.”

You’ll thus quickly discover that each style of music has its own little idiosyncrasies. No matter which genre you look at, however, if it’s expertly done, it is perfect in its delivery to its target market.

So, “perfection” in this sense means “giving your market what they want.” Or if you’re on the cutting edge – what they WILL want.

And this means that you need to understand this “market” (i.e. “target audience”) – and carefully study good reference material in order to make the most out of your productions. This way you will produce something new and something familiar at the same time. It is always about the right blend of those two elements, to be sure. Any other route is practically guaranteed to lead you astray.

Some artists say they write songs as “art” and don’t care what the public think. That’s just fine. But in most such cases, they should KEEP that art at home. The moment they consider that it would be nice to share it with others, perhaps even sell it, however, if they wish to be successful they MUST figure out “who” their target audience/market is – and “why” might they be persuaded to listen to this. Art does have some rules after all.

Keep this in mind: it’s “art” when you create it, but it’s “craft” when you take it to market.

This simple, down-to-earth observation tells you everything you need to know about how to judge your songs and productions, and your quest for perfection in your songwriting/production now has a good chance of a positive outcome.

When you write or produce a song, you need to keep in mind what you want to accomplish. If it’s a “mood song,” it will be less important for it to be melodically “catchy” in the commercial “pop sense” but it will be critical for it to provoke feelings and other reactions. If it’s a “pop” song, it needs to have a strong but simple message, and must have loads of “hooks” to continually keep the listener’s attention. It also needs a strong and easily memorable melody. A pop song must work even if you just play it on a guitar and piano.

Awareness of “things that work” in other genres, coupled with your ability to synthesize those into one cohesive whole, may put you at the cutting edge in your style. A good producer and songwriter remains forever open to influences for this very reason.

Don’t get hung up on being a creative genius. No matter how brilliant you are, you need to revise your work and fine-tune it.

If you drift while listening to a pop song – it probably means only one thing: it needs revision. If you’re bored while listening to a “mood song” it probably means that you didn’t build the emotional tensions right.

Then there is another aspect where most songwriters and performers fail to connect: THEY enjoy what they created and at one point decide to leave it as is. One in a million may indeed be truly in synch with “the people” and they TOO will enjoy it. But everyone else needs to get there the hard way.

There are two huge reasons why our productions may wind up sounding flat. (a) Our creative energy fizzles out – while creating! And (b) we  fail to revise and test.

Simply asking someone to give you an opinion, is certainly a good way to get started. But if you have a history of aggression each time someone tells you the truth or dares to critique you – you’re not likely to learn from that.

There is a better way. Take your song somewhere where people listen to this kind of music and play it to them without telling them that it’s YOU. And then observe: do they want to switch to something else? Do they talk through it or ask you to turn it down? Or are they mesmerized and transfixed?

But remember this: NEVER argue for your song. People will usually agree with you when you confront them like that, and for a fleeting instance you’ll have the low satisfaction of “winning an argument” – but you will also never learn what it was what could have been improved.

As an artist and a songwriter – and a producer – you need to be both very sensitive and creative but also you MUST have thick skin. Or at least a way not to let “rejection” get to you. It is exactly this balance which sets the winners apart from the losers in this game. You’ll also need loads of healthy social intelligence to pick up hints from people so as to better know how to shape your music without them necessarily spelling it out for you. Most people don’t KNOW why they like – or dislike – a song. They just do. People in the music business often THINK they know why, but equally often they’re VERY wrong. Otherwise why would every label in England reject the Beatles – twice? And thousands of other great acts!

So, does perfection exist? Sure. But it’s always temporal and never lasts. The moment of creation can be perfection. The moment of releasing a finely-crafted track can be perfection. But give it enough time, and you’ll be sure to find holes in it.

Perfection is but a degree to which you can expand time!

In one of my previous posts I looked at EQ’ing the voice by finding the right “pocket” for it. This time, let’s talk about another aspect of vocal placement which combines level-setting, panning, double-tracking and special effects.

You’ll probably have noticed that different styles of music feature sometimes vastly different approaches to the way vocals are mixed. In some styles, the vocal must be the most prominent foreground sound; in others, it rides just slightly above the mix, and in others still, it’s “sunk” in the mix so as to be barely distinguishable from the rest of the music – and yet it’s there, and you’re hearing it (perhaps because it’s panned or doubletracked – or through some other witchcraft!).

How you mix your vocal is largely a matter of convention and style, but it’s also a function of the vocal characteristics of your singer. Needless to say, also, the vocal is there to be heard and lyrics understood (in most cases, lol), so a key consideration is making sure that your mix preserves the message well.

It’s very easy to “lose” the vocal in the mix. And to make matters worse, it’s not just the “too quiet” ones that get lost. Overpowering vocals can not only “get lost” – they can make you switch off entirely. (Don’t believe me? Go to any karaoke bar and hear how much louder the vocals tend to be than the backing music! Close the door after you leave please!)

So, how do you mix a vocal?

OK. I can only give you a few general guidelines in the confines of this space. The KEY is to realize the relationship that exists between the vocal character and the instruments selected to back it. For example, you need to consider whether a raspy vocal backed by a distorted guitar wants to “sink in” or “bounce off” the backing track, and which EQ bands to reserve for each. The same song performed by two different vocalists may be mixed entirely differently, depending on the vocal characteristics.

First establish the genre you’re in. For most pop music the voice must “ride on top of the mix” meaning that it should have a clear EQ pocket for itself and a level placement which gives it a small edge over the rest of the track. Something in the area of +1dB might be the rule of thumb. For some rock styles as well as a lot of dance music the voice wants to “sit” in the track becoming something like an instrument within it, and to give it definition you really need to resort to EQ techniques, double-tracking, gentle chorusing and such. In R&B it’s become a fashion to have the vocal really out in front, almost entirely dry. So, knowing these general rules, you can now approach your mix.

One of the most important ways to “place” a vocal in the mix (not just vocal, mind you) is by a skillful application of the reverb. Assuming you have a reasonable quality reverb (ideally with output to a stereo track where you can re-EQ it if need be), you use it to give the voice a placement within the mix “as if in 3D.” Experiment with that. More reverb (without changing the source level) will make the voice appear to “go back” in the “room.” Next, decide on the length of your reverb. “Wet” sounding voices sound great in some types of mixes but totally ruin others. Again, you need to know the general direction of your track to establish the general principle which you can now adapt to your specific mix.

A critically important thing is TIMING your reverb. Many modern plug-ins do this automatically for you, but even then they will use a preset which you still would have to adjust. Should the reverb have a 600 millisecond setting or 300 – or even 150? (i.e. which beat in the bar it should end on in a track running at, say, 120 bpm). This is, of course, a function of the tempo of your track. If your track runs at 120 bpm but your reverb is timed for a 90 bpm track, the result will be a “sloppy” sound.
Applying special effects (like reverbs, choruses, delays, etc) can indeed bring out the vocal presence and character, just as long as you don’t over-do it! Gating can also be used very successfully to “define” the vocal particularly in certain rhythmic styles of music, as can compression. In fact compression is a bigger subject which I think I’ll address in another post.
The general principle in mixing a vocal is to build the mix in such a way that it’s sound compliments and supports the vocal sound. That’s why the same track done with a female singer may need a re-EQ on some instruments such as keyboard or guitar, if those particular frequencies compete with the vocal. The same mix with a male singer might suddenly need a bit more edge on the rhythm guitar or that bass.

How do you know? Well… it’s all about the ears. So LISTEN to other similar mixes and learn from them. Knowing the above general principles, however, should be enough to give you a good start and a recognition of those elements in professionally-done mixes!

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There are loads of excellent MIDI manuals out there, so I won’t restate and repeat the obvious. Instead, I’d like to briefly focus on some general techniques which will make your sequencer recordings feel more “alive.”

As with everything in music, it’s all about basic principles and approach, as much as learning how your particular programming tool works. I’m assuming you already know your sequencer very well.

The thing about sequencers is that they make so many things so much easier, that it’s very easy to forget that music is a human endeavor! Functions like Quantize, time-stretch and autotune have made life a lot easier for musicians, but they’re also responsible for allowing artists to take the easy way out exactly when the opposite is required.

So, here’s a few general rules when working with a MIDI sequencer.

Treat is like a tape recorder. Resort to special tricks (e.g. quantize, etc) only when you absolutely must. Reserve it for certain parts only. It might be ok to have your hats and perhaps the kick to run quantized for much of your track, but don’t overdo it.

PLAY everything live with your track. That kick pattern is supposed to be the same throughout? Ok. But PLAY it. Don’t copy and paste. The little dynamic and timing variations that you’ll encounter because you’re playing it “live” can be hugely important to making your track interesting and “alive.”

AVOID copying and pasting. Yes, it’s a great tool when you want to make a quick model of a track. But when you get down to the final version, scrap all that and replay everything. And then quantize only the blatant mistakes, if any. Leave everything else as is.

If possible, introduce live instruments (i.e. not hooked up via MIDI) to your recording. Analog instruments respond differently to digital ones. An unquantized piano part played on your sampler will have a distinctly different feel to one played on that trusty old REAL piano.

DON’T change note velocities with global commands. In fact, assuming that you’re at least a passable player, there should be no reason for you to change note velocities at all. Perhaps one or two manual adjustments, but never using automation.

Finally, try not to settle for presets. Yeah, I know. Some of those synths have such luscious, great sounds and they’re so hard to resist. Okay. Go ahead and use the presets, but EQ them to suit the track. Unless you’re making generic music, there’s no way a generic preset will stand “as is”, no matter how great it sounds in isolation.

I guess the bottom line is, no matter what type of music you’re making, human feel is essential. Even club/dance music benefits from REAL playing. In fact, the best dance producers do exactly as described above. No Grammy was ever awarded to a machine. Was it…? Erm… I better not go there.

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Whether you produce your music electronically, on your computer, or in a more traditional setting, one of the most important considerations is the way your music sounds. This is, to a large extent down to the gear you use, but you will have noticed that the thousands of, say, guitar-bass-drums bands still manage to come up with their “own sound.” Even though they seemingly use the exact same instruments! The same applies to music which relies more on synths and special effects. How is it that this pro band which uses the same synths you have has so much cooler sounds?

Well, it comes down to knowing your instrument, any plugins or effect units and… more often than not: a few very simple mixing tricks.

You can do an enormous lot of sound tweaking using just about any semi-decent mixer. You can shape each individual sound with just EQ to a far greater extent than most musicians realize. And if you’re working on a computer, the possibilities are endless even without any of those expensive sound plugins installed. You just need a simple sound editor. We’ll get into this some other time.

Here, I just wanted to draw you attention to a very simple technique which is so often overlooked: Extreme EQ.

With a mixer, you might only be using the treble and bass knobs/sliders – most musicians unfamiliar with mixing stop there. If they touch the mids, it’s only tentatively. But try some extreme settings for that guitar or piano. If you’re rapidly changing the mid-EQ settings while an instrument is playing you’ll immediately notice the familiar “filtering” effect, so popular these days in dance music. (You can get plugins which actually do this “knob-twisting” automatically). And you’ll notice that these extreme settings can completely change the character of the individual sound you’re processing. Don’t shy away from such experimentation. You might be shocked at just how much a sound can change with “creative EQ.” The same goes for gates or compressors. Try some extreme settings and watch your sounds change character.

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So what is a producer anyway? Do I need one? Can anyone become one?

Let’s deal with this one by one, from the back. Yes, almost anyone can become a producer, but the focus this requires means that only a few people ultimately do. And yes, you do need one – even if it’s going to be you. And this brings me to the main question: what does a producer do?

You’ll find many different answers to this question if you read music business books, or depending on whom you talk to in the music circles. But there’s one common thread: the producer is the person who creates the “product.” Hence the name. And the “product” is, in a nutshell, your music.

An artist or a songwriter can be, and often is, also a producer. However, it’s sometimes a good idea to work with an objective outsider who can help you craft your music (art) into a commercially viable recording (product). And this is what “production” is all about.

So, when you think about it, in order for the “product” to be good, it has to undergo a “quality control” process, which is the essence of production. That’s also why I said that “anyone” can become a producer, but only those with sufficient focus actually manage the job. Because the kind of focus required to be a “good” producer can be quite intense.

There are at least two basic types of producers out there. There’s the “hands-on” kind and the “ears-only” kind. These days, the first kind is by far the most predominant. That’s the guy who is, typically, an experienced engineer or perhaps a songwriter/musician who’s been around the block a few times and knows what it takes for a recording to find an audience. The “ears-only” producer is, these days, more of a dying breed – and that’s someone who basically just listens to the music and gives (sometimes very vague) instructions to his team members regarding what changes need to be made for a song to “happen.”

Both kinds of producers draw on a multitude of skills, whether they themselves are so multi-talented, or whether they have a team of collaborators. They essentially DIRECT the project, down to the minutest detail.

It is not uncommon for a producer to be “everything” on a record, except for the performer him- or herself. Sometimes this leads to rather outrageous situations and accusations of “manufacturing” talent start flying.

In this post, however, we’re talking about a “mindset” which is a must for and serious producer.

One of the characteristics of a good producer is the ability to cut through the clutter and bring forth the best values of any song as well as any musician and artist involved in its creation. Like a movie director or a book editor. It’s not uncommon for the producer to request lyrical changes, or melodic tweaks or rearrangements. Nothing is off limits, nor should it be. Not infrequently, a producer will actually cowrite large parts of any album he is a part of. And as long as you believe in his or her “grand vision” that’s perfectly okay. Troubles only begin when the artist starts feeling that the producer steps on “his” or her “exclusive” territory.

This is just an outline of what the producer does, but the real idea in this post is to bring your attention to the simple FACT that, as an independent artist, you really have almost no choice but to become your own producer. Easier said than done. But… once you realize that it’s just a “mindset” that you need to adjust, things become easier.

It’s all in the “programming” you’ve subjected yourself to. If you think that you’re “just a songwriter,” and “someone else” will have to produce your music, you’re most likely heading nowhere fast. You NEED to change this attitude to “I will produce my music to the best of my ability” – and that will include going through EVERYTHING with a fine-tooth comb, until everything in your song is exactly right.

That’s why I said that this is a “mindset” thing as much as anything else. That’s why an “ears-only” producer can actually do a great job, as long as he’s a real taskmaster and has a clear, strong vision. Once you adopt this kind of a mindset, you’ll, naturally, also need the technical and artistic skills to execute your own commands and recommendations.

What a producer does, when faced with an inability on part of his artists (or himself) to deliver what he wants to hear, is either modify his requests to suit, or… employ session musicians, singers, engineers – whoever is needed to get the job done.

A good producer, like any good artist, NEVER COMPROMISES his vision of quality.

Take “you” as your own producer. You “hear” your new song in your head and then you record it. And you quickly discover that it doesn’t sound quite the way you envisioned it. Do you (a) do “whatever it takes” to make the recording match your imagination, or (b) you settle for the best you could do under the circumstances…?

Well, if you answered “a”, you’re already a producer. If you answered “b” you need to give your mindset a little shake-up and reconsider your entire position. Chosing the “a” path will lead you to a measure of success, if you persevere. Chosing the “b” path will lead you exactly nowhere.

One final point. You’ll wonder if the “a” path is realistically attainable to you. Do you really have the ears and the judgment needed to be a great producer? Well, the truth is that you’ll never know until you really try. And another truth is: perhaps you can’t be a great producer, but you CAN decide to work with one! And if you’re serious about your music, getting better or working with better people is not a choice. It’s an imperative.

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Ever since we’ve been children, we always loved surprises. It is, in fact, an integral part of our human spirit to always look for something new, exciting and… surprising.

On the other hand, we’re also reassured by the “safe” and “familiar.” Those experiences in our lives which have the “right” balance of familiarity and surprise are the ones we are the most fond of.

And this is definitely also true of our music discovery.

Why do we fall in love with a song? What is it that makes us want to play it again? The answer is by necessity a complex one, but it really boils down to what I said above: the right mix between the surprising and the familiar.

With this in mind, the challenge for any serious artist is to create an arrangement which addresses these two concerns. And it really is an “arrangement” question more than purely a songwriting one. Although it can be both.

“Surprise” is the ultimate “hook” in a song. But watch out: overdo it at your peril. You might make something so surprising so as to become unfamiliar, and therefore “too demanding” – and in case of mainstream audiences, it’s the last thing you want. Sad, perhaps, but true

Refer to my previous posts about arranging and the use counterpoint, and this is essentially what I’m thinking about here. When arranging your song, keep this in mind. Don’t just play it safe and do what is comfortably predictable. Strech yourself just a bit. Fall back on familiar elements, but also always have a pleasant surprise awaiting your listeners.

But a word of caution: a “contrived” (unnatural) surprise may work against you…!

Ultimately, how you deal with this is a matter of taste. It’s how you make your life’s experience to bear on your production. Know yourself and you’ll know the world. And keep this keyword in mind next time you work on a song!

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If you’re a “traditionalist” musician, you probably believe that your music should reflect the values of your idols, be they from the 60′s, 70′s or whatever. You then write and produce your own songs in that spirit… only to hear this one most dreaded quip: “DATED!”

With that one little word, your labor of love is written off and swept under the rug.

What do you do? Some of you shrug it off and carry on regardless. Others get frustrated and increase their hatered of all that “over-commercialized crap,” and walk away believing themselves to be right and everyone who doesn’t agree – wrong.

Is there a right or wrong? Not really, when it comes to the ART of songwriting. But when it comes to the PRODUCTION of music, there are objective observations which are neither “right” nor “wrong.” They just are.

So, yes, there IS such a thing as a dated sound. Put on something from the 40′s or 50′s. Can you honestly say it sounds “current?” (This NEVER means that it’s “not good” – only that it clearly sounds like it’s from another era)

OK. So you’ll have no major problems agreeing that there exists such a thing as a virtual “time-stamp” on music. It’s easy to tell the difference when comparing something “modern” with something as old as 40 or 50 years. But what about stuff which is only a few years old? Well, it gets a bit more subtle then. But, again, keen observation will reveal the differences.

Some of those differences start out as simple fads (this kick sound is “in” and that snare sound is “out!”). Others are a more organic evolution. Instruments change and evolve, special effects sound different, mixing techniques change too and even the overall production values change (here’s a pretty good comparison: think of a movie from 30 years ago and compare it to something from “today” – even the acting is different, not to mention the way they shoot or light their scenes!).
It’s no use complaining about it. Things change. And the only thing that remains is whether you care or not. If you don’t – great. But if you don’t care about that and yet still would like to win a NEW audience for your music, then you’ll have a bit of a steep hill to climb.

If you do care at least enough to find a compromise position between what you believe and what “is needed” to “connect” with new audiences, then here’s some food for thought.
What is it that “dates” a piece of music? Sounds? Production? Sure. Who wouldn’t be able to accurately identify anything from the 80′s with its prominent (some might say “cheesy”) synth sounds and electronic drums.

But there’s another, perhaps even more important aspect. It’s the melodic and chordal structure of a song. Observe how that has changed over the years. Certain types of melodies often come across as “old-fashioned” where changing only one note here or there, might suddenly give it a “new” feel. Go figure! The same goes for chords and the way the melody relates to them. Melodies lead by chords are almost always viewed as “dated” and “uncool” (that where when the chord goes up or down and the melody line predictably follows it). It’s because we’re by now so utterly familiar with progressions and melodies of this type that we can practically sing along with any such “new” song which utilizes this kind of structure.

The late 90′s and much of the 21st century has seen a resurgence of more “organic” and “natural” sounds. In rock you’ll hear many more songs totally devoid of synths (because they tend to be so easily dateable!), with straight acoustic drums, and just solid “old-fashioned” values. And yet… if you hear one of those seemingly traditionally-arranged songs, you’ll just KNOW that it’s NOT an oldie. And when you stop and think why, you’ll discover that it’s mainly about melody and (often less elaborate) chord progressions.

And there’s one other thing: vocal performance. Here too you’ll find subtle changes. In the old days “over-singing” (read: too much drama! lol) was commonplace and even frequently “expected.” Today, it’s soooo uncool to do that. Make it “too dramatic” and modern ears tend to switch off. The “modern” trend is towards more “natural” melodies and deliveries. They should almost sound like they’re “spoken,” in some modern genres at least. But not quite.
It’s subtle. Aware of all this, have another listen to some of what’s going on in the music scene today. You’ll find that there’s room for your “old-fashioned” music in today’s marketplace – with only a few small tweaks. And then go ahead and make those tweaks!

And the best part? You might even enjoy it!

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When arrranging and producting a song (as opposed to simply “writing” it) here’s one simple rule which should help focus you: Start with the end in mind, or in other words KNOW who your target audience is! But don’t just “follow fashion” either.

So how does this work? Well, let’s try to use an example. If you’re writing a song for a prticular kind of a heavy metal crowd, it’s clear that they will be the best judges of your music. If you know what makes that crowd tick, what they’re looking for in music, what sounds they consider “hip” and so on, then you’ll know how your song needs to be arranged and produced to make them totally “dig it.”

If you know your market REALLY well (i.e. mostly likely you actually BELONG in that market), you’ll know not only what works “now” but also what should work tomorrow! And you’ll know this instinctively, simply because YOU are that market.

But what about “hybrid” arrangements, “experimental” stuff and such? What if you’re not really rooted in any particular market and you just want to create music which will appeal to audiences right across the board? This is an increasingly common situation these days where a growing number of writers and woud-be producers don’t really have a strong “base.”

Well, at this point you have a challenge. If you don’t belong to any specific demographic group (although you really DO, if you think about it…!), you need to identify with one (at least for the time during which you’re writing your song).

But let me say this: more often than not this sort of effort will come out contrived and unconvincing. As a result, there’s a lot of music around these days which sounds “unfocused.” It’s like it “doesn’t belong” anywhere…!

And I’m pretty familiar with most arguments in defence of “broad” (i.e. “un-targeted”) approach to songwriting. For years I was one of those displaced writers/producers who wouldn’t “aim” his music at any particular demographic. I thought that by aiming at “everybody” I would appeal to everybody. But it doesn’t work that way.

In order to increase your chances of not just succeeding in a particular niche but ALSO of crossing over to “everybody,” lol, get to know your target audience REALLY well, and get to know the music they listen to REALLY well.

Sounds like a no-brainer of a tip? Well, it is, really. But you’d be surprised how many potentially great songwriters (and many novice producers) have NO CLUE that this is in fact the IDEA that drives all successful music. Once your song is going SOMEWHERE, so are you!

So, one final point: how do you get a sample of your target audience to listen to your music and give you meaningful feedback? Here is one way: play it to them without revealing it’s you. Observe and listen, and NEVER argue. Just clock how they react, what they say (or don’t say), whether they ask you to turn it up or beg you to switch to something else…! And NEVER EVER ask your close friends or family to judge it. Even if they’re critical they’re BIASED, and very few among them will therefore be able to give you the kind of feedback you can actually build on. So… start working on that thick skin…!

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You’ve often heard this, for sure. Everyone says it: “less is more.” But how does that apply to music? What if you WANT to have a “busy,” dynamic part? What if you want your whole piece to be FULL of sound? Where does that leave “less is more?” Surely there have been successful songs and even classical compositions which are “rich in sound” and definitely don’t sound like anything’s “missing” there…?

Welcome to the world of arranging. “Less is more” does not mean “take EVERYTHING out!” It doesn’t mean “don’t use instruments which you would like to use.” In fact, all it means is “be mindful of SPACE” in music. Let it breathe! And even that doesn’t mean that you “must.” It’s only a recommendation, but a very heathy one.

It’s all because of how our attention works. Picture a canvas filled with ornaments, design elements, all sorts of things. And all that is supposed to be a background for the “centerpiece,” whatever it is How easily will you spot that centerpiece? How quick before you get tired of even looking at that picture?

It’s very similar to the “less is more” principle in musical arrangement. Clutter your arrangement too much and you’ll distract the ear from the central point of your message. Conversely, and in all fairness, if you don’t do “enough” you might simply bore your listener.

OK. But how do you learn the art of “tasteful” arranging? As with anything in life, it takes time and patience and… study. Listen. Analyze. But, there are some useful shortcuts. Most indie arrangers are already quite experienced and they don’t need the basics – they just need some things cleared up.

Let’s use a “pop” track as an example (this could be anything from rock to R&B to country, etc). What is the barest minimum a song needs to “communicate?” Well, presumably the performance (vocal and instrumental ie. at least one instrument) and the song’s inherent melodic and chordal structure. Will that be enough to “work” in your target market? Perhaps not. So, what does your target market expect?

Let’s start with the beat. It’s pop after all! And that’s drums and bass. Work out the rhythm section (and keep working on it) until it can stand on its own. It’s gotta “groove” and “sit” just right. With a tightly arranged rhythm track, most songs almost don’t “need” anything else. You’ll find that most pop songs will work with just the basic (very well arranged) drums, bass and perhaps a rhythm guitar or rhythm piano, etc. Let these instruments complement each other and create a “vibey” and exciting pattern that could almost work as a composition in its own right.

That’s the “core.” Once you have the core, you can now add extra parts. But only add them when they’re needed. Once you hear your song with the lead vocal and rhythm section, you’ll easily hear that some parts work just the way they are, and some could use “something” to make them “lift.”
But always “resist” adding more instruments. Remember that you CAN – so resist! Before you do, first revise your rhythm section yet again. Keep working it out until you know it’s exactly what the additional instrument needs to be and what it needs to do. And only then go on and add it.
In this manner, you’ll learn to create “perfect” arrangements, i.e. arrangements which have exactly no more and no less than what’s needed for the song to work.

And then there’s one more unwritten but really essential rule: music needs to “breathe.” It’s a very good metaphor. When you breathe, you can breathe “in” or “out” – or “pause” for a moment. Make your music organic like that! You’ll quickly discover what works for your particular piece, but always keep in mind that “relentless” events in your music (e.g. constant rapping or repetitive melody or insistent riffs, or progressions without breaks, etc, etc) often spoil the listening experience.

“Less is more” is all about “taste” and as a songwriter/producer/arranger this is by far the most important weapon in your arsenal!

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