Song structure experiment - A->B

Elektronauts Our Music
#1

I’ve experimented a bit with a type of song structure lately where you begin with one thing, transition over to another thing, and then over to a completely different thing in the end. So it sort of ends up with something pretty different from what it started with. This is probably the “best” song I’ve gotten out of it so far.

Still repetitive to a certain degree, of course, but I really like working this way. Makes the music a bit more interesting, I think. :slight_smile:

Anyone else experimenting with more “off-grid” song structures? Would love to hear about it, and how you go about doing it. :slight_smile:

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#2

The academics call that “through composed”. Not that you need anyone’s stamp of approval, but I think it’s a great compositional device. :smile:

Nice mellow track!

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#3

Ah, really? Thanks. :slight_smile: that’s good to know, I need to look up a few examples. Thanks! :smiley:

#4

It’s good vibes :blush: I like to work like this too sometimes it kind of feels like moving down a stream or path

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#5

What did you use to make this track? It’s excellent.

#6

I love this tune. I also tend to employ this technique often, almost subconsciously. It’s fun to make that journey with a song.

#7

hey, thanks a lot, mpiecora, that’s nice to hear! it’s made using my eurorack, sequencing done with winter modular eloquencer. :slight_smile:

Anfirm - thanks a lot! :slight_smile: Cool, I’d love to hear some examples! Same for you Yohon, would love to hear some examples of how you guys do it. :slight_smile:

And you know, in general, I’d love to hear namedropping of artists or albums using this technique!

#8

Nice song. Beautiful sounds!

My song structure is perhaps unorthodox, but I always feel as if I am cobbling together various bits that might not naturally go together, then attempting to smooth over and camouflage the seams where they meet. I mean, I guess a lot of modern music might do this. Like hip-hop mixtapes, dj sets, or people trying out all sorts of “clashing” ideas in Ableton’s Session view.

I like to listen to music like this as well as make it. I feel it keeps the ear interested and the brain never knows what’s coming next. When I listen to a 4 or 5 piece rock band, I can usually tell what’s coming next. Occasionally there are some mild surprises. But electronic music is pretty much a deep dark forest where anything can be lurking around the corner. I had no idea where this tune was headed and I enjoyed every minute of it. Keep those unconventional structures coming!

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#9

Thanks for the kind words! :slight_smile: And for the interesting input!

I guess I’m looking for music that is surprising, but having a hard time finding it at the moment. Finding so much electronic music these days to be somewhat “functional” and formulaic, very few things that truly inspires and captures me. But that might very well be because I’m getting older, and I’ve got less time for listening to and exploring music these days. Experimental mixes can be good listens though, but for the sheer amount of mixes out there, they are hard to come by, in my opinion. Where to begin the search?

I’ve been re-listening a lot to James Holden’s ‘At the Controls’ lately - a truly great example of mix that just takes you on a somewhat unexpected journey. It’s just a bliss listening to it. :slight_smile:

#10

I suppose I would define my process as a ‘collage in time’ layering and juxtaposing things, but I do like an underlying pattern or structure to hang these things off. Why i like miles Davis ‘on the corner’ so much.

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#11

I feel you on that one. Same here. YouTube is great for randomly surfing for new music. I usually have that on all day at work. It can take you to some unexpected places once in a while. I think the usual places have tons of great music. It’s just like you say, we lack the time to really dig in and sift through. I just get lucky and find nice stuff because my headphones are attached to my noggin all day at my desk.

Also, I don’t mean to come off as some music snob. I truly appreciate the craft and work that goes into writing a good formulaic pop song. Formulaic, not necessarily as in boring, but as in written to… a formula! I think it can be a real challenge to write something in a traditional structure that doesn’t put people to sleep.

James Holden is fantastic. Thought The Inheritors was :fire:

#12

a random convo over the weekend turned me on to tennyson’s ‘like what’ ep from 2015, it’s surprising in playful ways.

really enjoyed the sounds & progression in your track!

#13

Oh, I feel you! And yes, I wholeheartedly agree, I don’t mean to slam music in general or even pop music, just speaking from a personal standpoint on how I perceive and appreciate music these days. I remember in the early days getting into electronic music (coming from a punk/rock type background), it was just like going into a jungle experiencing gems all the time. Everything felt so fresh. So it’s probably a lot of fatigue or overlistening maybe. I should get back into listening more to rock bands, but I don’t know who are worth listening to these days, haha.

dubathonic - thanks, man! Good to see you’re still hanging around these parts. :slight_smile: I will check that ep out straight away, thanks a lot for the tip!

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