DanLights
Santa Hat Forever
Yes, please continue, I'm having great fun absorbing your knowledge and actually trying it out in some new songs.
Deathcode Society - Apocalypse Metal
- Thread starter ArnaudM
- Start date
Fifth_Horseman
Watch out, it's sharp!
Thank you for these lessons, Arnaud!
I am enjoying them a lot and would certainly appreciate if you'd add to them in the future. In my writing for my melodic death band I've relied very much on harmonizing melodies in the past and have been trying to break out of that habit, so this is very helpful to me!
I am enjoying them a lot and would certainly appreciate if you'd add to them in the future. In my writing for my melodic death band I've relied very much on harmonizing melodies in the past and have been trying to break out of that habit, so this is very helpful to me!
abigor731
Member
i am definately interested, it is really useful information to me
i just i don't have anything to add at the moment
i just i don't have anything to add at the moment
- Apr 7, 2011
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So... I will have to take one or two days to think about another chapter.
I wanted to clear two things out :
1- How to use the same theme in several parts of a song, to give it more coherence, without the listener consciously seing it.
2- How elegantly and originaly change the tonality in a song. That's my favorite part :Smokedev:
I was not claiming for reactions, but it is not of my nature to put myself in the front, and I sometimes need feedback just to know if I'm not the boring voice nobody wants to listen to. It happens, you know :Smokedev:
AM
I wanted to clear two things out :
1- How to use the same theme in several parts of a song, to give it more coherence, without the listener consciously seing it.
2- How elegantly and originaly change the tonality in a song. That's my favorite part :Smokedev:
I was not claiming for reactions, but it is not of my nature to put myself in the front, and I sometimes need feedback just to know if I'm not the boring voice nobody wants to listen to. It happens, you know :Smokedev:
AM
Extreme Vocals
Member
This is a great thread. It's nice to see a vocalist with so much knowledge about composition. I'll toss in a contirbution along with the kudos. A great song and a really simple example of some of what Arnaud is talking about composition wise is a song from The Abscence - "Dead and Gone". It shows how more stripped down metal can use concepts like themes etc.
http://youtu.be/ZYIj7eDz8X0
The intro riff is the theme. It's the singular and most prominent part of the song in the beginning. At :29 They move into a chord based structure. The riff is still actually playing behind it, but has taken a supportive role and is keeping the sense of motion going. The chords are more rythmically tied to the vocalists pace, creating a sense of space without dragging the verses down.
At :39 The guitars move to a harmonized melody in the lead. Again, the riff is still moving underneath as a supportive piece. The harmonized melody is setting the stage for the upcoming chorus melody that will temporarily depart from the use of the motif of the intro riff.
At 1:10 the riff returns in an altered form using just the first couple of notes in repetition along with a bass movement to create a tension and move the song back to the theme completely.
1:24 The theme riff returns, but is now being used with a different rhythmic sense adding tension, and a sense of the song evolving even though the same motif is playing again.
2:18, again the theme is moved to a supporting role and a new chord movement added over it.
2:32 the riff becomes the feature again, but the bass is moved off of it's former unison role to indicate a coming change in the song and helps create a more gradual transition.
There's much more to analyze in the song, but it's a good simple example of how even less complex, and non symphonic music can make use of the concepts Arnaud is talking about. Well done man!
http://youtu.be/ZYIj7eDz8X0
The intro riff is the theme. It's the singular and most prominent part of the song in the beginning. At :29 They move into a chord based structure. The riff is still actually playing behind it, but has taken a supportive role and is keeping the sense of motion going. The chords are more rythmically tied to the vocalists pace, creating a sense of space without dragging the verses down.
At :39 The guitars move to a harmonized melody in the lead. Again, the riff is still moving underneath as a supportive piece. The harmonized melody is setting the stage for the upcoming chorus melody that will temporarily depart from the use of the motif of the intro riff.
At 1:10 the riff returns in an altered form using just the first couple of notes in repetition along with a bass movement to create a tension and move the song back to the theme completely.
1:24 The theme riff returns, but is now being used with a different rhythmic sense adding tension, and a sense of the song evolving even though the same motif is playing again.
2:18, again the theme is moved to a supporting role and a new chord movement added over it.
2:32 the riff becomes the feature again, but the bass is moved off of it's former unison role to indicate a coming change in the song and helps create a more gradual transition.
There's much more to analyze in the song, but it's a good simple example of how even less complex, and non symphonic music can make use of the concepts Arnaud is talking about. Well done man!
- Apr 7, 2011
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Thanks Rodney !
That's also a great post ! Indeed, the song you're using as an example is very interesting to listen to.
A good friend of mine, one day we were talking about music and composition science, told me that the main difference between a masterpiece and a good song was the level of coherence.
That's also a great post ! Indeed, the song you're using as an example is very interesting to listen to.
A good friend of mine, one day we were talking about music and composition science, told me that the main difference between a masterpiece and a good song was the level of coherence.
- Apr 7, 2011
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I am currently taking care of my new born son, who came into the world a bit too early (29 weeks - 6 months and a half) and spend almost two months at the hospital. He went home on saturday, so I spend time with him. I am thinking about the next "lesson" but it's the most creative one and I have to think how I can clearly and efficiently write it .
See ya soon !
AM
See ya soon !
AM
DanLights
Santa Hat Forever
ArnaudM said:
Woah, quite unexpected, best of luck with your offspring, he's obviously your main priority right now so take care of that first, we'll be patiently waiting to keep squeezing your brain!
- Apr 7, 2011
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Very good news about Deathcode Society. I opened a new thread in the bar for it - http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/bar/857753-deathcode-society-pre-order-campaign-launched.html
