Present Opeth Theory

[Ten SiSi]

dont worry man, 2% of my statements are serious. we're still on for friday night.

 

[Valerie]

Opeth songs has almost always several instrumental parts built up by (i.e.) a riff that is repeated exactly 4 times.
(Then comes perhaps another riff, chord sequence or vocal part... again often repeated the same number of times.)

This is VERY typical of Opeth!

Later (newer) album songs has (partly) the same structure, but with the excellent difference that things are slightly changed, or parts are added, during the four repetitions.

The more varied these riffs/sequences are, the more you can appreciate that they are repeated four times.
But many early Opeth songs tend to become slightly booring when you sort of KNOW what'll come...

Good call. A nice example of that is Mendez' slap part in Blackwater Park. Repeated four times, but each time the ending if the lick is varied.

 

[prowlergrig]

well i think 99% of repeated riffs in popular music are repeated 4 (or 2, or a multiple of 4) times... it's quite rare that you find a riff repeated 5 or 7 times and it doesn't sound forced (not that many wands would want to do it anyway)

 

[waz416c]

start off with a killer heavy riff.....throw in soem thrash later....then add some descending mellowing down guitar interlude.....and then the lush acsoutic passages.......!!!.......follow until fanboys are satisfied....!!!...hahaha......PEAC EOUT

 

[Ten SiSi]

..!!!......!!!....

[!.,;:"'{?/\}]

 

[RiffBoy]

Good call. A nice example of that is Mendez' slap part in Blackwater Park. Repeated four times, but each time the ending if the lick is varied.

Thanks! At last someone who is intelligent enough to both listen, read and replying!

Yes - that is a good example...

 

[Ten SiSi]

It's just overanalysis.

 

[RiffBoy]

I can't agree since YOU started this thread asking us to break down and analyze their songwriting tecnique! Right?!


And as this - his repeating stuff four times - is a signature of Mike then I think it is relevant.

He even uses it (sectionwise) in the early song 'Mordet i grottan' (Sörskogen - band)...

 

[Ten SiSi]

I can't agree since YOU started this thread asking us to break down and analyze their songwriting tecnique! Right?!

He even uses it (sectionwise) in the early song 'Mordet i grottan' (Sörskogen - band)...

Fair enough

 

[RiffBoy]

 

[prowlergrig]

again... repeating stuff 4 times is not a mike signature!
maybe opeth uses sequences of riffa x 4 , riffb x 4, riffc x 4 etc more consistently than other bands, but it's not an 'opeth thing'.

 

[An Absent Friend]

4 is the perfect number for a general riff. We use it too.

 

[RiffBoy]

again... repeating stuff 4 times is not a mike signature!
maybe opeth uses sequences of riffa x 4 , riffb x 4, riffc x 4 etc more consistently than other bands, but it's not an 'opeth thing'.

Ok, so tell me, can you name...lets say.. 3 songs where he DOESN'T repeat riffs/leads/sections in that 4x way..?

I bet you can't!

 

[westknife]

again... repeating stuff 4 times is not a mike signature!
maybe opeth uses sequences of riffa x 4 , riffb x 4, riffc x 4 etc more consistently than other bands, but it's not an 'opeth thing'.

most opeth riffs are repeated a multiple of 4 times, try listening to a song

 

[Opethian666]

Isn't that just general in most music? I just think you notice it more easily in Opeth songs because they have such long songs with so many riffs.

 

[westknife]

in riff-based music, yes

 

[Valerie]

Ok, so tell me, can you name...lets say.. 3 songs where he DOESN'T repeat riffs/leads/sections in that 4x way..?

I bet you can't!

Face of Melinda, Deliverance, Beneath the Mire.

 

[westknife]

Face of Melinda, Deliverance, Beneath the Mire.

no no, he said songs where the riffs aren't repeated 4x times

 

[Valerie]

no no, he said songs where the riffs aren't repeated 4x times

One lick in Face of Melinda is repeated three times. A riff in Deliverance and one in Beneath the Mire are repeated consecutively more than four times.

 

[westknife]

oh give me a break, what about the majority of the songs