MAKING OR BREAKING DOWN A SONG
One of the most systematic ways of producing a song is to first break it apart into its core elements. There are at least 8 elements that make up most songs:
1) STYLE
-Also known as tradition, idiom or genre.
-It give a song a certain identity. It's like asking
"WHO are you?"
-Examples: Hip-hop, jazz, classical, country, R&B, pop, MOR, etc.
2)
ATMOSPHERE
-Also known as ambience but not to be confused with mood (as discussed below).
-It's like asking "WHERE are you?"
-Some songs transport us to a tropical island, or the heart of a city, or
a roaring coliseum or even the very throne of God!
3) MOOD
-It's like asking "How do you FEEL?"
-Examples: Exuberated, revived, chilled or perhaps sad or solemn?
4) MESSAGE
-Also known as viewpoint, facts or philosophy.
-It's like asking "WHAT are you trying
to say?" and even "What RESPONSE do you require?"
5) LYRICS
-This is the words of the song.
-Not the same as the MESSAGE. MESSAGE is what you say, LYRICS are how you
say it.
6) MELODY, or tune.
7) HARMONY, or chord structure and voicing.
8) RHYTHM, or beat, groove or feel.
APPLICATION: The first 4 elements are also known as INTANGIBLE elements and the last 4 are TANGIBLE elements. Crafted songwriters and producers usually have some idea of the intangible elements in their head (or heart) and craft them into songs using the tangible elements. For example, a certain melody supported by harmony and rhythm will determine the style of a song which affects the listener's mood and atmosphere. All elements are important and must work together to support the message that the songwriter is trying to champion through.
Reference: Owens, J. and C. (1984). Words & Music. Texas: Word.
A listener's perceived sound in a
room can be divided into 3 components:
1) Direct sound from the source.
2) Early reflections.
3) Late reflections or reverberant sound.
There are 3 important aspects of
the early reflections:
1) Echo: These are strong delay, strong level reflections and is not desirable.
2) Colouration: Short delay, strong level reflections and is not desirable.
3) Support: Short delay, less strong level reflections and is desirable.
Room acoustic performance can be
judged using the following subjective parameters as commonly used by acousticians,
musicians and conductors:
1) Clarity: Is the sound muddy or clear? Ideally, each sound should arrive
cleanly, crisply and unobscured, especially when speech intelligibility is
needed.
2) Envelopment: Is the sound constricted or expansive? Ideally, the listener
should not feel separated from the source but rather bathed in sound from
all sides; yet at the same time the sound must identifiably originate on the
stage to match the sense of sound with that of sight.
3) Reverberance: Is the sound dead or lively? Even though there must be repeated
reflections of sound off walls, they should have a pleasing rate of decay
and blended together smoothly to avoid echoes and colourations.
4) Loudness: Is the sound quiet or loud? Ideally, the perceived sound should
be sufficiently but not overly loud for clarify and listening pleasure.
5) Balance:Is the sound warm or bright?
6) Intimacy: Is the sound remote or intimate?
7) Uniformity: Ideally, listeners in all parts of the hall should hear as
nearly the same sound as possible; there should be no dead spots.
8) Performer satisfaction: Ideally, the stage must also be free from distracting
echoes and at the same time provide enough enclosure that performers in a
group can feel they are in good communications with one another.
9) Freedom from noise: Ideally, soft passages in the music should not be disturbed
external noise, eg traffic noise outside or noise ventilation system.
10) Freedom from room modes/resonances: Applies only to small rooms, eg recording
studios where room modes will add colouration.
In order to achieve the required
performance, acousticians use the following tools to design and tweak room
acoustics:
1) Absorbers: To absorb sound.
2) Diffusors: To diffuse sound.
3) Reflectors: To reflect sound.
Reference: Excerpted from LArry's Acoustic Masterclass Series.
...More tips coming
Last updated on
10 June, 2003
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