Gather a collection of your favourite titles, and then rip them apart.Industry calls this technique reverse engineering. In industry, if competitor A is making a product that competitor B isn't and it is a runaway success, then B buys A's product and then dismantles it until they find out how it works. Then they work forward designing an assembly process so that company B can sell A's product without 1) the initial research and design costs, or 2) market research (as it has already been proven to work). Company B adds their logo, branding, and just slightly tweaks the product, and now they get their market share and keep with their competitors.
To Do:.
Listen to each track and then write down for each track:
1. How does each song start? Is there a basic drum beat that gets added to, and builds up into the song? Or does the song jump straight in. For radio play you only have about 3:20 minutes (hence you have radio edit on some songs) and your song should have this in mind. Also when you go on Amazon to listen to tunes, they only play you 20seconds of the start, and if yours just has wooshing sounds, and a huge atmospheric intro, it doesn't inspire to buy.
2. How do they end? Do they finish abruptly, or does the tunes fade out, or is there a continuous loop that fades out?
3. What does the drum loop do? What makes the loop up? Are they just kick, hihat, snare, hihat, or is there other beats woven into them. Do they use similar sounds (the TR909 drum kit is very famous and very noticeable in most dance tracks), are they exotic-incorporating people's voices (like the Art of Noise)? Mainly most dance tracks have a kick drum going throughout the track so that it is easier for DJs to mix their songs into a routine- the drum beat is generally continuous.
4. Is there a basic pattern throughout each song? A lot of songs try to catch you, or hook you in the first 15 seconds, most of the good ones do- sometimes the outline of the chorus is played at the start. They follow on with verse, chorus, verse, chorus, interlude, chorus, then final built up chorus. On a non dance side, Westlife and Back Street Boys (very sucessful boy bands) do this, you will notice that they increase in sound, instruments, and passion towards the end of their songs, and that is a formula that they have kept to.
5. What effects are used? Recent singles will obviously use recent effects, and this will keep you up-to-date with "what's hot and what's not".
6. What sounds do they like to use? On the dance scene TB303 base sounds and TR909 drum sounds are very commonly used, you would of thought that overuse would of killed off the machine, but it seems to be a prerequisite for some of these tracks, and the better use of them, the better the track. I believe it is due to the filters used on the 303 that give it appeal especially in dance songs, the noise builds up, from a low frequency to a higher one towards the end of the track, or being used as a chorus- see Binary Finary 1998- a classic example.
7. How do they link between chorus and verse? Sometimes that link can be really cool. For example, the infamous snare drum roll is a link between verse and chorus.
This list is not exhaustive at all, you could include, vocal sounds, strange sounds, styles within styles (dance within industrial music). The Shamen and The Prodigy have rock influences (on a Prodigy remix album, Liam states the Sex Pistols as an influence, also how grungy is The Fat of the Land? The Shamen has always got that "jittery/ choppy synth" guitar on their tracks). Rock has some excellent hooks, and some really cool baselines, and it is no wonder that there has been a merge between styles (remember Queen and Vanilla Ice with THAT baseline?). Eminem features, in his Sing for the Moment single, a chorus that uses a large sample from Aerosmith. Aerosmith on the other hand have collaborated with Run DMC to make a smash single. Also Latin, Oriental, and Asian influences have been influencing the dance music industry for some time now. Whether it is ethnic chants, to drum beats, or by using a flute, look within each track and determine the artist's influence. A classic example of Oriental styles within a groups work is the Future Sound of London (of Papa New Guinea fame). But once you have collected information about each part of each track then you have a good list for a killer track, which is within your style. Just compile and merge each heading, deleting repeating sentences. This list can be updated each time you obtain a new CD or single. Always refer back to the titles for inspiration, but always keep it up-to-date.
Note: The multi-hook technique. What makes up a good track, we all know its...you know...its...its...something. Tracks that are really cool, well we just know what they are when we hear them- sometimes they are hard to define. A true killer track, a really cool one, has one defining point in it that has made us buy it. Some people will buy because it's their favourite artist, however even fans have favourite songs, so why is that? Well it's to do with the hook. If you want a killer track, the hook, is the thing that you hum to, they are the real keys for a killer track. Now most of the time the hook is the chorus. For example Puff Daddy's and Faith Evans's "Missing You", which was a take upon Sting/The Police "Every Breath You Take". It made Puff Daddy rich and an international star. The chorus was the main selling point, however there was some MULTI-HOOKS in there, or Catches, that also make you remember certain parts, and it keeps the song fresh, and thus the whole song becomes really good. "Missing You" had a cool baseline, that got your head nodding, and that was a good track in itself, but then came the chorus, and it was an instant seller. Always remember do not rely upon the chorus alone to sell the track. If you can put into the track multi-hooks then you will be plain sailing. Another reason to include multi-hooks, is that it encourages re-playing. I have played some tracks over and over again because of their multi-hooks, and even replayed 20-second segments. Advertising boffins state that an ad must be shown to the same customer at least 7 times for that customer to recognise the product subconsciously with a certain task. If you can get replayable tracks, then all the better for it. Another multi-hook song is Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax. A huge hit. It was massive. And why? The multi-hooks. Was is that cool base drum playing throughout, the catchy chorus- that anyone can sing to, the rapid synth lines, the 3 note base sound? Well it is all of them. Each one has been thought about, and placed strategically into the track. 48 seconds into the track and they all appear, then go, then appear- like a mini chorus by themselves. I love the synth string section that kicks in at 1:28 minutes. Its like...woohoa, all this is cool. They are easily recognisable, they are easily hummed to- which is a huge must with any track, it is just simple, great dance music. Always remember the multi-hook technique, the main points being:
· Must be simple, and to be replayed in peoples minds - to hum to.
Those sounds that you hear on your favourite track sound really good, but where do the artists get the sounds from? Well that is a good question, and the internet has the key. Click here to continue the competition guide. |