ANalysis: Imagine Dragons "It's Time" .....

[CHuckmott]

Since this is the hit many of us are going to be referencing for the Imagine Dragons instrumental listing, wanted to give this one a go..........breaking down the arrangement mostly.....Intro claps/Ad Indie Drums (For those using it, i.e.) Acoustic on one side , a higher register acoustiic on the other (or am I hearing things?) Piano when the vocal comes in hitting a quarter note thing......Bass lick (real or synth?)............FIrst chorus: Big synth pad....flute......Power guitars (buried) again maybe not.......great lesson in arranging in my opinion......Nice far way harmony vocal in the chorus.......great track.....

[andygabrys]

this time or it's time?

it's time - sounds to me as:

intro claps / foot stomps / kick drun
two mandolins - L and R playing slightly different figures - possibly hammered dulcimer. something with doubled strings. Predominantly on L.
piano on 1/4s in with vocals - mostly R side
add bass guitar
chorus: toms / snare / kick drums in, add synth high melody (sort of flute-like), add low buzzy synth pad
V2 - same as V1 with development
Chorus 2: similar to chorus 1 with slight reharmonization (II chord is major instead of minor)
bridge: add guitar with e-bow / delay
breakdown:
end chorus: add distorted guitars, melody is re-harmonized, massive unison vocals.

[CHuckmott]

That's great Andy....I heard the one mandolin but the other I assumed was acoustic guitar. They have some really neat instrument choics through that whole album, and the album in general I think has a pretty TV/film friendly sound, kind of part Coldplay, Part U2 with world music influences and the rest is their own thing. Strange and I just sort of discovered this about U2 as well, but they don't have a dedicated keyboard player , hire sidemen. At least according to Wikepedia . Interesting band to study.

[RockChild56]

River Dance meets HeeHaw

[CHuckmott]

Have had somewhat of an interest in mandolin since the days of old Zeppelin. CHris Thile of Nickel Creek could put many a rock player to shame with that thing. MAndolin = about as goth as you get.