Avoiding REPETITIVENESS

[cosmicdolphin]

Hey thanks for this Tom ! I thought I would share a track I signed to a library last week as an example.

Basically this cue repeats the same chord pattern all the way through , but using some of the above techniques keeps it interesting and evolving whilst still staying in the same lane. I think this is the beauty of an A-A-A-A structure ( and I thank Andy Gabrys for giving me this advice when I was starting out ) that it develop and changes but still feels like the same cue and doesn't veer off. Which is great for an editor to work with.

Now I don't normally do this sort of corporate positive stuff but a brief went out and gave it shot , and they seemed to like it.

https://soundcloud.com/user-45178330/st ... PTIO0wcNzD

To break it down:-

1. 8 bar pattern - ( it's a hybrid toy piano patch ) this gives me about 15 seconds of music ...repeat that about 8 times and that's a 2 min cue

2. 4 bars in I've already used a little subtle cymbal and added some strings underneath

3. @16s there's a little pause and short riser to prepare the listener for a new section then I've added a Kick - Snaps - Pad - Bass

4. @26s ..I use my 4 bar rule and add a double of the main piano type part on octave below . It's quite subtle but it thickens the texture

5. @33s small drum fill to tell the listener something is changing . Now there's claps and a different piano joins in playing more blocked type chords under the arpeggio

6. @50s I have a drum fill into breakdown

7. @51s I've taken the same midi part I used from the start but I've put it up an octave and switched it over to that 2nd piano that was playing the blocked chords before. I tweaked the velocities for a more delicate sound and I also changed the last chord by moving one note of the chord up so it lifts a bit more.

8. @ 1m I bring back same arrangement of drums , bass , clicks etc but now I've stayed with the higher piano on the arpeggio instead of the toy piano type sound I used at the start. I also bring back the strings from bar 8 but this time they play an octave lower, and I bring in a strummed guitar part to add a bit more texture, so although almost every part has been heard previously they've not been heard in this combination thus far. Only the guitar is new and that's fairly subtle.

9. @1.15 Another fill announces the return of the higher string part and I add some little orchestral high parts

10. @ 1.30 ,Another little fill and I remove some of the arrangement for a few beats just to make an easier edit point

11. @ 1.32 the toy piano is back for the last section but this time it's an octave higher , plus I added a shaker pattern for the final 8 bars

12. @ 1.56 instead of just ending it at the end of the 8 bar pattern I carried on with the high piano and a drum fill just to give a little something different at the end

So that's it.

Same 8 bar pattern all the way through, but trying to keep it moving, evolving and interesting. Most of all giving the end user options.

Mark

[Mmichaelis]

Here is Mark's list (as a direct quote):

this is FANTASTIC advice!! thanks for posting!!

[gitanosoy]

Wow !!! Finally..Thank you Tom for bringing this up and thank you Mark for posting your track with a breakdown sheet..cool track.

This should be used for a Taxi tutorial for members to refer to.

Thank you again..I am sure a lot of members will be thrilled with this.

[gitanosoy]

How can I save this post in the forum? All I see is a bookmark option.


thanks.

[Ted]

Very good thread, Tom! Thanks.

Mark, that list of devices for changing things up is something I need to write down and tape next to my DAW. Your example showing how you kept your track evolving was really helpful and much appreciated.

Awesome!

[cosmicdolphin]

Mark, that list of devices for changing things up is something I need to write down and tape next to my DAW.

I'll be selling T-Shirts at the virtual RR

[lesmac]

Great stuff, thank for posting.

[Ted]

Mark, that list of devices for changing things up is something I need to write down and tape next to my DAW.

I'll be selling T-Shirts at the virtual RR

Haha. That would be awesome.

[cosmicdolphin]

take percussion or even a lead synth and have a low pass on it that generally is not audible (e.g. set to 20 kHz). But every now and then, for 4 or 8 bars, the low cut goes (automated) down to, say 1500 Hz, or even 1000 Hz, or lower, to create a "muffled" and somewhat muted version of this part of the track, only to bring it back later in all its beauty.

You are right Tom, I'd forgotten about that one it should be on my list. Quite a common trick in electronic music to have some sort of filter sweep either on the lead instrument or chords.

So you get to use the same part over again but it sounds different. Great for when everything drops out and you're building the track up again. Here is one I had placed that uses that trick.

https://soundcloud.com/user-45178330/em ... eard-on-tv

So the lead synth hook I used at 10s onwards I re-used in the middle section at 53s but with a filter sweep on it. Also notice it uses the octave jump trick as well, and then the 3rd time it plays it at 1.15 it's a different synth patch.

[Susanstunes]

Hey thanks for this Tom ! I thought I would share a track I signed to a library last week as an example.

Basically this cue repeats the same chord pattern all the way through , but using some of the above techniques keeps it interesting and evolving whilst still staying in the same lane. I think this is the beauty of an A-A-A-A structure ( and I thank Andy Gabrys for giving me this advice when I was starting out ) that it develop and changes but still feels like the same cue and doesn't veer off. Which is great for an editor to work with.

Now I don't normally do this sort of corporate positive stuff but a brief went out and gave it shot , and they seemed to like it.

https://soundcloud.com/user-45178330/st ... PTIO0wcNzD

To break it down:-

1. 8 bar pattern - ( it's a hybrid toy piano patch ) this gives me about 15 seconds of music ...repeat that about 8 times and that's a 2 min cue

2. 4 bars in I've already used a little subtle cymbal and added some strings underneath

3. @16s there's a little pause and short riser to prepare the listener for a new section then I've added a Kick - Snaps - Pad - Bass

4. @26s ..I use my 4 bar rule and add a double of the main piano type part on octave below . It's quite subtle but it thickens the texture

5. @33s small drum fill to tell the listener something is changing . Now there's claps and a different piano joins in playing more blocked type chords under the arpeggio

6. @50s I have a drum fill into breakdown

7. @51s I've taken the same midi part I used from the start but I've put it up an octave and switched it over to that 2nd piano that was playing the blocked chords before. I tweaked the velocities for a more delicate sound and I also changed the last chord by moving one note of the chord up so it lifts a bit more.

8. @ 1m I bring back same arrangement of drums , bass , clicks etc but now I've stayed with the higher piano on the arpeggio instead of the toy piano type sound I used at the start. I also bring back the strings from bar 8 but this time they play an octave lower, and I bring in a strummed guitar part to add a bit more texture, so although almost every part has been heard previously they've not been heard in this combination thus far. Only the guitar is new and that's fairly subtle.

9. @1.15 Another fill announces the return of the higher string part and I add some little orchestral high parts

10. @ 1.30 ,Another little fill and I remove some of the arrangement for a few beats just to make an easier edit point

11. @ 1.32 the toy piano is back for the last section but this time it's an octave higher , plus I added a shaker pattern for the final 8 bars

12. @ 1.56 instead of just ending it at the end of the 8 bar pattern I carried on with the high piano and a drum fill just to give a little something different at the end

So that's it.

Same 8 bar pattern all the way through, but trying to keep it moving, evolving and interesting. Most of all giving the end user options.

Mark

I have to thank you for this, Mark. Truly an issue for me and obviously many others.
So helpful to have you break this down.

Thank You! Susan