Edit points in Instrumental?

[garrettmiller]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know what everyone's opinion is on adding edit points in instrumentals. Not instrumental cues. Duration run in the 3-4
minute mark with "typical song" structure: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, etc... Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

Garrett

[cosmicdolphin]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know what everyone's opinion is on adding edit points in instrumentals. Not instrumental cues. Duration run in the 3-4
minute mark with "typical song" structure: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, etc... Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

Garrett

I've not come across any libraries asking for 3-4 minute long tracks that are purely instrumental unless it's a song in which case they always want the mix minus vocals too. Not saying they don't exist but I've not come across it as shorter cues are more preferable. Either way I would always include edit points wherever possible, they are easy to include i.e. just before the drop / chorus and possibly at the end of a chorus before it goes in the next verse.

Mark

[Casey H]

Edit points are very helpful (highly recommended) though I still get lots of placements on reality TV from instrumental tracks of vocal songs (these libraries ONLY have the instrumental). Some of these pay crap and some nicely.

Some things you can do if it's a backing track are: Remove intro bars if they are repetition of what's in the verse section. Shorten it a bunch (2-2:30 is enough), try to maintain the most interesting parts and keep some flow. Put a lead instrument (nothing too screamy that will interfere with dialog) on it. Since you have sections, see if you can insert a little space between sections for edit points. Listen to it and seem if there are enough changes to keep it interesting. Listen at low volume to see if anything jumps out that would interfere with dialog.

The above is not how to write a cue from scratch, it's how to *possibly* use your backing tracks as TV instrumentals. While I've had placements with these techniques, I do find it rare to get a Taxi forward for a cue listing with tracks like these as the listings are more targeted and want tracks that truly sound like they were written as cues and constructed accordingly.

I recommend Dean Krippaehne's book "Demystifying The Cue" as well as others.

Full disclosure: I'm a vocal songwriter who only dabbles with some instrumental cues or gets lucky that a backing track works as a cue.

Casey

[garrettmiller]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know what everyone's opinion is on adding edit points in instrumentals. Not instrumental cues. Duration run in the 3-4
minute mark with "typical song" structure: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, etc... Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

Garrett

I've not come across any libraries asking for 3-4 minute long tracks that are purely instrumental unless it's a song in which case they always want the mix minus vocals too. Not saying they don't exist but I've not come across it as shorter cues are more preferable. Either way I would always include edit points wherever possible, they are easy to include i.e. just before the drop / chorus and possibly at the end of a chorus before it goes in the next verse.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the info. It’s for a listing so I may go for both with and without edits if time permits. I didn’t want it to be considered a 3-4 min “cue” and get returned for that or for not having edit points at all following the song structure mentioned earlier. I don’t write this way anymore really since doing sync but a rework of an old instrumental I have may be a good fit for the listing:
LOTS of HALLOWEEN INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed for……

Thanks

[garrettmiller]

Edit points are very helpful (highly recommended) though I still get lots of placements on reality TV from instrumental tracks of vocal songs (these libraries ONLY have the instrumental). Some of these pay crap and some nicely.

Some things you can do if it's a backing track are: Remove intro bars if they are repetition of what's in the verse section. Shorten it a bunch (2-2:30 is enough), try to maintain the most interesting parts and keep some flow. Put a lead instrument (nothing too screamy that will interfere with dialog) on it. Since you have sections, see if you can insert a little space between sections for edit points. Listen to it and seem if there are enough changes to keep it interesting. Listen at low volume to see if anything jumps out that would interfere with dialog.

The above is not how to write a cue from scratch, it's how to *possibly* use your backing tracks as TV instrumentals. While I've had placements with these techniques, I do find it rare to get a Taxi forward for a cue listing with tracks like these as the listings are more targeted and want tracks that truly sound like they were written as cues and constructed accordingly.

I recommend Dean Krippaehne's book "Demystifying The Cue" as well as others.

Full disclosure: I'm a vocal songwriter who only dabbles with some instrumental cues or gets lucky that a backing track works as a cue.

Casey

Hi Casey,

Thanks for the info. I picked up Robin Fredricks Shortcuts to songwriting for Film/TV a while back. Lots of great info. Deans book is next on my list.
Thanks

[Paulie]

I did a short video on creating edit points earlier this year. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/X3_aCKHU2y0

[garrettmiller]

I did a short video on creating edit points earlier this year. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/X3_aCKHU2y0

Hi Paulie,

Nice. Thanks for the link.


Garrett