What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by T&V Marino » Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:08 pm

Hi Brian,

There are a lot of great answers here, and they're all correct!

When we first starting writing for TAXI listings 8 years ago, we used to write "instrumental songs," which were basically songs without lyrics. These instrumental cues had a melody and were written in "song structure," which is a verse, chorus, verse, bridge. What we've learned over the years is that this form is not ideal.

This is how we write now:

We write in "reverse." The first part of our cue is the "chorus" with hooky riffs instead of a verse with a long, rambling melody. We call it the "A" section. Then we develop this A section by adding some more instruments like percussion or we bring the drums and bass in, etc.

Next, we might do another even more developed A section, or it might be time to change to a "B" section. We usually stay in the key (instead of going from major to minor for example). Then we go back to our "A" section with a break down. This means we highlight the drums and bass or do a "very light" version of the first A section. It makes it easier for the Music Editor to use.

If you check out the music on the major production music libraries (Megatrax, Killer Tracks, FirstCom, 5 Alarm, etc.), compare the instrumental cues with the songs they have. We learned so much after doing this several years ago. It's very eye-opening!

Good luck!

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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by Casey H » Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:11 am

deankripp wrote:one of the beautiful things for me about getting "older" is that I have able to leave that fame thing in the dust...(or maybe that fame thing left me in the dust)... nowadays, as long as the checks don't bounce, I'm happy baby....

;-)
Yes... I used to dream of writing the next #1 radio hit... Now I hear 12 seconds of my music-- barely audible under a scene from "People Who Are Addicted To Eating Styrofoam" on TLC and I'm dancing on the ceiling! :lol: :lol:

;) Casey

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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by rld » Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:59 am

Casey H wrote: Yes... I used to dream of writing the next #1 radio hit... Now I hear 12 seconds of my music-- barely audible under a scene from "People Who Are Addicted To Eating Styrofoam" on TLC and I'm dancing on the ceiling! :lol: :lol:

;) Casey
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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by ggalen » Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:02 am

Bryan,

Good points and good illustrations.

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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by mazz » Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:59 am

To further add: A piece of music written specifically to picture for a movie or film is often referred to as a cue.

Film cues are usually less useful in production music because they were written to specific footage and if it doesn't exactly fit the current scene it may not be chosen. Film cues tend to make a lot of changes dramatically and emotionally and with production music cues it's generally better to keep to one mood and let the editors create the changes by editing several pieces together to fit the scene, for instance.

Cue is a generic term.
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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by mikehamm123 » Sun Aug 11, 2019 9:49 am

Can someone help me interpret listing #D190828HM
ORIGINAL, "MANCINI-STYLE" JAZZ INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a very successful, EXCLUSIVE A-List Music Library for a variety of TV, Film, Trailer, Promo, and Commercial placements.
They’re looking for a bunch of Instrumentals in a variety of Tempos and Moods that are in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references the company gave us...

Please submit well-crafted Instrumentals (not Cues) that are smooth and cool with an old-school, retro-Jazz style and sound.

By "Instrumentals (not Cues)", is this meant--an instrumental 'song' with a song structure, rather than 'a repeating piece of music with gradual variations that sticks to one mood that can be easily edited'?
Mike

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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by mojobone » Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:46 am

mazz wrote:
Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:59 am
To further add: A piece of music written specifically to picture for a movie or film is often referred to as a cue.

Film cues are usually less useful in production music because they were written to specific footage and if it doesn't exactly fit the current scene it may not be chosen. Film cues tend to make a lot of changes dramatically and emotionally and with production music cues it's generally better to keep to one mood and let the editors create the changes by editing several pieces together to fit the scene, for instance.

Cue is a generic term.
I wish this forum had a 'like' button; I like this post. It should also be noted that the generous Dean Kripphaene is the author of Demystifying The Cue. You can take his answers to the bank.
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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by mojobone » Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:49 am

mikehamm123 wrote:
Sun Aug 11, 2019 9:49 am
Can someone help me interpret listing #D190828HM
ORIGINAL, "MANCINI-STYLE" JAZZ INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a very successful, EXCLUSIVE A-List Music Library for a variety of TV, Film, Trailer, Promo, and Commercial placements.
They’re looking for a bunch of Instrumentals in a variety of Tempos and Moods that are in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references the company gave us...

Please submit well-crafted Instrumentals (not Cues) that are smooth and cool with an old-school, retro-Jazz style and sound.

By "Instrumentals (not Cues)", is this meant--an instrumental 'song' with a song structure, rather than 'a repeating piece of music with gradual variations that sticks to one mood that can be easily edited'?
That's right; a song can have an emotional transition or a story arc; cues generally don't. This applies to vocals as well as instrumentals.
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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by mikehamm123 » Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:42 pm

mojobone wrote:
Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:49 am
That's right; a song can have an emotional transition or a story arc; cues generally don't. This applies to vocals as well as instrumentals.
Thank you.

Was my belief, but in reading this thread, some terms seemed to be used interchangeably.
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Re: What makes an instrumental "cue" differnt from just a song?

Post by melodymessiah » Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:41 am

a cue doesn't have to be a hit ;)

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