What is your big picture concerning cues?

[AudiniAudio]

As I mentioned before, I listened to maybe 30 tracks in Bhangra, Bollywood, and HipHop on 2 different libraries. Although you may need to tailor tracks to individual libraries, I was just trying to get a broad overview of the procedure of making cues. I took notes on every tune while listening noting length of the introduction, if they used crash cymbals, reverse crashes, risers, or hits, existence of breaks or transitions, how variations were handled, how they ended etc...

I came up with a "recipe" at least for the cues that I listened to. They didn't all follow it but enough of them did to not be a coinkidink (coincidence).

They had between 8 and 10 "sections" generally of between 4-8 measures each.

Intros
Intros generally used either synth pads, piano, guitar finger picking or strumming, sometimes with other elements, sometimes not. Or something like synth plucks or bells playing a classical guitar type arpeggiation in place of a finger picked guitar.

1
In order to make a 4 measure intro sound shorter but not actually be shorter, the high hat and snare were held back for the first 2 measures then they arrived for the last two measures of the intro.

2
After a riser, reverse crash, or hit announcing the arrival of the real A section, the bass drum was added and lead instruments if there were any. Often the percussion which arrived was a less intense version than another version they will bring in later. This gives them somewhere to grow with their arrangement. Sometimes one lead instrument would alternate with another with a completely different timbre. Not all used a lead instrument.

In order to be able to ramp up the interest of a 4-8 measure "section," an instrument which would more fully arrive in the next section would hint at it's arrival with extremely sparse playing like between 1-4 events sometimes not even a motivic event, just a single note. This helps the feeling of being propelled forward.

3
In the next section almost everyone drops the percussion or only the percussion plays. The percussion might play a different pattern and/or be a different kit sometimes moving from acoustic drums to synth drums. One example dropped to just a repeating snare and bells.

4
Almost everyone brought back the original A section at this point with no additions.

5
After this, material from the intro was used usually as it was originally stated. Sometimes just some synth pads, piano, or guitar chord strumming.

6
Almost everyone had the A section return at this point with something added or instruments which played consecutively now played simultaneously.

7
Next is where more variation was added such as lighter or more intense percussion, or the synth was played quieter or a subtler patch.

8
There were too many types of variations with the next sections, if there were subsequent sections, so this is where more of your creative instincts would need to come in.

Button and sting endings were the norm. No fades.

I think this would get others who are wondering how this is done to arrive at something close enough to at least be in range of the target on a consistent basis. Other things can be done of course but gives you somewhere to start and to compare with.

[cosmicdolphin]

Sounds more or less in the ballpark except point 4. - I would never have an exact repeat of a previous section..maybe there were differences but they were not obvious

If you want to delve further into it I can recommend "Demystifying The Cue" by successful taxi member Dean Krippaehne

[Picardster]

Very good elaboration imho....

[AudiniAudio]

Hey Cosmic,
I can see not repeating the A as originally stated and the intro either.

Thanks Picardster, maybe now we should say, "Engage." (Star Trek reference if you missed it.)