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

[BrianW]

Hi, taxi forum. i'm moving this post to a better spot.

So, Taxi will often look for instrumental "cues" for their listings. What makes a "cue" unique to you, and different from a regular song?? Arrangement, song length, changes, melody, genre? What types of users are really looking for instrumental cues?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

[mojobone]

I think the fundamental difference between a cue and a song is that a cue doesn't require parts, nor transitions; a cue exists for a single purpose, portraying a single emotion, while a song may serve a single emotion, yet require at least two parts.

[billg1]

From what i've encountered a lot of library/publishers refer to instrumentals as cues and tracks with vocals and lyrics as songs.

[Casey H]

Hi, taxi forum. i'm moving this post to a better spot.

So, Taxi will often look for instrumental "cues" for their listings. What makes a "cue" unique to you, and different from a regular song?? Arrangement, song length, changes, melody, genre? What types of users are really looking for instrumental cues?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

Tough to give one answer-- it varies a lot.

Instrumental cues are generally used as background behind scenes, dialog, or voiceover. The volume of the cues will be varied as needed to fade in and out with dialog, voice, etc. Sometimes cues can be transition music between scenes. One type is known as a "stinger" (5-10 seconds with a hard ending that coincides with the end of a scene).

Unfortunately the word "cue" has become synonomous with any music used on TV. Hence the term "cue sheet"-- a document that lists all the music used on a TV show- titles, lengths, writers, publishers, PROs, etc. This goes to the PRO's (ASCAP, BMI, etc) so writers and publishers get paid.

What makes an instrumental cue different from a song? Sometimes they are almost the same-- verses, choruses, bridges... However, very often an instrumental cue can be shorter-- under 2:30, 60 seconds, 30 seconds, or even less.

One difference can be structure. A song is hard to pitch nowadays without a fairly common structure such as VCVCBC. Instrumental cues can have only 2 sections and be "ABA" or "ABAB" or other structure that doesn't work that well for songs anymore.

Mood, genre, and style vary all over the board. Any genre that can be synced to video to enhance the experience will be used.

Watch some TV shows. Pay close attention to that often barely audible music in the background. Make some notes.

HTH.... I welcome others to correct and/or add to what I said...

Casey

[ggalen]

Could it also be that since a cue is meant to be used "under" a visual, it works best if it is much more of a simple idea, almost just a riff, with variations. It is not meant to be a song that can stand on its own, since that would command too much of the viewer's attention.

What do you think? Does that sound right?

[Casey H]

Could it also be that since a cue is meant to be used "under" a visual, it works best if it is much more of a simple idea, almost just a riff, with variations. It is not meant to be a song that can stand on its own, since that would command too much of the viewer's attention.

What do you think? Does that sound right?

Yes, but not always. The word "cue" covers very wide ground. Even songs with vocals are sometimes referred to as "cues".

It's more important, if someone such as a Taxi listing is requesting cues, to depend more on the rest of the description and not go by, "if it's 'cue', it must be this or that.

Casey

[deankripp]

To me a "song" is something that tries to get noticed and a "cue" is something that is best if it is not noticed - only felt.

I like to think of a cue (when it's the "non-song" definition of "cue") as trying to convey a particular mood or a combination of similar moods through an instrumental piece of music for the sole purpose of enhancing the scene and/or elevating the emotion of the scene.

Common cue emotions: danger-tense, danger-chase, lonely-sad, heartwarming-uplifting, happy-carefree-quirky, party-fun-dance, etc... and any other emotion(s) that people may experience....

It also helps me to think of this kind of "cue" as the perfect "lighting" in a particular movie scene - something that enhances the mood that the director is seeking... when the cue is right, like the perfect set lighting - you won't even know it is there... you'll just be caught up in the story...



dean

my highly subjective 2 cents....

[ggalen]

To me a "song" is something that tries to get noticed and a "cue" is something that is best if it is not noticed - only felt.

I like to think of a cue (when it's the "non-song" definition of "cue") as trying to convey a particular mood or a combination of similar moods through an instrumental piece of music for the sole purpose of enhancing the scene and/or elevating the emotion of the scene.

Common cue emotions: danger-tense, danger-chase, lonely-sad, heartwarming-uplifting, happy-carefree-quirky, party-fun-dance, etc... and any other emotion(s) that people may experience....

It also helps me to think of this kind of "cue" as the perfect "lighting" in a particular movie scene - something that enhances the mood that the director is seeking... when the cue is right, like the perfect set lighting - you won't even know it is there... you'll just be caught up in the story...



dean

my highly subjective 2 cents....

Dean,

Which is why people who in reality want to be known as songwriters may be disappointed with writing cues...unless they find they enjoy a different kind of challenge and don't mind being more or less anonymous to the music-buying public.

[deankripp]

Dean,

Which is why people who in reality want to be known as songwriters may be disappointed with writing cues...unless they find they enjoy a different kind of challenge and don't mind being more or less anonymous to the music-buying public.

yup - exactly...

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....



dean

[fusilierb]

To me some other key differences are:

A song is there to feature the lyrics. Typically they follow a pretty basic structure of built up of chunks of music that repeat like the verses and choruses. The music underneath those sections tend to stay the same or really close. So the verse is distinctly the verse and the chorus is distinctly the chorus.

A cue, or instrumental, does follow structure also, but there is usually lots of movement and development within sections which build into other sections. In other words, the music is more active and changes a lot to add a sense of drama.

My point is, just taking the vocals away from a song does not make an instrumental. Or it wouldn't make a very interesting one for the most part.

And they are everywhere. Just watch TV. You'll hear a million more instrumentals than you will songs.