everybody in the place to be,
I've noticed lately that a lot (or all) of the discussions we have on songwriting centre around the creation of melody and chord prgressions. "well, duh" I hear you mumble at your screen, but we are forgetting a large part of whatr music is all about - the bass and rhythm section.
Western music - ie. "white music" is based almost always on melody first and rhythm second. Our laws on copyright are written to this effect - 90% melody, 10% rhythm. As such, funk artists from the sixties and seventies are still getting ripped off today without any recognition, financially or otherwise.
I have heard it said on this board that there are only 12 notes, and so we naturally repeat melodies, but it's ok if you add a different RHYTHM or feel, and make it your own - but what about stealing rhythms and bass-lines? is melody somehow more original than these elements, which are so fundamental to the music in front of them? example - the Funk Brothers, who backed more number one hits than the Beatles and Elvis put together, have only just been recognised in the movie Standing in the Shadows of Motown . granted, they didn't write their opwn music, but didn't they contribute hugely to the "feel" of the piece?
not reall a question, just a point for discussion. anyone got any thoughts?
I've noticed lately that a lot (or all) of the discussions we have on songwriting centre around the creation of melody and chord prgressions. "well, duh" I hear you mumble at your screen, but we are forgetting a large part of whatr music is all about - the bass and rhythm section.
Western music - ie. "white music" is based almost always on melody first and rhythm second. Our laws on copyright are written to this effect - 90% melody, 10% rhythm. As such, funk artists from the sixties and seventies are still getting ripped off today without any recognition, financially or otherwise.
I have heard it said on this board that there are only 12 notes, and so we naturally repeat melodies, but it's ok if you add a different RHYTHM or feel, and make it your own - but what about stealing rhythms and bass-lines? is melody somehow more original than these elements, which are so fundamental to the music in front of them? example - the Funk Brothers, who backed more number one hits than the Beatles and Elvis put together, have only just been recognised in the movie Standing in the Shadows of Motown . granted, they didn't write their opwn music, but didn't they contribute hugely to the "feel" of the piece?
not reall a question, just a point for discussion. anyone got any thoughts?