More of Harvey's WOW (Words of Wisdom)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blue Bear Sound
  • Start date Start date
I'm glad the artists in my CD collection didn't listen to much of that advice. I like long, rambling, no hook, needless guitar solos, un-radio friendly music.

When you start gearing your music towards what the record company suits and radio hacks want then you've just compromised big time.
 
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That's true...

...to a point!

I mean, for example a good song should have some sort of hook, something to grab the listener's attention and make the song stick in the listener's mind.... "having a hook" doesn't have to mean "pander to radio programmers"...

All of the other suggestions can be applied in a similar light, without pandering to record company "commercialism". The only exception to that is the point about "radio-friendly"... BUT - if an artist is TRYING to get radio airplay, the best way to fail IS to get a radio-unfriendly sound!


Bruce
 
I still think a lot of these ideas would be better placed on the wall of the room the songs are written in, rather than the studio, when it's too late to make great big structural changes in the songs. No? Otherwise, people coming in with this or that tune are just gonna feel intimidated because what they're about to launch themselves into doesn't quite live up to the judgements on the studio wall.

No?
 
Just a guess, but...

Harvey's place is a full-scale commercial facility, so I suspect A LOT of writing actually does occur there!

Bruce
 
Thanks for that post bruce,

I think what made the biggest impact was the line about not covering up the groove of a song, by adding more and more parts.

I just wanted to make a comment though. I put a bunch of hit songs on one cd, and what I noticed was that all the songs were around 4:13(rough average) in length, with some dipping into the high threes and one going as long as 5:09.
 
In that case, hits are changing their overall nature, because I once read a famous producer say something like it keep to around three minutes, keep it catchy, and make sure you hit the first chorus by the 30 second mark.
 
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