Arranging

LESS IS MORE

I'm going to try and avoid the temptation to keep on adding things to arrangements, not least because I've only given myself a week to record at least half a dozen songs. I know it's ridiculous, but at least if I get initial demos done, I've got something that only needs tweaking in the wee small hours when I get back home.

To that end, I'm going to restrict myself to a pre-defined ‘band’ with a limited range of instruments. That will also help to give the song set some consistency and a common identity.

DOES IT SOUND LIKE ANYBODY ELSE?

I read this story about Marc Bolan as told by his partner Gloria(?).

He had a small studio at the back of the house and would disappear in there to work for hours on end. Eventually he would emerge and ask her to come and listen. Always the question was, “Who does it sound like?”. If she could compare it to anyone else he would shoo her away and go back to work.

Only when it didn't sound like anyone else was he happy with the track.

Makes sense to me.

COUNTERPOINT, HARMONY AND UNISON

All standard tools of the trade for hundreds of years, but if the band are playing simple structures which have their own hooks, rather than just banging through the chords, you're onto a winner.

FREE YOUR MIND AND YOUR ASS WILL FOLLOW

Thanks George.