When is a Song just too Long...

hivemind · Post by **hivemind** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:01 pm

i wouldn't say it's really about song *length*, but really more about captivating the attenion of your listeners. the song is never too long (symphony, Miles Davis improv jam, etc..) if your listeners, or you, but preferably both, are being constantly moved in some way by the music. knowing how to achieve tat is obviously not that easy, but perhaps eaasier to attain if you critically listen to your stuff section by section and as a whole, and ask yourself "is this interesting? what purpose does it serve? how does it make what's before and after it better/more meaningful? might this be boring/redundant?"

yadda yaddadadadadaadaaa.

Cryptic UK · Post by **Cryptic UK** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:06 pm

nebulae wrote:
Joshua Boden wrote:" How do you know when your done making love?" There are no rules...and if some one tells you that there are...fuck 'em!
But how do you know when you're done fuckin' 'em?

When your cock falls off.

Joshua Boden · Post by **Joshua Boden** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:53 pm

[quote="nebulae"]Now if you're in the fuck 'em camp, then don't bother with the audience perspective, ever. quote]

Dont get me wrong here...Im not saying to hell with the listener...not at all. I feel that if you arent making music for the people then your just jerkin off, not that there is anything wrong with that either....what I was trying to comunicate, though rather poorly on my part, is that rules are made to be broken, and that when challenged, most listeners will rise to the occasion. We should try and brake away from the taste makers...blaze our own trails as artists....we is artists aint we?
Peace,
J.

monkeyboy · Post by **monkeyboy** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:48 pm

Best thing that works for me is leaving it a week or so then playing the mixdowns in winamp while I'm surfing the internet or something. Its like I'm listening to someone elses music then (cos thats how i listen to other people's music) and I can be a bit more critical. I can instantly tell if a song is dragging in parts etc. I guess its something to do with disengaging your conscious mind from the music by doing something else. Then its just the subconscious taking over, listening in the background. I think my subconscious has much better critical faculties

The I just keep a notebook handy and scribble down things like 'cut some out at 2.30', 'maybe add a break at 3.00' etc. Then its a quick edit session, leave it then repeat a week later.

Just finishing an EP to release on my website and I thought it was finished with songs about 5mins long each. Had a last listen before i was going to upload the other day and They're all definitely 4 minute songs at most I think so back to the arrangement!

Err, so to answer you're question, its only too long if it 'feels' too long when you listen to it casually.

rasputin · Post by **rasputin** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:06 pm

Joshua Boden wrote: How do you know when your done making love?"

One sure sign is when you hear her husband's car come up the driveway...

blakbeltjonez · Post by **blakbeltjonez** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:56 pm

the best way to get you in brutal edit mode is to sit and listen to the song with one or more other people. keep an eye on the other person(s) and how they react. all of a sudden, your 12 minute work of art will magically turn into a bloated, self indulgent strokefest in serious need of chopping... it's good to make notes on what is pointless and needs to go as you are listening.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:03 pm

blakbeltjonez wrote:the best way to get you in brutal edit mode is to sit and listen to the song with one or more other people. keep an eye on the other person(s) and how they react.

*groan*

*shudder*

[heads off to edit something.]