BTS.music: Low Pass

PODcast: Low Pass
Kernow High Desert

length: 02:53
file: btsmpod_1946.mp3
size: 5422k
feed: btsm
status: live (at time of posting)

[edit on 13/10/06 by Implosion]

This is basically a reworking of Stagnation, with guitar tuned to B, hence the title. Here are the rest:

Introspective

Strung Up

No Comment

Digital Kernow

Wasteland

Stagnation

Convoy

Fuselage

Global Compression

All comments gratefully received. Enjoy.

[edit on 13/10/06 by Implosion]

Hi Implosion,

Interesting track, and I like the distorted guitar riff. I hope I can provide a little help to you, and please, take this for what it is, just one guy's opinion.

When you compose an instrumental piece like this, it is tempting once you come up with the riff to use it over and over. In some cases that can work well, but usually only when there is a lead melody over it. In this piece, a lead melody of some kind would have worked well right where the drums come in. That would allow the underlying rhythm guitar riff to take a second seat to the lead melody, and shift the listener's attention to the lead melody, which at that point it needed to do. Why? Simply because too much of any one element without a shift in primary attention will tend to bore the listener.

If you listen to top productions in the biz, they will always do SOMETHING to break up or augment the existing rhythm structure. They might keep it the same sometimes, but usually only in the case that there is a prevalent melody on top of it. U2's With or Without You, is an extreme example of how they were able to keep the same bass line and rhythmical lick going throughout the entire song, but because of the good production done on top with the vocal melody, they made it work, and are able to keep many listener's attention. To the more musically creative, however, it reeked of repetetiveness.

The same principal can easily be applied to instrumentals. And in this piece, a lead melody line that takes over, and goes in a complimentary, different direction than your base guitar riff would open up the piece and make it sound less repetetive. At this point all you'd have to do would be to add it over what you already have. It could be a lead guitar, or a lead keyboard, or a lead whatever. Or even better, a bit of all three, for contrast. Contrast is key, and repetetiveness must be controlled carefully. But you've got the basics! Hoping to hear you take it to the next level! Remember, just my opinion, and hope you will consider.

Thank you for taking the time to have a listen. I appreciate your comments, and find merit in what you have to say. Everything linked to above is sketchy at best it's also good fun seeing what kind of sound I can squeeze out of this box.

Cheers.

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