you have two things at work here. Not only does the arrangement contribute to the energy but use of implied time signature change going from 6/8 to 4/4 increasing energy. You have 3 different plateaus. One of the best dance tracks ever made.



Another great example of just taking things to new levels never getting redundant.

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Not such an obvious choice, but I've always thought this was great example of a track which just continues to build and build:



Ok so it sounds fairly dated now and the vocal's fairly silly, but every main section adds more than the one before it. There are 3 'main' leads, each one sounds like it's going to be 'it' when it first arrives, plus the vocal:-

2:24 - bouncy pluck
2:50 - the pad in the backround takes over
3:00 - arpeggiated lead which has been kicking around in the background comes to the front for the next main section at 3:20

But at 3:20 it's just the arpeggiated lead, leaving it space to build further

At 6:00 they're all there with the vocal for more energy, but again they fade so prominence shifts from pluck -> pad -> arpeggio

Once the wailing gets out of the way at 7:00, the breakdown there's absolutely inspired in my opinion, stripping everything away and using its own little guitar motif, which allows a big build into all 3 lead sounds again, full-force at 8:45.

Then a final clever trick at 9:00 - the arpeggio fades away, the pad gets brighter and then changes to a stab, playing some of the notes of the arpeggio for yet another variation which uses the pad's brightness to give more energy than the section before.


[/massive over-analysis]

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quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux Good energy control with the track ascending and peaking near the very end:

OH MY GOD.... ahhhh not that song!

But yea he's right, the track actually grows into something..

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you can also use harmony to achieve a boost in harmony.

The trick i use in the main build of this track which is also the drop is a secondary dominant which leads to the relative major of the key sort of kicking it into overdrive. Also strategic placement of the clap, yep just the clap will add energy. A groove can be completely useless and then you add that backbeat ( what muscians call a snare on 2 and 4 ) , it just gives the groove purpose and adds energy.

in this track you have constant builds which go to sections, then it breaks down, a 303 section, then more build, then a section that introduces the supersaw lead. And then finally when everything comes in you have the harmonic manipulation that takes it one step further.

Sort of like when pop albums modulate 1 key up. Not that all songs have to be one giant cock tease but I was making edm in the early 2000 and my main influence was scot project who was the best at building intensity.

http://www.divshare.com/download/16014944-9f5

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"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

another old tune of mine

http://www.divshare.com/download/16015038-b11


one big crescendo but you have 2 subjections, then a break with a huge bassline that comes from nowhere but ends up tying everything together.

I think looking back, i just had mini sections that would each sort of build , a break section, then a massive build in contrast that would then bring back everything. Basically a bunch of plateaus with the highest being the main drop.

I never made filler tracks and each one was made to be the hard hitter that you always played the entire track. Which is sometimes a bad thing as tracks like this don't leave the dj many options. Tracks that don't really have a form are easier to mix in and out of. tracks like the last two I posted would sound stupid without hearing the whole track.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

quote:

Originally posted by skyhunter OH MY GOD.... ahhhh not that song! But yea he's right, the track actually grows into something..

Ha. I can't really blame anyone hating this song for being so overplayed.

I listened to the entire LMFAO album and "Party Rock Anthem" definitely stands out in a couple of ways.

The drop for the song has new instrumentation and there's a new female lead vocal for the last pre-verse(not sure if this is the right term.)

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

quote:

Originally posted by Stu Cox Not such an obvious choice, but I've always thought this was great example of a track which just continues to build and build: Ok so it sounds fairly dated now and the vocal's fairly silly, but every main section adds more than the one before it. There are 3 'main' leads, each one sounds like it's going to be 'it' when it first arrives, plus the vocal:- 2:24 - bouncy pluck 2:50 - the pad in the backround takes over 3:00 - arpeggiated lead which has been kicking around in the background comes to the front for the next main section at 3:20 But at 3:20 it's just the arpeggiated lead, leaving it space to build further At 6:00 they're all there with the vocal for more energy, but again they fade so prominence shifts from pluck -> pad -> arpeggio Once the wailing gets out of the way at 7:00, the breakdown there's absolutely inspired in my opinion, stripping everything away and using its own little guitar motif, which allows a big build into all 3 lead sounds again, full-force at 8:45. Then a final clever trick at 9:00 - the arpeggio fades away, the pad gets brighter and then changes to a stab, playing some of the notes of the arpeggio for yet another variation which uses the pad's brightness to give more energy than the section before. [/massive over-analysis]

Wow, that's a really nice track.

I love that downtempo beat when it goes into a break.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

Last edited by Beatflux on Oct-22-2011 at 19:43

quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux Ha. I can't really blame anyone hating this song for being so overplayed. I listened to the entire LMFAO album and "Party Rock Anthem" definitely stands out in a couple of ways. The drop for the song has new instrumentation and there's a new female lead vocal for the last pre-verse(not sure if this is the right term.)

Not even for being overplayed, I just flat out don't like it. Not because it's cheesy (I love SHM and Afrojack), just because I don't like the song.

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Tranceport is the best album ever....

There is nothing wrong with being musically diverse.

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Very interesting thread, thank you very much! I will definitely keep this in mind when making my next track.

quote:

Originally posted by skyhunter Not even for being overplayed, I just flat out don't like it. Not because it's cheesy (I love SHM and Afrojack), just because I don't like the song.

too many hardhouse things for me. I love their track in miami. That is a great fun track. But that is really the only thing they've made that is not a parody of the genre it tries to be.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest