Conundrum

by @erikleppen

Liner Notes

This was intended as a base for a song with vocals, so I tried to keep it relatively basic (and not too long). No experiments with tempos and other stuff. But I also wanted it to be able to stand by itself, and I'm afraid I can't do music without melodies, so I don't know if it's any suitable. There's a lot happening that I doubt whether vocals even fit in.

I started doing a simple bass/guitar/drums rhythm, and added some stuff (a strings part, a piano part, and a 'chiptunes' part), and afterwards I realized the 'stuff' also worked without the 'basic rhythm', so I started the wong with a whole section without the basic rhythm. This resulted in a song with a sort of style change halfway that does keep it fresh, and no two 'verses' are really the same. I realize though, that this will make it quite a challenge to add lyrics... (Hence the title, which is fun because it has 'drum' in it.)

I'll let the intended collaborant decide whether they want to take this challenge or rather wait. In any case, this is how this piece came to be :)

#pop #instrumentalpop #instrumental #electronic

Comments

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Nice! That opening section is very sweet and inviting :-)

I understand that conflict of working on a piece and thinking there might be vocals and trying to make room, musically, etc., yet still do justice to the piece overall. I think you do a good job here of giving a good melodic base in the first half that can be followed vocally. I really like that bit of melodic complication right before the drums enter.

One benefit of a section without rhythm, I feel, is that the lyrics are able to ramble a lot more and so the meter and rhythm can be more loose, and then only become more strict once the drums "kick in."

I appreciated your process notes on this track as I'm always fascinated with how people put their songs together.

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It's a really beautiful piece. I totally think you've got room for lyrics in there, but it does work very well without. I can totally picture it in an indie film soundtrack. Very cool piece.

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Absolutely adore the "chiptune" part! So bouncy. Loved when the string section came in.

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There's a whole bunch of cool things here, but as you said not a standard structure to lay down verses, choruses, etc. To do vocals, it might be more of a stream of consciousness rant, which I'm not above. I just have to get through my other 9 collabs at the moment! Let me keep this in mind.

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No worries, and at the time I may have something more suitable. I'll keep in mind :)

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