Comments on: Why Is A Song Like A Set Of Directions?

By: rich meitin

rich meitin — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 19:15:25 +0000

Hi Tony –

Very much agree. It’s like the writer (and I think this applies to scriptwriting, storytelling, etc. as well as songs) has to ride the line between “this is too expected” and “this is too chaotic.” Sometimes, you have to give the listener a sense of satisfaction from anticipating where you are going AND being right about where you do go. And sometimes, you have to give the listener a pleasant surprise by letting them THINK that they know where you’re you’re going…but then you go elsewhere, almost like a joke punchline does. It’s the twist that delights.

For those of us who like to listen to a good instrumental improv solo, I think the same principle holds true. Ride that line.

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 08:30:14 +0000

In reply to Annie Dinerman. Great points, Annie! Time and space.

By: Annie Dinerman

Annie Dinerman — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 19:14:26 +0000

This is a really useful blog, Tony. From a slightly different standpoint, I like to think of a song as a clear, glass, 2-cup measuring cup. It can hold only so much information. Pour out some to leave room for repeats. Pour out some so the singer can breathe between words. By then, you’re already down from 2 cups of information to about 1-1/4 cups. Also, cutting out extra syllables is a good practice, so that your lyric is easily understood while they’re hearing it for the first time. So now, you might be down to a cup of information in a two-cup measure. And that might be the amount of information that can fit comfortably into your song. Space is an important feature of rhythm. Without space, there’d be no syncopation or emphasis.

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:17:28 +0000

In reply to Andy Marino. Well put, Andy; thanks! And thanks for the kind words. TC

By: Andy Marino

Andy Marino — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 15:54:47 +0000

Hey Tony…. Great analogy… “A set of directions”. I like this idea. In the case of the song…. follow the trail of clues to the message & feelings that reside in that song. We (the songwriter) get to choose what to put in and what to leave out. Similar concepts apply to visual art… and “automatic” need to make some sense out of what the “artist” shows us.
Thanks!