A question regarding structure

[mat42291]

I know this has been done to death, but this is just a quick question about structure and arrangement and whatnot.

Anyway when I make a track I'm always finding that my drop really only goes for 16 bars, then I kind of step away from the main kind of melody. I know there doesn't have to be a rigid structure, but I think it helps when it comes to really getting an idea for where everything goes.

Whenever I think about the drop I kind of think about it as THE loop, you know the one that sounds awesome. So let's say you've got a 48 bar drop. So that's 3 16 bars. My question is, do you guys generally just make one 16 bar loop and then just copy that?

Am I thinking about this the right way? Or should I be thinking of taking that 48 bar drop and add different elements for each 16 bar loop?

 

[d-low]

depends how lazy you want to be, some producers use a gradual build up of sound towards a drop, where as some drops work with very few elements if you have the right sound. you should listen to the style you want to emulate to see how producers drop those tunes, and work on copying those structures.

 

[mat42291]

Thanks. I'll just keep listening to other producers. I was listening to the dj fresh track hypercaine. I always liked how in that track the buildup was obvious but once the drop hits it manages to stay fresh. I think it's a lot of the subtle effects he uses in the background to keep the track from getting too static, but I noticed that the main piano melody was repeated. I guess it really is about creating a loop that's good enough to listen to for 48 bars.

 

[neddez]

I guess it really is about creating a loop that's good enough to listen to for 48 bars.

yes absolutely.

i think it's got a fuckton to do with how interesting the different parts of your track are.

for example if you have FIERCE drums then the track will still sound good with like a minimal 3 note piano hook or some shit

simultaneously you could have a fluid morphing bassline and have that the focus of the track

all about what you wanna feature i guess

edit: a track that always comes to mind is Calyx & Teebee's upcoming Pure Gold (they could have made like 3 separate tracks with the content in this, or more. see how it switches into a completely different animal after 32 bars but retains the rolling vibe)

 

[mat42291]

Fuck. I can't watch that vid. But I managed to listen to the track anyway, probably a shorter version. But from what I've heard, damn. It's incredibly frustrating trying to figure out how to keep things interesting without just cramming the sounds in. And trying to pull out all the individual sounds in that track is pretty hard for me, but I'm gonna analyze the shit out of this track and learn from it.

 

[neddez]

Fuck. I can't watch that vid. But I managed to listen to the track anyway, probably a shorter version. But from what I've heard, damn. It's incredibly frustrating trying to figure out how to keep things interesting without just cramming the sounds in. And trying to pull out all the individual sounds in that track is pretty hard for me, but I'm gonna analyze the shit out of this track and learn from it.

haha yeah, hopefully when their album drops and i can hear this shit in 320 or higher i'll do the same

edit: booya

http://soundcloud.com/ramrecords/sets/ramm124-calyx-teebee-pure-gold/