beginner question:arranging your music

D

Dramatic

Guest
Ok, I recently got my hands on Reason and I want to start making beats but I need to learn how to arrange my music. How long does the intro have to be before you transition into the main melody and then go to the hook and back to the main melody again and the outro? can someone explain how this go as simply as possible becuase I'm still learning.
 
You need to study some of the music you really like...as you'll find there are no hard rules...but as a guide...

INTRO - 4-8 bars
Verse - 8-16 bars (IN rap, 16)
Chorus - 8-16 bars (usually 8)
Bridge - 8-16 bars (usually around 8)
 
Yeah the answers are right there in your record collection. Although it's tricky to do this in reason, try this:

Get a track you like which you know is similar to the stuff you do and chop it all up into 8 bar segments.Load these into your sequencer and spread them out into a full song and save it.

You can then refer to this as an arrangement template, I don't mean copy the music, just use it to arrange yours.It can help you keep a mental focus on where you are going which leaves you free to concentrate on the music.
 
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My best advice is to download alot of MIDI files with your favotire songs. It gives you a great insight in not only arranging, but also instrumentation.
 
zionproductions said:
You need to study some of the music you really like...as you'll find there are no hard rules...but as a guide...

INTRO - 4-8 bars
Verse - 8-16 bars (IN rap, 16)
Chorus - 8-16 bars (usually 8)
Bridge - 8-16 bars (usually around 8)
Click to expand...

Intro 4 to 8 bars
Verse always 16 bars....in RnB it sounds like 8
Chrous always 8 bars
Bridge/ break down it doesn't matter be never exceeds 16 bars
 
^^^C'mon dude...I said it was just a guide...as there are really no rules to this...If you really listen you will hear some verses that are 12 bars, some are 8, some hooks are 16...really listen to multiple genres and you will see...Pop music tends to follow the format you described, but even still there are plenty of exceptions

ALWAYS does not exist in music, or art for that matter, seriously
 
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Just to make sure I'm getting this right, when you guys say bars does that mean how many times the melody repeat itself? For example, an 8 bar hook means it repeats itself 8 times?
 
Dramatic said:
Just to make sure I'm getting this right, when you guys say bars does that mean how many times the melody repeat itself? For example, an 8 bar hook means it repeats itself 8 times?
Click to expand...

8 bars is just an 8 bar loop, for something just starting out and simple, you could lay down a 4 bar melody, and for the next 4 bars copy and paste the same melody one octave higher...just make sure its not repetitive, because people will get tired of hearing the same 8 bars looping
 
.Powell. said:
Intro 4 to 8 bars
Verse always 16 bars....in RnB it sounds like 8
Chrous always 8 bars
Bridge/ break down it doesn't matter be never exceeds 16 bars
Click to expand...

Never stick to anything like glue, it's a surefire way for your music to sound contrived. Break out and be different. Don't be a sheep, be a shepherd.
 
In high school I used to listen to old songs and carry a notebook and take notes on everything. I would write how long the intro was breaks, chorus, outros and solo's. At the end of 2 weeks I had a firm knowledge on how to write and arrange.
 
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