The Use of Contrast in Songwriting

 

Contrast, as defined in the dictionary, is: To set in opposition in order to show or emphasize differences. Black and white are two contrasting “shades” (they’re not colours!) and can be used as a visual way to describe contrast in songwriting.

When you’re first writing a song (and I ALWAYS emphasize this!), you are not thinking about technique or creating dynamics, tension or contrast…you are simply expressing something in its raw form. Many songwriters never get beyond this raw state, never develop their writing or learn to polish their songs, and the lack of contrast is often a result. If absolutely everything in a room was white, how boring would that be? This is what songwriters who are just starting out don’t necessarily recognize in their own songwriting.

So what exactly IS contrast in songwriting? Well, it can be achieved in different ways. If your song has verses and a chorus, contrast may be created between those song parts. For example, the verses might have a melody in a lower range, and the chorus in a higher range. Another way to achieve contrast would be a different chord progression in the chorus as compared to the verse. It can be a subtle as starting the chorus with a different chord than the verses start with. Contrast doesn’t have to be “in your face”, it simply creates a feeling of freshness between the parts of a song. A bridge can be a really effective contrast. You’ve set your listener up, starting them off with a verse and chorus, another verse and chorus, and now you want to give them a breather, so you create a bridge.

So, melody and chord progressions can be used to create contrast, what about lyrics?  The most subtle lyrical contrast would be in terms of the subject by changing the point of view or creating a different idea (but not too different!) between two parts of a song.  A very simple example would be where the verses are in the first and second person (I, me, my and you), and the chorus being in the third person (she, he, they).

But a broader and more effective contrast would be to actually change the form of the song by changing the rhyme scheme or the length of lines and the meter.  You see this happening most of the time between a verse and a chorus;  the verse has its own rhyme scheme and meter and the chorus changes to another set.

Contrast can also be created in the production of the song where the instrumentation changes between different parts.  This has less to do with the songwriting, but if your song is missing some contrast or the contrast is not strong enough, adding or changing instruments in the production and recording phase can enhance the parts so they stand out a little more separately from each other.  What often happens with drums in a chorus, for instance, is that the rhythm stays more or less the same, but cymbals (or what they call a “ride”) are added.  Drums also accent a coming change when they do small fills just beforehand.

Drums are only one example of the use of contrast in production, other instruments like strings can also be effective in signifying a different part of a song.  But for the most part, you want to be able to create contrast in the writing itself so you don’t have to rely on production to do it for you.

Contrast is something that be the difference between your audience being continuously drawn into a song and putting them to sleep! Listen to one of your favourite songs and see if you can spot what they do to create contrast. And then listen to one of your own songs to determine if you are creating enough contrast to keep it interesting!

IJ

“Ear” We Go Again

Men At Work

Now this one baffles me somewhat.  Quoting from the Associated Press:

“Australian band Men at Work copied a well-known children’s campfire song for the flute melody in its 1980s hit “Down Under” and owes the owner years of royalties, a court ruled Thursday.

“Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree” was written more than 70 years ago by Australian teacher Marion Sinclair for a Girl Guides competition, and the song has been a favorite around campfires from New Zealand to Canada.”

You can read the rest of the article here.

I didn’t have to listen to “Down Under” to remember the flute part.  If you don’t know the song (you DON’T know the song??) you can have a listen below.  The flute part appears several times in the song.  Yes, it’s the same melody over a different chord progression.  I never made the connection before, however, and I know both songs.

What I find most baffling is that the whole thing is coming out just now, even though “Down Under” was released in 1981, 29 years ago.  Did it take 29 years to get to court?  The Australian teacher who wrote “Kookaburra” 70 years ago died in 1988, and her publishing company owns the copyright to the song.  So it’s not even that this settlement will benefit her family, as copyright usually reverts to the estate of a songwriter for a period of time after their death;  only the publishing company will make money. Not only that, but when they go back to court in April to decide compensation, the publishers are going to demand up to 60% of the back royalties.  Does 4-bar flute part in a 4 minute song deserve 60% of the royalties?  It all seems frivolous and greedy to me. I don’t know…I’d feel better if it was the teacher or her family that was going to get the money. 

IJ

The 10 Worst Covers Ever

Okay, I’m exaggerating somewhat.  “Worst ever” is always a subjective thing, and you’ll probably disagree with some of my choices.  But I do know a thing or two about covers.  I have performed original material and I have performed many covers over the years.  I teach guitar, so I play other artist’s and band’s songs all the time.  Most people want to play a song exactly as they remember it, and why not?  That’s what they have heard and loved.

What makes a great cover, in my humble opinion, is an artist or a band that makes the song their own.  This is not an easy task.  To make a song your own, you have to have some element that stays true to the original.  Like, it should be recognizable :-).  But then you have to make it better.  And that’s the hard part.  Some artists and bands just play it their own way and it works.  But others over do the “original” idea and ruin the song all together.  The worst, however, is when a band or artist stays too true to the original.  If you’re going to do that, why bother?

I will probably post a list of my favourite covers in future, but for the time being, here is my list of covers that didn’t do it for me.  Below you can listen to each version and judge for yourself.

Sweet Dreams – Marilyn Manson – Oh my.  If ever a song was butchered, this is the one.  But I think that’s what sweet Marilyn wanted, didn’t he?  Why Annie ever let him (or her) do it, I’ll never know.

Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting – Nickelback – there’s a “love to hate Nickelback” thing going on here in Canada.  I don’t mind them.  But the song simply has too many chords for these guys to handle.  Not power chords, guys, actual chords.  I originally heard this at a hockey game and I was completely dismayed.  It was even more disappointing to find out that a Canadian band was responsible.

Love Hurts – Nazareth – I have never liked this song, no matter how many times I’ve heard it.  The howling lead vocal just destroys an otherwise lovely melody.  Sorry.

California Girls – David Lee Roth -again, another terrible vocal.  I can’t help but see self-involved David Lee prancing around on stage in his lycra pants every time I hear it.  No wonder Van Halen got rid of him :-).  But all kidding aside, the original had a lot of vocals and I really don’t think it was meant to be a solo.  Definitely loses something in the translation.

Beast of Burden – Bette Midler I love Better Midler but I’ve never understood why she recorded this song.  Was it just filler?  It didn’t suit her voice or style at all.  She tries to get down and growly, but that only makes it worse.

My Way – Sex Pistols No.

Superstition – Jonas Brothers Okay, let’s face it, no version of Superstition can live up to Stevie Wonder‘s version. The Jonas Brother’s performing with Stevie himself on an awards show, however, was so awful, I wondered why Stevie even said yes.  Little boys trying to sing such a ballsy song just doesn’t work.  Stick to the pop/rock, fellas.

Slow Hand – Conway Twitty – the twang in his vocal just doesn’t suit the bluesy original by the Pointer Sisters.  And somehow the idea of a country guy singing about…well, how to pleasure a woman…feels somehow yucky.  It just ain’t right.

Superstar – Sonic Youth – I almost get what this version was trying to accomplish. It was trying to be dark and even a little weird. And it was. But not a good weird.

Dock of the Bay – Michael Bolton – Michael Bolton, I think, prides himself on being a great soul singer.  And he is.  But he did a re-make of just about every soul song out there, and it was too much.  He should have stayed with newer, more original material like the songs he sang the demos for, for so many years.

What do you think?  Disagree with me??  I’d be happy to hear your comments :)

IJ