Through-composed songs

Putting music theory into practice
35012
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Post by 35012 »

Yes-Mood For a Day sort of jumps from one theme to the next, but that one might repeat, too...
And the Who's A Quick One While He's Away has sort of movements where each verse is different (or at least the RnR circus version is this way.)
I never noticed how hard it is to type with finger picks on before.
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tennis_nick
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Post by tennis_nick »

happiness is a warm gun as was mentioned is a great example!
The Raven wrote:Nevermore
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lyle_from_minneapolis
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Post by lyle_from_minneapolis »

I think "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" also works, except they repeat Hands Across the Water. But the general gist of through-composition remains, in that the song moves from one idea to another, and that which is repeated is a little different the next time.

Maybe we should try to write some! I never consciously tried before, but I have written songs that meandered through a lot of different changes...but then I always thought the clever part was to make the end tie into the beginning and repeat. Always with the repetition!

Most of what the Beatles did in this vein were "welding jobs" that pieced together entirely different ideas, ala Day In The Life. Maybe what I should do is take some of the dozens of orphan riffs that have floated about in my head and on notebooks for years and just cobble them together in a line, see what emerges.

John, if money wasn't so tight I would go. Anyway I was asleep at 3am, so it's all good!
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lyle_from_minneapolis
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Post by lyle_from_minneapolis »

So I'm listening to Frank Zappa's One Size Fits All and what should I find? Through-composed songs! "Inca Roads" and "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" appear to qualify, and I'm thinking there may be a treasure trove in the Zappa catalog. "Father O'Blivion" comes to mind. Certainly a lot of the more esoteric stuff, maybe "G-Spot Tornado." Captain Beefheart probably has a few as well.
Here is where I hide my music:
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indianation65
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Re: Through-composed songs

Post by indianation65 »

...some continual compositions, no repetitions; a new challenge I hadn't thought about it. I'll have to give this a go. My current piece has many verses and choruses, but I think it will be worthwhile.

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Ilikewater
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Re: Through-composed songs

Post by Ilikewater »

I tend to write through-composed, but thats more to do with accute ADD. When I finish recording I will share.
To be joyous is to be a mad man in a world filled with sad ghosts. - H. Miller
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jps
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Re: Through-composed songs

Post by jps »

Ilikewater wrote:I tend to write through-composed, but thats more to do with accute ADD. When I finish recording I will share.
Hopefully you won't be sharing the ADD with us! :shock: :mrgreen:
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Ilikewater
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Re: Through-composed songs

Post by Ilikewater »

yes...share the music. Damn the words.
To be joyous is to be a mad man in a world filled with sad ghosts. - H. Miller
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jdogric12
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Re: Through-composed songs

Post by jdogric12 »

It doesn't feel like 4 years since we discussed this! I've since noticed "With The Dark" by They Might Be Giants comes pretty close.
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