Hey, it’s Winston,
We had a great time at F.A.T.T. Tuesday this last time and I wanted you to be in the loop!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
We talked about 2 major things:
1. Dynamic Song Mapping
2. The Band Pyramid
DYNAMIC SONG MAPPING:
You’ve probably noticed that most of the songs we play share a common pattern. It looks something like this:
We took some time and listened to the song “Crowns Down” by Josh Baldwin and we mapped it as we listened using the Dynamic Worksheet (linked at the bottom of this blog).
Knowing where a song’s energy is heading is critical as we shape it together.
Just as important? Knowing your role in that dynamic path.
That’s where The Band Pyramid comes in:
THE BAND PYRAMID:
The Band Pyramid helps us prioritize the specific elements of a song’s structure and helps us understand our role on the team better.
As we know, the vocal melody is the most important part of the songs we sing. We want the theology the lyrics carry to get into peoples minds and hearts.
So, everything in this pyramid is aimed at prioritizing the vocal melody.
Take a gander at The Band Pyramid:
LEVEL 1: THE POCKET
Starting from the bottom, the POCKET is made up of chords and rhythm. This is the foundation of every song.
Bass, drums, and acoustic guitar are responsible for keeping the pocket locked solid.
As we ascend the pyramid, each layer becomes less essential than the one below it. If something isn’t working in a song, the solution is usually found in the layer beneath it.
LEVEL 2: ENERGY
When you hear energy I want you to think back to the Dynamic Path. When it comes to shaping energy this is can only be done by a few instruments.
For example, the acoustic guitar can strum with all the force of a great typhoon (Disney's 1998 Mulan, anyone?) and have little to no effect on the over all dynamic path.
During our conversation we realized that shaping ENERGY mostly falls on Electric Guitar 1. You might be wondering “What about Drums?”.
Drums do play a role in shaping the ENERGY of a song but the primary role of a drummer is establishing the pocket. That leaves the work of shaping ENERGY to another band member.
That’s why it’s important to know your role.
KNOW YOUR ROLE
Imagine were coming into a big chorus and cello or acoustic guitar cranked the volume or the background vocalist belted their notes or the piano slammed away on the ivorys.
If this happened, you’d only hear more noise when the goal would be to feel more ENERGY.
ENERGY can only be influenced by the Lead Vocal, Drums and Electric Guitar (sometimes Synth & Pad).
Take a look at the chart below.
LEVEL 3 MELODY:
Only after The Pocket is solid and Energy is shaping the Dynamic Path can we move on to MELODY.
We listened back to Crowns Down and noticed that piano wasn’t playing chords as much as you might think. What was it doing? It was supporting the melody by doubling it.
That’s because chords were being covered by acoustic and bass. Energy was being shaped by electric guitar.
So, piano’s role was primarily reinforcing the melody. Electric 2 also doubled the melody in its own Frequency Lane separating itself from piano.
LEVEL 4 COLOR:
Lastly, after the pocket is established, energy is being shaped, and melody is being emphasized its time for COLOR. When you hear COLOR think separation, texture, and unique elements. I believe this is a great place for things like unusual effects, violin, and textured arpeggiators to shine.
COLOR is the cherry on top that keeps the song interesting and listeners coming back for more.
THANK YOU
Next F.A.T.T. Tuesday training is set to happen sometime in June. Until then we’ll be puting this new knowledge to work!
Woohoo!
