Density Layer-Smells Like Teen Spirit

This article builds upon the concept of the three layers of a song. If you are not aware of this concept please read this article here first.


Nirvana use the density layer to make this song really come alive.
The song starts off in the intro playing the theme with a clean guitar and after 2 times through the whole band comes in and the guitar changes to a distorted guitar playing the same pattern. This is a very common pattern called a "me first" pattern. A me first pattern is when a single individual starts off with the theme and then joined by the rest of the band. It is very similar to an "join" pattern but a join pattern adds a single member at a time. Check out the following Fall Out Boy to see an example of a join pattern.


It is also very similar to an "add" pattern but an add pattern introduces added themes, not musicians. The following Fall Out Boy is a decent example of using an add pattern.


Not only is the density layer changed by using the me first pattern in Smells Like Teen Spirit but the pattern layer is changed by the fact that the guitar riff in the second part of the intro plays in the holes or breathing spots of the distorted guitar.

The drummer does a roll, which is a change pattern or a pattern that tells the user that the section is going to end, and the band jumps into another section with a totally different density layer. The guitar has changed to a chorus guitar and only plays 2 notes which the bass player plays a counter pattern. Note the section is much quieter but it is NOT because they are playing quietly. Their tones and their instrumentation create the quiet. Trying to play softer or louder in sections is a bad design pattern or as I like to call them a "Garage Band Smell." The quiet or loudness of a section is the result of the instrumentation and timbre of the instruments. The quietness or loudness of your playing should only be in response to the pattern you are performing not the section you are residing.

After reciting the lyrics of the first verse, a distorted guitar comes in the climb section to create tension in the density layer which ends with the drummer's drum roll.

The greater tension of the chorus is caused by the distorted guitar and the pulsing symbol crashes. The change out of the chorus is extremely effective because of the use of a "stop" pattern. A stop pattern is just what sounds like and is the most effective technique to create tension in the listener. The big crash and the lone guitar note pushes the user to the edge and then they fall back into the regular calm density layer for the second verse.

The song progress in the same manner through the chorus.After the chorus change pattern, the change goes to a solo. This is a good place because it breaks up the pattern of Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus leaving it broken after two times which keeps the listener's interest.

Note that after the solo, the band breaks back into the verse but the density layer is changed by the sustained chord on top instead of the chorus guitar 2 note them. This keeps the tension going after the climax in the solo and really gives the last verse a frightful feeling as the guitar feedback screeches in the background.

The piece from the pre-chorus or climb to the chorus is the same as the two previous times. However, in the chorus the drummer makes some subtle changes in the pattern layer that push the song to an even greater tension. The drummer is using a subtle counter pattern against the vocalist in the chorus.
With the lights out (drum toms)
its less dangerous (drum toms)
Here we are now (drum toms)
Entertain us (drum toms)
However at the end of chorus the drummer abandons this and keeps the pulse going. This makes the whole band feel like that are in unison thumping out a pulsing beat until the grand thumping end chord.

Questions to ask yourself to see if you can use these techniques in your own music

• Does your song have a guitar riff that acts a theme for the song? If so, using the me first pattern is always very effective.
• Does your song have change patterns to tell the user where each section change happens? It doesn't always have to be the drummer but if you don't have any change patterns in the music make sure the drummer plays a change pattern for each section change.
• Does your verse and chorus have different density layers? If not, this is the most important thing to do because it is important to keep the listener's interest
• Does your song have a stop? Look at the top songs rated by Rolling Stone (http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs) and you will notice that 95% of them use the stop pattern at some point. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes nothing speaks louder than words. Sometimes you gotta stop so the listener can remember you are playing.
• Do you have a song with a ABABAB pattern. Make sure you put some change after the second chorus like a solo to break up the monotony. Note how blues artists tend to play the solo after two times through the lyric pattern to break up the pattern.