Create A Scene

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.

In my one time gig as an assistant gaffer, I was interested to note that the light guys like to create certain combos of lights into different scenes to pull up for different sections or feels as the song progresses. It become obvious that layer of abstraction is also present in the production of a density layer. Artists create scenes-collection of instruments who have certain roles or jobs. Let's look at the studio version of Hound Dog to note the scenes that are involved in this production.

There are basically two scenes involved in this production.

1. Verse
• Vocal-melody
• Drums-quant, pulse & change pattern at measure 12 (drum roll). Also note that there is a minor drumroll after measures 4 and 8 of the pattern
• Guitar A-quant arpregio
• Guitar B-counter melody in measure 8
• Bass-quant arpeggio
• Claps-pulse
• Everyone-stop change pattern in measure 12
  


2. Solo
• Guitar lead-theme
• Drums-quant and pulse and change pattern
• Bass-quant and pulse
• Background vocals-expand aural spectrum
• No change in measure 12 just drop back to Scene 1

Now with the scenes defined it is easy to see how the song flows.

• The guitar changes from a quant instrument to a theme instrument.
• The lead vocal theme drops out in the solo
• The background vocals are added to create tension
• The claps are dropped in the solo leaving the bass and drums to sustain the quant

This pattern can be considered a "toggle" pattern though a toggle pattern usually changes after each instance of a section. (Verse-Chorus)(Intro-Verse-Chorus) However, defining the density layer in this way allows you to instantly understand the inner logic of the production.

Examples of the pattern layer and density layer using "Respect"

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.


The pattern layer is where the melodies and counter melodies of a song live. The important difference between a garage band and a professional band is the complexity of the counter melodies in the pattern layer. Being able to hear the different counter melodies is similar to finding out the different images in a figure-ground painting.

First, lets take a look at the queen of soul and her classic "Respect."


The first counter melody is between the horns blast and the guitar's melody line. The form is as such:
(Horns)Guitar Line (silence)
(Horns) Guitar Line (Keyboard note)
(Horns) Guitar Line (silence)
(Horns) Guitar Line (drummer and Aretha scream leads to first verse)

In the first verse, the singers and Aretha take to using the same pattern.
(Woo) What you want
(Woo) Baby I got it
(Woo) What you need
(Woo) You know I got it
(Do) All I'm asking
(Woo) Is for a little respect
(Just a little bit) Yea baby
(Just a little bit) etc.....

The patterns are similar however there is a difference in the density layer. The intro has the horns who hold their notes for the full measure thats add tension by adding to the spectrum level (low notes), harmonic density (more notes playing the chords), aural spectrum (the held notes fill in any empty speces in the sound). When these drop out in the first verse is becomes the classic "Bang and Back off pattern." This pattern occurs when multiple instrument layers are in the intro and are removed in the verse. This is a very common technique in the density layer.

Note that the drummer uses a "change" pattern to let the user know when the "chorus" section ends and leads you to the second verse.