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Techniques for Keeping Arrangements Interesting

Share your tips, techniques and web links about keeping musical arrangements varied and interesting below.

Reference Links

01 - Keeping arrangements interesting
02 - Exploring the use of pace, space and bass in Dubstep
03 - Discussion on varying energy throughout an arrangement

Bounce your track down, chop it into segments, Move the parts around randomly. Then change in the original project file accordingly. You can create some strange variations and switch ups like this.

Duplicate midi files everywhere

Make longer fades , like 8 or 16 bar

Yes, midi can be used to play other 'instruments' thus mirroring the main tune/theme in of the song whilst adding variation for the listener.

It's all about the arrangements for me, these can make or break a tune IMO. You can take a solid idea or theme and turn it into a great tune with a good arrangement. It's all about knowing how to create tension and release. When to push elements to the front or when to strip it all down...

EZ

change something every 8 bars

you'd be suprised at how subtle changing the melody every 8 bars can b

have some sort of breakdown


if the groove/main bit is sick enough, repetition/a boring arrangement stops being such a problem.

^imo it's still an area i need to improve at

Thinking of mixing as a verb. EQ and gain staging dont have to be static. Among lots of other things said here. Will defo peep those links. Thanks : )

^ true that fragments.

Skream - Deeper Feelings is a great example of keeping arrangement interesting. Listen to the way the beat morphs over the course of the song by slowly dropping out a snare/hihat with volume automation.



happens from 0:55 to 1:25

Sonata form.

Write music with Xenakis diagrams.

have hella risers and shit and subtly switch it up during the arrangement, like some shit you wont even notice much

Make your arrangement less 'blocky' - have elements teased in or phrases that lead up to the instrument being introduced or shift the focus around. Also if the way things are processed/combined/phrased changes even imperceptibly you will get a lot more mileage as your ear doesnt get as used to the sound.

First part of that is very true. Just like jokes, or stage magic. Like I tell you just enough so you get there in your mind just as I'm doing the thing. You realize it just before it is happening, but that realization dawns as it happens. It is that knowing surprise that people REALLY like. Truss on this one, deep wisdom.

Not that you have to make things that people like though ;p

OP links are dead because they're the old format urls.
01
03

Says I'm "not authorized to read this forum" when I try 02. Maybe it got deleted or something.

Op has passed from existence.