Make No Mistake

I am quite impressed what has been accomplished over the past six weeks or so. To those that say song writing is a process that takes a long time, they need to re-think their musical approach. In the real world of a band, you are locked in a room with three, four, or maybe five other people for eight hours a day, five to six days a week. What is expected of these "writing sessions" is at least one new song. Mind you this, if the band doesn't have song they have already been working on. Once they do that for a bout three weeks, and have about 20-30 songs they start rehearsing all of them. This goes on for three weeks, then comes the time to pick your best 12-15. Once you have your best twelve, you refine those even more, and make small changes. From those 12-15, you may drop two or three songs because they don't fit, or just aren't as good as the rest. However, save those tracks, they are what become b-side that can come out with a single, or an EP release at a later date. After you have the 11-13 tracks you want the recording process begins. As Bill Stevenson said, "Fuck putting band-aids on fuck ups, lets make that the best part of the song." The recording process goes on for about two eeks or so, then the mixing begins, and this is entirely in th hands of your producer, and mixing engineer. Mixing is done about two weeks later, total time elapsed, three to four months. The album is actually released six months after this process began. Keep in mind, it may be shorter if you have songs written, and don't need the whole lock down experience.

To write a song doesn't take as long as one might think. It may take longer if one wants to get too technical, and make a simple part hard. As I have come to see, all else fails, add a pickslide. Then to argue length of a song is another hassle. I personally write a four minuet songs, well at least the core rhythm part. To go anything over 4:15 can get kind of dicey for songs. The best songs are written in the time frame of 2:01-4:13, anything shorter is a Dead Kennedy's or Minor Threat song, any longs and you get into the realm of metal crap. Length doesn't matter, and having six or seven different riffs doesn't either. Having a intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge riff are all that you need at maximum. Of course, the order can change.

For track listing, and show set lists keep it energized. On an album, and a set list, your first song has to be make a huge impact. I believe that track one/song one, and the last song in a set or album make a difference.

It is simple.. Just remember the KISS motto when writing, and doing music. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID, and good things will come.-SS