ChipMusic.org - Preferred song and release length

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-31T07:45:04Z

deleted

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-31T04:34:21Z

I forget exactly when, but I try to have three major musical ideas in any song. I try to avoid having more than that (too long, break it into multiple songs or create a suite of songs) and I won't consider anything that has less than two (since one idea is the same as just taking a beat and releasing it with little embellishment.)

Within three major ideas can be three minor ideas, and that's how stuff gets long.

I am not considering the length of the song while I compose, but I've noticed from the "magic" of streaming statistics that most newcomers won't listen for more than a minute. I want to experiment with the notion of fitting three major ideas under a minute in the near future. I expect failure.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T23:22:08Z

For a long time I'd write video game-like loops which ended up being like 1 to 1 1/2 minutes before looping. Then I got tired of that and started trying to get over 3 minutes. Even if it meant tacking on a a new outro section at the end and letting it ride for 45 seconds to a minute. Now my tunes usually get up to fourish minutes and as long as the material is interesting, varied and cohesive, that's about where I'm happiest.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T23:17:36Z

My songs are almost always in between 1-4 minutes. I could never make anything longer, even though I try, repetition just kills the song.
I really don't have anything against album/EP length as long as it stays interesting.
Also the rule I go by, with track numbers, 1-6 songs = EP and 8-20 = album, but that's accounting for the length of my songs.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T19:49:25Z

IMHYIO*, cohesiveness is far more important than length.

*I just made that up, it means "in my humble yet informed opinion".

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T17:00:16Z

As long as it takes.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T15:24:07Z

either 1:00-2:00 or 5:00+ but those are hella repetitive, even if I do like the way they sound

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T11:03:43Z

Most of my songs are 1-3 minutes, but sometimes I'll write a 6 minute track that will stay in the depths of my cart forever

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T10:56:14Z

whatever yo, depends on stuff!

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T10:16:15Z

short and sweet like haiku ☆彡

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T08:47:01Z

Song length - 3:16 or 4:20, 6:66 for a long song.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T08:34:04Z

I used to write 2-3 minute songs, now my songs end up being like 10 minutes long and I have to cut them down :I

I enjoy longer than average songs, as long as there's enough progression and variation to keep it interesting

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T05:53:48Z

[removed]

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T02:31:42Z

3-4 minutes for a song because that's when I usually start to run out of ideas/song memory.

25-30 minutes for an album is where I usually end up, and I find that at that length it feels substantial but is still short enough that I can listen to most of it in a single sitting. If it's longer than that I often end up stopping partway through and then starting from the beginning again the next day, which means the later songs don't get played as much.

Re: Preferred song and release length

2014-03-30T01:34:56Z

I try and write songs under two minutes where possible. I've become really fond of the idea of fitting as much as possible in a tiny space whilst it still functioning as a structured song, and I've yet to write a track this year longer than 2:00. It's not a golden rule, it's just how I write, I'm not a huge fan of mass repetition in my own work.

Also I prefer releasing EPs as if you ARE writing tracks all around 1:30 long then 30 of them lumped together would be tiring as to listen to, so I'm grouping by 7/8 tracks at the moment.