• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
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Topic: What is the most important part of a song?

My guess = THE INTRO.
WHY? Because you get an immediate impact on the audience.
I believe that the first 30 seconds of a song are the most important.
PURPOSE = CATCH THE ATTENTION OF THE AUDIENCE and be ORIGINAL, STRONG, UNIQUE and UNFORGETTABLE.
Do you agree whit my hypothesis = if you don't catch and touch your audience in those famous 30 seconds your song might be very good but becomes less important because you didn't catch the audience.

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  • KAP54
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

I'm no pro but I'd have to agree with you Doc.
Also when your pitching your song.You forever hear stories of producers that listen to the first 15-30 seconds of a song to determine whether it has appeal or not.
When it comes to classic songs you recognize them inside the first 5 seconds.

Good Topic smile

Kenny

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  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

Thanks KAP54 for writing GOOD TOPIC. I do a lot of research and thinking and what you wrote is 100% correct, I didn't think about it. Also the habit of using different "track-lists" is strange.
On an European album you will find often that the first track is the 5th track on a US album and the 7th track on the Japanese version.
ABOUT INTRO'S = WHO CAN FORGET SOME MEMORABLE INTROS like
- SMOKE ON THE WATER by DEEP PURPLE (If they wouldn't have THAT intro I believe the song looses at least 50% of the value)
- SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT by NIRWANA
- SWEET HOME ALABAMA and here I want to give some comment: it is a quit difficult intro and I have some live tracks of that song, well they NEVER play the song as they play on the album.
When I play (or at least try to) that intro, I notice that I play it similar but easier (my way).
SO AGAIN IF THE INTRO SUCKS THE SONG SUCKS = maybe a too hard judgment but probably true.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

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  • KAP54
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

Hi Doc
I don't know why the track-list would be different in other countries other than different tastes.It's too easy with CD players to skip to your favorite tune but there must be a reason.
As for intros...Little Pink Houses by John Cougar Mellancamp
                    Night Moves by Bob Seiger
                    Turn the Page by Bob Seiger
I'm sure if these songs where played for a producer they would be "hooked" in the first 15-30 seconds.I guess that's why they call them hooks
Kenny

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  • From: Grimsby, UK
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

If you like a good intro try

Life's Been Good by Joe Walsh
Blue Monday by New Order
Hard To Handle by Black Crowes
Xanadu by Rush

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  • NELA
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

GDP, you wrote "What is the most important" of a song and answered with the INTRO. Well, I agree and I disagree, as well. To me the "Intro" catches our attention and sets the tempo of the song, the "rythem" brings the melody of the words to the forefront of the song and enhances the tempo. The lead licks and riff's adds color to the rythem. So, to me all of the above are important to the song BUT since I play rythem guitar I gotta say that the rythem is most important. Just an opinion.

Nela

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  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

I agree the intro of every song is vital to hook the audience.
When practicing, attention to detail is the difference between mediocre performing and outstanding. Remember to clean up the outro (ending) as well so the song does not grind to a stop like a herd of cattle.
So many song callers sweat the first song of the evening. Gotta open with the "A" material. We want to hook the audience and set the tone of the evening.Look to a song that is up tempo and interesting to a general group. You get a sense of what the crowd is enjoying as the evening goes along and can pull up appropriate tunes as you get to know them.

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  • From: Teesside
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

I'd have to agree with GDP for the most part - A strong intro makes some songs stand out so well

Aerosmith/Run DMC - Walk this way
GnR - Welcome to the Jungle and Sweet Child O' Mine
Cream - Crossroads and Sunshine of your Love
and various others - see 'Queen'

there are more - but also, I believe that the rhythm/'hook'? is important as is evidence in Walk this way, Crossroads, Sunshine of your love and Sweet Child O' Mine as it is also fundamental to the songs composition - To be honest, when you think about it, I don't really think any one thing  can be more important than another.

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  • From: Grimsby, UK
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

Another thing to bear in mind is that if you turn on a radio you aren't guaranteed to catch a song at the beginning.  This makes each part of the song equally important - it's got to grab you all the way through!

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  • Zurf
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

You make a good case Doc. 

- Zurf

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11 Reply by Songwriter1951 (edited by Songwriter1951 2008-10-02 23:48:41)

  • Registered: 2008-09-30
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

I was once told that "the HEART is the most important part of a song".  I practiced this while touring on an Americana/Roots circuit and found it quite true and effective in performing original music.

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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

intro the most important? hmm, nope I disagree.
But only after I read what bonedaddy said about if you turn a radio on half way through a song.

I do agree it can be very important but I would say the chorus is the most important. And that is if the song has a chorus.

Lots of songs you dont know what they are singing about but you will probably mostly remember the chorus.

So i would say the intro and the chorus are equally important for griping an audience but really it is the whole song. And I suppose on it depends on if you are a person that likes to listen mostly to the guitar, drums, bass line or vocals in a  song. If it is the vocals then I would say most definetly it would be the chorus or the lyrics to be the most important part of a song.


I think there are so many various options to be the most important part of a song.

I love the intro to honky tonk woman but I would say it is the chorus that makes that song.

I love the intro to a song that bonedaddy mentioned, " hard to handle" but it is the chorus I love more for that song.

I am a more of a lyrically sort of guy so maybe thats why?

BUT talking of intros and choruses and vocals etc, the song I hvae just put to the pics on you tube " Killiecrankie" is an intro wit hvocals and that really did get me interested the first time i heard it, so a mixture there or lyrics and intro. But then the chorus is just so catchy i am nw confusing myself and I am now undecided.


lol

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • Zurf
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

You make a good case too Ken.  Would one of you please tell me what I think? 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
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  • Registered: 2006-03-04
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Re: What is the most important part of a song?

This is a no brainer; the most important part of a song is the complete totality of a song:::::: intro, togetherness, lyrics, instrumentational cohesiveness, arrangement, harmony vocals,  good clean mix,  grand finale,etc...... All of these elements come into play... in other words the most important part of a song is clearly subjective to the person listening and forming an opinion on said song. There is no right or wrong answer to this question.

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