Precious to Me, (instrumental)

I want to find out what people think music is, and why they like the styles of music they do. I want to see if I can write a song in a particular style, and see if my results are an accurate example of what people expect from a musical genre. I only have one month to do it, and I’m going to start with Rock.

The first step is to find out what rock is. That is, how do most people perceive rock music to be. I’m using wikipedia. Although it’s not considered accurate by academic standards, it does for me represent a consensus of popular opinion. 

Wikipedia says that rock music is a blanket term for several sub genres, much like pop music, and that rock, in its purest form, consists of three chords, a strong, insistent beat and a catchy melody. Typical instruments include vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar and drums, sometimes including keyboards and synthesisers.

This isn’t much to go on, so I’ll be going on a list of influences I’ve been given. Also, during this project, I will be featuring an instrument, to give a generic song an ounce of creativity. For this rock song, I’ve been asked not to include a guitar. I think that will be creative enough in a genre built around the electric guitar.

The Binding of the Page, Vox Bass & Drums

This is the rough mix to which my guitarist will record to.

The Binding of the Page, Backing for guitarist

The Binding of the Page, full arrangement

Is This Rock? What Have We Learned?

With the track mixed and mastered, lets take a look at what this song says about rock. First, a rock song can be written, recorded and mastered using nothing but (legal) free software. The image of the garage band is still relevant today.
Second, I had to use more than three chords. By wikipedias definition then, this is not pure rock. What is it then? The feedback I’ve received compares this track to very diverse acts, from Talking Heads to The Mighty Boosh. What I have managed to do, quite by accident, is write a song that incorporates a piece of every rock sub-genre.
Third, I’ve learned the value of listening back after taking a few days off. I haven’t touched this project over the last week because of the Australia day madness. I had been working so quickly that I hadn’t listened hard enough to the drum track. The drums and bass do not gel at all, and unfortunately I don’t have time to change them. Lucky it’s just a demo then. 

So there we have it, a song with no guitar, that can only be described as rock. Join me next time as I take on the great white middle class divider, hip hop.

Vigil Andy Mair