How To Make A Funny Song? Quick Answer

When you think of a good song, think of something easy to remember and fun to sing. There are many reasons why we think a song is good or why we love it and want to hear it.

Maybe it’s because the lyrics make you relate or make you feel good, a great pop music genre song that cheers you up when you’re sad, or the song just has a great melody. Maybe you just enjoy listening to the singer, or the song itself is really catchy and sticks with you after the end.

Think of your favorite song. Why is it your favorite? Can you think of some reasons?

There are many factors that go into a great song. What are you? What makes a good song? Let’s explore some important qualities, songwriting tips, and how a songwriter might use these qualities when writing their own original song.

chord progressions

Chord progressions throughout music are an important part of creating popular songs. Part of this is the use of repeats, with the verses using the same chords, and then the melody or chorus using the same chord progressions. This gives it more catchiness as it’s easy to pick up the notes and chords.

STRONG TEXTS

Good lyrics must also match the chords. A song cannot connect with its audience through notes alone, although instrumental or non-lyrical music evokes emotion and there can be hits that have no lyrics.

However, if you can also combine the melodies with some good lyrics within a song, you create a two-toned effect. Emotional and heartfelt texts can really make a lasting impact.

Rhyming is also something that can be used to drive repetition throughout and can also contribute to catchiness. The key to rhyming is trying to be clever. Rhyming simple words like cat, hat, sat – don’t hold as much fascination as larger, more complex words like moment/own it. Think of clever ways to create rhymes to make your lyrics more effective.

SOLID SONG STRUCTURE

Chords and lyrics need to be put together in some way. This is where a solid song structure comes into play. The ability to map an intro, chorus, verses, and possibly a bridge (or melodic jump) outlines the overall shape of your song.

Imagine a song structure like this: A = melody/chorus, B = verse, and C = bridge. So some song structures follow the ABAB format, sometimes like ABABCA. Catchy melodies sometimes need to be repeated multiple times, so maybe your song structure would be something like BABACA.

There’s not really a right way to structure your song, but if you’re writing a song for the first time, it might be easier to keep it simple and just start with ABAB or BABAA format. Songwriting is a learnable skill that takes a lot of practice, so it’s a good idea to start with simple chord progressions and melodies and simple formats for your lyrics. Simple can also be great!

REACTION AND EMOTION

A good song not only has to have great chords, melody and lyrics, but it also has to evoke some kind of reaction or evoke a certain emotion. Many songwriters create their music from specific events or experiences they have had, which makes it very relatable to others.

Think about a specific mood you want to give your song. Maybe you really like the way hip-hop hits with its lyrics, or a pop song that has a bubbly, feel-good vibe. Play with those emotions and feelings and use your song to express them so that people recognize them and respond positively to them.

SPECIAL HOOK OR REEF

One of the last parts in creating a good song would be a specific hook or riff within the song that establishes its catchiness, sometimes where the “C” part of your song structure comes into play. This can be explored by figuring out your chord progressions and lyrics.

You want something solid, whether it’s a saying in the lyrics or a specific musical interlude, that can embed itself in your brain. Then you know your audience will continue to hum and remember the next day.

PLAYLISTS AND LISTENING TO INFLUENCE

If you want to learn how to write good music or what makes a really good song, listen to your own playlists. Grab your favorite song and listen to it repeatedly. Get on Spotify and find out which artist, singer or instrumentalist you adore. Why do you adore her? Which songs do you think are the best?

If you can break down a song and actually figure out what chords, melody, lyrics, or catchy hooks make the song stick with you, you can easily adapt it and create something to use in your own songs.

You can’t create anything original without having an influence to draw from. It’s not that you can’t be creative and create something from your imagination. It’s just that sometimes it’s easier to listen to others and find out why they are having such a profound impact. Then you’re ready to incorporate your own stories and anecdotes from your life into your songwriting.

Chances are it’s easier to write about your own experiences when you’re starting out, but if you need a boost to get started, think of a sad heartbreak from high school or what it felt like to be yourself for the first time to fall in love. Start writing these stories and see what develops from them. Who knows – maybe your story-turned-song will become the next hit to be heard throughout the music industry!

8 years ago after buying a trance compilation CD I decided to produce music and asked myself: what is music production?

There was something magical about the way music was created, so I went to Google to figure out how to start. Unfortunately I ended up downloading a random app that I had no idea how to use and confusion ensued.

To help you avoid this confusion, I wrote this post for those who want to become a music producer. You will learn:

what a music producer actually does (not what everyone thinks)

(not what everyone thinks) things you should know about life as a music producer and how to get started

& how to start potential career paths to make money

Let’s take a look. 👇

Get a head start in music production with our EDM Starter Kit Get our collection of high quality presets, samples and PDF guides – suitable for all genres of electronic music. Free download

What does a music producer do?

According to the traditional definition, a music producer is someone who oversees, manages, and directs the process of producing and recording a song.

But in the last 10-20 years music production has become much more accessible. High-quality music can be made on your standard laptop, and no expensive hardware is required.

This leads us to the bedroom producer. I’m a bedroom producer (I don’t literally produce in my bedroom), I don’t have expensive hardware and I don’t own a huge studio. The bedroom producer is simply what I will be referring to in this post.

So what does the bedroom producer do? All.

songwriting

audio design

arrangement

Mix

Master

At least most of the time. When you’re recording and producing a song for a high-profile artist (think top 40, commercial music), there are usually several people working on the record.

One person might be working with and training the artist(s), another might be brainstorming, and another might be focusing on the sound quality of the track, mixing it down and making it sound right.

All this is usually done by the bedroom producer, since he does not have a large budget. They develop musical ideas, arrange these ideas and finalize them.

A few things a bedroom producer does:

The creative process of an electronic music producer

Although everyone has their own way of making music, there are a few basic processes that everyone uses in one form or another.

For example, our content manager Aden has an hour-long build series on our YouTube channel where he showcases his workflow:

As for me, here’s a typical series of steps I might go through when producing a track:

Think of a catchy hook or melody. Create a drum section with custom samples and loops. Design sounds for musical ideas like basslines, melodies, and chord progressions. Arrange the track, work on breakdowns, build-ups, verses and choruses. Mix the track using EQ and compression along with other effects to get the track sounding clean and ready for mastering. Master the track, turn up the volume to a competitive level and prepare the track for release.

This is of course an oversimplification and every producer has their own style and workflow. But hopefully that gives you a basic idea of ​​what a producer does.

Three things you should know as a producer

It’s difficult, it’s diverse, it’s worth it

If you are looking for an easy hobby this is not it.

But if you’re looking for something that will positively impact your life, inspire you to think critically and artistically, and bring you joy in creating, then this is the hobby for you.

Being a music producer is difficult for several reasons. The first is that it takes a long time to get to a level where your music is actually worth releasing.

There are subtleties in music production that not only take a while to understand in theory, but also require conscious practice.

Even if you have great musical ideas, your mixing skills may not be that great, or your sound design may not be up to standard.

Music production is also a very diverse field. A producer could produce music for a singer or rapper, write music for films, design sounds for video games, record and engineer live bands, or just produce music for themselves.

There are many career opportunities as a producer and it is helpful to consider all of the above.

Most importantly, despite all the difficulties, it’s still worth being a music producer! There’s nothing more satisfying than finishing your own music and making sure people appreciate it. The reward far outweighs the frustration.

Related: What to focus on as a new producer

Are there employment opportunities?

There are many different career paths closely related to music production:

Artist career: tours, album sales and more.

Sound engineering: mixing and mastering music, live sound reinforcement at events, etc.

Commercial production: production of music for commercials, games, films.

Teaching: Teaching others how to make music.

Sound Design: Designing sounds for games, movies, etc.

Most people, probably yourself, want the traditional artist career.

Why? Because it’s the excitement that every producer/DJ/musician dreams of – getting on stage in front of thousands and playing your music.

But it’s certainly not for everyone, so make sure you consider some of the options based on what you actually enjoy doing.

For example, if you like sound design, you might want to make sounds for other artists or video games, or you might want to be a foley artist for movies and TV shows.

Consider the options, try out the different skills and make an informed decision.

How to start production

“It’s all well and good to know what a music producer does, how difficult it is, and if there are potential careers — but how do I even get started?”

Let’s discuss the answer to these questions and more:

What do I need to get started?

Besides a computer, all you really need is a DAW and some decent headphones.

Read our roundup of popular DAWs and check out our How to Make Electronic Music mega guide to learn more about the Minimum Viable Studio.

And when it comes to headphones, there are plenty of great options. But we usually recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50x – they’re affordable for most, not cheaply made, and they sound great for electronic music.

Want more options? Check out our roundup of the best headphones for music production here.

I have no experience with music. Can I still learn production?

Yes! Many of your favorite producers started producing with no prior musical experience. Sure, it helps, but you can pick up skills like songwriting and melody writing on the side.

In fact, music theory is only part of music production, and even those who have played an instrument before have only a slight advantage.

Music Production Equipment – What Do I Need?

My advice to new producers would be not to put too much stock in the equipment.

A new production device, whether it’s a MIDI keyboard, software plug-in, or headphones, can certainly aid your creative process and help with the technical side of things, but it doesn’t automatically make you a better producer.

Apart from that, there are a few key points. I wrote a post you should check out: Starting Electronic Music Production on a Budget.

Production Learning Resources

After you’ve downloaded a DAW and played around a bit, you want a guide, right?

It is important to have a choice of learning resources. Here are a few paid and free resources I recommend.

courses

Courses are an efficient way to learn music production because they not only give you the right information, but also a system and structure for learning.

This is something YouTube tutorials can never do as everything is based on your intentions and what you want. A course will teach you the things you need to know, even if you don’t know what they are.

Here are a few beginner courses:

EDM Basics – Master the basics of electronic music production by completing 4 songs in 30 days.

Drums By Design – Take your drum programming game from amateur to pro with 7 comprehensive multi-genre walkthroughs.

Songwriting for Producers – Master the theory and arrangement framework behind the production of unique and unforgettable electronic music.

Groundbreaking sound design – Turn ideas in your head into real sounds, develop your own style and increase the quality of your music.

Books

I always recommend books for a reason – if it’s important, there will be a book about it.

Here are a few classics:

YouTube Channels

Sometimes you have a question and need an answer. YouTube is a wealth of information for this, so here are some great channels to follow:

Definitely worth reading article

Hey, we write articles and think they are helpful. Here are some of our most popular articles according to our followers:

Looking for more resources? Check out my resources page.

Go ahead

Now that you know what a music producer (or bedroom producer) does, how to get started, and a few things to keep in mind, it’s time to take action!

Download a demo of any DAW and start playing around. I recommend FL Studio or Ableton Live because of the amount of instructional content for each.

Brand new to production? Check out our comprehensive guide on how to make electronic music. You will learn a comprehensive plan for learning the basics of EDM production, building a creative mindset, and developing skills as a producer.

It’s also available in our EDM Starter Kit, which you can download for free below.

As a songwriter, there’s probably nothing worse than discovering that people are bored with your songs. If you’re like most, you’d rather have a split between people who love your music and people who hate your music. But bored your audience? That’s pretty bad.

Your fans probably won’t be motivated to say why your songs bore them, but even if you ask someone, they usually can’t tell you why. For them, a boring song cannot excite them on any level. And a fan who is bored is likely to just keep going.

Are you ready for LYRICS to play a much more important role in your songwriting process? They must “Use your words! Developing a lyrics-first songwriting process.” Right now it’s FREE with the purchase of The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle

But as a songwriter, you need to know why your songs don’t excite listeners.

Usually, the solution to a boring song isn’t particularly complicated. What is complicated is finding the cause. Here’s a short list of different song elements with suggestions on how to fix them if they’re boring.

Boring lyrics

There are three main reasons why texts can be boring:

The song is about something that just doesn’t connect with the listeners. You use too many cliche lines, making the text too predictable. The lyrics lack a focal point; It’s hard to know what the song is really about.

They need to choose a topic that relates to other people’s life experiences – something they can relate to. Make them feel like your story is their story too.

In telling this story, clichés will kill the narrative. A cliché sounds lazy. They can be used more successfully in a chorus, but in a verse they can make your story sound mundane.

The solution to boring text is to make sure the lines of text have focus in the first place. I’ve written before about logical descendants, where each line of text is the logical descendant of the line before it.

If you want to learn more about this and other common lyrics problems, please read my article Fixing Common Lyrics Problems – I think you’ll find it helpful.

Boring melodies

It’s hard to say why a melody could be boring. You could say if it always sits around the same note or doesn’t use many pitches, that’s a recipe for boredom. But there are many songs that use a very small scale (Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” comes to mind) and yet the songs feel successful despite using very few notes.

Boring melodies usually appear in conjunction with other song elements. In other words, a melody sitting around a note or two where the chords and lyrics are also uneventful can result in a melody that sounds powerfully mundane!

So how do you know if it is the melody itself that is causing the listener’s boredom? Sometimes the best way to analyze a problem with the melody is to put a magnifying glass on the other elements. If you find that you have a chord progression that you like and the lyrics sound acceptable, a melody may need to be moved up and down a little more than you allow.

If you really think the melody is to blame, look for ways to inject a melodic jump or a climactic climax. A melody usually just needs a suspenseful point, usually at the end rather than the beginning of a section of song, that brings in a bit of melodic energy. It doesn’t take much.

There are several songs that seem to be great examples of songwriting and I often return to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” as a great model of solid songwriting technique. In this case, it’s a great example of what a good song melody should do. Sing through the chorus, noting the more exciting highs that occur on the line:

who claims I’m the one

But the child is not my son

Thus, it is often the case that a boring tune will be remedied by inserting a climax near its end, or by inserting a melodic leap somewhere, a leap meant to catch the listener’s attention.

Boring song form

One of the most common songwriting problems is the question of song length. Most of the time, a boring song is just too long. I’ve almost never heard a song that I thought was too short. But I’ve heard many that I thought were too long.

This of course refers to the song form. Songs with four or five verses are tricky. It gets dangerously long in the pop genres, and not everyone is a Bob Dylan who can successfully captivate audiences with so many verses from “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Therefore, the solution is usually to find a way to express what needs to be expressed in two or at most three verses. Songs over 5’00” must have a good reason for being that long. At 5’00” one enters dangerous territory to create musical boredom.

Boring or poor production/musical arrangement

A song needs to be played well and produced well to avoid boredom in the listener. It’s not usually a songwriting problem, but more good songs have been killed by poor production than you can imagine.

It’s worth the time and money if you have the ability to bring in a producer who knows what they’re doing, has experience, and understands your genre. You know what to do with your song to make it exciting for an audience.

A good producer is usually objective enough to know how to make your song sound its best and fullest. They’re not as into your song as you are, and that’s usually to your advantage. Of course, these things cost money, so you have to decide what it’s worth to you.

If you feel like trying to break into the world of professional songwriting, finding a producer who thinks you have what it takes can be one of the most important things you do to further your career.

objective listening

Here’s something I suggest to anyone trying to get a handle on this important issue: record your song, and then put a song away for a few weeks. Once you’ve “removed” it from your system, return to it and listen as objectively as possible. How does it sound? What do you like? what do you find boring

Time away from your song makes it easier to hear boring elements for what they are. And you have a clearer view of what you need to do to solve the problem.

To develop your objective listening skills, read this article: “Good Songwriting and Objective Listening”

Written by Gary Ewer. Follow Gary on Twitter.

The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle includes a free copy of Use Your Words! Developing a lyrics-first songwriting process.” Discover the power and excitement that comes from putting your lyrics at the heart of the songwriting process.

We hope you enjoy the products we recommend. We may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. This does not cost you anything extra. Thank you if you do. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Learning to produce music can seem like a daunting task. Maybe you feel overwhelmed with the technical aspects of making music; This need not be.

In this blog post I address some of the most common misconceptions about producing music, how to get started and answer is music production difficult?

If you are interested in producing music but concerned it may be too difficult; then this post is for you.

How hard is it to become a music producer?

Let’s start by saying that becoming a music producer isn’t as hard as you think it is. However, it requires some time and dedication.

It’s like learning a new skill. At first things will seem completely strange to you, but of course you will get better with time.

A lot of music production is simply rinsing and repeating the same process.

When it comes to learning how to produce music, there are many things to know and understand; from sound design, sampling, virtual instruments, song arrangements and much more. But don’t let that put you off, it’s not as complicated as first thought, and creating your own music is very rewarding!

Before we dive into how you can learn to produce music, let’s talk about some misconceptions people often have when starting out.

You have to go to school or college to learn music production.

You don’t have to go to music production school or college to become a producer; However, it can be helpful if you have focused on music production-related topics such as acoustics, sound engineering, recording techniques, etc. during these years of training.

Thankfully, today we have so much access to online websites, courses, videos, and coaching that learning to create music from home has never been easier.

I spent three years in college studying music production, music engineering and marketing. While it gave me a good base to work from, I can honestly say I’ve learned a lot more by taking my own steps at home and working in the music industry.

Music production is too hard to learn.

The second misconception many new producers face is the belief that music production is just too difficult. But like any other creative activity, learning the process takes time and effort.

Yes, you will make mistakes, but it’s all part of the journey to finding your own unique sound.

You’re too old to learn music production.

Another misconception you might have is that you are too old to learn how to produce music.

Even if you’re a little late to the game, there are no rules as to how old you have to be.

I also find that the older you are, the more inspiration you need to draw from and the more likely you are to appreciate music on a deeper level.

You don’t know any music theory.

One last misconception you might have is that music production involves a lot of music theory.

In reality, there are many people who never learn music theory and still produce great sounding music.

If you want to understand how chords work or why major scales produce happier sounding melodies, then learning music production will help you.

It’s quite common to learn things like song structure, harmony, and melody while producing a song without even realizing it.

So don’t let these misconceptions stop you from pursuing your passion because there are so many resources in YouTube tutorials, books, courses, and blogs (like this one) dedicated to demystifying production techniques for beginners like you.

How long does it take to get good at music production?

It’s impossible to say how long it will take as there are so many variables including:

What is your current skill level?

How much time per day would you like to spend practicing music production?

What music production tools do you use?

Do you learn from an experienced producer or do you teach yourself?

If you’re new to music or just starting out in production, expect it to take several months before you start learning the basics. But don’t let that discourage you because it will get easier with time.

If you’re an experienced record producer and want to change your production style or genre, you’ll see the results much faster – probably within a few days.

There is a good rule of thumb that it takes about ten thousand hours to master a skill. I’m not saying that it will take you that long to develop your craft, just that you should be prepared to be in it for the long haul.

It’s important to always remember that producing music doesn’t happen overnight. It is best to be patient and dedicated when learning how to produce as it will take time for your skills to build up.

If you want to be a music producer, where would you start?

The first question many beginners ask themselves when trying to learn how to produce music is “what do they need to get started”?

There are many great programs out there these days like Ableton Live, FL Studio or Logic Pro X just to name a few.

My favorite DAW – Ableton Live

There are also tons of options when it comes to studio gear and I’m sure you’ll want to get yourself an audio interface, midi keyboard, studio monitors, etc.

I won’t go through everything you need in this article; However, you can read our guide to building a studio on a budget HERE.

There are also skills that are needed outside of the realm of production itself, such as: E.g. writing lyrics, singing melodies etc., but let’s focus on what goes into actually producing tracks.

You can find tons of free tutorials on YouTube. However, if you want a deeper dive into production, as well as some accountability for progress, I recommend investing in some courseware.

Reid Stefan – One of my favorite YouTube production channels

It will take some time for your skills to build up, but don’t worry; There are many other producers out there who started where you are right now! This means that they have also gone through the same learning processes.

What are the skills needed to be a music producer?

There are so many variables involved when you start a new skill or hobby, especially when trying something like music production, which can be very technical in nature.

In my opinion, the basic “skill” required is a commitment to keep performing and keep pushing yourself. It can be difficult at first when you feel like you’re not making any progress, and at this stage many people will throw in the towel.

But if you keep showing up and putting in the hours of practice it takes to hone your skills, then anything is possible.

Note that I said “ability”, not necessarily “talent”. There are many people with natural abilities who progress much faster than others without them, but even at an advanced level there is always room for improvement, so it doesn’t matter where you start as long as you put the time in.

It is important to stay on course and to keep trying new things.

All music producers have their favorite tricks when producing beats or mixing tracks, like using certain plugins or a certain workflow that might seem unorthodox compared to other professionals.

You will develop these quirks over time as you become more comfortable with what you are doing.

What other skills can help a music producer?

As mentioned above, there are many skills that can help an electronic music producer, including:

Natural rhythm and an ear for melody can make producing music a lot easier.

One of the most important qualities is the ability to switch off and focus on what you’re doing, which can be helpful when trying to work within time constraints or deadlines.

A more obvious skill needed for music production would be an understanding of basic music theory. As mentioned, this is not required; However, this comes in handy when composing complex breakdowns or transitions between sections of a song.

Computer literacy is also a must as 90% of your workflow involves a PC on a Mac.

It helps to have a good ear for noise, knowing what sounds go well together and what instruments to use to create the desired effect or mood.

Being patient really helps, especially in the early stages. It’s common for music producers to spend many hours alone tinkering with sounds and creating a song.

It also helps to be organized by keeping your projects in order to improve your workflow.

Good listening is also crucial. You have to listen carefully and pay attention to details. Plus, you’ll have to settle for listening to the same loop for hours!

Finally, and while it’s not a skill, the most important thing you need as a music producer is a passion for what you do. This will help you keep striving for improvement, and it’s a far more valuable “skill” than any other.

How do you make the learning process of music production easier?

When you’re looking to learn something new, it’s always good to start with the basics, and music production is no different.

By mastering these and the terminology behind what you do, you will soon understand what and why you do certain things.

There are many music production tutorials, courses, and blogs out there, so finding one that resonates with you shouldn’t be too difficult.

My studio dual monitor setup

Also, it’s important not to end up in a YouTube wormhole and spend hours watching different tutorials.

While this is a great way to see how to make things, it’s even more important to put these methods into practice and try them out for yourself.

Finally, delve into the genre you want to create. I’m sure you probably already do this, but really pay attention to how songs are structured, the sounds of other producers, how they transition between different sections, etc.

This will really pay off when it comes to writing your own music as it would have helped train your ears on what sounds good and what works and what doesn’t.

What music theory do you need to learn to produce?

As we mentioned earlier in this article, you can produce music without any music theory experience. But you can also get a lot out of studying music theory if you want to.

In some cases, the basics will suffice for beginners; However, even these basic concepts need to be understood, how they work together.

It’s worth noting that there isn’t a single background that all producers come from and this can mean that their understanding of music theory may differ slightly.

When starting out, I would say that the following music theory topics are the most commonly used: scales and chords (the building blocks of melody), some basics about melody construction, and understanding how harmonies work.

If this is a bit too much information at once, try looking at specific genres as they often have their own song structures which makes learning easier as there is less variation in what people are doing.

I play an instrument; Does this help with learning production?

In my opinion yes, because it gives you a better understanding of music theory and how to translate your instrument into synthesized sound.

But that’s not the only thing; It can also help create original melodies or chords for production purposes.

When I was learning piano, I was very excited to build those skills to translate into electronic music. This prompted me to later pursue a music education.

What else can an instrument do?

When you start learning electronic music production, there’s a good chance your instrument can serve as inspiration for the sound or mood you’re trying to create.

If you play guitar and want a track to have some “rock vibe” you might not know how to build that from scratch, so instead you just need the right chord progression to get you started on the build begin elements around it.

Is it too late to become a music producer?

I think it’s never too late to make music and get involved in the music industry. If you have the passion and commitment to the learning process, I would advise you to seize the moment and start your music production journey.

If you’ve never produced music before and want to learn how, the only thing holding you back is your fear of failure. That will stop anyone from learning anything creative: photography, painting, whatever.

You are a DJ; Does this help with learning production?

Absolutely, being a DJ is an excellent starting point in the music production process as many of the mixing skills can be transferred including:

Recognize how songs are constructed by ear and waveforms.

Ability to follow the timing and rhythm of a song.

Recognize keys and avoid key collision.

Being able to switch between different musical parts.

The ability to adjust volume levels and basic EQing.

Various musical ideas.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and why DJing and producing go hand in hand.

Another point that is often overlooked is the ability to “road test” your music during your DJ sets.

This allows you to hear how your productions sound on different setups and get valuable feedback from other people, which is tremendous for improving your craft.

What is the easiest software to make music?

That’s the $64 million question! There are tons of music production software out there, so figuring out which one is the best can be difficult.

I think you should look at several factors and then weigh your options before making your decision.

Think about:

Do you already have experience with a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)?

Do any of your friends use a specific DAW?

When watching videos or reading reviews, has one DAW appealed to you more than another?

what is your budget

The next step would be to download some demos to see how you are getting on. Most DAWs offer fairly lengthy trial versions, so you can get really hands-on.

You can also try booking a session at your local studio or music store where they have various DAWs set up for you to test out.

There are many considerations that go into choosing the right software, but here are two important factors:

First, decide if it’s worth investing in an expensive, feature-rich program like Pro Tools when you can start with something cheaper or even free like Audacity.

Secondly, make sure that it is compatible with your computer’s operating system.

Is music production a good career?

Hopefully you get into music production because it’s something you love and not just because you see dollar signs in your eyes.

Still, for many people, making music for a living can be an incredible career.

Producing music and making a living can be a dream come true, but it’s a highly competitive, cutthroat industry that leaves many producers unable to rest. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth moving on.

A constant theme throughout this article is patience and perseverance, and it will take a lot of both to have a songwriting career.

A bedroom producer needs time to develop their own style and produce quality music.

It’s not always easy being a musician or an engineer – even successful ones struggle from time to time, but if you really love it, don’t let anyone stand in your way!

What are some reasons people would stop producing music?

Some people may decide that they no longer enjoy making music because their ability has plateaued or not improved for months or years.

Others may have too many other hobbies that take them away from music.

Even some find themselves in a situation where music production is no longer feasible for them, perhaps due to increasing family commitments or having moved to an area with limited resources.

People might stop making music after trying for years and not making any progress. This is usually due to frustration rather than boredom or disinterest, and they may be happier simply listening to other musicians’ music instead.

As you can see, there are many reasons why someone stops producing music.

Luckily, your love of creating melodies doesn’t have to end if you decide not to pursue professional aspirations in the field; Simply put, making music should be fun.

Final Words – Is Music Production Hard?

Music production can be difficult at first, but not impossible even if you don’t have a musical background or experience.

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what it takes and what you need to get started. It’s always important not to give up too quickly, no matter what stage you’re at, because it takes time to master!

The key is to have fun, so make sure any difficulties that arise during the process don’t stop you from enjoying yourself along the way.

If there is one piece of advice I could give to anyone starting their music production journey, it would be to not be afraid to try something new. Just because something didn’t work out the first time doesn’t mean it can’t be done any other way.

I hope this blog post has helped answer some of your music production questions and encourage those who may have thought about giving up their musical endeavors not to do so.

If this was helpful, let us know in the comments below.

A parody takes a creative work—like art, literature, or film—and mimics it in an over-the-top, comedic way. Parody often serves as a criticism or commentary on the original work, the artist who created it, or something otherwise associated with the work. In the United States, parody as a form of expression is protected under the First Amendment. However, because parodies rely heavily on the original work, parodists rely on the fair use exception to combat claims of copyright infringement. The fair use exception is subject to the factors listed in Section 107 of the Copyright Act: (1) the purpose and manner of use; (2) the nature of the original work; (3) the extent and extent of the original work used; and (4) the effect on the market value of the original work. In general, courts are more likely to find that a parody qualifies as fair use if its purpose is to serve as social commentary rather than purely commercial gain.

[Last updated July 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]

One of the easiest ways to write your own funny poem is to take a song that you know—preferably a song that other people also know—and change up the words to make your song. If you do, it’s called a “spoof” or “song parody” because it’s a humorous imitation of the original song.

The first thing you have to do to create your own parody is to choose a song. I recommend you choose a well-known children’s song like “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or “I’m a Little Teapot” or a famous Christmas carol like “Jingle Bells” instead of, for example, a modern pop song. The reason is that more people will know the original tune, especially adults who may not be familiar with the latest songs on the radio.

Here’s a list of songs to choose from (although there are many more than these that work well):

Oh my darling, Clementine

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

On Old Smokey

Row, row, row your boat

Twinkle twinkle little star

Miss Susi

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

Yankee Doodle

“My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” rewrite

Once you’ve decided on a song, it’s a good idea to look at the original lyrics. For example, let’s look at the song “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.” The original goes like this:

My Bonnie lays over the ocean My Bonnie lays over the ocean

My Bonnie is over the sea.

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

Please bring my Bonnie back to me. Bring back, bring back

Oh, bring my Bonnie back to me.

Bring back, bring back

Oh, bring my Bonnie back to me.

To turn this into a new song, we want to keep the same rhythm and rhyme pattern. That is, we want the second line to rhyme with the fourth line, just like in the original. We will also likely want something or someone lying on top of something or someone else. Let’s just change “Bonnie” and the thing that runs “Bonnie”.

For example, let’s say that instead of “My Bonnie” I want to have “My Bunny” put on something. What could that be? Maybe my bunny could lie on one of my other pets like this:

My rabbit lies doggy over it.

Next, I could leave my rabbit on something else. Or maybe I could leave the dog on top of something else and make a stack of animals like this:

My bunny lies over my doggy.

My puppy dog ​​lies over my cat.

my cat is on my frog,

and that’s why my frog is flat.

Okay, I find this pretty funny, so I’m keeping it. But now I have to write a chorus to replace “Bring back, bring back”. I’m thinking about how my frog just got crushed by my other pets and that sounds like a “green blob” to me, so here’s the chorus:

green spot, green spot,

oh, that’s why my frog is so flat.

green spot, green spot,

oh, that’s why my frog is flat.

And there we have a brand new song parody.

Rewrite Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Let’s try another example. The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is well known and was even parodied by Alan Katz in his books Take Me Out of the Bathtub and I’m Still Here in the Bathtub. Let’s see if we can’t make our own version.

First, let’s look at the lyrics of the original song:

Take me to the ball game Take me to the ball game

Take me to the crowd

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack

I don’t care if I ever come back

Because it’s root, root, root for the home team.

If they don’t win, it’s a shame.

‘Cause it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out

At the old ball game.

To parody this, let’s start by changing the “ball game” to something else. Can you think of a place you would rather go than to a ball game? In order to keep the original rhythm, it must be a passage that still has two syllables. What if we went to the cinema instead? Then our first two lines could look like this:

go to the cinema with me

take me to a show

Now I have to say something, maybe about what kind of movies I like. Also note that “Cracker Jack” rhymes with “back,” so my next two lines must also rhyme.

I like explosions in every scene

Robots and aliens on the screen.

Hey, I like the way that sounds… But to wrap it up and make it fun, I want to say something about what kind of movies I don’t like. I don’t want to see muddy love stories so I’ll end my song like this:

I like ninjas, pirates and cowboys,

and giant man-eating plants

There’s only one thing I won’t see;

I don’t want romance!

Note that I rhymed the words “plants” and “romance” in the same places where the original song had the words “shame” and “game.” This is because I want to keep the rhyme scheme like the original song.

It’s your turn

Now it’s your turn to invent your own silly song parody. Here’s all you need to do:

Pick a song Change the first line just enough to make it different but still recognizable Keep the original rhythm and rhyme scheme Keep writing and see where it takes you

Would you like to read more?

If you want to read some silly song parodies, there are plenty of children’s books full of them. Perhaps the best known is Alan Katz’s Take Me Out of the Bathtub: A Silly-Dilly Songbook. Others include Bruce Lansky’s books I’ve Been Burping in the Classroom and Oh My Darling, Porcupine. My books The Tighty-Whitey Spider and Revenge of the Lunch Ladies also contain a number of song parodies. Be sure to pick a few of these books from your library and get ready to have a blast.

Parody & Pastiche

Author: Kris Erickson

Illustration: Davide Bonazzi

Parody refers to a new creative work that uses an existing work for humor or mockery. Some parodies target well-known artists or their works to express criticism. Another type of parody uses existing works to draw attention to or comment on a specific social phenomenon or problem. What all parodies have in common is the reference to and use of existing works to generate new social commentary.

Obviously, parodists need to check copyright carefully, as most parodies require taking aspects of an original work in order to conjure it up in the minds of the audience. For example, would any Gangnam-style parody be complete without the iconic “Horse Dance” from the original music video?

British Legislation

UK copyright law, which implements the EU Copyright Directive, provides an exception to copyright “for the purpose of caricature, parody or satire”. This means that it is in principle possible to create parodies that reuse copyrighted works without having to obtain permission from the rights holders. However, it is important to note that the use of copyrighted works for parody purposes is only permitted to the extent that it can be considered “fair trade”. How much copying of a work is fair or unfair is a question that will ultimately be decided by a court that considers the interests and rights of the copyright owner and the freedom of expression of the person invoking the parody exception. In making this decision, a court will typically consider a number of different factors, such as the size of the copied work.

According to the UK government, under this copyright exception a comedian may “use a few lines from a film or song in a parody sketch; A caricaturist may refer to a well-known work of art or illustration for a caricature. an artist can use small fragments from a series of films to compose a larger pastiche work of art”; whereas “it would not be considered ‘fair’ to use an entire music track in a spoof video”. The government’s guidance on exceptions to copyright for “caricature, parody or pastiche” can be found here.

Another important element of the legislation is that contract clauses designed to prevent or limit the production of parodies permitted under this exception are legally “unenforceable”. In other words, the parody exception cannot be contractually overridden. This means that you may still be able to parody something even when other terms imposed by a platform owner or publisher would otherwise limit your use of the underlying source material.

UK copyright law also gives authors moral rights, such as B. The right not to have their work subjected to “degrading treatment” (often referred to as the right to integrity). So if humorous or satirical use of a copyrighted work amounts to “derogatory treatment” within the meaning of the law, rightsholders can still take legal action against the parodist.

There are four general principles to keep in mind when it comes to copyright and parody:

1. If possible, permission should be obtained

A parody does not infringe copyright if the parodist has obtained permission from the copyright owner. Note that the author or artist isn’t always the rights holder – it can be a publisher or a music label. Obtaining permission from these entities can be a costly and time-consuming process, and this can discourage small-time parodists. However, with permission obtained, you are free to parody the work within the limits of the agreed license without risk of infringement.

A problem that some parodists face is that the original creator or rights holder may not want their work to be parodied in a negative way and thus may refuse permission to use their work. However, just because permission has been denied does not mean that you cannot use the work for parody purposes. Even if the copyright owner has specifically withheld their consent, you are still entitled to invoke the parody exception as long as your use of the work is fair.

2. Consider the substance of the copied work

When considering whether an unlicensed parody has infringed the copyright of the author, courts in the UK will consider the importance (relevance) of the copied parts of the work to the original piece as a whole. For example, a parody of a fashion magazine that copied the cover pixel by pixel and simply added a mustache to the model might be considered too much of the original work and therefore constitute an infringement. A parody resembling a fashion magazine cover without using the same text, font, or photograph as the original magazine is unlikely to be considered infringing. In no case is it acceptable to copy something almost completely and use parody as an excuse – the spirit of parody is the creation of new works and social commentary.

Keep in mind that many parodies will be composite works. For example, a commercial music video consists of a musical recording, a composition, lyrics, a performance, and a cinematographic video. Copying even one of these items may constitute an infringement, meaning it is not in compliance with copyright law. A brand new video recording may be removed from YouTube if it contains clips from a music track owned by a rights holder who opposes its use. By avoiding directly copying an audio or video recording, parodists can avoid having their work removed from services like YouTube, although the indirectly copied elements (such as sheet music of a composition) may still be infringing.

3. Commercial Damage

Another thing that UK courts will consider when assessing whether an unlicensed parody constitutes infringement is the potential economic damage to the original rights holder as a result of the new parody. It is unlikely that a critical art project hanging in a university gallery could compete economically with the aim of parody in the commercial market. On the other hand, a fan-made parody of Electronic Arts’ hit game The Sims, which similarly allows players to manage a group of virtual beings, could invade the video game publisher’s legitimate market for such a game.

Because these permitted “derivative” uses of copyrighted material apply only to parodies and not to other uses such as karaoke, choreography, or remixing, it is important that potential parodists fully understand the purpose of their use of an original work and the target of the criticism they are making want to do while minimizing the amount of work that is copied directly from an original. If the parody is to be used in a commercial manner, it is strongly recommended that you obtain permission from the copyright holder for any use of the underlying work.

4. The importance of freedom of expression

In the UK and elsewhere, it is widely recognized that the free expression aspects of critical parody must be encouraged and enabled whilst respecting the rights of copyright holders. In fact, the European Court of Justice has expressly recognized that the use of copyrighted works for the purpose of parody is justified by the right to freedom of expression (see legal language below).

legal language:

Johan Deckmyn and Vrijheidsfonds VZW v Helena Vandersteen and Others, Case C-201/13, Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), 3 September 2014 any act which would otherwise be permissible under this paragraph, this clause shall be unenforceable.”

In that judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that Article 5(3)(k) of the Copyright Directive “must be interpreted as meaning that the term ‘parody’ […] is an autonomous concept of Union law”; and that “the essential characteristics of parody are, first, to evoke an existing work while differing markedly from it, and second, to present an expression of humor or mockery. The term “parody” […] is not linked to the condition that the parody should have its own original character, except that it shows clear differences compared to the parodied original work; that it could reasonably be attributed to any person other than the author of the original work himself; that it should refer to the original work itself or mention the source of the parodied work.”

“However, the application of the parody exception in a particular case […] must strike a fair balance between the interests and rights ‘of authors and other rightholders’ and, on the other hand, the freedom of expression of the user of a protected work who refers to the parody exception within the meaning of Article 5(3)(k).”

“It is for the national court to determine, taking into account all the circumstances of the main proceedings, whether the application of the parody exception […] on the assumption that the drawing in question satisfies the essential requirements of parody maintains that fair balance.”

Legal Notice:

Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonization of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2001:167:0010:0019:EN:PDF

UK law on copying works for the purpose of caricature, parody or pastiche is set out in Section 30A and Schedule 2(2A) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You can read these provisions here: http://www. legislative.gov.uk/ukdsi/2014/9780111116029

The “right to object to degrading treatment of works” is provided for in Section 80 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/80

Copyright and the Economic Effects of Parody: An Empirical Study of Music Videos on the YouTube Platform and an Assessment of the Regulatory Options, by Kris Erickson, Martin Kretschmer and Dinusha Mendis (2013), available at: https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/parody-and-pastiche

How to write a parody

To use parody,

Examine an original work. Look for anything that you find weird, critical, or funny. Create an imitative work that emphasizes these qualities.

For example, in the book Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield has a particularly strong personality.

Original work:

Catcher in the Rye

Holden Caulfield frequently complains, calling adults “phonies” for their fake personalities.

Parody:

Complainant in the rye

Holden Complainfield complains to everyone he meets, always careful not to call them swindlers.

In this spoof, attention is drawn to Holden’s overly critical nature by exaggerating his talent for complaining and calling other swindlers.

As a second example, consider the song “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea.

Original work:

“Chic”

Iggy emphasizes her partying, big ego, and penchant for swearing.

Parody:

“Nobel”

The parody begins with “I’m so classy” and focuses on elegance, poise and nice vocabulary.

This parody would draw attention to the lack of class and civility in the popular Azalea original.

Parodies can be used to imitate certain elements of a play, to make an audience laugh and to criticize.

When to use parody

Parodies are used to draw attention to a person or original composition by mocking or deriding their problems or problems. Movies, television shows, commercials, comedy skits, books, poems, plays, and songs can all be parodic. Because parodies are comedic, they allow us to criticize something while softening the blow with a little comedy and laughter. While they often target politicians, celebrities, and other people, they shouldn’t be so rude that they do more harm than joy and betterment. Parodies can be used by comedians to draw attention to political issues and call for change by criticizing what isn’t working. Spoofs should not be used in polite situations. For example, it would be rude to parody a teacher in class.

Parody & Pastiche

Author: Kris Erickson

Illustration: Davide Bonazzi

Parody refers to a new creative work that uses an existing work for humor or mockery. Some parodies target well-known artists or their works to express criticism. Another type of parody uses existing works to draw attention to or comment on a specific social phenomenon or problem. What all parodies have in common is the reference to and use of existing works to generate new social commentary.

Obviously, parodists need to check copyright carefully, as most parodies require taking aspects of an original work in order to conjure it up in the minds of the audience. For example, would any Gangnam-style parody be complete without the iconic “Horse Dance” from the original music video?

British Legislation

UK copyright law, which implements the EU Copyright Directive, provides an exception to copyright “for the purpose of caricature, parody or satire”. This means that it is in principle possible to create parodies that reuse copyrighted works without having to obtain permission from the rights holders. However, it is important to note that the use of copyrighted works for parody purposes is only permitted to the extent that it can be considered “fair trade”. How much copying of a work is fair or unfair is a question that will ultimately be decided by a court that considers the interests and rights of the copyright owner and the freedom of expression of the person invoking the parody exception. In making this decision, a court will typically consider a number of different factors, such as the size of the copied work.

According to the UK government, under this copyright exception a comedian may “use a few lines from a film or song in a parody sketch; A caricaturist may refer to a well-known work of art or illustration for a caricature. an artist can use small fragments from a series of films to compose a larger pastiche work of art”; whereas “it would not be considered ‘fair’ to use an entire music track in a spoof video”. The government’s guidance on exceptions to copyright for “caricature, parody or pastiche” can be found here.

Another important element of the legislation is that contract clauses designed to prevent or limit the production of parodies permitted under this exception are legally “unenforceable”. In other words, the parody exception cannot be contractually overridden. This means that you may still be able to parody something even when other terms imposed by a platform owner or publisher would otherwise limit your use of the underlying source material.

UK copyright law also gives authors moral rights, such as B. The right not to have their work subjected to “degrading treatment” (often referred to as the right to integrity). So if humorous or satirical use of a copyrighted work amounts to “derogatory treatment” within the meaning of the law, rightsholders can still take legal action against the parodist.

There are four general principles to keep in mind when it comes to copyright and parody:

1. If possible, permission should be obtained

A parody does not infringe copyright if the parodist has obtained permission from the copyright owner. Note that the author or artist isn’t always the rights holder – it can be a publisher or a music label. Obtaining permission from these entities can be a costly and time-consuming process, and this can discourage small-time parodists. However, with permission obtained, you are free to parody the work within the limits of the agreed license without risk of infringement.

A problem that some parodists face is that the original creator or rights holder may not want their work to be parodied in a negative way and thus may refuse permission to use their work. However, just because permission has been denied does not mean that you cannot use the work for parody purposes. Even if the copyright owner has specifically withheld their consent, you are still entitled to invoke the parody exception as long as your use of the work is fair.

2. Consider the substance of the copied work

When considering whether an unlicensed parody has infringed the copyright of the author, courts in the UK will consider the importance (relevance) of the copied parts of the work to the original piece as a whole. For example, a parody of a fashion magazine that copied the cover pixel by pixel and simply added a mustache to the model might be considered too much of the original work and therefore constitute an infringement. A parody resembling a fashion magazine cover without using the same text, font, or photograph as the original magazine is unlikely to be considered infringing. In no case is it acceptable to copy something almost completely and use parody as an excuse – the spirit of parody is the creation of new works and social commentary.

Keep in mind that many parodies will be composite works. For example, a commercial music video consists of a musical recording, a composition, lyrics, a performance, and a cinematographic video. Copying even one of these items may constitute an infringement, meaning it is not in compliance with copyright law. A brand new video recording may be removed from YouTube if it contains clips from a music track owned by a rights holder who opposes its use. By avoiding directly copying an audio or video recording, parodists can avoid having their work removed from services like YouTube, although the indirectly copied elements (such as sheet music of a composition) may still be infringing.

3. Commercial Damage

Another thing that UK courts will consider when assessing whether an unlicensed parody constitutes infringement is the potential economic damage to the original rights holder as a result of the new parody. It is unlikely that a critical art project hanging in a university gallery could compete economically with the aim of parody in the commercial market. On the other hand, a fan-made parody of Electronic Arts’ hit game The Sims, which similarly allows players to manage a group of virtual beings, could invade the video game publisher’s legitimate market for such a game.

Because these permitted “derivative” uses of copyrighted material apply only to parodies and not to other uses such as karaoke, choreography, or remixing, it is important that potential parodists fully understand the purpose of their use of an original work and the target of the criticism they are making want to do while minimizing the amount of work that is copied directly from an original. If the parody is to be used in a commercial manner, it is strongly recommended that you obtain permission from the copyright holder for any use of the underlying work.

4. The importance of freedom of expression

In the UK and elsewhere, it is widely recognized that the free expression aspects of critical parody must be encouraged and enabled whilst respecting the rights of copyright holders. In fact, the European Court of Justice has expressly recognized that the use of copyrighted works for the purpose of parody is justified by the right to freedom of expression (see legal language below).

legal language:

Johan Deckmyn and Vrijheidsfonds VZW v Helena Vandersteen and Others, Case C-201/13, Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), 3 September 2014 any act which would otherwise be permissible under this paragraph, this clause shall be unenforceable.”

In that judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that Article 5(3)(k) of the Copyright Directive “must be interpreted as meaning that the term ‘parody’ […] is an autonomous concept of Union law”; and that “the essential characteristics of parody are, first, to evoke an existing work while differing markedly from it, and second, to present an expression of humor or mockery. The term “parody” […] is not linked to the condition that the parody should have its own original character, except that it shows clear differences compared to the parodied original work; that it could reasonably be attributed to any person other than the author of the original work himself; that it should refer to the original work itself or mention the source of the parodied work.”

“However, the application of the parody exception in a particular case […] must strike a fair balance between the interests and rights ‘of authors and other rightholders’ and, on the other hand, the freedom of expression of the user of a protected work who refers to the parody exception within the meaning of Article 5(3)(k).”

“It is for the national court to determine, taking into account all the circumstances of the main proceedings, whether the application of the parody exception […] on the assumption that the drawing in question satisfies the essential requirements of parody maintains that fair balance.”

Legal Notice:

Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonization of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2001:167:0010:0019:EN:PDF

UK law on copying works for the purpose of caricature, parody or pastiche is set out in Section 30A and Schedule 2(2A) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You can read these provisions here: http://www. legislative.gov.uk/ukdsi/2014/9780111116029

The “right to object to degrading treatment of works” is provided for in Section 80 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/80

Copyright and the Economic Effects of Parody: An Empirical Study of Music Videos on the YouTube Platform and an Assessment of the Regulatory Options, by Kris Erickson, Martin Kretschmer and Dinusha Mendis (2013), available at: https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/parody-and-pastiche

Composition generally of humorous or satirical intent

Parody music or musical parody involves altering or copying existing (usually known) musical ideas and/or lyrics, or copying a composer’s or performer’s particular style, or even a general style of music.

In music, parody has been used for many different purposes and in different musical contexts: as a serious compositional technique, as a simple re-use of well-known tunes to present new words, and as a deliberately humorous, even mocking, reworking of existing musical material, sometimes for satirical effect.

Examples of music parody with serious intent include parody masses in the 16th and 20th centuries, the use of folk tunes in popular songs, and neoclassical works written for the concert hall that draw on earlier styles. “Parody” in this serious sense continues to be a term in musicological usage, coexisting with the more common use of the term to refer to parody for humorous effect.

Etymology[ edit ]

The word “parody” derives from Postclassic Latin parodia, which comes from the Greek παρῳδία (lit. “burlesque poem” or song).[1]

Renaissance[ edit ]

The earliest musical application of this Greek term was as late as 1587 on the title page of a parodic mass by the German composer Jakob Paix, as the equivalent of the earlier Latin expressions missa ad imitationem or missa super… cite the source of the borrowed musical material. Such fondness for Greek terms was a product of Renaissance humanism, which was strong in Germany at the time, although use of the word was rare and casual. Only in modern times, especially after the publication of Peter Wagner’s history of the mass in 1913, has the term “parody technique” prevailed as a historical musicological term.[2] Although the practice of borrowing pre-existing polyphonic textures dates back to the 14th century, these earlier manifestations are closer to the contrafactum technique than to the parody of 16th-century music.[2] In the second half of the 15th century, composers began to include the other voices of a polyphonic model in cantus firmus structures, such as Jacob Obrecht’s Missa Fortuna desperata and Missa Rosa playante.[2] In Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Michael Tilmouth and Richard Sherr write of the genre:

The essential feature of the parody technique is that not only is a single voice used to form a cantus firmus in the derivative work, but the whole substance of the source – its themes, rhythms, chords and chord progressions – is incorporated into the new piece and varied so freely that a fusion of old and new elements is achieved.[2]

Many of the most famous composers of the 16th century, including Victoria, Lassus and Palestrina, used a wide range of earlier music in their Masses, drawing on existing secular and religious pieces.[2][a]

baroque [edit]

After the onset of the Baroque period, parodies of serious intent continued, such as J.S. Bach’s reuse of three cantatas in his Christmas Oratorio. However, as musical fashions changed, there was little incentive to reuse old modal melodies and compositional styles.[5] After the mid-17th century, composers sought “a unique musical treatment appropriate to the text and the circumstances of the performance.”[5] Thereafter, serious parody became rare until the 20th century.[6]

Concert works and opera[ edit ]

The parodic elements of Bach’s “Cantate burlesque”, Peasant Cantata, are meant to be humorous and make fun of the da capo arias that were flourishing at the time.[6] Thereafter, “parody” in music generally came to be associated with a humorous or satirical treatment of borrowed or imitated material. Later in the 18th century, in his musical Joke, Mozart parodied the lame melodies and routine forms of the inferior composers of his day.[6] A century later Saint-Saëns composed The Carnival of the Animals as a musical joke for his friends;[7] several of the movements contain musical parodies that radically change the tempo and instrumentation of familiar tunes.[b] Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra (1943) shows the appearance (followed by a raspberry trombone) of a theme from Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony.[c]

In theatrical music, the 18th-century ballad opera, containing satirical songs set to popular tunes of the time, contained some of the broadest musical parodies. In Così fan tutte, Mozart parodied the lavish festivities of the arias of the opera seria.[10] His own The Magic Flute was the subject of Viennese parodies in the decades after his death.[10] Parodies of Wagner range from Souvenirs de Bayreuth by Fauré and Messager (which broadcast music from the Ring cycle by turning the themes into dance rhythms)[11] to Anna Russell’s Introduction to the Ring, which uses the words and music of the cycle through presentation parodies their supposed absurdities in a mock-academic lecture format.[12][d]

Offenbach, a frequent parodist (by Gluck, Donizetti and Meyerbeer, among others),[10] was himself parodied by later composers from Saint-Saëns[7] to Sondheim.[14] In the operas of Savoy, Sullivan parodied the styles of Handel, Bellini, Mozart, Verdi and others. His own music has since been parodied. The parodic use of familiar tunes with new lyrics is a common feature of Victorian burlesque[16] and pantomime, British theater styles that became popular in the 19th century.[17]

Serious parody was revived in modified form in the 20th century with works such as Prokoviev’s classical symphony and Stravinsky’s neoclassical works such as The Fairy’s Kiss and Pulcinella. However, Tilmouth and Sherr comment that while these works exhibit “the sort of interaction of composer and model that was characteristic of 16th-century parody”, they nevertheless “use a stylistic dichotomy far from it”.[2 ] The same authors comment that the use of early music in Peter Maxwell Davies’ scores similarly “produces a conflict alien to the total synthesis that was the goal of sixteenth-century parody”.[2]

Parody in popular music[edit]

Popular music has used parody in a variety of ways. These include parodies of earlier music for comic or (sometimes) serious effect; parodies of music and performance styles; and parodies of certain performers.

Before the 20th century, the popular song often borrowed from hymns and other sacred music, replacing secular words. “John Brown’s Body,” the American Civil War marching song, was based on the tune of an earlier camp meeting and revival hymn and was later captioned, “My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,” by Julia Ward Howe ] This practice continued into World War I, with many of the soldiers’ songs being based on hymns (e.g. “When this lousy war is over”, on the tune of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”[19] and “We are Fred Karno’s Army”, to the tune of “The Church’s One Foundation”).[20]

Folk songs were often written to existing melodies or slight modifications of them. This is another very old (and usually not humorous) type of music parody that still persists. For example, Bob Dylan used the melody of the old slave song “No More Auction Block for Me” as the basis for “Blowin’ in the Wind”.[21]

Parodies of earlier popular music works[edit]

In the 1940s, Spike Jones and his City Slickers parodied popular music in their own way, not changing lyrics but adding wild sound effects and comedic styles to formerly serious old songs.[22] The 1957 Broadway musical Jamaica parodied the then very fashionable commercial variant of calypso music. One heavily parody musical was the 1959 show Little Mary Sunshine, which poked fun at the old-fashioned operetta.

Parodists of music from the concert hall or lyrical theater included Allan Sherman, known for adding comical words to existing works by composers such as Ponchielli and Sullivan;[25] and Tom Lehrer, who introduced Sullivan to folk music, ragtime and Viennese music operetta.[26] The pianist Victor Borge is also known for parodies of classical and operatic works.[27]

Musical satirist Peter Schickele created P.D.Q. Bach, a supposedly newfound member of the Bach family, whose creative output parodies musicological scholarship, the conventions of baroque and classical music, and introduces elements of slapstick comedy.[28]

Parodies of performance styles and performers[edit]

Stan Freberg created parodies of popular songs in the 1950s and 1960s that poked fun at the musical conventions of the time, such as Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel”.[29] Band leader and pianist Paul Weston and his wife, singer Jo Stafford, created the musical duo “Jonathan and Darlene Edwards” as a parody of bad cabaret performances.[30] The British group The Barron Knights rose to fame in the 1970s for their parodies of pop artists, while The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican currently perform comedy parodies of popular songs from a variety of genres, primarily on folk instruments.[31]

Parodists using different techniques have included “Weird Al” Yankovic and Bob Rivers, who generally added new lyrics to largely unmodified music, [32] and Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine or The Lounge Kittens retain the lyrics but change them music style, lounge-style rap, metal, and rock songs.[33] Country Yossi, a pioneering composer and singer in the Jewish music genre, reworks the lyrics of country music and other mainstream hits to convey orthodox Jewish themes.[34][35] Another example of musical parody is Mac Sabbath, a Black Sabbath tribute band that uses McDonald’s-style props and costumes with altered lyrics to mock the fast-food industry.[36]

Genre parody in the 21st century includes the 2005 musical Altar Boyz, which parodies both Christian rock and the “boy band” pop style.[37]

parodists in modernity

Notable examples of modern day parodists such as Bart Baker generally parody music by modern artists from genres such as pop and rap while completely satirizing the lyrics. However, it is not that popular today.

See also[edit]

Notes and references[edit]

Remarks

^ Defending Poetry as “Art, Imitation, and Practice”. Art, one’s skills and talents, were expected to follow imitation, the lives or works of great predecessors, and the two had to unite in practice, the synthesis of art and imitation. During the Renaissance, a prevailing view of the balance between originality and homage to earlier artists was summed up by Sir Philip Sidney in his work Art, Imitation and Exercise. Art, one’s skills and talents, were expected to follow imitation, the lives or works of great predecessors, and the two had to unite in practice, the synthesis of art and imitation. ^ Orpheus in the Underworld at an agonizingly slow pace; the elephant artfully transcribing the Dance of the Sylphs to the ponderous double bass, for a truly elephantine character.”[7] “Turtles dancing to Offenbach sat at an agonizingly slow tempo; the elephant who artfully transfers Berlioz to the ponderous double bass, for a truly elephant-like character”. Main theme … and by the resemblance of part of this theme to a Viennese cabaret song of his acquaintance. This is what ‘interrupts’ the otherwise calm and expressive ‘Intermezzo’: the irony is that Bartók treats the ‘interruption’ exactly as Shostakovich himself does in other contexts with the harshly satirical, sarcastic circus ring manner. ^[13] For example: “Hagen gives Siegfried a magic potion that makes him forget Brünnhilde entirely and fall in love with Gutrune Gibich, who by the way is the only woman Siegfried ever met who wasn’t his aunt – I’m making this up.” don’t you know!”

references

Sources

Further reading[edit]

Music History 10 of the Shortest Songs Ever Released

This list details some of the shortest songs ever recorded and released in music history.

The average length of a song is between two and a half and five minutes. This is the most common occurrence for songs in this time range.

While many people would ask, “What are the shortest songs ever recorded and released?” you would think they will last around a minute, but in some cases it’s significantly less than a minute.

1. Napalm Death – You suffer (1.3 seconds)

In 1989, a British punk band called Napalm Death recorded their song entitled “You Suffer”. Make no mistake, this is the shortest song ever recorded and released as it holds the Guinness World Record at 1.3 seconds. It went down in history as the shortest song and that probably won’t change in the near future as it’s an incredibly short song.

2. Queen – Yes (4 seconds)

Number two on our list is Queen with her song “Yeah”. At four seconds long, it is also considered one of the shortest songs ever recorded in music history. The song itself features Freddie Mercury saying only one word, and that word is “Yes.” It is taken from their 1982 album Hot Space from the song “Action This Day”.

3. The Smashing Pumpkins – 17 (17 seconds)

Smashing Pumpkins come in third on our list with their song “17”. The song’s name comes from the fact that it’s actually 17 seconds long. It was the last song on her album entitled “Adore”. It is the shortest song in the band’s history and one of the shortest songs ever released in the world.

4. Linkin Park – Empty Spaces (20 seconds)

We all know Linkin Park, but what most people don’t realize is that they also have one of the shortest songs ever released in music history. This song is titled “Empty Space” and is taken from their album “A Thousand Years” which was released in 2010. Granted, it serves as the intro for the song “When They Come For Me,” but it’s considered a separate piece, a song in its own right.

5. The Beatles – Her Majesty (24 seconds)

The legendary Beatles came in fifth with their song “Her Majesty”. The song is part of their album “Abbey Road”. With their incredible string of releases, “Her Majesty” is the shortest song the band has ever released, being the last track off the album.

6. Pink Floyd – Stop (30 seconds)

Pink Floyd joins the ranks of other famous bands with their song “Stop”. It was recorded and released from their 1979 album entitled The Wall. At 30 seconds it’s the band’s shortest song, but it’s still considered a very interesting and emotionally charged track.

7. Green Day – The Ballad by Willem Fink (32 seconds)

Number seven on this list is Green Day with The Ballad of Willem Fink. While punk is considered a style of music known for creating short songs with a common time range of two minutes. This is still considered incredibly shorter than the already short time frame. This song lasts 32 seconds and is among the shortest songs ever released in music history.

8. Jonny Trunk – Women’s Bras (35 seconds)

The song was composed by Jonny Trunk and Duncan James Wisbey. It is considered a very witty and silly song about women’s bras. Fun fact about this particular track, which by the way only lasts 35 seconds, actually made it to number 27 on the UK singles list. Aside from being one of the shortest songs in history, it’s also the shortest song to ever chart in the UK.

9. Minor Threat – Straight Edge (45 seconds)

The song “Straight Edge”, released in 1981, is a track by the band Minor Threat that is included on their EP. The song was inspired by a subculture called “Straight Edge” that emerged in the 1970s. It provides the narrative and meaning of how the singer interprets this idea in the song’s opening lines.

10. Coldplay – Parachutes (46 seconds)

In tenth place we have Coldplay with their song “Parachutes”. It’s a very smooth and acoustic song with Chris Martin’s vocal qualities. Notably, it is the shortest song ever released by the band. Another thing to note is that it is also the title track from their album Parachutes.

summary

Many people are probably unaware of the songs on this list and their incredibly short duration. The funny thing about these songs is that for the most part they are released by really great and legendary bands, which makes things more interesting overall. With each song lasting less than 1 minute, it’s safe to say that these are the shortest songs ever recorded and released in music history.