Sup, next part here!
Arranging
For this song, I played around with 4 complex chords,
CM7- AbM7- Gm7 on Bb- Fmaj7(add9)
These chords are going to form part of the overall chorus and verse. For the bridge instead, I opted for a variation:
The next part is sculpting the soundscape of the mix. In order to achieve the funk disco style of the source, a steady drum beat with some reverb was needed, alongside electronic analog instruments like synths.
CM7- AbM7- Gm7 on Bb- CM7
The next part is sculpting the soundscape of the mix. In order to achieve the funk disco style of the source, a steady drum beat with some reverb was needed, alongside electronic analog instruments like synths.
The instruments I added were:
- Bass-Station bass synth (Gulp Bass, Sub Bass)
- XLN audio's Addictive Keys - Electric Grand VST
- Chromatone drumkit (Ableton native)
- V-station synth (Dance 2)
- Auto-simfonie (Ableton native)
- Electric guitar with overdrive
- Arp Poly Lead (Ableton native)
- Pulse Mod Resonance (Ableton native)
- Sweep & Wobble (Ableton native)
- Manually created a white noise sweep using Operator
- Collision Rubber Bass
- Minor 7th Chord Lead
Lyrics
In this song, I started with the chorus hook 'Runaway' and worked backwards. So, I had in mind, a concept of running away, but from what? I chose a crime. Then I decided on a backstory where the guy was implicated falsely with a crime that he didn't do. Then I drew parallels with Edward Snowden. But somehow or rather, I needed to include some elements of romance, since this being part of the proposal plan right?So, I added the girl in the beginning, as part of the guy briefing her that he's running away for now, and will somehow get her later. Other parts in the pre-chorus were somewhat rhythmic words that made little sense to the overall story, but that's how modern songs go these days :)
Voila! Here's the lyrics:
V1 - Get down girl, the cops are here to see me,
Not you, just me,
Killed a man right down the city street,
They say, to me
But I've been right here down right next to you,
Just you, and me
Told the cops that, they still don't believe me,
They won't, you'll see
PreChorus- ,
Ran out to my car, parked in the rear
I know you'll be clearer,
When I, come back, to you
And everytime I do the shiftin' gear,
(I) See cars in the mirror,
When I look back to you
Chorus- Runaway, runaway,
I'll runaway with u-u-u-u,
Runaway runaway,
We've got many things to do-o-o
Pack up your things (&) meet me on the sidewalk,
on the sidewalk, just you
(we gotta to)
Runaway runaway,
I'll runaway with u-u-u-u
V2- Drove right up my house in 16th street,
My house, to seek,
Grabbed my files and pulled the power plug ,
Wiped (it) clean, no mark,
So they got no big proof agaaaainst me,
No proof, you'll see,
Charged me with the crimes of other people,
They will, they will
Bridge - They will never get me in town,
They will never (never), they won't
They will never catch me downtown,
They will never (never), they won't,
If you ever see me in town,
Just walk on by, no sound,
They will never see me they drown,
They will never (never), they won't
As for the harmonising part, I opted for a cleaner 2 voice singing, just one high and one low. I planned on recording the voices at the same pitch, Melodyne it and then experimenting by ear which intervals work best with the song. In fact, I used the V-Station synth to score out the melody before putting lyrics to it (it also helps as a guide tone during singing). This way it's easier to ask my arranger friends to comment long before i added any meaningful lyrics to it. Besides, if I decided to keep the synth melody, I can cut parts of it out where unnecessary, like the verses, where the synth would clash with the vocals for attention.
Stay tuned for Part III of V for this song!
