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#1
04-19-2023, 07:28 PM
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Song length or a bad attention span
So, to me, I find myself leaning towards writing a song with a duration under two minutes. Attention span seems to be lessoning for me. I find myself listening to more songs than longer versions. Anyone remember In-a-gadda-da-vida?
May be a result of social media. What say you? Last edited by superfluidity; 04-20-2023 at 12:51 PM. Reason: cleaning my word salads up 
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#2
04-19-2023, 07:33 PM
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If IMO it starts good and stays good I'll keep listening.
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above
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#3
04-19-2023, 08:35 PM
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Guided by Voices fan, I hope?
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#4
04-20-2023, 01:56 AM
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Most of the songs in my set (covers) are under 3 minutes long. That's because they come from a time when if you tried to record anything longer you fell down the hole in the middle of the record!
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band.
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#5
04-20-2023, 02:50 AM
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In the "olden days" of my youth, single regards were 2 minutes or less. This was due to technology and "needle" time - i.e. how much time a BBC radio station had to play "popular" music.
For me, I prefer songs that have an 8 bar intro, a 1st verse, a 2nd verse, a chorus, a verse length solo break, and a 3rd verse. Add a bridge or an extra chorus or a second break if wished. I offer fifteen minute spots at my club, and I can do four songs in that time. One of my Kind YouTube followers requested tat I record a Waylon Jennings song -It has two verses and a bridge.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#6
04-20-2023, 03:06 AM
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I’m solidly in the 3-4 minute camp. Longer songs can be wonderful. But often they are not
 Open mic’s tend to bring out the longer songs in people, I’ve got two songs, I’m maximizing my time. Give me 3 compelling minutes instead.
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#7
04-20-2023, 05:38 AM
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Beatles were pretty good at this
most of the songs they made most of the dough on, were not long songs at all. if it aint broke....
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Ray Gibson SJ200 Taylor Grand Symphony Taylor 514CE-NY Taylor 814CE Deluxe V-Class Guild F1512 Alvarez DY74 Snowflake ('78)
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#8
04-20-2023, 06:15 AM
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Quote:
... Oh, hang on, maybe you mean writing a song that is under two minutes in length?
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"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen.
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#9
04-20-2023, 08:37 AM
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When I write songs they usually end up being in the neighborhood of 3 minutes long. I'm pretty traditional in how written material develops and the time needed to tell a complete story. Three minutes+ seems to suit that formula well.
I'd say to examine your completed material. Does it tell the entire story? If it does then you've accomplished your task. I post material in the Show And Tell section and I try to make it around a minute long. That's enough time to demonstrate the usual verse / chorus of a song to get the form across. I much prefer doing that because I'm not posting to show entire songs. I'm old enough to remember going out to hear a show by the Minutemen, in the mid-80's. Most of their songs were 1 minute or less in duration. Last edited by Rudy4; 04-20-2023 at 08:53 AM.
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#10
04-20-2023, 12:08 PM
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Quote:
I have noticed that the youtube commercials only have jingles that are 5 seconds long. Very short time. Last edited by superfluidity; 04-20-2023 at 12:54 PM.
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#11
04-20-2023, 02:17 PM
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Quote:
 Quote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKW5SkGm0qw - yep, that's the complete song!
__________________
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen.
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#12
04-20-2023, 03:45 PM
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Here's one of mine -- 30 seconds top to bottom, verse-bridge-verse-tag, even a couple guitar licks. A fully-formed pint-size Shetland pony of a song.
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#13
04-20-2023, 04:17 PM
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Eleanor Rigby is 2:02
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Martin D18 Gibson J45 Martin 00015sm Gibson J200 Furch MC Yellow Gc-CR SPA Guild G212 Eastman E2OM-CD
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#14
04-20-2023, 04:18 PM
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I think 2 minutes is a little short, 3 minutes is about optimum, but if the song is really well done, 4-5 minutes is not a problem for me. Then again, I don't have a problem with attention span.
- Glenn
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My You Tube Channel
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#15
04-20-2023, 05:15 PM
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Well, I asked this for a reason. I am taking my last 14 songs, which are all 2-3 minutes without the words recorded. So, picture this. Me on a trike, a basket on the back. My laptop attached to the steering column so I can see the songs. I got a Bose S1 amplifier, a guitar on my lap as I pedal the bike. Also, a headset with a Bluetooth mic. So, a rolling busking tour (so to speak), I am calling it the 'ministry of music' busking tour for the spring/summer season. But, my attention span for that many songs, well...... Something I dreamed about over the winter. Tour season starts next week.
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