So what do you prefer? Old school 2 minute burners? Longer more developed ones? I'm not asking "a little of both" because it's too easy a cop out answer. I'm trying to get at what, regardless of vintage, in your opinion is the perfect surf song length, specifically in relation to your enjoyment of an album or show, not in terms of just a single song. Under 2:30 or over.
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »
Song length preference vs. Number of songs in a set/album
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Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732 |
Posted on Feb 07 2009 12:56 PM
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Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11058 Berkeley, CA 
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 01:05 PM
Where does that leave all songs between 2:30 and 3:00, probably the majority of my songs Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
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Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732 |
Posted on Feb 07 2009 01:38 PM
Meshugga Please! |
Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 02:22 PM
I voted short and sweet although I'm in the same boat as Danny —Ryan |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25599 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 02:23 PM
Ryan, arent SS songs about 5 min though? Jeff(bigtikidude) |
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Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 02:27 PM
Not since I rearranged them Ryan |
Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1076 Columbus, OH
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 02:46 PM
For surf music, I definitely prefer shorter songs. |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 03:38 PM
A song's length should be what it should be. I can't imagine there is a single songwriter out there that pulls out a stopwatch and starts chopping a song if it gets above a certain mark. And yes, that it even applies to trad surf music. I suspect that the Fathoms are among the very favorite trad surf bands of many here, yet almost all of their songs are close to 3 minutes or even longer: Fathomless - 3:21, Riptide - 4:01, Five Fathoms Deep - 3:51, Shark Waves 3:58, etc. —Ivan |
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Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11058 Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 03:54 PM
Theory: I think the addition of a sax player automatically adds 45 sec to a min. to any song. —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1076 Columbus, OH
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 04:01 PM
It sure feels like it, anyway. |
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Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732 |
Posted on Feb 07 2009 06:11 PM
Definitely. I wasn't trying to imply anything by the question. I've been fascinated by this question for the last week or so. I asked this because last week I just set my IPod to random to pick what song to learn next , and a Pilgrim's song came on that basically established a theme, but took that theme nowhere, and it lasted all of 2 minutes. And the thing about it was IT WORKED brilliantly, and in the context of the album, and though I've never had the pleasure, in a live show it would just load up the bases for the next song. As you said it was exactly as long as it should have been. Which got me into thinking about albums and shows as statements, as opposed to just a bunch of songs stuck together. So rest assured, I'm not trying to ask anyone to "define" what a surf song should be. I'm just trying to find out how others feel about that issue. About how when you're talking a relatively narrow genre, do you feel more swept along by the Ramones approach (short songs made even shorter by pumping up the bpms) or by a more developed songcraft approach. I realize it's an unrealistic question because songs are as long as they are. But if I put "a mix of long and short" I'm pretty sure everyone, including myself would check that box. |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25599 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 06:29 PM
does this include 12 min studio versions, and 22 min live version of Mermen songs? Jeff(bigtikidude) |
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Joined: Sep 24, 2007 Posts: 2728
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 06:49 PM
This post has been removed by the author. Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 22:01:01 |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 07:02 PM
But I will probably also tell you that "it's a beautiful thing." Checking Satan's Pilgrims songs: Ghoulash - 5:02 (!!!!) And then there's Misirlou Twist - case closed! There are really shitty short songs and really shitty long songs, and amazing short and long surf songs. —Ivan |
Joined: Jan 30, 2009 Posts: 242 Cotati, CA |
Posted on Feb 07 2009 08:05 PM
Song length should depend on what type of breaks/changes occur in it, whether it grooves, and how fast it is. If the song has enough going on to keep it interesting, it could be longer length and people won't get bored. On the other hand, if it's so fast you can't finish playing it without falling over, it's probably too long. |
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Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 08:52 PM
I actually rearranged a few tunes for playing live that had one to many duplicate trips to the verse chorus and wasn't really adding anything to the song but elapsed time. I felt them a little monotonous in places so I did some minor rearranging to make the songs have a bit more impact without dragging on needlessly. I agree with Ivan that a well crafted song should be as long as it needs to be. We definitely have our fair share of 3 min. plus tunes. —Ryan |
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Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732 |
Posted on Feb 07 2009 10:04 PM
What is the case that is closed? I could list 5 or 6 songs that are under 2:30, and even more that are under 3:00. I wasn't calling out the Pilgrims for playing only short songs. Just mentioned that it was a Pilgrims short song that got me thinking about this issue and the balance of the dynamics of a set or an album of instrumental music. |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3782 tn
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Posted on Feb 07 2009 10:07 PM
5 out of 6 from the same album! Hmmmmm http://www.satanspilgrims.com |
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Joined: Apr 22, 2006 Posts: 98 Fairfax, VA |
Posted on Feb 08 2009 03:59 PM
"94 Second Surf" is one of the great classic surf tunes. Pure genius. Btw, check out the vocally undubbed version now available on the Ace compilation "That's Swift". On the other hand, my favorite Penetrators' tune, "Melodie's Dilemma" is 3:18. So, what Ivan said. |
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