Sometimes you can create a certain tension in an atmosferic or filmic piece of music by leaving out one register on purpose. Somehow it seems like the listener has a need to get a ‘complete’ musical sound. And when you leave out the bassnotes for instance you create a feeling of unrest with the listener, because they somehow feel they’re missing out on something. And when you finally give them those bassnotes there will be a feeling of relief and release.
lt’s actually very much like teasing a child by holding a lollipop in front of their mouth, but pulling it away from them teasingly every time they try to take a bite.
You will probably remember the old poptune ‘Play that funky music’ by the band Wild Cherry. Aside from the fact that l still think that that is an awesome tune, it also does something in the bridge that is an example of what l am talking about. So the lyrics in the bridge go:
‘Yeah, they were dancin’
and singin’
and movin’ to the groovin’
And just when
it hit me
somebody turned around and shouted’
and all during this short section the bass player is silent. But when the bass comes in a couple seconds later it creates a feeling of total release. This is actually a very old trick. Mozart does it often in his sonata’s to create beautiful contrasts between gentle passages and more robust and powerful parts.
l use it too in my piece ‘Horse chasing the moon’.
Hear the horse and get the detailed explanation in the vlog:
***Get the booklet here: