![]() Soon a kick drum and a bassline enter the mix for the second half of the verse. When the chorus arrives, the chord progression changes to A-flat major (iv), B-flat major (V), g-minor (iii), and c-minor (vi). The first time I heard it I thought of the Police’s ballad “Every Breathe You Take”–same muffled and arpeggiated guitar (only the guitar on the Police song opens with an eight bar, four-chord progression). The piece begins with a muffled electric guitar plucking away a four-bar chord progression in e-flat major: E-flat (I), g-minor (iii), and c-minor (vi). Structurally, “Titanium” is a simple verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-chorus-chorus affair. But for me, the elements that makes it work and have the impact it does are Guetta’s little production effects and arrangement decisions that keep the music compelling and moving along. On the face of it, this is an oversized anthem of a song–all big featured and perhaps not so subtle. ![]() Sometimes this activity isn’t heard as much as felt, but either way it forms the tangible part of music’s texture and deeply shapes how it impacts us. Take David Guetta’s recent-ish dance pop smash (104 million views on YouTube) “Titanium”, which was written by the smooth Australian singer Sia who also sings on the track. Almost not matter what music you listen to, there’s a lot of this simultaneous micro activity happening. One of music’s delights is how it creates a space for lots of small things to happen and be heard at the same time. None of these things cost much, but they deliver a whole lot of good. Or the feel of new soft socks that are cushiony marvels of cotton and other materials (Lycra?) that magically mould to the foot. ![]() The texture of a perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg whose yoke is in that liminal state between overcooked and runny–just right. Other little things that pack big pleasures come to mind: ![]() It’s precise, light, and helps do a job, with the added grace of having an eraser on the end should I want to backtrack. While holding the pencil that evening and underlining, I was struck by the pleasure this $2.19 purchase had brought. The other day I bought a mechanical pencil to highlight books with as I read. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
January 2023
Categories |