Ending your song

[Studioplayer]

Hey guys & gals. I've been listening to a lot of the songs for the CD Compilation and the biggest fault I can find on some of these songs are really weak endings. Some of the songs a really top notch but have really bad endings. It's like you couldn't come up with something to end it or couldn't be bothered and it shows. It's really a shame to have great performances all throughout the song only to have a really lame ending. For all the work that's put into it I think it's worth the effort to spend some extra time on coming up with a decent ending. Just something to keep in mind and my 2 cents for what it's worth.  I have also been a culprit of that and I think it's something worth watching.

Intro's and outro's are just as important as the meat of the song. 

Dave

[CosmicDolphin]

I agree....personally I hate just fading a song out and always try to give it a proper ending if I can ....some of my favourite bits of songs I've done here were the endings where everyone just jammed along and came up with something interesting.

Dave I think I remember you say how much you liked the intro & outro of 'Simple' that we finished recently, the ending to that was just a bit of an extended jam at the end but it works really well.

Then on Spilt Milk which you also helped out on , I added a whole new ending section later on with bits cut & pasted from earlier in the song and a few overdubs....someone had just carried on playing a little longer and it gave me the idea.

So I guess my 2cents is next time you play a song for someone try and carry on past the end point and jam for 8 or 16 bars, you might just spark something interesting that can be moulded into a great ending.

CD

[McLovin]

When I write,.. I definately keep in mind how "this song"  will flow into the next (in full length cd terms).  That may be a good way to determine endings for other writers as well.  I like to hear albums that flow,.. almost telling a story,...and or hit you hard from one to the next,...I love to use sharp endings. 

I find that fade outs are used much less in modern recording. That is not to say that there is not a time and a place for a fade out.  I think that they can be very effective as well.

Dave,.. you may have found week points in the endings in some of the songs posted,.. but I truly believe this is likely because beginnings and endings are often the hardest parts to structure and compose in original writing.  Everything seems to have been done before.

CD,.. I like your idea of extending sep tracking,.. to potentially spark ideas.  I have also been inspired by others "jam outs" at the ends of tracks.  Works well.

HDA

[Studioplayer]

So I guess my 2cents is next time you play a song for someone try and carry on past the end point and jam for 8 or 16 bars, you might just spark something interesting that can be moulded into a great ending.

Yep. Good idea. Endings are the hardest to do. I have faded out myself because I didn't know what else to do. I've also faded out because it works for the song. A fade can work. I've practically pulled my hair out trying to come up with an ending and have sometimes spent as much time on that part as I have on the whole song. I think it's worth it to pay special attention to the end of the song. Sharp endings can also work. Again it depends on the song. There's many ways to go about it. Some of the songs I've listened too have had really abrupt endings and it's very obvious that it's unfinished. Too bad because everything else in the song is really good. I just thought it was worth mentioning because I know I also get 'lazy' in the dept. Intros I have less difficulty with.

Dave

[Gerk]

Also worth pointing out, as with almost anything, the thing that sticks with you the most is the last thing you hear when listening to a song ... if it has a great (and conscise!) ending people will remember that.  Fades are ok for the right type of thing ... a fade to me is like the song is sort of "walking away" from you ... like if the end is a "na na na" repetition of the hook -- fade into oblivion sort of thing that's cool as it helps to keep the hook stuck in your memory, if it's a guitar solo or instrumental bit -- unless the instrumental bit is a key part of the song -- it doesn't do as much for me.  A concise ending is cool, because people who like the song will know it's coming ...

Wait for it ... wait for it ... and ... bamp!  It's done.  Kind of gives you a bit on anticipation (which holds the listener's attention to the very end) and a sense of closure that the song is done.  A lot of songs that really stick in my head are ones that have that little quirky thing right at the end!  You know the ones I mean .. with that extra drum hit or funny chord right at the very end.

Just my $0.02.

Mark

[NickT]

When all else fails, finish on a ninth and take a bow! 

[detune]

When all else fails, finish on a ninth and take a bow! 

I wonder where that ending on a ninth thing came from.  The whole song could have no extended chords at all, and then there's that ninth at the end, right out of nowhere

[Casia - lyricist]

Very interesting.  If anybody notices which of my songs may end like that I would really like to know so they can be perked up.  I would really appreciate that.

Thanks for the info guys.  My non-musician ears may let that slip by 

Later...Casia

[luisma1972]

When all else fails, finish on a ninth and take a bow! 

Hey I always do that when jamming, I thought it was kinda original