Jingle Writing !! 157make the rhythm or melody feel unnatural.This normally occurs if the
composer wants to start a new musical statement over a specific part of
the film. For example, if a scene changes from pictures of mountains to the
inside of a department store, the composer will most likely want the sing-
ers to start a new section over the scene change rather than continue the
previous melodic line. The measure prior to the scene change might
require an odd time signature so that the overall timing is correct. (Solu-
tions to these problems are discussed in chapter 5.)
Listen closely to the frequency range of the dialogue or announcer. A
common error is to write in the same frequency range as the actors or
announcer. This applies to all instrumental sections of a jingle. If this
occurs, the composition will often sound busy and cluttered. One solution
is to choose a key and tessitura that will not conflict with the voices. Think
of the dialogue as part of the orchestration. This also has to be addressed
when writing a repetitive theme. Sometimes, sparse writing is an effective
solution—there are no rules. Whatever works—use.
Production Tips
Always separate the elements of the recorded track. The separate elements
are referred to asstems.In addition to a full mix, mix each of the following
stems separately:
- Instrumental-only track
- Lead vocal–only track
- Background vocals–only track
It is sometimes advisable to further divide the stems: solo instruments,
bass and drum, and so on. Try to anticipate potential mix problems and
act accordingly.
Agencies often request remixes. Working with stems enables music
companies to work quickly and not lose the ambience of the original mix
because the signal processing is recorded on the stems. For instance, if the
agency wants the lead singer to re-sing the lead vocal, overdub the lead
singer over the premixed instrumental track. The most common reasons
for a remix are the following.
Lyric clarity.If the lyrics are not easily understood, a re-sing will
always be required. Diction is of paramount concern when recording
vocals for a commercial.
Creative reasons.The lyrics are changed for creative reasons. The cli-
ent will generally request a copy and possibly lyric changes up until the
copies of the commercial(s) are shipped to the stations.
Legal changes.The lyrics might have to be changed for legal reasons.
Agency attorneys check the legality of lyrics and copy. To protect the pub-