An outcome can appear different; depending on the experience that came before it
This video will explore the ways in which our perceptions are formed in comparison to each other.
In this video, you’ll learn how to create contrast between sections in your mix.
This will create a greater impact for your chorus and keep your audience listening to your music.
The contrast principle states that our judgements of events are often biased by what we have experienced immediately before.
For example, when you pick up a heavy box and then a lighter one, the second box will appear lighter than it really is.
When we experience similar things in succession or simultaneously, we judge the value of the second event through direct comparison with the first.
In other words, our brain tends to evaluate things based on available references rather than any specific value. This leads us to make biased judgements.
This bias will therefore lead to an enhanced or diminished perception of the second event dependent on how we viewed the first.
The Contrast effect is at work in many of the judgements we might make on a day-to-day basis, especially in the music we listen to.
Fill 3 Bowls with water, place Cold and Hot* water on Either side, with a Room Temperature bowl in the center. Place one hand in the hot water and the other in the cold water and wait 30 seconds – 1 min for both hands to acclimatize to the water’s temperature. Then place both in the lukewarm water simultaneously.
I actually found the result was more profound and interesting when I placed my hands into the middle bowl one at a time.
Both hands get a satisfying ‘relief’ from the temperate water. But The sensation, it’s self is very different, because it depends on the nature of the event that directly precedes it.
In this way, the contrast effect can affect our judgements in relation to people, events, and the values of many other characteristics. Especially in a creative fields like mixing, song writing, or music production.
Therefore when we write music, it is important to consider the sequence and variety of musical events because what you hear relies on what you heard before.
Popular Music its built around the chorus. The Chorus contains the most energy, and exists to hook the listen with a period of sonic gratification. This gratification is in contrast with the verse, a much less exciting musical section.
The lower energy of the verse will cause the listener to desire a return to the chorus.
2 variations of this Technique in popular music.
1 – Chorus Explosion. Into You – Ariana Grande
Add a layer or expand the frequency spectrum in the chorus.
In the song, Into You, the verse and pre chorus build up a synth accompaniment
That guides the ears thru Grande’s vocal.
This song is one of my favourite examples of pacing; Gradually introducing instruments to build to the chorus.
The mix can be expanded in a number of ways throughout this build,
Frequency, Stereo Image, Rhythmic Complexity, Depth.
Leave gaps in the Verse, that can be filled in the Chorus.
Don’t worry, we’ll cover how to develop contrast between instruments in the next video. More in the next video.
This trick is even more powerful when combined with our next technique.
2 – Drop Out. Chandelier – Sia
Leave space right before the chorus to make the impact of the chorus appear bigger.
In the song Chandelier, the accompaniment drops out in the last bar of the Pre Chorus. (@ 0:30sec)
This space helps to emphasis the lyrics, and setup contrast for the chorus,
In reality, the chorus only appears louder because the space is in contrast to everything coming in all at once at the chorus
The contrast principle has many applications in production and is often under-utilized by emerging artists to influence listener’s perceptions of their music.
In the Next video, we’ll cover how to develop contrast between instruments.
