Videos | "Kevin Talley Recording" - Daath

Kevin Talley Recording

Artist: Daath
Plays: 2,268

Many people often wonder about writing techniques and how artists go about creating songs.  Well there are many different ways but in my experiences, the best way to go about the writing process is to find someone you click with and jam in a room with them.  Sure there can be some preliminary recordings with a drum machine but don't let the initial demo restrict your natural desire to change it. Get in the room and jam it out.  Speed it up; slow it down; change the time signatures.  The possibilities are endless but don't get caught up in the rules of writing - just do what feels and sounds good.

Songs are like women... some can be banged out on the first night and others can take weeks to bang out (so I've heard).  But anything over 3 weeks should be kicked to the curb.  "Sharpen the Blades" took a while and was created in several different writing sessions.  Emil was messing around with the opening riff for a while and I suggested that we start the song with that riff and I would come in with a blast... No fill - just straight to the blast.  The verse riff is a variation of the opening riff but notice the interesting kick drum pattern (turn the music off and sing the drums to yourself).  Then we go back to the blast for the pre chorus chuga chuga riff.  This pre chorus riff was in a different song that Emil wrote on drum machine and we stole it for this song.  I think we were originally "breaking it down" for the chorus but it was too typical so we kept it upbeat and worked on the chorus riff for a while making sure it was simple and effective.

We then decided to do a solo and go half time after the solo.  Again, I didn't want a "break down" fell so I stayed on the ride with a 2 and 4 groove on the bell.  I pick up the drums for this next bridge/vocal section where Emil and I originally played a "temp" riff.  Later on Eyal wrote a different riff, which fit the song better.  After hearing Eyals newer riff, I placed some 6-tuplet bursts on the kick drums.  At the end of this vocal bridge we could've gone back to the chorus (typical) but we felt it still needed more.  In this case I like to play the song from the beginning and then decide where the song should go when we get there.  After doing this, we decided to pick up the tempo and do another solo.

This very musical middle section is killer and, like the majority of this record, was mostly written jamming in the room together organically (Yes -- at Wholefoods).  Some of the album was written with a drum machine but in my opinion, you should only write on a drum machine if it's your only option.  Finally, we bring it back around to the pre chorus and chorus which is pretty standard.  Then we finish the song with the verse riff with half time groove on the drums.  It was weird to go back to that riff with the different drumbeat but it sounded good so we kept it.  Don't get caught up in the rules of writing - just do what sounds good to you.

Alas, Sean Z added some punishing vocals and Jeremy wrote some actual bass parts (not just playing the guitar parts all the time) and it was time to move on to the next girl.

-Kevin Talley

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