How long should an electro-music CD be? |
no more than 45 minutes |
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70% |
[ 7 ] |
about 60 minutes |
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30% |
[ 3 ] |
70+ minutes |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
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Total Votes : 10 |
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A E J O T Z
Joined: Aug 14, 2011 Posts: 423 Location: Griffith, Indiana, USA
Audio files: 148
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:40 am Post subject:
How long should an album be? |
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I know there's no right answer. I'm just looking for some different ideas. I remember one of Stereolab's CDs being criticized for being too long. But I also remember some rock albums from my youth that were, disappointingly, barely 30 minutes total.
A web search resulted in mostly pop listeners (of course) who seemed to agree that 30-40 minutes was good. In this age of 80 minute CD capacities that seems short to me.
I'd like to know how electro-music people view this question.
Also, as in the case of the above mentioned Stereolab album, I have to ask, "why can't you just play half of it at a time?" Apparently that's too much work for some people. On the other hand, I have that album and, yeah, it seems to go on longer than the elevator music in hell. _________________ AEJOTZ is pronounced "A-Jotz"
retro-futurism now
electronics = magic
free albums at http://aejotz.bandcamp.com
listen to genre-defying synthetic music at http://sat-5.com |
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Uncle Krunkus
Moderator
Joined: Jul 11, 2005 Posts: 4761 Location: Sydney, Australia
Audio files: 52
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:22 pm Post subject:
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To me, it depends on what type of CD it is.
If it's a group of songs which are designed to be listened to together, in a certain order, all at one time, then I think around 45min is a good length, give or take 5-10 mins. Beyond that, and the connectivity becomes harder to endure. Your ability to listen actively does become fatigued over this kind of timespan. Trying to hold someone's undivided attention for more than an hour is a bit pretentious. Even the opera has an intermission.
But,.....
If it's a collection of tracks which are not related, and will more than likely be added to an enormous music library and accessed randomly, then, the more the merrier! Fill the medium,..... why not? _________________ What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there. |
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onewayness
Joined: Jun 16, 2011 Posts: 155 Location: Erie, PA, USA
Audio files: 19
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:13 am Post subject:
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I think there's no right answer, although I think for myself, I'm unlikely to release anything that's much over 45 minutes. Which I guess, for me, I guess is a function of old 70s LP's being my sort of Platonic ideal for how long an album should be.
adam / onewayness _________________ handmade music for machines | onewayness.com |
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Acoustic Interloper
Joined: Jul 07, 2007 Posts: 2071 Location: Berks County, PA
Audio files: 89
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject:
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53.27 minutes. _________________ When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks. |
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darkvortex
Radio Master
Joined: Aug 19, 2011 Posts: 206 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Audio files: 52
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject:
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This is a tricky one which (in my experience) is widely and frequently debated.
My personal preference is for between 45-60 minutes. Most of my Crystal Dreams ambient albums end up being about 50 minutes and that's without any particular planning. I just go with what feels right. |
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v-un-v
Janitor
Joined: May 16, 2005 Posts: 8933 Location: Birmingham, England, UK
Audio files: 11
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:33 am Post subject:
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A good yard stick is Revolver by the Beatles. The length is just right. The tracks all being 3 to 4 minutes, absolutely perfect.
Unless you're doing classical music of course.
The compact disk was made to hold the entire of Beethoven's 9th symphony- the most popular at the time in Japan.
I heard some TD influenced music the other day. It went of for about 30mins per track. It was so tediously boring and predictable after 5 mins or so. But then tracks by CAN especially on Tago Mago go on forever, but never become boring.
I suppose it also depends on how much grass you've just inhaled too?? _________________ ACHTUNG!
ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!
DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKSEN.
IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN. |
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ocp
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 533 Location: Porto, Portugal
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Acoustic Interloper
Joined: Jul 07, 2007 Posts: 2071 Location: Berks County, PA
Audio files: 89
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:22 am Post subject:
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v-un-v wrote: | It went of for about 30mins per track. It was so tediously boring and predictable after 5 mins or so. But then tracks by CAN especially on Tago Mago go on forever, but never become boring.
I suppose it also depends on how much grass you've just inhaled too?? |
It depends on the piece, clearly. There is nothing like a good composition that develops and takes some unexpected turns -- maybe subtle, maybe abrupt -- over time, and a piece like that needs some time to develop. But, if it's a verse-chorus-verse-chorus pop tart meant to act as an aural doughnut, then, yeah, 5 minutes is probably too long. _________________ When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks. |
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audiodef
Joined: Sep 05, 2011 Posts: 726 Location: LFO1
Audio files: 53
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:24 am Post subject:
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Whatever feels right to you. You're the artist. You're creating a little world and inviting people to participate. If they don't like it for any reason - oh, well. Since "if it's not one thing, it's another", applies, never use any given criteria as an excuse to worry about audience reaction - and that includes length. _________________ There's an invisible radio gnome playing a gong from a flying teapot - don't miss out! |
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Winstontaneous
Joined: Oct 31, 2008 Posts: 43 Location: Berkeley, CA
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Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:20 pm Post subject:
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ocp wrote: | Here's an interesting Wikipedia page on the attention span. |
I started reading it but then I...
If there's a good flow from one piece to the next the length shouldn't matter. Some people have a lot to say...there were a fair number of double albums in the pre-CD days, but the physicality of vinyl requires a commitment from the listener to hear the whole thing.
This thread inspired me to put on Gavin Bryars' "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" which is more or less the same thing over and over for 75 minutes. _________________ Music: Whirled | Survival Kit
Videos: The Beat | Crossing to Safety |
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paggos
Joined: May 25, 2011 Posts: 10 Location: United States
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:37 pm Post subject:
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Whatever paints the whole picture for you. Music is an art, and an art is very subjective...so yeah, if you can get that whole urge out of you in 10 songs, then it's fine...or 2 songs..whatever it may be, as long as you're satisfied with the outcome...thats my opinion. |
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jespis
Joined: Aug 27, 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Croatia
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 7:37 am Post subject:
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Side A: 20 min
Side B: 20 min
(+- 5 min each side)
30-50 min
And sometimes double album: 60-100 min |
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DES
Joined: Feb 28, 2003 Posts: 795 Location: New Jersey
Audio files: 8
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:57 am Post subject:
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Acoustic Interloper wrote: |
It depends on the piece, clearly. There is nothing like a good composition that develops and takes some unexpected turns -- maybe subtle, maybe abrupt -- over time, and a piece like that needs some time to develop. But, if it's a verse-chorus-verse-chorus pop tart meant to act as an aural doughnut, then, yeah, 5 minutes is probably too long. |
I would tend to agree, if producing my own CDs. However, if I'm purchasing the album I would hope that it had as much music as possible... Of course if that means an extra 10 minutes of the same solitary note being held just to supply filler, I would not be as thrilled unless that note and treatment was really speaking to me _________________ Dave
www.davesneed.com |
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brainvoyager
Joined: Oct 23, 2013 Posts: 29 Location: The Netherlands, Heerhugowaard
Audio files: 3
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:43 pm Post subject:
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Uncle Krunkus wrote: | To me, it depends on what type of CD it is.
If it's a group of songs which are designed to be listened to together, in a certain order, all at one time, then I think around 45min is a good length, give or take 5-10 mins. Beyond that, and the connectivity becomes harder to endure. Your ability to listen actively does become fatigued over this kind of timespan. Trying to hold someone's undivided attention for more than an hour is a bit pretentious. Even the opera has an intermission.
But,.....
If it's a collection of tracks which are not related, and will more than likely be added to an enormous music library and accessed randomly, then, the more the merrier! Fill the medium,..... why not? | I totally agree with this!!! My next album Drifting Memories will have 'only' 4 tracks. But the total playing time will be just over 74 minutes. The longest track is 24 minutes, there is one that lasts 20 minutes. The third track lasts almost 16 minutes and the last one lasts 15 minutes. _________________ I don't care about genres, I just make music. |
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Skrog Productions
Joined: Jan 07, 2009 Posts: 1200 Location: Scottish Borders
Audio files: 156
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:56 am Post subject:
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in my experience.....
Hardcore punk / Grindcore/ noise , no more than 21mins.
Electronic ambient or melodic music , 45mins to 1 hour is good.
Dave |
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audiodef
Joined: Sep 05, 2011 Posts: 726 Location: LFO1
Audio files: 53
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:21 pm Post subject:
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"The Private Music of Tangerine Dream" only has four tracks and is wonderful stuff.
It only matters whether you like it or not. _________________ There's an invisible radio gnome playing a gong from a flying teapot - don't miss out! |
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RF
Joined: Mar 23, 2007 Posts: 1502 Location: Northern Minnesota, USA
Audio files: 28
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:00 pm Post subject:
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47 minutes. _________________ www.sdiy.org/rfeng
"I want to make these sounds that go wooo-wooo-ah-woo-woo.”
(Herb Deutsch to Bob Moog ~1963) |
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robsol
Stream Operator
Joined: Apr 24, 2009 Posts: 2494 Location: Bristol UK
Audio files: 495
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:42 am Post subject:
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You are all so, so wrong.
A great album should last a lifetime. _________________ Muied Lumens Sub Forum
Bandcamp |
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Acoustic Interloper
Joined: Jul 07, 2007 Posts: 2071 Location: Berks County, PA
Audio files: 89
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:37 pm Post subject:
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As soon as I ask, it is over. _________________ When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks. |
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