Spreadsheets Are Cool

Using a spreadsheet is an oddly good low-tech way to write out the layers of a song (for e.g. covering it / reproducing it).

As an example, for Jai Paul’s All Night, writing out something like:

Section Time Lyric Slow Attack Chords Doop Chords Wah Melody Drums
      x      
      x x x Tahs
Verse 0:37 If it’s got to be one night   x   Tahs
  0:40 Then, girl, it’s got to be all night   x   Tahs
  0:43 Let’s meet up in the moonlight   x   Tahs
  0:46 Cause, girl, it’s got to be all night   x   Tahs
Chorus 0:49 All night, baby, yeah x   x Tahs + Claps
  0:53 All night and day x   x Tahs + Claps
  0:55 All night x   x Tahs + Claps
  0:58 All night and day x   x Tahs + Claps

et cetera… forces listening to the song carefully, and helps write out where each of the layers should come in and out.


Category: music