Skip to content
Ending songs with &...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Ending songs with "other than repeat and fade"

15 Posts
12 Users
0 Likes
2,324 Views
(@doug_c)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 397
Topic starter  

In the studio, "repeat and fade" is okay because the sound man can "pot it down" and actually fade it out. Does anybody have any particular techniques for getting the entire band to make a smooth ending when playing live?

One thing I thought was pretty clever was the way the Eagles ended "In The City" on the Hell Freezes Over CD. From the Asus2 (or A5?)/D/Asus2/E progression, they go into a slow-and-slower reprise of the intro riff of "Day Tripper." I like that, and somebody did a GPro4 of that version, complete with crowd noise at the very end.
Way cool. 8)


   
Quote
(@voodoo_merman)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 368
 

A short drum solo with a good thrashing of the cymbals at the end usually does the trick. But, that gets old after awhile. You should be able to throw together a little outro for most songs. That "In The City/Day Tripper" closure is quite inventive.

If all else fails, just try holding a note for awhile and breaking out into a heavily distorted version of the Star Spangled Banner :P

At this time I would like to tell you that NO MATTER WHAT...IT IS WITH GOD. HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS WAY IS IN LOVE, THROUGH WHICH WE ALL ARE. IT IS TRULY -- A LOVE SUPREME --. John Coltrane


   
ReplyQuote
(@misanthrope)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2261
 

I'll be keeping an eye on this one, it's something I've got to sort out sometime soon. I normally just gradually slow down the last bar, and/or repeat it, and then sting on either the tonic chord or the first in the progression. I'm getting a bit bored of that sound though, I just keep getting too carried away with whatever I'm learning to sit down and mess around with endings. It's on my list... :roll: :lol:

BTW, Love 'em or loathe them, Nirvana only faded out one song in their entire discography - probably a good place to start for ideas. (Bonus points for naming that song? :))

ChordsAndScales.co.uk - Guitar Chord/Scale Finder/Viewer


   
ReplyQuote
(@tim_madsen)
Prominent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 724
 

I use a two strum two chord outro a lot. If the song ends in G I'll strum a Cmaj7 then a G. If it ends in C it gets a F then C, D will get a A7 then D. A short bass run sounds cool. The dualing banjos intro makes a good outro. 8)

Tim Madsen
Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.

"What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away you keep forever." -Axel Munthe


   
ReplyQuote
(@doug_c)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 397
Topic starter  

Good stuff. Thanks for the ideas, all.
Gotta work on that "Star Spangled Banner" one. :lol:


   
ReplyQuote
(@blind_lemon_pye)
Trusted Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 81
 

Another simple trick: sometimes a 7th chord works fine. Example: if the songs ends in C, strum C, then C7.

Anyway it's good to have different kinds of outros.

Sometimes also I simply strum again the chord progression of the last 2 verses, while slowing down a bit.

If I'm not in the band
Don't mean I'm square
Mercury Rev - Car Wash Air


   
ReplyQuote
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

a lick that ties it together
a sudden different rhythm
repeat the original riff
final chorus and let the last chord hang
heavy cymbals and everyone stums that last chord, then a small pause while the guitars go up, and blam! stop on the downstroke. typical live rock ending.
one by one walk off stage. last person says or does something appropriate to the song but hopefully not to cheesy
keep playing until they boo you off
if you're an emo band, then the song ends when the last person passes out from anemia or wrist-slashing-related blood loss
segue into the next song
stop playing when the song is over


   
ReplyQuote
(@doug_c)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 397
Topic starter  

stop playing when the song is overWhat a concept! :lol:
Good list. 8)

As a side note, BLP's tagline caused me to look something up: CSN(& Y)'s "Carry On" shows up on many lyrics sites as
"To sing the blues
you've got to live the tunes (or dues)
and carry on."
I always thought they used "pay your dues" in that. Hmm. :?


   
ReplyQuote
 geoo
(@geoo)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2801
 

I like it when a band is able to end one song by beginning another. Where they just kind of blend in together. That way when the set or show is over the thrashing of cymbals and drums... loud soloing with disregard for anyone... and the hair flipping doesnt seems so repeated.

Geoo

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
ReplyQuote
(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

"Shave and a haircut -- Two bits."

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
ReplyQuote
(@clazon)
Honorable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 502
 

It's surprising that no-one's explicitly said that you can repeat the intro, because that works very well for slower or more pop styled songs.

Another thing like someone said, is to repeat the first main riff, but less the backing around it and then maybe add on a 8 beat/note part to the end and let the last note ring.

One of the best impact finishes for high energy songs is to just stop dead with relatively little notice. It has impact and is a definite finish.

If you have a particularly good rhythm guitarist and singer, you can have a merging chord prog that links 2 songs with or without vocals. If you have a particularly good lead guitarist, then you can try ending on a solo of some form which slowly becomes more and more stressed and slow and very gradually, almost withouyt even knowing it, runs into the next song, with lots of simple repetition before the main beginning of the song. The second can be very useful live as the rest of the band, except maybe drummer or bassist if you prefer, can go off and change settings or quickly pass on a message.

Having searched my brain, the only other thing I can think of is an acappella. It can be a very interesting and... (not really emotional, but you get it!)

Hope this helps.

Ultimately a knowledge of the theory of your songs and knowing how to play them inside out will help you come to some sort of conclusion.

"Today is what it means to be young..."

(Radiohead, RHCP, Jimi Hendrix - the big 3)


   
ReplyQuote
(@doug_c)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 397
Topic starter  

Ultimately a knowledge of the theory of your songs and knowing how to play them inside out will help you come to some sort of conclusion.Amen, brother. Without that, it's all just noise.

Reminds me of an old friend's comment about his band's first drummer: "He had no sense of rhythm. That's usually a fatal flaw for a drummer." :P


   
ReplyQuote
(@dylan6776)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 124
 

I'm with the other guy. I find a song in C ends quite well with a C-F-C, or in G a G-C-G

Never assume the other fellow has intelligence equal to yours. He may have more.


   
ReplyQuote
 Oric
(@oric)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 87
 

Just play a suspended chord... studies show it increases the chance of the audience wanting an encore.


   
ReplyQuote
(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

A short drum solo with a good thrashing of the cymbals at the end usually does the trick.

:lol: I've heard a similar approach described as drummer plays "bucketa bucketa bucketa fish" :lol:

One type of song transition that I like is something that Zappa did in concert quite often.
An abrupt change to another song.
It works best if the next song is completely different (tempo/time signature/jead instrument, etc) from the previous one.

Lots of fun, and keeps the audience guessing. (and can have interesting effects on the dancers :twisted: )

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
ReplyQuote