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 Forum index » Discussion » Composition
How long should an album be?
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How long should an electro-music CD be?
no more than 45 minutes
70%
 70%  [ 7 ]
about 60 minutes
30%
 30%  [ 3 ]
70+ minutes
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 10

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A E J O T Z



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:40 am    Post subject: How long should an album be? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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.

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Uncle Krunkus
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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! Laughing Fill the medium,..... why not?

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onewayness



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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.

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Acoustic Interloper



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

53.27 minutes.
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darkvortex
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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?? Laughing

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ocp



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Here's an interesting Wikipedia page on the attention span.
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Acoustic Interloper



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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?? Laughing

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.

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audiodef



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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.
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Winstontaneous



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

ocp wrote:
Here's an interesting Wikipedia page on the attention span.

I started reading it but then I... Laughing

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.

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paggos



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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



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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Side A: 20 min
Side B: 20 min
(+- 5 min each side)
30-50 min

And sometimes double album: 60-100 min Smile
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DES



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PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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 Laughing

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brainvoyager



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PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

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! Laughing 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. Very Happy
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Skrog Productions



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Very Happy

in my experience.....
Hardcore punk / Grindcore/ noise , no more than 21mins.
Electronic ambient or melodic music , 45mins to 1 hour is good.


Dave Smile
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audiodef



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

"The Private Music of Tangerine Dream" only has four tracks and is wonderful stuff.

It only matters whether you like it or not.

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RF



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

47 minutes.
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robsol
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

You are all so, so wrong.

A great album should last a lifetime. Wink

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Acoustic Interloper



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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

As soon as I ask, it is over.
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