Stylistic Song Example: West Coast Rock

 I wrote a song Inspired by Tom Petty

These are the two reference tracks that I used:

Listen to her Heart By Tom Petty

Context: West Coast Rock

West Coast Rock started with Bands like the Byrds and developed with Neil Young, CS&N. It has a bright guitar driven (often 12 String) sound and draws from Pop, Rock, Gospel and Folk. Using Slide Guitar, bright electric guitars Hammond Organ, Piano, acoustic guitars and lush Harmony Vocals

Expected Features: 12 String Electric Guitar, riffs and hooks

1/2 bar push (3/4 bar) on the Chorus Hook

Harmony Vocals

Jangly Clean/Crunch Guitars with Rythm section and Piano/Organ

Simple Melody, mostly linear small range, tonal.

Simple Chord Structure, predominantly I, IV, V with minor vi, stasis (bridge) and starting phrases on the dominant.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Analysis: Strong 12 string guitar riffs, parallel vocal harmonies particularly on the Chorus, electric piano, parallel vocal harmonies.

Song to record for the forthcoming MOSSFLOWER ALBUM 2

My Song: Demo from the rehearsal room

• melody simple

• rhythm 3/4 bar in chorus

• harmony goes to vi to build tension and release into the Chorus

• texture demo needs to add 12 string electric riff back in and perhaps piano

• structure  instrumantal bridge as intro and repeated again at the end to extend structure, chorus last line extended to make a coda

• instrumental/vocal techniques clean crunch & flanger e. guitars, vocal harmonies parallel

EVALUATION: need to add the 12-string electric riff in, the piano and B3 Organ to sound more like the style intended but has a similar hook and simple harmony.

Rough Mix of the track for Album 2:

Added the 12-string electric with some Chorus effect to overdub the largely live-recorded track with the three-piece band - Mossflower.

After the first mix, I added the high sustained slide guitar over the intro/bridge/coda instrumental sections to add a little top-line and reference the west coast sound even more (a la Derick and the Dominos)

MOSSFLOWER · Mossflower MY FRIENDS ALL SAY MIX 3