How an 80's pop song is structured

[Teknite]

Use this as an example song:

I can never capture that perfect 80's feeling in my songs. The youtube video is a great example. the problem is I don't know how they structure it all, with the different sounds going on in at the same time, how do I structure an 80's pop song? Thanks.

[tapper mike]

Arrangement comes with experience. Working out parts. Honesly it's a minimal arrangement. Drums, keys, Guitar, Vocals. and two synth parts.

It's not all going on at the same time. Listen to it section by section. What do you hear in the intro? What do you not hear? What do you hear in the first verse? What do you not hear? Listen to one measure What do you hear on the first beat? What do you not hear? A good band knows how to arrange so that each part doesn't step on another part. There is an expression "In the pocket" meaning to place sound in an otherwise quiet part. The secret is that the pocket (no sound) must exist inorder to flll the pocket.

[mkastrup]

That Bobby Brown album is New Jacket style along with Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

Recently i went through my old recordings and found these 2 tracks i made in 1988, they more or less follow the same recipe as New Jacket School. Instruments used Korg M1, Roland JV 80, Akai S 950, Yamaha TX 802. Amazing what you could squeeze out of so few instruments, but then again, its old school



and another in the same type of New Jacket School:



Other popular schools were Stock Aitken Waterman, but thats another story and concept Watch out for Rick rolls

/Michael