Why do songs fade o...
 

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Why do songs fade out and not just finish?

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Was stood at my drawing board yesterday working from home with the iPod on random.

I've never really thought about it before but why do songs fade out?

When you go and watch a live performance they don't start turning the volume down to fade out......

The song must have a natural end, so why fade out and not just stop?


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:19 am
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The really random question, (and answers) thread. - Singletrack World Magazine June 26, 2024

Post in there ^^ 🙂


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:21 am
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Its lazy song writing. Nothing more.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:23 am
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Laziness. Can't be arsed to write the end of the music? Fine, just fade it.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:27 am
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the dead kenndys cornered the market on great song endings


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:50 am
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It's hard to write a good end. Good ends really stand out.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 10:52 am
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I’ve never really thought about it before but why do songs fade out?

You've got the crossfade feature turned on..?


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 11:09 am
prettygreenparrot, kelvin, Drac and 3 people reacted
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I'm more concerned about why they piss around at the start instead of just launching into the song. For example, this could have been half as long if they'd just got straight to the point:


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 11:36 am
phil5556 and phil5556 reacted
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It's because they didn't use Scotch tape for the masters. If they had done that then they would just re-record, not fade away.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 11:48 am
geeh, dirkpitt74, tjagain and 27 people reacted
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It’s hard to write a good end. Good ends really stand out.

This.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 11:53 am
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In my mind, those songs that fade out are still playing but have reached a point at which they shift into another plane.

I'm sure in that other plane there is a thread on a bike forum that asks why songs just fade in..


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 12:13 pm
milan b., funkmasterp, milan b. and 1 people reacted
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It’s because they didn’t use Scotch tape for the masters. If they had done that then they would just re-record, not fade away.

Delete your account.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 12:18 pm
sillyoldman, Harry_the_Spider, BoardinBob and 3 people reacted
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Eh Yep ironing


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 12:34 pm
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1/ makes life easier for DJs

2/ adds time

The absolute proof, a forty something second song with an abrupt end:


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 12:50 pm
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Could be a new topic:

great song endings.


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 7:19 pm
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im convinced some songs have to fade out, 'glory box' by Portishead for example.  even the great Geoff Barrow couldn't do a rock ending on that one.   Any of you doubters are welcome to compose an alternate ending to Glory box


 
Posted : 26/06/2024 11:09 pm
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Its lazy song writing. Nothing more.

You’re all perfectly welcome to contribute your own well-crafted song that stops precisely.

In your own time…

…still waiting.

Any of you doubters are welcome to compose an alternate ending to Glory box

This, ☝🏼

The song must have a natural end, so why fade out and not just stop?

Who sez? Who died and made you Elvis?

Also, I have been to gigs where a song has faded out at the end, which neatly puts the lie to “The song must have a natural end, so why fade out and not just stop?”.


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 12:38 am
sirromj and sirromj reacted
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Naaa naa na na-na na naa,

Na-na na naa,

Noodling


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 1:03 am
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Naaa naa na na-na na naa,

Hey Jude?

Weird, I'm not a particular fan but that was immediately clear from two letters.


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 1:29 am
 wbo
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'the dead kenndys cornered the market on great song endings'

You've got to get there first.  Two minutes can be a long time


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 7:56 am
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Another reason to listen to Shellac.


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 7:58 am
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I’m more concerned about why they piss around at the start instead of just launching into the song.

See Brakes

The song must have a natural end, so why fade out and not just stop?

Also, see Brakes


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 8:42 am
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I used to present on student radio back when I was at uni. Most radio edits of tunes fade out so you can seamlessly mix into the next tune or segment. Plus it gives you an audio cue to know when to mix.

Longer 12 inch mixes / 'club' mixes often have 'dead beats' at the end, for the same reason.


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 1:46 pm
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Isn't that a feature of lpods/ apple music? Don't they add a fade between songs?


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 2:46 pm
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1/ makes life easier for DJs

This.  Or so I was told 30+ years ago by someone at BBC Radio.

Gives the chance to 'mix' into the next tune & it's less irritating for the listener if that's the bit the DJ starts talking over.


 
Posted : 27/06/2024 3:26 pm

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