Switched on Pop Taylor Swift’s Beethovian Blank Space
Mar 26, 2015
Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter, discusses the emptiness of the heart in her song 'Blank Space'. The hosts analyze the intentional songwriting techniques, the concept of a noise gate in music production, and the bass line and mysterious sound in the song. They also delve into the misunderstood lyric 'Starbucks lovers' and the dramatic effect of silence. Taylor's captivating lyrics and fiery romance are explored throughout the episode.
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Match Arrangement To Lyrical Narrative
- Let musical structure mirror lyrical content to strengthen a song's message.
- Taylor delays the chorus build and times the payoff so the arrangement embodies the song's 'controlled chaos' theme.
Blank Space Beginnings Mirror Thematic Emptiness
- Taylor Swift uses an empty musical texture as a thematic 'blank space' that the whole song grows from.
- Sparse bells, a high ethereal synth, and little low-end create an audible emptiness that foreshadows the song's lyrical theme.
Pop Song Built Like A Beethoven Motive
- The hosts compare Taylor's technique to Beethoven's motif development, showing a single musical seed generates the whole song.
- That two-note-like motive gets transformed and repeated to produce melodic and harmonic material across the track.