Breakdown?

[randall]

as above. what does it mean? like breakdowns in a song?

 

[OzzyC]

its basically an interlude

breakdown, a section where the composition is deliberately deconstructed to minimal elements (usually the percussion or rhythm section with the vocal re-introduced over the minimal backing)all other parts having been gradually or suddenly cut out: "Breaks are for the drummer; breakdowns are for hands in the air" (Brewster and Broughton 2003, p.79).

 

[DDDorian]

If you're talking about breakdowns in the tough guy hardcore/metalcore sense they're probably referring to when the drummer plays a halftime beat and the other instruments play a one-note stop/start kinda riff, usually with a little harmonised trill or something at the end if they're more of a metal band. Basically, in the last few years they've been done to death so you probably want to avoid them at all costs.

 

[jacksonknox27]

^ +1

when a metal band is playing something up tempo and then, sometimes unexpetedly, cuts the tempo into a slow and huge beatdown of a rhythm. The guitar parts usually follow the rhythm of the bass drum and are low palm muted notes. As long as bands dont run out of rhythms to play in a breakdown, i guess theyll still be around...

 

[distressed_romeo]

If you're talking about breakdowns in the tough guy hardcore/metalcore sense they're probably referring to when the drummer plays a halftime beat and the other instruments play a one-note stop/start kinda riff, usually with a little harmonised trill or something at the end if they're more of a metal band. Basically, in the last few years they've been done to death so you probably want to avoid them at all costs.

Agreed. It's become just as overdone as the 'quiet verse to loud chorus' thing was during the nineties.

 

[God Hand Apostle]

Awsome analogy romeo! It's funny 'cause it's true.

 

[Mastodon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLKxF7fBna0

The part at 3:30. Though it's at the end of the song as apposed to the middle or 2/3 through, it's pretty much what all metalcore or hardcore breakdowns sound like.

 

[neon_black88]

In this part it sounds like the singer wants to fight, dont be scared the chorus will make it alright.

 

[omentremor]

i dont mind breakdowns. But I hate how overdone they are. I just listen to bands like unearth and try to forget how overdone those sections are, Beneath the massacre do AWESOME breakdowns. But in my own writing I avoid them. Everyone else has assesed them perfectly

 

[Rayne Mann]

Metal by numbers *COOKIE COOKIE COOKIE*

 

[Naren]

i dont mind breakdowns. But I hate how overdone they are. I just listen to bands like unearth and try to forget how overdone those sections are, Beneath the massacre do AWESOME breakdowns. But in my own writing I avoid them. Everyone else has assesed them perfectly

I personally love good breakdowns. I'm a huge fan of Unearth, which is a band that has mastered the breakdown. They are pretty much the band that got me to buy a sevenstring (after hearing songs like "Zombie Autopilot").

For the original poster, here's a link to the video for "Endless" from Unearth. The section from 2:18 to 2:52 is a good example of a breakdown. Most breakdowns are half the speed of the rest of the song, but this is an example of a breakdown that is faster than most sections of the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLSXp8g8B14

I love "Through Struggle" (which Mastodon posted). "Shadows Are Security" is one of my top 5 favorite albums from 2005.

I've never written a breakdown in any of my songs so far, but I would love to write them. I write songs by how I feel them and I just haven't felt like writing a breakdown yet. I think saying that breakdowns are overdone is a valid opinion, but I think it's the same as how solos were overdone in the 80s (and how some bands still overdo solos). You get a band that has 1-3 solos per song, even in songs that really shouldn't have a solo and the solo seems out of place. The solo almost always comes in the same place for the same duration (after the third chorus, and the solo lasts for 20-30 seconds). I love solos myself, but some of my songs just don't need solos. So far my band has about 8 songs and 5 of them have solos and 3 of them don't. I believe the 3 that don't have solos wouldn't be as good of songs if they had solos. But, there is one song I have that has 2 solos in it and I don't think it would be as good of a song if it didn't have both solos. Likewise, I think that "breakdowns" is one of the elements that makes bands like Unearth and Lamb of God.

 

[omentremor]

^Great minds think alike eh. I agree, regardless of if something is overdone if its done well WHO CARES? Obviously lots of people or metalcore wouldnt have a bad name haha.

 

[Korbain]

its basically where you change the feel to the song a bit and/or go nuts lol

 

[AngelVivaldi]

MOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jarrydn]

I love breakdowns, and even though I know how ridiculously over done they are, I'll still be putting them everywhere in my music.

Along with as many squealy bendy pinch harmonics as I can manage.

 

[SHREDTOKILL]

^ EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID.
IMO, i love breakdowns because it gives me a chance to do guitar flips and trash some of my non-expensive gear haha.