I haven't seen too much on here, or anywhere else for that matter, about what truly makes a drop "good" or what makes a song/track as a whole "good".
Now this is most likely because of how incredibly subjective "good" is (pretty much being the most subjective word in language aside from its counterpart "bad"), but there are some things that can be univserally agreed upon that match up to literally everyone's preferences, no matter who they are.
The things that make a drop "good" and that also make a song/track as a whole drop are things that have to do with music.
Now, whatever genre one prefers, be it electro house, trance, dubstep, trap, future bass, tropical house, whatever, there are a few things that make a song good to literally ANYONE who hears it. Why is that? Because these are things that literally comprise every edm song there is.
These things are Key/tonality (the keys/chords/melody), rhythm (the spacing of notes/percussion/beats), timbre (the sounds/synths/intruments), tempo (the bpm/how fast or slow the song is), length (how long or short the drop/song/track is), and production quality (how well the song/track is produced/mixed/mastered).
There are some songs with vocals, but not all have them. Those 6 things mentioned are the things that comprise of any edm song, no matter who makes it or enjoys it. These things cannot be argued against as they comprise the very structure of the drop/song itself.
Now here's the subjective part: Everyone has their own preferences of what they like in each of these 6 categories.
Some people like very consonant melodies in major keys (melodies that resolve their tension that usually sound happy) while some people like myself like very dissonant melodies in minor keys (melodies that create lots of tension and don't sound happy). Now that can just be for melodies of songs (typically the breakdown) but also applies to drops. Some people like consonant drops others like dissonant ones.
Timbre is probably even more subjective because there are SO many different sounds that are used in edm songs. There might be 5 different timbres in one song or 50. Some people like the traditional stabby synth sounds of progressive house while some may like the very distorted sounds of hardstyle. It truly is subjective.
The same goes with rhythm, as some people like simple rhythms that repeat a lot, others like complex rhythms that don't repeat often, and others are in between or anywhere outside of that.
Tempo is also subjective and certain people like fast tempos, others like slow, or in the middle, or at the extremes.
Length, like the others, is subjective as well, as some people like short drops and/or short songs, and some people like long drops and/or long songs, or in between. I prefer long drops since I feel that there should be more dancing to a song rather than just standing around (at raves/clubs) since it IS called electronic DANCE music, but that's just me.
The last thing is probably the least subjective of them all, since everyone wants a song that is well produced (meaning its clear throughout, with no sounds overly competing for space, has a good kick that is punchy and clean, etc.) But again, there are so many different ways of producing that it is also very subjective. Some people like a lot of distortion in their sounds, while others like a butt load of white noise in their songs, etc.
On the topic of vocals, some people like vocals in their songs (to further differentiate, some prefer female vocals over male or vice versa). Some people like those little vocal chops during and before the drop (like "EVERYBODY FUCKING JUMP" or "EY EY EY EY", etc.) and some people don't. Like the others, very subjective.
Again, I myself like dissonant drops in minor keys that have very dirty/distorted timbres with very aggressive rhythmic patterns that is near 128 bpm, that are long and not short as a rule, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the other things as well. But what's truly good is completely subjective and in a way, arbitrary, since the only thing that could really be applied across the board as making a song "better" is production quality.
There are a few things, however, that can set some music apart from the rest, and they are essentially the polar opposites of what makes some music sound like a lot of the other stuff being put out.
These things can be described as originality and creativity. Now they both kind of feed into each other, as being original takes some amount of creativity and being truly creative necessitates some amount of originality. Originality and creativity dictate what truly shines out among lots of the music nowadays. It's also something that a lot of the bigger djs seem to forget when they crank out cookie-cutter music. The very term "cookie-cutter" is the antithesis of these 2 concepts (originality and creativity) since it implies that it's the same format that everyone else uses.
This points to what makes songs subjectively "bad" (before I get into what originality/creativity), as a whole across the board. Making a song/drop that everyone else does MIGHT appeal to some people but the vast majority of people would rather hear/listen to music that doesn't sound like everything else that is coming out.
That is what essentially kills musical movements, hence why there is so much hybrid music coming out in edm now. The blending of different genres is what naturally happens because of this, and the topic of genres itself is interesting because what makes a genre comprises of the first 5 categories of edm. And those things can be tampered/experimented with infinitely to make any kind of combination of those 5 things.
Now while what constitutes originality and creativity might be debated by some, they can be brought down to a single point: It's what most others are not doing. Creativity and originality are pretty much infinite, especially in edm, because there are so many variables in the 6 categories that comprise this music. You can experiment in any way you want to but the most crucial thing to remember is this: DO EXPERIMENT!!! Don't conform to genre boundaries just because everyone else does! Be a pioneer in creating some kind of new sub-genre or hybrid genre. There is infinite room for variation so don't be afraid.
As an aspiring producer, I strive to be original and creative, making drops that people haven't heard before (be it length, timbre, melody, etc.) and I also think that one of the absolute absolute MOST important thing for other producers to remember is to make music that YOU like above all else, while at the same time striving to be original and creative.
Creating something that is original and creative that YOU like is easily one of the best, most fulfilling and rewarding experiences an artist of any kind can have, no matter what art form, and this can easily be applied to anything, even outside of art. Creating something that is original and creative that you like is simply amazing and is truly what anyone who creates things to strive for.
Now clearly this shouldn't be applied to negative things like creating some original and creative form of killing people, hurting people, etc. But that's completely beside the point.
I don't know if this kind of thing has been posted before (or at least laid out in the kind of detail I have just done), but I hope this can help everyone out here who enjoys making this kind of music.
tl;dr: There are 6 categories that make edm: key/tonality, rhythm, timbre, tempo, length, and production quality. They are all subjective in nature as to what constitutes "good", with production quality being the least subjective. To truly set your music apart from the rest, you need to apply originality and creativity. These 2 things feed into each other, with originality and creativity (in any of the 6 categories that comprise the music) being mutually necessary for the other to exist.
The last important thing that every producer should take into consideration is to make music that YOU like that is original and creative, since that will not only set your music apart from the rest, it will also be supremely more enjoyable for you and everyone else to listen to, and you it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.
That last thing can be, and should be, applied anywhere that involves the creation of something artistic, or indeed, the creation of anything (barring negative things like ways of hurting others, killing others, etc.).
Again, hopefully this can be a guide to help everyone who needs help to creating "better", but more importantly, original & creative music that YOU enjoy.
Submitted December 12, 2016 at 06:40PM by CrunchyBiscuitFace https://www.reddit.com/r/edmproduction/comments/5hzged/what_makes_a_good_drop_and_by_extension_tracksong/?utm_source=ifttt