"Searching for Max Martin" - podcast

[turnaround]

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/switched-on-pop/id934552872?mt=2&i=357474020

https://twitter.com/stefanatical/status/669432844754804736

The most omnipresent figure in pop music is also the most elusive: Karl Sandberg, AKA Max Martin, the mad Swedish genius who's ruled the charts for 20 years. With the help of New Yorker writer John Seabrook, author of The Song Machine,

[PacoMaco]

Thanks dude! Good listen

[bugmenot]

Or here http://www.switchedonpop.com/?p=489

[Rebecca]

Thanks Turnaround, I really enjoyed that.

[Dagge]

I find it amusing how all they go great lengths trying to decypher 'secrets' about Max Martin songs and methods. Except that they don't get that his success is so simple to understand, yet cannot be explained by discovering some secrets that actually don't exist. Simple truth is that he is smart and extremely talented for melodies. That's it, there is nothing more. No secrets. Inject yourself a gene for a catchy melody and there you are

[melodicmoonlight]

I find it amusing how all they go great lengths trying to decypher 'secrets' about Max Martin songs and methods. Except that they don't get that his success is so simple to understand, yet cannot be explained by discovering some secrets that actually don't exist. Simple truth is that he is smart and extremely talented for melodies. That's it, there is nothing more. No secrets. Inject yourself a gene for a catchy melody and there you are

Have to agree with you there. I've always thought this and am amused when I see people trying to replicate Max's style or figure out the equation to somehow "crack the code" on how to make a pop smash. He's talented, pure and simple. And Swedish. That helps. Haha.

I think maybe for someone who is musical but not innately savvy at crafting a strong pop melody, it's tempting to do what Bonnie McKee once described, when she said Max and Luke treat it like a math problem. But I really don't think it's that mechanical. I think the combination of melody, lyric, and production simply add up to an amazing end product. Producers/artists/songwriters should be original

[j.fco.morales]

It's purely based on good taste. And they got that. Plus, I think they get inspiration from lots of things, including the artists themselves.

[Dagge]

It's purely based on good taste. And they got that.

I would describe this a bit more precisely, it's based on their natural taste, specific to them yet compatible with the taste of the masses. I know this because I consider myself extremely talented for recognizing potential top melody made by the extremely talented composer (a natural talent that is useless and even got me some frustrations because I couldn't compose melodies I wanted to hear). First two bars of the chorus in 'Give us a place' by It's Alive and I immediately felt the guy behind that melody is extremely talented. Then I did a bit of research and the rest is known, he proved that first impression with time. That hunch feeling never betrayed me, unfortunately it comes very rarely.

[melodicmoonlight]

Was thinking recently that I feel as though the whole "melodic math" thing has gotten blown way out of proportion. I often hear in interviews and podcasts about Max people acting like Max is sitting down with a piece of graph paper and counting every syllable like it's some sort of genius math problem that is the key to pop music. I don't think it's that serious at all. In fact, if you look at a lot of Max songs, the verses often deviate a little in the number of syllables. Plain and simple, he just has a great ear for melody. 🤷‍♂️ There's not some secret recipe or formula.

I agree with you 100%. I think people like Bonnie used that "mathematic" expression figuratively, not literally. I think a lot of people ran with that and thought they could somehow decode a secret formula to unlock pop/melody brilliance. It comes down to talent, skill, and having that impeccable ear.