The Analysis Thread: "Scream"

[JamesSongwriter]

Great analysis guys, some really good stuff in this thread. Now time for a new one...

The second song we will analyse is "Scream" by Usher. (22 May)

[B Steady]

Alrighty

The first thing that is catchy/remarkable are the dotted 8th notes in the main synth line which are contrary to the vocal rhythm in the verses and chorus. Here they're using only straight 4th or 8th notes.

Also this song sounds quite similar to their prior collaboration DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love, it even has the same key.

What I love personally the most about Scream is the explosion (including the build up) before the last chorus, also Usher's ad-libs during this chorus.

[j.fco.morales]

About the sound and production, I love the soft distortion everywhere.

And after I read the second part of the Max Martin/Shellback interview in swedish radio, I remember the part when Max said that Shellback liked to add weird stuff to the melodies and thought about the "uh-ooh baby baby" part in the chorus.

I also remember about the contrast of lots-of-words in the verses and long notes in the chorus.

[RoyFan]

Great thread.  Never had time to comment on "love me like you do" - There's like 4-5 writers on that song I believe? So it's hard to know which parts Max actually contributed 100%.  Someone had written here before
that "i'll let you set the pace" sounded more like Ilya.

Anyway what I find fascinating is how Max has assembled these "dream teams of disciples" who probably
at this point can write a more "Max song" than he ever did without him!! Lol

Luke too, "Broken hearted" by Karmin first sounded like Luke - but it turned out to be Cirkut and Claude Kelly - 2 of his students.

Some people say that this is mass producing art and criticize Max and Luke big time for this - saying it shows
their method is "soul less" and "mathematical" - 

But one can also say that they understand music so well, that they can teach people something that was once
thought to be "either you have it or you don't"  - Sorta like a great Physics teacher who understands it so intuitively that they take the mystery out of it, and can make people understand Relativity.

There are only so many Hendrixes , Van Halens, Beach Boys, Beatles, Rush etc that reinvent the wheel. But Max proves how one doesn't have to for it to be great music.