Yacht rock: A style of smooth, polished soft rock from the late 1970s and early 1980s, usually built around clean production, sophisticated chords, relaxed grooves, keyboards, guitars, and carefully arranged vocals.
Cold wave: A stripped-down style of post-punk and electronic music built around drum machines, repetitive bass lines, sparse guitar or synthesizer parts, restrained vocals, and a cold, minimal atmosphere.
Barge Wave is yacht rock played like minimal cold wave.
It strips songs down to drum machine, simple bass, sparse guitar, cheap synth, and restrained vocals. The parts are repetitive, dry, and simple, with little or no soloing.
It should sound like polished soft rock reduced to something colder, darker, and more mechanical.
Start with 1970s soft rock/fusion jazz
Then remove everything that does not absolutely need to be there.
Keep the song, the pulse, and the atmosphere.
Use a drum machine, electric bass, one guitar, one cheap synthesizer, and restrained vocals. More equipment is allowed only when it solves a problem. It should never exist simply because it is available.
Reduce complicated drum parts to steady patterns. Motorik beats, Linn-style grooves, rigid eighth notes, and simple kick-snare structures are enough. Fills should be rare. A fill that happens once every eight or sixteen bars is usually sufficient.
Turn bass parts into loops. Find the few notes that make the harmony move and repeat them. Root notes, fifths, octaves, and occasional passing tones are enough. A Barge Wave bass line should be possible to play for ten minutes without becoming physically or mentally exhausting.
Reduce guitar parts to fragments. Use single notes, two-note shapes, small chords, muted rhythm parts, and short repeating figures. Do not reproduce elaborate guitar arrangements simply because the original contains them. Find the smallest part that still makes the song recognizable.
Use synthesizers sparingly. One organ sound, one string sound, and one simple mono lead can make an entire record. Avoid endless patch changes. The synthesizer should sound like another object in the room, not an orchestra.
Shorten solos.
Replace long solos with a motif.
Replace complicated solos with three or four notes.
If the song works without the solo, remove it.
Do not confuse complexity with sophistication. The original song already contains the sophistication. Your job is to leave enough of it exposed that it can survive the reduction.
Keep the vocals calm. Do not oversing. Do not perform despair, coolness, or detachment. Sing the words clearly and let the song provide the emotion.
Do not make the music theatrical.
Do not make it sunny.
Do not make it glamorous.
Do not polish away every rough edge.
The correct setting for Barge Wave is a nameless city divided by a river in the middle of the night.
Warehouses stand along the water.
Sodium lights reflect on wet pavement.
A barge moves slowly through the dark.
Inside a brightly lit building, the same cassette has been playing for hours beneath fluorescent lights, ventilation fans, running water, refrigeration motors, and metal surfaces.
Make music that belongs there.
The arrangement must survive repetition.
A listener should be able to hear the same bass figure fifty times without becoming irritated by it. The drums should establish motion and then stay out of the way. The guitar should return often enough to become familiar. The synthesizer should create atmosphere without constantly announcing itself.
The music should not demand attention every second.
It should be able to disappear into the room and then suddenly become noticeable again.
Do not obsess over perfect reproduction.
Barge Wave is not made to demonstrate what an expensive stereo can do. It should still work through an old speaker in a large concrete room with machines running nearby.
If an arrangement only sounds good under ideal listening conditions, simplify it.
If a part exists only to demonstrate skill, remove it.
If everyone is playing at once, ask who can stop.
If a complicated part can become a two-note figure, use the two-note figure.
If something can repeat, let it repeat.
The song should remain melodic.
The harmony can remain sophisticated.
The performance should stay plain, dry, and patient.
Barge Wave should be calm without becoming soft.
Dark without becoming theatrical.
Translate bits into German, Dutch, Polish, etc.
Repetitive without becoming empty.
Play as though the river will still be there long after the song ends.
ExampleBand and Album:
Kleinajen von Der Stählern Dank
1. Schwarze Kuh
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Pick or firm fingers. Dark, dry tone. No slap, no fills.
92 BPM / Heavy, tired, after-shift
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|——5—–3—|
E|–3-3—3-6—5-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|–5—5—3—–|
E|————6-5-|
SECTION USE
Main cell under most vocal sections. Use the variation only where the song needs a little upward pressure.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Bridge or middle pickup, light chorus, short clean notes.
92 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|——6———|
G|–5——-5—–|
D|—————-|
A|—————-|
E|—————-|
ONLY VARIATION
e|—————-|
B|——6—5—–|
G|–5———–5-|
D|—————-|
SECTION USE
Play once per bar, then leave space. Use the variation every fourth bar or at phrase endings.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Dry Linn-style kit. Closed hat. No ambience. No fills.
92 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K——-K-K—–|
ONLY VARIATION
Every fourth bar only: open the last hat eighth.
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-o-|
SECTION USE
Use the main bar almost everywhere. The open hat is the only lift. Keep the machine indifferent.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Cheap organ patch. No pad wash. Moderate decay.
92 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G Bb G F
whole or half notes
ONLY VARIATION
G Bb C Bb
use sparingly
SECTION USE
Hold single notes or bare fifths behind the vocal. Never attempt the original jazz voicings.
2. AJA
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Even attack, no swing, no decorative passing notes.
108 BPM / severe motorik
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|———-5—–|
A|——5-5—5—|
E|–3-3———6-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|——7———|
A|–5-5—5-8-7-5-|
E|—————-|
SECTION USE
Repeat the main pattern until a larger section change. Use the second cell for the contrasting section, then return without embellishment.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Clean chorus, thin and cold. No solo tone.
108 BPM / severe motorik
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|——–6——-|
G|–5-7——-7-5-|
D|—————-|
ONLY VARIATION
Climax: tremolo-pick one note
e|—————-|
B|—————-|
G|–7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
SECTION USE
Main figure once every two bars. In the instrumental peak, play it every bar, then reduce to the single tremolo note.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Rigid Linn-style kit. Quantized. Kick should feel like machinery.
108 BPM / severe motorik
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K—K—K—K—|
ONLY VARIATION
Every eighth bar:
TM |————T-T-|
Climax only:
HH |x-x-o-x-x-x-o-x-|
SECTION USE
Main motorik bar for the entire piece. The two tom hits are the drum solo. Open hats appear only in the long instrumental climax.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Cheap mono square wave. Dry, narrow, slightly nasal.
108 BPM /severe motorik
MAIN PATTERN
D D-F|G- F –
ONLY VARIATION
A – G – F | D ——-
SECTION USE
Repeat the first cell as the identifying machine motif. Use the descending variation only to mark a major transition.
3. DEACON
BLUES
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Round, plain quarter notes. No vibrato.
76 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|–3——-5—–|
E|——3——-1-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|–3-3—–5-5—|
E|——3-3—–1-|
SECTION USE
Quarter notes for most of the song. Move to eighth-note doubles only in the last section.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Clean chorus, long decay, almost no distortion.
76 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|–5————-|
G|——5———|
D|———-5—–|
A|—————-|
E|—————-|
ONLY VARIATION
e|—————-|
B|–5——-3—–|
G|——5——-4-|
D|—————-|
SECTION USE
One slow descending gesture, then silence. Let notes hang over the machine rather than filling gaps.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Very dry half-time machine beat. One snare per bar.
76 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x—x—x—x—|
SN |——–S——-|
BD |K—K——-K—|
ONLY VARIATION
Final section: hats become eighths
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
SECTION USE
Do not build normally. The tension comes from refusing to add anything until the final stretch.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Cheap string ensemble. Dark filter. No shimmer.
76 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
C G Bb F
single notes or bare fifths
ONLY VARIATION
C G Bb Ab
only near the end
SECTION USE
Treat the synth like a refrigerated church organ: long tones, minimal movement, no rich voicing.
4. PEG
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Pick, bridge-heavy, controlled sustain.
118 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|——4-4——-|
E|–5-5—–5-3-2-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|———-4—–|
A|–4-4-4-4—4—|
E|————–5-|
SECTION USE
Main figure for the body of the song. Variation under the refrain or any section needing a brighter push.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Very clean, compressed, clipped two-note stabs.
118 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|–5—5—–7—|
G|–6—6—–7—|
D|—————-|
ONLY VARIATION
e|—————-|
B|–7—5———|
G|–7—6—–4—|
D|—————-|
SECTION USE
Short CHAK attacks only. Never strum full chords. Variation at phrase endings.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Bright but dry Linn kit. Tiny hint of funk, brutally quantized.
118 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K—–K-K——-|
ONLY VARIATION
Every eighth bar:
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-o-x-|
BD |K—–K-K-K—–|
SECTION USE
Main bar under nearly everything. Variation is the entire arrangement lift.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Short square-wave lead.
118 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
A-A- C#– | B-A—–
ONLY VARIATION
A A A A | C# C# B –
SECTION USE
Main hook replaces glossy studio decoration. Use the repeated-note variation anywhere the original arrangement would invite virtuosity.
5. HOME AT LAST
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Dense low-mid tone. Firm and mechanical.
104 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|——5—–5—|
E|–3-3—6-3—6-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|——5———|
A|–3-3—6-5-3—|
E|————–6-|
SECTION USE
Alternate the two cells by section. Keep attack and note length identical every time.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Palm-muted, clean-to-edge-of-breakup. Minimal chorus.
104 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|—————-|
G|—————-|
D|–5-5-5-5——-|
A|———-6-5—|
E|————–6-|
ONLY VARIATION
REST FOR FOUR BARS
SECTION USE
The rest is a real part. Play the muted figure, then disappear. Do not fill the empty space.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Heavy kick, dry snare, no swing.
104 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K-K—–K-K—–|
ONLY VARIATION
Every fourth bar:
BD |K-K—K-K-K—–|
SECTION USE
Make the kick pattern feel like an engine cycle. No humanizing. No shuffle.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Low sawtooth, simple mono or two-note intervals.
104 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G G G G | Bb – F –
ONLY VARIATION
high response: D – Eb – D
SECTION USE
Low machine pulse under the song. The high response appears only as a sparse answer to the vocal.
6. I GOT THE NEWS
BASS
TONE / ROLE
Pick beside bridge, narrow and tense.
124 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|——4—–2—|
E|–2-2—2-5—4-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|–4-4-2———|
E|——–5-4-2—|
SECTION USE
Main cell under verses and instrumental stretches. Variation for the refrain or turnaround.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Thin high register, almost unpleasant. Very short delay optional.
124 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|—————-|
G|–6—6—4—–|
D|————6—|
ONLY VARIATION
e|—————-|
B|——7———|
G|–6——-6-4—|
D|—————-|
SECTION USE
Alternate the two figures by section. Avoid lower strings and avoid power chords.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Twitchy closed hats, dry machine kit.
124 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-xx-x-xx-xx-x–|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K——-K–K—-|
ONLY VARIATION
Every fourth bar:
HH |x-xx-x-xx-xoxo–|
SECTION USE
Keep the odd hat accents identical. The pattern should sound memorized by a machine, not improvised by a drummer.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Dry organ stab. Fast release.
124 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
F# A F# E
ONLY VARIATION
F# F# A – | E – F# –
SECTION USE
Use short stabs only. If a note sustains long enough to become atmospheric, it is too long.
7. JOSIE
BASS
110 BPM
TONE / ROLE
Firm fingers or pick. This one may actually groove, but do not decorate it.
MAIN PATTERN
G|—————-|
D|—————-|
A|——5-5——-|
E|–3-3—–6-5-3-|
ONLY VARIATION
G|—————-|
D|——5———|
A|–3-3—6-5-3—|
E|————–6-|
SECTION USE
Alternate the two cells by section. Keep them simple enough to play while exhausted.
GUITAR
TONE / ROLE
Bridge pickup, chorus, crisp attack.
110 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
e|—————-|
B|–6—–6——-|
G|—-5—–5-7—|
D|—————-|
ONLY VARIATION
e|—————-|
B|–6-6———–|
G|——7-5——-|
D|———-7—–|
SECTION USE
Main figure for the body of the song, second figure for the refrain or ending. No extra chord work.
LINN / DRUMS
TONE / ROLE
Dry Linn kit. One open hat is the party.
110 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-o-|
SN |—-S——-S—|
BD |K—K-K—–K—|
ONLY VARIATION
Last section only:
BD |K-K-K-K—–K—|
SECTION USE
Main pattern throughout. Add the busier kick only near the ending, then stop dead.
SYNTH
TONE / ROLE
Cheap BRASS preset, short and unapologetic.
110 BPM
MAIN PATTERN
G – Bb – C
ONLY VARIATION
ENDING: G G G G | Bb Bb | C
SECTION USE
Use short brass blasts as punctuation. At the end play the written tag and stop with everyone else.
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