About the Outro on Armin2016
Thinking up a name for a new song is as tricky as trying to name a band or an album. Just like with a book you’ve written, you have to find something that explains its essence, also contains words that fits it into the genre or category, and at the same time is interesting enough to catch someone’s attention. (There are actually websites that generate titles for you based on your key words, but believe me, the results can be very strange.)
No wonder DJ and producer Deadmau5 called two of his albums “Random Title” and “<album title goes here>”. When I noticed it the first time, I thought it was funny. Now, of course, I know only too well how difficult this is. Faced with a mental block, I just called the last track on the “Album2016” album just “Outro (Armin2016)”. Because this has happened to me quite a few times, I added the album title to the song name. Yes, not inspired, especially considering that the song does have a few special things about it. It probably deserves better!
About Outro (Armin2016)
According to Armin van Buuren, as the DJ and producer, you are there to entertain people and make them happy, and play what they want to hear. You should leave them with happy ears, because the last thing they hear is what they will remember. So you have to end with a track that is really upbeat and foot-stomping. And preferably with a tune you can hum along to.
In fact, you have to end with the most likeable track you’ve got.
So that is what I tried to do with “Outro”. I stuck to the arrangement for a typical Trance track because, by this stage, I realized that I had to get the listeners or audience to get up and dance. Because an outro-type track has to encapsulate the whole album of which is it the ending, I added a variation on the core melody that I wrote for “SinT” (the trance sonata), and for the rest, made the chords as sweet as possible and the beats as irresistible as possible. And the refrain (score below) is a real charming little ear-worm which I dressed up with a couple of arpeggios.
Of all the tracks on the album, this is the one I like best. Hopefully you agree with me!