This is my version of No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age. I have changed quite a bit from the original, but it is similar enough to be recognised as the same song
Something that needed to be kept was the riff, as it is the main hook of the song. The riff was played on an electric guitar, I changed it slightly so that I could play it onto the midi keyboard. It isn’t as punchy as it sounds in the original and doesn’t sound as good though.
The drumming is a bit different, in the verses I keep the same kick and snare pattern however I changed the cymbal pattern from a straight pattern to a swing pattern, while also moving it onto the ride cymbal. This fits my version of the song better, however the original was a better drum beat. The chorus is also a bit different, it keeps the same idea as the original track, as it fills for two bars and then plays the beat for two bars. The fills are different from the original song, and they aren’t as good as the original. They are also slightly off time. The cymbal pattern is now shuffled instead.
I changed the chords so that it had a more standard chord structure, instead of in the original where it stays on one chord during the majority of the verse. My chord structure goes like: C Minor 7, A Flat, G Minor then F minor. The original chord structure was C minor, G then B. I also changed the structure of the song, my structure goes:
| Intro | 2 |
| Verse | 24 |
| Pre-Chorus | 2 |
| Chorus | 16 |
| Bridge #1 | 4 |
| Verse | 24 |
| Pre-Chorus | 2 |
| Chorus | 16 |
| Bridge #2 | 2 |
| Solo | 16 |
| Pre-Chorus | 2 |
| Chorus | 16 |
The structure of the songs are quite similar however it is different enough to be a rework of this track. I think the structure is quite good, no part drags on for too long and it keeps the same feel of the original. The pre-chorus is something I would work on if I was to do this again, as it needs something to take it into the chorus from the verse, however I am not 100% happy with what it turned into.
My chorus is a bit different from the original. The guitar riff that they play on the chorus in the original has been changed to a different riff, where I run through the pentatonic scale. It is a similar riff to the original one, and still gives it the same feel, however it fits my version better. I also re-introduced the main riff here, as I felt there was something lacking in the two bars in-between where the vocal and riff are. These are quite good changes as the chorus is still recognisable as the same chorus, however it stands out on its own.
Instrumentation:
Synthesizer Lead – Two different sounds
Brass Ensemble Synthesizer
Synthesizer Bass
Electric Drum Kit
Medieval Lute
Electric Piano
Vocals
This is a much different instrumentation to the original and it creates a much different sound. It is a much different sound from the distortion and heavy rock of the original, the tracks are clean and smooth sounding in my version. Queens of the Stone Age’s version was all guitars, my version only includes a lute, with the rest of the instruments being a keyboard or a synthesizer. There is also a lot more instruments on my track. The original was made by a band, and was made with the intention of it being performed as a band. However mine was made on a DAW by myself. This gives it a different sound as it was made with different intentions.
The tempo of the song is 125 bpm, compared to the 175 bpm of the original, it is a lot slower. I think this is in detriment to my track, as it sounds better with it being faster.
I haven’t mixed or mastered this track, this was due to time constraints as well as the fact that I am not too sure how to mix and master. So to do it well, it would take a lot of time and effort, and unfortunately I didn’t have that here. If I am to rework a song again, I will definitely mix and master it.
If I was to release this track into the public domain, there are some small mistakes that I would correct such as the velocity on some of the notes aren’t what I would like them to be, I would also spend more time on the electric piano solo and make it something I am really happy with, instead of something I think is okay. The drums don’t sound exactly how I would like them to so I would try and find an even better drum kit that suits this song more.
My version is also a shorter song, as it clocks in at 4;01, where as the original is 4:38.
The vocals are done by Bea, a female vocalist who is on my course. The female vocals are a nice touch, I think they work well with my arrangement of this song. The lyrics are the same, however some lines had to be removed to fit into my version. The vocal performance isn’t pitch perfect, however I am happy with how it has turned out. A compressor was added, however some other effects would’ve sounded nice such as reverb.
Summatively, my version is not that bad. There are definitely some noteworthy changes that make it stand out from the original, and it is a completely different genre of music. It is also one of the first tracks I have fully made on a DAW, so I am quite happy with how it turned out. However, the original is still a better version of the song and it is not the best work that I will do.