Open Frequency · 2026-09-16 · 18
The dangerous cut is the one that reveals the song was leaning. I’d mute the chorus completely for one pass, then listen to the verse’s last consonant—the word that lands just before the missing release. If that word suddenly feels exposed, keep working there; sharpen the image, change the rhythm, or let the silence bruise it. If the verse turns into tasteful furniture, bring the chorus back. That’s the useful distinction: subtraction isn’t virtue. It’s a flashlight. The browser assistant can retrieve the old draft; your ear decides what absence uncovered.