Site Index Songwriting
How to write a song,
song structure, song-writing tips, writing a hit song, song lyrics,
rhyming & more
------------------------------
RECORDING
how to record your
song, how to mic a guitar amp, how to mic drums,
recording equipment, building a home studio, mixing,
mastering, recording vocals, vocal techniques,
CD duplication and more
---------------------------------
How to Release
your Songs
Major Label vs. Independant Label vs.
self-release
List of Record Labels
------------------------------
RADIO PROMOTION
part
I
Radio
stations, the charts, types of radio shows, radio promoters,
CD & case requirements, formats, genres, add date, investors &
more
------------------------------
RADIO
PROMOTION
part Il
Traditional distribution,
radio cost sheets, BDS Mediabase, Soundscan, commercial ratings,
use videos for airplay, merchandise, Billboard Magazine,
commercial regular rotation, hiring your own
record deal, press, gigs and retail,
CD sales from radio
------------------------------
RADIO PROMOTION
part III
distribution using radio,
setting up radio interviews, distribution, tours, press, consultants,
FMQB airplay tracking, performance royalties, how touring , press and
radio work together, payola, station visits
------------------------------
PROMOTION
writing press releases, music promotion, how to
add audio to your blog or website & more
------------------------------
LIST of
RADIO STATIONS
Around the world
AM, FM, College & other
broadcast stations
------------------------------
PERFORMING
controlling stage fright,
performance contracts, How to become a
successful independent artist and more
------------------------------
LIST OF
MUSIC FESTIVALS
Around the world
----------------------MUSIC
AWARD SHOWS
& MUSIC CONFERENCES
-------------------------
Famous Musicians
Birthdays
-----------------------------
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . Site Index
Songwriting
How to write a song,
song structure, song-writing tips, writing a hit song, song lyrics,
rhyming & more
------------------------------
RECORDING
how to record your
song, how to mic a guitar amp, how to mic drums,
recording equipment, building a home studio, mixing,
mastering, recording vocals, vocal techniques,
CD duplication and more
---------------------------------
How to Release
your Songs
Major Label vs. Independant Label vs.
self-release
List of Record Labels
------------------------------
RADIO PROMOTION
part
I
Radio
stations, the charts, types of radio shows, radio promoters,
CD & case requirements, formats, genres, add date, investors &
more
------------------------------
RADIO
PROMOTION
part Il
Traditional distribution,
radio cost sheets, BDS Mediabase, Soundscan, commercial ratings,
use videos for airplay, merchandise, Billboard Magazine,
commercial regular rotation, hiring your own
record deal, press, gigs and retail,
CD sales from radio
------------------------------
RADIO PROMOTION
part III
distribution using radio,
setting up radio interviews, distribution, tours, press, consultants,
FMQB airplay tracking, performance royalties, how touring , press and
radio work together, payola, station visits
------------------------------
PROMOTION
writing press releases, music promotion, how to
add audio to your blog or website & more
------------------------------
LIST of
RADIO STATIONS
Around the world
AM, FM, College & other
broadcast stations
------------------------------
PERFORMING
controlling stage fright,
performance contracts, How to become a
successful independent artist and more
------------------------------
LIST OF
MUSIC FESTIVALS
Around the world
----------------------MUSIC
AWARD SHOWS
& MUSIC CONFERENCES
-------------------------
Famous Musicians
Birthdays
-----------------------------
|
Free Articles
on how to write a song
Songwriters Resource Articles
Listed on this Page
1) - Sing it
like you mean it
by Art
Rock
2)
Song Intro Ideas
by Art Rock
3)
-Creating the Perfect Structure
for Your Song
by Ian Waugh
4)
-Every Song
Tells a Story...But Does it Need to be an Abstract
Novel?
by Sheena Metal
5) -
How To Write A Song
by Michael Russell
6)
- Write Songs the Music Industry Wants to Hear!
7)
- How to Get the Right Balance of Innovation and
Predictability in Your Songs
8) - How to Develop a
Good Ear by Gary Ewer
9) - Seven Basic
Songwriting Errors
by Gary Ewer
-
10) - Adding Chords to a
Melody
by Gary Ewer
11) - Making Your Own Music:
Song-writing Basics
12) - How to Write a
Chorus
13) - Writer's
Web Resources
14) -
How to Overcome the Lyric Writing Hurdles that
are Keeping You Behind.
15)
- So, You Want To
Collaborate? by Alex Forbes |
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|
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1)
Sing it like you mean it
by
Art Rock
One thing that makes a good song stand out from
the rest is emotion in the vocals. If you want your song to shine, sing
it like you mean it. Put some emotion in your vocals. Try to avoid
singing the entire song in one vocal level. Change it up. Try starting
the song off with a softer vocal, then gradually build it up to the
chorus. At the chorus try letting go.
Experiment. Try going up or down in
pitch with your voice on different words. Try holding the end of
different words in each vocal line, or try cutting them off short. Try
different mixes of both on different words.
Try to substitute some emotional type words or phrases like crying,
dying, lying, hurting, yearning, killing, missing you, wanting you,
loving you, seeing you. Then emphasize those words.
Try holding the note in the middle of the word. Cry-yyyyyy-ing.
Raise the pitch of your voice in the middle of a word like crying, to a
border line whine like you are crying while you sing it. Try going
overboard, over the edge. Don't hold back. Push it way too far, then
record it and listen to it.
Too many times as artists we feel
uncomfortable even embarrassed when we push the vocals too far. If you
take a look at many of the top hit songs over the years, you will find a
lot of them had odd, even goofy sounding parts in the vocals. Many times
that goofy part is what sticks in the listeners minds.
Have you ever seen a friend or someone singing along to a
song being played, and then when they get to the goofy part, they really
emphasize it as though they were waiting just to sing that word or part?
Their face lights up, it seems to lift their spirits, to arouse an
emotional reaction in them.
You will never see someone emphasize a word in the center of a verse
that is the same volume or pitch as everything else.
Sometimes
it is good to go over the edge of your comfort level, to get your song
to stand out from the rest in people's minds. You will be considered to
be a better singer for it.
Try listening to some of your favourite songs and pay close
attention to how they end each verse. Do they go down in pitch at the
end of the first and third verse, and up in pitch at the end of the
second and fourth verse?
Are the first, second and fourth verses the same, and every third verse
changes? Does every verse have a little different twist at the end or
near the end of it? Are the first two verses sung the same, and the last
two sung harder and or higher?
These are all techniques used on many hit songs and top
album songs, by top singers over the years.
Now listen to your song again. Is it changing or is it pretty well all
the same? Try varying it to some of the different ways, or all of the
different ways listed above. See what fits. Try putting a new spin of
your own on it.
There is no reason in the world that you, YES YOU, could
set a new trend in vocal delivery. One that others will follow and talk
about many years from now.
Always remember the golden rule in singing vocals on a recording. SING
IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT !
About the author Art Rock, a music
industry veteran, has been involved in all aspects of the Music Business
for over three decades.
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2)
Song Intro Ideas
by Art Rock
One of the easiest and simplest intros is to play the same music as
the verse. Sometimes artists will start with just one of the
instruments, such as the drums. Then the bass guitar starts, then the
guitar and then any other instruments in the band. Then they break into
the first verse. Easy to do and sets the song up nice. It flows right in
smooth and easy.
Over the years artists from many different styles of music have
used a spacey synthesizer sound for the intro. Songs like "Fly Like an
Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band, "Lunatic Fringe" by Tom Cochrane and
Red Rider to "In The Light" by Led Zeppelin.
Another method, the one chord intro, is a very effective way to get
your song remembered in the minds of the listener. As soon as you hear
that opening chord on the piano you instantly recognize it as "Benny and
the Jets" by Elton John. To pull this off try going through a chord book
and try different chords, especially the less common ones, that people
do not usually hear. Try slow strumming it, then try playing it fast and
hard. On a piano or keyboard try playing the chord one note at a time,
then try comping it. Try playing them different ways, and experiment to
find something that is unique sounding and fits in to your song.
Another effective intro is playing a solo, predominantly on one
instrument. As soon as you hear that 12 string guitar riff, you
instantly recognize it as "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi. When you
hear that arpeggiated synth pattern, you can not mistake "Baba O'Riley"
by The Who for anything else.
Another method for an intro to a song is to start with a solo vocal
line. A perfect example is the Who's "The Real Me" . "Can you see the
real me can you, can you" followed by a powerful instrumentation that
blows people away. They go from a vocal only to the full power of the
band. This sudden change from soft to hard makes listeners jump out of
their chairs onto their feet.
Another method of intros that is frequently used
is to start the song with the chorus. This is very effective if you are
a new unknown artist or band, with a very strong chorus. It will keep
the listeners from changing the channel on the radio or get up and leave
when you start playing live. Many listeners unfairly label an unknown
act as garbage. This is a stigma every new band has to accept and get
over. In this situation a strong chorus will pull them in as soon as you
start your song.
Another approach to an intro is to use some type of gimmicky sound
effect. When you hear the guitar string bending you know it's "Iron Man"
by Black Sabbath. When you hear the harmonica playing you know it's "The
Wizard" by Black Sabbath. When you hear the helicopter you know that is
"The Happiest Days of our Lives" by Pink Floyd.
The above methods will give you lots of ideas on
different types of song intros. Try to come up with something unique,
different that hasn't been done before. Think outside the box. Be a
trend setter, not a follower. You are the only one who is limiting
yourself.
About the author Art Rock has been
involved in all aspects of the Music Business for over three decades.
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3)
CREATING the PERFECT STRUCTURE
FOR
YOUR SONG
by Ian Waugh
You know what they say about rules? Actually they say lots
of things about rules but here's two - rules were made to be broken, and you
have to know what the rules are before you can break them. While Judge Dredd may
not agree with the first, the second is certainly true and nevermore so than in
writing a song.
The song structure may not be the first thing you think
about when you start writing. You probably work on the verse or chorus, or maybe
you have a good riff that you want to expand into a song. So you get that down
and then you start to think about the other parts - the intro, how many verses,
middle eight, do you want an instrumental, the ending...
Some song genres have a fairly rigid format, others are
more flexible, and you need to know where you can bend the rules and why you may
not want to do so in order to make your song stand out from the others. Let's
look at the sections you'll find in most songs and the part they play in song
construction.
Song parts
Intro. Yes, this leads you
into the song. It may be two, four or eight bars long or longer. Some songs
don't have any intro at all. A pop song intro will often be reminiscent of the
chorus or the hook. In a club song, it's often a good idea to have eight bars of
rhythm to help the DJ to mix match your song. They say that music publishers
typically only listen to the first 20 seconds of a song before deciding whether
to reject it so if you're sending material to a publisher, keep the intro short
and get into the song as quickly as possible. Save the 5 minute intros for the
CD version.
Verse. This is the
preamble to the chorus. It sets the scene, certainly lyrically, and as the
verses progress they often tell a story or recount episodes from a situation
although that's by no means essential. They are typically eight or sixteen bars
long and melodically not usually as strong as the chorus although, again, that's
by no means essential. However, it often seems as if the songwriter ran out of
ideas when writing the verse. One of the strengths of The Beatles' songs is that
verses and choruses are equally strong and most people could hum or sing their
way through most Beatles hits. Not so with many songs where the verses are
little more than fillers to get you to the chorus.
Chorus. This the bit
everyone remembers, whistles and sings along to. It should be the strongest part
of the song and generally is or contains the hook. It's usually eight or sixteen
bars long.
Middle eight. As a song
progresses, there's a danger of boredom setting for the listener. The middle
eight offers them a break and typically comes after a couple of verses and
choruses. Some people think of it as an alternative verse and that's one way to
look at it. It often modulates to a different key or introduces a new chord
progression and it usually doesn't include the song title. However, all too
often it's simply an excuse for waffling on for a few bars. Although it's called
the middle eight it could be four or sixteen bars long.
Bridge. Many people use
the terms 'middle eight' and 'bridge' synonymously and so popular is this usage
that it would be churlish to disagree. However, among those who prefer to note
the difference, a bridge is a short section used to bridge the gap between verse
and chorus. It may only be two or four bars long and it's often used when the
verse and chorus are so different from each other that a 'joining' phrase helps
bring them together.
Instrumental. This is part
of the song without any vocals. Yeah, okay. It's often an instrumental version
of the verse or chorus, it may be an improvised variation on one of these, or it
may be an entirely different tune and set of chords altogether. Sometimes it
fits into a song where a vocal middle eight would otherwise go.
Breakdown/Break. This term
has been high jacked from songs from the early 1900s when it was common to
either to reduce the instrumentation or stop it altogether while a tap dancer
would strut his stuff. The term 'break' is still sometimes used to indicate an
instrumental section. 'Breakdown' is now most commonly used in dance music for
the section where the percussion breaks down or is reduced, and it may be the
dance equivalent of the middle eight.
Outro/Ending. Once
upon a time, songs had definite endings but the mid 1950s heralded in the era of
the fade-out and songwriters thought they would never have to write an ending
again. However, fade-outs became such cliches to the extent that fade out meant
cop out so songwriters started writing endings again. With that in mind, you can
do as you wish, and considering that the endings of most songs get talked
over or cut short by radio DJs and mixed over by club DJs, you have only your
artistic integrity and your CD listeners to answer to. Some songs work extremely
well with fade outs but listen to songs in your chosen genre to see how other
writers approach endings. But whatever you do, avoid like the plague the three
time tag ending.
Hook. The hook is not a
song part as such; rather it's the term used to describe the part of the song
that people remember and sing. It's what they buy the record for. It's usually
the chorus although it need not be the entire chorus, but simply a two- or
four-bar phrase. It could be an instrumental riff as in Whiter Shade of Pale or
Smoke on the Water, or a processed vocal as in Cher's Believe.
All together now
Having described the parts of a song, let's see how they
are commonly arranged. The most popular arrangement by far is simply
verse-chorus and repeat. Here are two variations on the theme:
Intro
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Chorus
Outro
Intro
Verse 1
Verse 2
Chorus
Verse 3
Middle eight
Chorus
Chorus
Outro
You get the picture. However, these are conventions rather
than rules so you can adapt, change or ignore them as you see fit. But they have
developed for a reason and that is simply to make the song as immediately
appealing to the listener as possible.
Listen to some of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman hits of
the 80s (it's not compulsory if you really can't bear to) and you'll see that
most follow the simplest format, guaranteed to brainwash the listener with as
many repeats of the hook as possible. They tend to be:
Intro (similar to the chorus)
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Middle eight
Chorus
Chorus
Outro
Notice that the hook's there straight away in the intro,
there's only one verse before the chorus so you get to it quicker, and the
chorus tends to repeat at the end, just to imprint the hook firmly in your mind.
There are obvious exceptions to these formats. Ambient,
trance, chill-out music and the like, are obvious candidates. With these you can
start at the beginning and work through to the end creating an evolving music
form without any clear verse/chorus structure. Genres such as trance tend to
build to a series of crescendos several times throughout the song. However, even
these types of song often have a hook or two on which listeners can hang their
hat.
Build ups and downs
Bearing in mind that the purpose of a song is to keep the
listeners listening and not allow them to get bored, you need variety within the
song. Simply strumming a guitar and singing verse/chorus/verse/chorus won't cut
the mustard unless you're in a folk club. The usual method is to start with a
simple arrangement and add to it as the song progresses.
So, the first verse might consist of light drums, bass and
rhythm guitar. As you move into the second verse you could add strings or a
synth pad. A drum fill takes you into the chorus which would include busier
drums, maybe some additional percussion, a fuller string arrangement and perhaps
a lead line. When you dip back to the verse, you revert to the simpler
arrangement.
The middle eight is usually a lighter arrangement than the
chorus and gives you the opportunity to use different instrumentation if you
want to. When you hit the second chorus, add backing vocals and a lead riff. The
final chorus is the culmination the song and you can add more backing vocals,
more percussion and additional lead lines.
Listen to songs in the style you are writing and analyse
their formats to see how far other exponents have stuck to or departed from the
traditional formats. when you're familiar with the rules or conventions that
they use, then you can experiment by breaking them.
There's lots more about making music plus a free book to
download at....www.making-music.com
Ian Waugh is one of the UK's leading hi tech music writers and creator of...www.making-music.com
He has written for most of the major - and not so major - hi tech music
magazines in the UK and many general computing titles both offline and online.
His output numbers over 2,000 articles, features and
reviews and he has written several books and albums. He is author of the "Quick
Guide to..." series which includes the Quick Guide to Dance Music, Digital Audio
Recording, MP3 and Digital Music, and Analogue Synthesis. |
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4)
Every Song Tells A Story...
But Does It Need To Be An
Abstract Novel?
by Sheena Metal
For a musician, your songs are your art. They are the
physical embodiment of your creative gifts. Every bit of anger, happiness,
angst, joy, pain, elation, knowledge or humour goes into the story known as
your song. You write and re-write it, scouring over each note and
word...perfecting it for recording and live performance.
But when you play it for others, you're not getting the
reaction you expected. Your friends, fans and family seem less than
enthusiastic as they dully respond, "Yeah. That was...um...good." How could
this be? You poured your soul into this piece. This was your "Stairway To
Heaven"! This was your "Smells Like Team Spirit"! It's a lyrically amazing
ode about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes! It flows,
it breathes, and it's seven and a half minutes of pure musical perfection!
Whoa. Stop right there, Mozart. You wrote a seven and a
half minute song about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes
and you're wondering why you're thirteen year-old cousin fell asleep in the
middle of the fourth verse? You wrote a seven and a half minute song about
the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes and you're confused as
to why your drummer's girlfriend began calling her friends on her cell phone
before the song had reached its bridge?
It may be hard to believe when you're penning an opus
such as this, but the normal human brain is wired a little differently than
an accomplished musician's, like yourself. And although music is art, it's
also popular culture and the goal should be for others to enjoy your
creative efforts as much as you do.
So, how can you make sure that your writing experience is
as positive as your audience's listening experience? What can you, as
musicians do, to eliminate aspects of your songs that may alienate, confuse
or just plain bore your fans?
The following are a few tips that may add success to your
songwriting experience:
1.) After Four Minutes, It Becomes Background Music---Music
aficionado's aside, the average person has roughly the attention span of a
young adult hummingbird. As a songwriter, you need to grab your audience's
attention and hold it until the end of the song before they flit off to
something else more interesting to them. Although four minutes (or less) may
seem like the blink of an eye when a songwriter is storytelling, it's a very
long time to expect your run-of-the-mill club-goer or web-surfer to stay
fixated on your music.
2.) Tell Your Story As Directly As Possible---We
all love allusions, allegories, vague references, and subtle metaphors but
use them sparingly or become a beat poet. A little abstractness goes a long
way when writing a popular song. Song lyrics fly into people's minds as
quickly as the bassist plucks out quarter notes. If you make your lyrics too
complicated, then your audience may still be trying to figure out the verse
when you're already playing the chorus. This could prompt the average
listener to tune out your masterpiece, order another beer and switch on
their Ipod.
3.) If English Is Your First Language,
Use It In Your Song---It's great that you're an educated, cultured, artistic
intellectual sponge. But remember that most people who hear your music are
not book worms or art whores. Big, involved words make for memorable song
lyrics but use them occasionaly. It's good for your fans to ponder the
meaning of a particular lyric but give them too many to ponder and they'll
get so caught up in the words that they may forget your song.
4.) Obscure Musicality Can Be Confusing Too---Lyrics
aren't the only way to confuse the average listener. Obscure time
signatures, discordant instrumentation and avant guard drum lines may seem
like genius to your fellow musicians, but if your listeners can't tap and/or
hum along, you may find yourself only invited to perform in underground
opium bars where the audience members have all had one too many hash
brownie.
If you're not sure where to begin, start simple. Write a
short, but sweet, song that packs an emotional punch in a universal way.
Write about something everyone is familiar with: love, politics, lifestyle
issues or the sociology of being a human being on the planet. Once people
have fallen in love with your music, it will be easier to get them to give
the extra listen to your more complicated, artistic pieces.
Remember that just because a song is popular or easily
understood, doesn't mean that it's not good creativity. Art is subjective,
and truly in the eye of the beholder. Your least favourite song could be
someone else's favourite. You never have to stop being creative or artistic,
just acknowledge that there's an audience out there that wants to hear what
you have to say...but they'll need to be able to comprehend it first.
About the Author
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter,
music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her
syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700
affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians' assistance
program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently
promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she
resides. For more info...www.sheena-metal.com
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5)
How To Write A Song
by Michael Russell Did you ever wish
that it was your song playing on the radio? It could be. It is not that
hard once you know the formula. With a little creativity, a little
knowledge, a little luck and a good formula to follow, your song could
be one of the next biggest hits.
Songwriting comes easy for some, and is very difficult for
others. I have actually written songs in my sleep, and immediately upon awaking,
written it as quickly as I could get the words on down on paper.
What I want to discuss here is popular songwriting, like the
songs you hear on the radio. A good pop song, whether rock, country, middle of
the road, is composed of two things: a catchy tune and some good lyrics.
There is a formula that most great songwriters use to write
great songs. It regards the structure used to write a song. Granted, it is music
and it is art, so the rules are not hard and fast. But if you want to increase
your chances of getting your song on the radio, it is a good starting point.
Here is the formula. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge,
chorus.
Write that down on paper leaving plenty of space between each
word and this will be your script.
Verse
The verse is the part of the song that tells the story, the
part that leads to the chorus. Each verse is usually different, telling a
different part of, or adding to, the story. It usually explains how you got to
the things you are singing about in the chorus.
Chorus.
The chorus is the part of the song that is repeated after each
verse. The lyrics are usually the same each time the chorus comes around. The
verse usually leads to the chorus, and the chorus is usually the pay off for
listening to the verse. Does that make sense?
Here is a lame example (you did not think I would give you my
best work, did you?):
(verse) My dog is sick, he's got a tick He's my best friend,
don't let it end
(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again
(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
Now, if you would kindly stop laughing at my lame song for a
minute, I want you to think about whether or not you understand my point.
Songwriting is story telling. The verse tells the problems, the chorus expresses
the results or the emotions.
All right, now that you have that mastered, let's tackle the
bridge. Ah, yeah, there is more to the song than the pain and the release. We
need the diversion. That is what the bridge is; it is the diversion from the
verse and the chorus.
The bridge may have a slightly different melody to it, or it
could even have a different rhythm or a different tempo (Elvis' "Suspicious
Minds" did a great job on this technique).
Let's go back to the lame song and add a bridge:
(verse)
My dog is sick, he's got a tick
He's my best friend, don't let it end
(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again
(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
(bridge)
Tomorrow is a better day, I've got a new truck on the way
My dog just had a flea it seems, so once again I'll live my dreams
(chorus)
Oh, woe was me, can't you see
Woe was me, but now I'm free
The bridge offers a solution to the problems I was having. You
don't want to leave your listener on the edge of suicide, you want to give them
hope.
Notice, I also changed up the wording of the chorus. This was
done to reflect my new found joy.
One more thing on formula. It can be anyway you want, but most
verses and chorus come in lines of 4. So, instead of this:
(verse)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again
it would be:
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again
The same goes for the chorus. Again, if you are creative, do
it however you want. But for a new songwriter, this gives you some guidelines to
scratch out and start carving out your new creation.
One more thing, do not make the notes to the melody so high
that your fans cannot sing along. We are certainly all not Stevie Wonder.
About the Author
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Music...musical-guide.com
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6) Write Songs the
Music Industry
Wants to Hear! by Alex
Forbes
Sure, "art for art's sake" is cool... but what if you're
pursuing a career as a songwriter? This article is full of suggestions for how
you can tailor your songs to suit the requirements of music business
professionals.
Many of us bemoan the state of commercial music today, but
what are you doing to improve things in your own microcosmic corner of the
universe? Are you working to create the next wave of great material -- songs
that have a lifespan of more than a few weeks or months? How can you use your
talents to actually make a powerful contribution... and make a living while
you're at it?
The first step is to take a good look inside and explore
what you as a unique individual have to say, lyrically and musically. What do
you think about, believe in, stand for? What makes you tick? These precious
truths that bubble up from the soul provide the driving force behind great
songwriting. These sparks of inspiration, these "aha! moments," are what
listeners crave when they play a song. They're also what People Behind Desks are
desperate to find. Do you have the courage to lay bare your personal truth in
public? I firmly believe that's what it takes to achieve success with your
songs.
The cynical among us will say, "no, you just need the right
equipment, a catchy hook and a whole lot of money behind you." Sure, those
things help, but if you're trying to break into the business, your song has to
simultaneously grab people by the guts, tickle their ears, and slam them over
the head like a 2-by-4. Strive to write songs that take risks, tap into the
universal via the personal, and motivate people to laugh, cry, feel, dance or
take action. Make an effort to innovate, not imitate what's already out there.
In other words, write your passion. Songs miraculously translate to listeners
the exact emotion you felt while you were writing them. Do your best to work
that magic!
Another quality that professionals look for in a song is
strong dynamic flow. Skillful use of the many conventions of songwriting can
manipulate listeners in the most enjoyable way. Don't be afraid to push those
emotional buttons! Here are some ways to go about it:
* Suck listeners in with lyrical, melodic and chordal tension.
* Create a question in their minds: how will this turn out in the end?
* Throw their bodies off balance with chords or melodies that are
unexpected or quirky.
* Take a strong point of view that's boldly provocative, unique or
intensely felt.
* Paint a vivid picture in the mind's eye.
* Set a palpable mood.
* Construct an entire sonic and/or lyrical environment.
Once you have piqued people's interest, crank up their
involvement using all the techniques in your lyrical toolbox, i.e. rhyme, meter,
imagery, metaphor, alliteration... you name it. Avoid clichés like the plague,
or turn them on their heads somehow. Experiment until you find the melody lines
that best show off your lyrics, and vice versa. Salt your song with enough
repetition to make it memorable, but not so much that it becomes predictable.
Use chord progressions that are fresh, stimulating the ear rather than lulling
it into complacency.
When it comes time for the ultimate payoff, your Hook,
don't settle! This is your Money Shot, and most music biz pros will hit the
"eject" button if they don't hear a strong hook in one listen. One listen! Here
are a few ways to enhance your hook:
* Construct your song so that all roads, lyrically and
melodically, lead to your hook.
* Remember that famous music business adage: "Don't bore us, get to the
chorus."
* More hooks is merrier! Instrumental riffs, backups, rhythmical chord
movement, and verse melodies can provide secondary hooks.
* Fear not repetition (up to a point, of course).
* Throw in memorable "monkey wrench" words that stand out.
* Make sure the world can sing along.
* Play with the language: use slang, twists of phrase, even invent a new
word!
Finally, People Behind Desks really appreciate it if you
know your marketplace. Don't submit a country ballad when their artist is a
heavy metal guitar-shredder. And if you're the performer, have at least 3
crowd-pleasing, radio-ready songs in hand before you shop a deal. Make a
detailed study of the hits in your chosen genres, and incorporate those lessons
into your work. The Internet has made it incredibly easy to educate yourself
about what's selling these days, so there's no excuse for ignorance.
Look at the world for a moment from the perspective of a
music industry pro: They'll respond positively if they think your song will save
their job. By bringing them dynamic, single-worthy, heartfelt material you'll be
well on your way to doing just that, and creating a career for yourself as well.
Happy songwriting!
© 2006 by Alex Forbes
About the Author
Hit songwriter and songwriting coach Alex Forbes..http://creativesongwriter.com
has seen over 65 of her songs released, many of them landing on the Billboard
charts, on TV and in feature films. Her chart hits include "Don't Rush Me," (#2
Pop), "Too Turned On," (#6) and "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" (#19). Her song,
"You Are Water" is featured on the hit album by Hayley Westenra. |
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7)
How to Get the Right Balance of Innovation
and Predictability in Your Songs
by Gary Ewer Everyone's looking for
innovation when it comes to writing songs. Obviously, you don't want
your songs to just sound like every other song out there. You want yours
to stand out. Making a song stand out from the rest requires innovation
- a new approach. But here's the danger: if your songs are too
innovative, you'll find that listeners can get confused, or even bored.
Songs need to have something predictable about them. In other words, if
your song is too innovative, it can drive your audience away.
Through my websites...www.secretsofsongwriting.com and......www.easymusictheory.com,
I deal with this issue of innovation versus predictability a lot. Many of my
online and "real life" students are songwriters. And getting the balance right
is very important.
Innovation is not a bad thing, and many great bands and
singers have spent years building up an audience for their material by being
innovative. But for the most innovative performers out there, the building of
that audience will require a long time, and lots of patience.
This article is for those of you who want to build audiences
quickly. It's one thing to be satisfied with taking years to build a
listenership. But I know that many of you are wanting to get a loyal following
sooner than that. You can do that by concentrating more on predictability at
first rather than innovation.
So if you want to build an audience for your music quickly,
you'll need to think about presenting your material in a fresh, innovative way
that does not abandon tradition. The Beatles are probably the greatest example
of this. Their early music was modeled after some very successful singers: Buddy
Holly, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and others. Presented in a fresh way, their
early music relied on standard song forms, with rather traditional chord changes
and melodic structures. "All My Lovin'", "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves
You," etc. Great songs, strongly steeped in tradition, with a hint of
innovation.
Once the Beatles got that audience, they began to experiment
more with innovative compositional and recording techniques. So having built up
a loyal audience, they were able to present songs like "I Am the Walrus,"
"Strawberry Fields Forever," and so on. And that loyal audience, generally
speaking, hung in there with them.
So here are some tips to consider for balancing innovation
with tradition:
1) Be sure that at least one element of your songs - either
chord progressions, melody, lyric or basic form, is traditional, and somewhat
predictable. This will help those looking for something "safe", and will give
you a solid basis to present something innovative.
2) For the element of your song that you might consider
innovative, remember that the "further out there" it is, the stronger the
possibility that you will scare away listeners. This is not necessarily a bad
thing, because you may pick up listeners that you wouldn't have otherwise had.
Just remember that the more innovation you use, the slower you'll build that
audience.
3) Don't be afraid to clothe complex lyrics or melody with a
traditional ABABCB type of form. Simple forms are great ways to make sure that a
listener doesn't feel lost.
And always remember to be yourself. Being innovative simply
because you want to try to sound different will not succeed. You need to always
be presenting your material in a way that is true to the musician inside you.
Being weird for weird's sake will come across as pretentious.
Gary Ewer is the author of The Essential Secrets of
Songwriting and Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory. He is currently an instructor in
the Dept. of Music, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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8)
How to Develop a Good Ear
by Gary Ewer
What do we mean when we say that someone "has a good ear?"
Actually, the term can mean several things. When someone has a good ear, they
can accomplish at least one of the following:
1) they can identify, usually by note name, the various
pitches that they hear, and sing those pitches in tune; 2) they can identify
chords by name; and/or 3) they can identify instruments or combinations of
instruments within a musical work.
Having a good ear is something that most musicians strive for.
Having a bad ear means that you can't recognize or label the music you are
hearing - an important skill for performers and composers.
I run a songwriting website...www.secretsofsongwriting.com,
and I know how important a good ear is. If you are a songwriter, having a good
ear is vital because the best way to improve your songwriting craft is to listen
to the music of the professionals. But if you can't really identify what you are
hearing, you're missing out on opportunities to improve. Throughout my years as
a music teacher, I have observed something interesting and very important. The
marks that my students make in music theory studies are usually very close to
the marks they receive in ear training. And more than that, I can usually gauge
how a student is going to do in one course by looking at their progress in the
other. For example, students who do well in theory but poorly in ear training
will usually see their ear training marks rise over time. And students who have
great ears but weak theory skills will generally experience better marks in
theory over time. In other words, music theory and ear training go hand in hand.
The first and most important thing you can do to improve your ear is to improve
your theory skills. Why? When you understand how music is structured, your ears
have a reason for what they are hearing.
Here's one good example. In any key, there are three or four
certain chords that work well to reinforce that key, and are more likely to
occur than any other chords. Knowledge of theory helps you know and identify
those chords. So when you are listening to music and trying to identify the
chords you are hearing, you can focus in the most likely choices. Besides
improving your theory skills, here are some other pieces of advice for you:
1) Try some of the ear training websites that are out there.
Just do a search for "online ear training" and you'll find lots of resources
that can help.
2) Try purchasing some ear training software. These days, most
university aural perception programs incorporate computerized training into
their curriculum.
3) Try writing down the melodies that you hear being played.
Transcribing music in this manner actually does not require strong music reading
skills, and you will find that what skills you do possess will improve greatly
and quickly. Take a simple song, and play it on your CD player a bit at a time,
writing down whatever notes you hear. Even if you aren't sure of the rhythms,
write whatever pitches you can. If you're stuck on a note, find it on your
guitar or piano, and then write it down. This is the best ear training exercise
there is!
Practicing your instrument is crucial to becoming a better
musician. But be certain that you don't neglect your ear! |
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9) Seven Basic Songwriting Errors
by Gary Ewer
Seven Basic Songwriting Errors
The advice in this article comes from...www.secretsofsongwriting.com,
a popular website and e-book.
So are there only seven possible errors? In my experience as a
teacher, the seven errors listed below represent the most common errors
committed by students of songwriting. Addressing these shortcomings is essential
to making your songs work.
ERROR #1: THE FORM OF THE SONG IS CONFUSING. SOLUTION:
Strengthen the form of your songs by carefully controlling the energy. Usually,
an intro should have the same or more energy than a verse, not less. A chorus
should have more energy than a verse. A bridge should have more energy than the
chorus that came before it. This chart shows the general energy pattern that
works for most songs:
ERROR #2: THE MELODY LACKS SHAPE. SOLUTION: In a verse, the
range of the melody should generally be higher immediately after the middle
point, to help it gain momentum as it gets ready to connect to the chorus. The
old standard, "Under the Boardwalk," by Resnick and Young, is a perfect example.
ERROR #3: CHORDS SEEM TO WANDER AIMLESSLY SOLUTION: The chord
that represents the key your song is in (i.e., the "tonic" chord) should be
featured more in the chorus than in the verse. (And the actual tonic note should
also be used more in a chorus than in a verse.)
ERROR #4: STRONG AND FRAGILE CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE USED
HAPHAZARDLY. SOLUTION: Chord progressions that feature chords four notes away
from each other (i.e., in the key of C major we're talking about G7 to C, C to
F, Dm to G, as examples) form a strong progression, and should be featured in a
chorus. Other chord progressions (let's say Dm to Em, F to Dm, G to Am, for
example) form what are called "fragile" progressions, and can be featured more
in a verse.
ERROR #5: LYRICS ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE FORM OF THE SONG. The
kind of lyric determines the kind of chord progression you use. Strong,
conclusive lyrics need many strong progressions; introspective lyrics work well
with fragile progressions. And remember, writing a good lyric does not
necessarily mean writing a good poem. Rather, it's better to write a working
title for your song, then start brainstorming words and short phrases that
relate to that title.
For example, if you've written, "All I've Ever Wanted" as your
working title, you might come up with these words as relating text: love,
hand-in-hand, touch, satisfaction, emotion, my heart, for you, warm... etc. You
will find that even though many of these words won't necessarily make it to your
song, they get you thinking in the right direction, and start you formulating a
working lyric.
ERROR #6: YOU'RE RELYING ON A HOOK TO SAVE A BAD SONG. Adding
a hook to a bad song gives you a bad song with a hook! Composing a song and then
trying to find a hook that makes it really come alive is a really difficult
thing to do. Try writing the hook first. Improvise on a couple of chords, or a
few notes, or a rhythm - something short and attractive. Once you've got
something that really catches your attention, try using it as an intro to your
song, and something that keeps recurring between verses and choruses. A hook
needs to draw an audience in, and keep them coming back to your song.
ERROR #7: WAITING FOR INSPIRATION. I can say it no better than
the musician/author Ernest Newman: "The great composer... does not set to work
because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working." Waiting for
inspiration is, quite frankly, a waste of time! You need to be writing daily in
order to make your songs better. If something isn't working.... don't throw it
out. Just put it away, and start something new. Keep everything you try to write
in a scrap book. You'd be surprised what will eventually make its way into a
song.
These are just a few examples of the kinds of things that will
make your songs work better. If you want even more advice, you need to visit...www.secretsofsongwriting.com
and start making your songs into winners! |
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10) Adding Chords to a Melody
by Gary Ewer You've
written a great melody, but you don't know what chords to use to
accompany yourself when you play it. What do you do? Adding chords to
melodies can be fun, if you know a bit about how chords work. Try the
following steps:
a. It's important to think about strong beats and weak beats
with regard to your new melody. Sing your melody and try to get a sense of where
the pulses happen. As you sing, you'll notice your toe automatically tapping...
that's a good sign! For many melodies, you'll find that the first beat will feel
like a strong pulse and the next one will be a bit weaker. It's on the strong
beat that the chords will change. Let's take the melody, "Twinkle, Twinkle,
Little Star" as a good example. Each syllable of each word alternates between
strong and weak. You'll find that it feels most satisfying if the chords change
on the strong beats, or even every second strong beat, or every fourth one. It's
less pleasing to change chords on the weak beats, though it can happen
occasionally.
b. So... what chords do we use? The first chord should
emphasize the key you're in, so if your melody is in C-major, then the C-major
chord will probably work well. You'll find that in any major key, three chords
will work quite nicely: chords based on the first note, the fourth note, and the
fifth note. In C-major, the three chords that will be most useful to you are: C,
F and G. So take the first strong beat note(s) and weak beat note(s). Those
notes will likely belong to one of the three chords I mentioned. That will guide
your choice. So the chords to Twinkle Twinkle would be: C C F C F C G C (where
each chord happens on each strong beat.
c. I've just used three chords as an example, but now the fun
begins... try substituting some chords for other ones. As an example, the C
chord works well in C major, because it reinforces the key. But try substituting
one of the C chords with an A minor chord. A minor has a C in it, so it will
work, and will give your music an interesting flavour.
Keep in mind that simplicity is better than complexity,
especially in the world of songwriting, when you want people to remember your
melodies. So don't try to use too many chords. Four or five different ones are
usually sufficient.
Good luck! (The information in this article comes from Gary
Ewer's downloadable e-book, "The Essential Secrets of Songwriting"....www.secretsofsongwriting.com
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11) Making Your Own Music:
Songwriting Basics by
Sintilia Miecevole
Whether you are a teenager or are well into your golden years,
it is never too late to explore your creative side, especially if you are
interested in music. Songwriting is an excellent way to express your thoughts
and feelings and to communicate them to your friends and family, even if you
have no aspirations of musical fame or fortune. If you are interested in selling
or performing your songs, however, you should be aware that it is a hard road
and that very few songwriters achieve great fame or fortune, and especially not
instantly. Nonetheless, if you have realistic expectations, you will find that
writing music is a worthwhile experience whether it is a hobby or a profession.
People write songs in many different ways. Some writers
compose the music first, while others first write the words. For some, the words
and the melody come to them at the same time, while others write the melodies
first and write the words last. No matter what order you are comfortable with,
you will eventually have to decide what the song is about. There are a variety
of different types of songs ranging from songs that tell fictional stories to
songs that communicate deep personal feelings.
If you decide to write a story song, a good first exercise is
to write about a news story or about something you've read in the newspaper.
That way you can use your first song to hone your word choosing skills without
the pressure of coming up with your own story. However, if you already have an
idea for a story to tell, you can write it out in poem form and try to make
appropriate rhymes and structures that help communicate what happens in the
song.
Because music is so expressive, many songwriters use their
compositions to express how they feel, whether it be about a person or a
situation or even geographic location. Writing these types of songs can be
highly personal, so every person does it differently. When you have a strong
feeling about something, write it down in a notebook and come back to it later.
You might think of a good line that expresses an emotion really well, and if you
remember it you might be able to build an entire song around it. Having quiet
time to think is always helpful when you are trying to write a song.
Writing the actual music for a song can be done in many
different ways depending on your musical prowess and your focus. If you write
mostly to communicate words, then a few well-chosen guitar chords might be all
of the accompaniment you need. However, if you a instrumental virtuoso, your
approach to writing music will be quite different. Many people think of a
musical idea and play it over and over again until they think of a melody. Often
times, songwriters will construct whole pieces, melody and all, without even
knowing what the song is going to be about. Once the melody is complete, the
writer will sit down and think about lyrics that fit the feeling behind the
music and will go from there.
Once you have put together your words and music, you might
feel the need to perform your new song. It is always a good idea to play for
friends and family first before trying to play to a crowd. When you feel
comfortable enough playing your song, you should consider visiting an open mic
night at a local coffeehouse or bar. At open mic nights, songwriters can play
one or more of their songs to an appreciative and attentive audience. Performers
can discuss their craft with other writers, making it a fun way to learn more
about the writing process.
About the Author
Undoubtedly, Sintilia Miecevole has the site....www.fjpmusic.com to help you
not only with your songwriting skills, but help with getting your writing to the
decision makers in the music business...and you don't have to be able to write
music either. To connect with songwriters all over the planet and for ideas
visit.....www.fjpmusic.com |
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12) How to Write a Chorus by
Free Music Education Center Team
A song without a chorus can hardly be called a song. This rather bad
statement is my personal opinion so if you don't agree, that's okay. But
I would like to start this lesson with this statement, not only to wake
you up, but rather because it's one of the key-statements of this
lesson. So if you don't like songs without a chorus and never intend to
write one, than probably you won't feel at home in this class this
month. I must say I never felt at home when I was at school but that's
another story... But if you do stick around, even if you don't like to
write choruses, maybe you will change your mind about them.
A chorus is more or less the heart of a song, at least if it's a good
one of course. Why this is true is not as obvious as it seems. People
always tend to remember the chorus of a song, while it may not even be
the most interesting part of the song at all. The easiest explanation of
course is the fact that the chorus is usually played a couple of times
during a song. But if this was the only reason why a chorus is the heart
of most songs, how come then that lots of choruses are easily forgotten,
even if they are played seemingly endless in the fadeout of a song? So
there must be more to it.
In this lesson we will see it's hard to reveal the secrets of a good
chorus. Writing a good chorus may be more a matter of the heart
(something called talent?) than the mind. But since this counts for
songwriting in general, don't be afraid; there are always some tricks to
learn to help those who have to struggle a little more then the lucky,
more talented ones. And believe me, most of us belong to the first
group, to put it stronger, even the most talented ones often join the
struggling crowd when they're not inspired... In lesson 5, we already
saw some elements a good chorus should have. Now we will take a closer
look at these elements, by discussing some rules you should follow if
you want to write a good chorus. These rules are:
It should be catchy It should contain elements of the rest of the song
It shouldn't be an anti-climax Following these rules, you obey to the
most important rules of writing a good chorus. We will take a look at
these rules in the next paragraph. You can also click on the links to go
directly to the discussion of each of these rules.
Rule 1: a chorus should be catchy What makes a chorus
catchy? The easiest answer (for me at least) is: listen to all those
golden oldies. Almost all the classics from the sixties and the
seventies have catchy choruses. Of course The Beatles were real masters
at this, but it seems all the bands that became famous in those days
were able to write catchy choruses which seem to stick in your mind
forever. Who doesn't know the chorus of Honky Tonk Women for example...
Listening to examples is a great way to teach yourself, and that counts
for songwriting too! But there's something more to say about this issue
too.
Keep it simple One of the main rules in writing a good chorus is to keep
it simple. Try to avoid to make the chorus sound complicated. This
doesn't mean that as long as you keep it simple technically spoken the
chorus will sound simple! A chorus built around a difficult, but well
written musical part will be easier to listen to than a technically
simple chorus which is written in an unlogical manner.
Consider The Average Listener The above indicates you'll have to keep
the average listener in mind while writing your chorus. Most listeners
aren't musicians so don't forget that! The average listener will often
look for things he/she can recognize, a certain general feeling of what
sounds logical and which has been developed during many years. You would
probably think now that I'm saying most listeners are dumb but that's
not the case. So don't treat them like that. They won't buy the same
stuff over and over again ('though this seems to be heavily contradicted
by the house-rage of this time....) so you will have to keep them
anxious. In the chorus you can try this by experimenting with backing
vocals, special arrangements etc, but be careful and don't overdo
things.So in general you could say the secret to write a catchy chorus
is to make it sound logical.
Rule 2: a chorus should contain elements of the rest of the song In this
lesson we already saw a chorus is one of the most important parts of
your song. In most cases, it's the part of the song which will be played
the most often. So it better be good!
Another trick to make your chorus a good chorus is to give it the
treatment it deserves! Since it's the main element of your song, whether
you like it or not, it should get all the attention it needs while you
write it, to gain all the attention it needs when you play it. This
brings me to a rather contradictionary issue: writing songs is a very
intuïtive job and that also counts for writing choruses. But to obey to
the rule that a chorus should contain elements of the rest of the song,
you should at least examine and evaluate your music thoroughly. In mine
opinion just writing your music from the heart will generally result in
the best music, but it's not very sensible only to rely on your heart.
Evaluating your music can be very useful and especially when it comes to
writing a chorus. So no matter how you write, whether you write straight
from the heart or not, you will have to evaluate your song. Not only
because it will enhance your songwriting skills simply because you are
"forced" to think about what you have written, but also because
"technical rules" like these can only be followed by using technical
means like evaluation. Since a chorus is the part that will be played
and remembered most, it's the best place to "advertise" your song. Maybe
if you consider the chorus to be the advertisement of your song, you
will better understand the importance of putting elements of the rest of
the song into it, making it kind of an excerpt of your song. Some
advantages of doing so are:
Recognition People will recognize the song by just hearing the chorus.
But it works the other way around too; they will recognize the chorus as
being part of that piece of music they accidentally hear when they enter
a bar for example.
Recollection People will remember your song much more easily. Because
the chorus is an excerpt of the song, they will only have to remember
the excerpt to remember the song. Why not using old school-tricks when
they work fine?
Strength By putting elements of the song together in your chorus, in
fact you are just making a miniature of your song. When you do this
right, it will result in a very strong piece of music. Producers will be
pleased when they see you have skills to achieve this, because they
usually want you to cut out all the unnecessary stuff from your song.
But what elements should you take? This in fact is completely up to you
and depends on the song you are writing. Generally it works fine to pick
some of the more melodic parts of your song, simply because most people
remember a melodic piece of music better than a monotone piece. And
that's about all there is to say on this issue, but there are some
pitfalls to look out for.
These tips might help you avoiding them:
Don't copy too much While putting the best elements of your song
together into your chorus, you are taking the risk of ending up with a
chorus that unveils all the secrets of your song making the rest of the
song predictable and dull. Therefore it's better not to copy too
literally but hustle things a little. Tricks like changing the key of
the parts while played during the chorus can help. Just consider all the
best parts to be some sort of colour-palette, which enables you to make
various versions of the same picture. Don't make the chorus too long.
Better leave out some good parts than desperately putting everything
together in the chorus! Good choruses almost never exceed 6 lines. As
you can see, this part of writing songs can be very tricky. Don't forget
your skills will grow after every song you've finished, even the more
technical skills that you'll need to write a good song, like evaluating
your song and deciding what parts should be reflected into the chorus. I
deliberately used the term reflect, because this is one of the most
vague issues of writing songs, making it one of the most difficult parts
of it. But aren't things always getting more difficult when technique
meets feelings?
Rule 3: a chorus shouldn't be an anti-climax The third important rule
seems simple but, unfortunately, is not. Just like the second rule we
discussed above, we will discover it's again a matter of walking on the
edge. You will have to carefully find your way between what's good and
what is bad, and there isn't a clear path to follow. But again,
experience is something you can't buy but which comes free with
endurance and perseverance. So just don't give up when it's getting
tough; your peaks will get higher and your downs won't be as low as they
used to be! So a chorus shouldn't be an anti-climax. Clear! But why is
this rule not as simple as it seems? I will try to explain this. If you
follow the first two rules you won't too quickly end up with a chorus
that's an anti-climax, just because these two rules ensure your chorus
will be more or less the heart of the song. But still your chorus can
become an anti-climax, simply because another part of the song attracts
too much the attention. A very impressive instrumental break can easily
put the chorus in the shadows. So if your chorus is an anti-climax
depends not only on the chorus itself, but on the rest of the song too.
To avoid this disturbing effect, you will have to be very careful where
to put that instrumental break, charismatic lead vocal-line etc. To make
things even more complicated, you will have to watch out for the chorus
to become the climax of the song itself! This can be disasterous to your
song, because you will end up with a song which repeats it's climax over
and over again, with the result that you end up with a song that doesn't
seem to have a climax at all! So every time you write a song you will
have to deal with the problem to write a strong, catchy chorus but on
the other hand not to make it too strong... This virtual
contradictionary is hard to solve, just listen to daily radio. But there
are some ways to help you with this:
Distinction To avoid the chorus and the climax of the song
to interfere with each other, you can try to make a very clear distinction
between these two rivals. You can do so by putting them apart from each other
"physically" (give each of them their own space in the song), or by making them
sound as different as the song allows you to. The clearer the difference, the
less chance of interference. If you can't beat them... Another aproach is to put
the climax in the chorus itself. This works best when done in the final chorus.
This solution requires you to change that chorus, otherwise it won't work, as we
discussed earlier in this lesson. These changes can range from just changing the
key, adding additional instruments (like backing-vocals) to even changing the
lead-vocal line. When done right you will end up with a super-chorus, which
won't be forgotten easily!
Taken from...www.geocities.com/athens/marble/9607
About the Author
Free Music Education Center is a reputable site provideing
free music lessons on all aspects of music and production |
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13)
Writer's Web Resources
by Janet Ilacqua The Internet has
truly revolutionized the careers of writers worldwide. Now you can work
for publishers, corporations and a whole range of other clients on a
truly global scale. Whether you are in the heart of a big city, or in a
remote mountain village, all you need is an Internet connection to run
your writing business. The opportunity is fantastic, and so is the
writer's life that you could enjoy. But where can you find the jobs you
need to establish a full-time writing career? One way to start is
through working the Internet job boards. Here aAlso included and listed
separately are resources for business and technical writers, editors,
journalists, and translators. Writers' Resources--General Absolute Write
- freelance writing, screenwriting, playwriting, writing novels,
nonfiction, comic book writing, greeting cards, poetry, songwriting. One
stop shop Emily's Writing for the Web Emily A. Vander Veer gives
professional writers the tools needed to promote, publish, and sell work
to the largest and fastest-growing market in the world: the Web.
e-Writer's Place For writing inspirations, motivations and
prescriptions. Freelance Writers is a searchable database of writers
from all around the world. Freelance WritingThis is the ultimate job
board for freelance writers. Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l This
site hosts one of the largest free writing resource links databases in
the world! It offers education, daily news, a writer's store, creativity
advice and forums, to name a few of the resources. Over 2,000 free
writing resources in 40+ categories of writing FundsForWriters - A
plethora of sources where freelance writers can find paying jobs
Momwriters A community of professional and new writers ... who face the
unique challenges of writing with children underfoot. National Writer's
Union 'The only U.S. trade union for freelance and contract writers.' We
offer contract advice, grievance resolution, health & dental plans,
member education, Job Hotline, and networking. See also: Writers Union
Job Hotline Published! Articles and resources...from Marcia Yudkin,
author of eleven books and hundreds of magazine articles, syndicated
columnist, public radio commentator, writing coach Published - The
Directory of Independent Writers & Artists. searchable directory of
independent Writers & Artists
SharpWriter Grammar. Complete writing resources. Lot of good stuff here
but not geared expressly for freelancers Suite101 This is an online
community for writers. Not only is this a great site for work-at-home
resources. You can apply to become an editor for them and get paid for
your work. Sunoasis Jobs for Writers, Editors, and Copywriters
Employment opportunities for writers, journalists, new-media types
on-line off-line in reporting feature writing reviewing editing
free-lancing editorial content providing etc. ... Recently submitted job
offers: Copywriter, Freelance. Monarch Design, a design and advertising
agency, The Burry Man Writers Center freelance job links, resources for
fiction and nonfiction writers, working professionals and beginners with
particular support for writing about Scotland The New Writer - the
monthly magazine with the best in fact, fiction and poetry. aimed at all
writers: the short story writer, the novelist, the poet, feature writer,
anyone with a serious intent to develop their writing to meet the
expectations of today's editors. The Writers Home A Web Site For
Writers, Editors And Lovers Of The Written Word.
TrAce Online Writing Community trAce connects writers and readers around
the world ... with the focus on creativity, collaboration and training.
New media writing, web development Worldwide Freelance Writer How to
sell your writing overseas. Find out where to sell your freelance work.
Detailed guidelines for paying writing markets all over the world.
WriteCraft Writers Resource Center Companion to the WriteCraft Critique
Group - where writers learn the trade. writejobs Job Title. Company.
Location. Proofreader/editor. Bioedit Ltd. Freelance. Digital
Photography Writers ... Writers Unbound Writing resources, Internet
resources related to writing, writers, publishing, epublishing, authors
and more. Articles and resources related to creative writing.
Writer's Software SuperCenter Writer's Software SuperCenter has software
for writing books, articles, novels, and screenplays, including Writer's
Blocks software, StyleWriter editing software, StoryCraft, and more!
Writing World - Moira Allen provides writing tips, markets, news,
contests and more. The Writer's Gazette Writing resource site for
writers on freelance and publishing, including articles, job board,
contests . Nice, comprehensive list of writers' job boards. Business and
Technical Copywriter world Freelance writers bid for writing projects
such as resume writing, documents in APA style or MLA style writing,
poems, sonnets, research papers, business plans, your biography, free
e-books, your business proposal, essays, marketing plans, web content,
ghost writing, ad copy, catalogs... virtually any form of writing.
Freelance Online - a professional online service for freelancers in the
publishing and advertising fields. Free for employers; freelancers pay
$15.00/year for membership. Freelance SuccessFreelance Success is a
community of professional, nonfiction writers who subscribe to a
newsletter that guides them toward well-paying markets and editors.
There is not a job board located on this site. Techwriters Employs
technical writers on and off site. The pay is excellent, but you must
have a lot of experience with the topics writingassist.com Provides
local freelance technical writers for projects such as manuals,
policies, software documentation, and work flow integration. Children's
Literature Institute of Children's Literature offered the premiere
writing course, books, and a newsletter to adults interested in learning
how to write and be published for children and teens. Editing Manuscript
Editing Fiction and Non-fiction; Serving writers, literary agents, and
publishers since 1976. Fiction Fiction Factor - The Online Magazine for
Fiction Writers. NEW! International markets Australian Writer's
Marketplace The essential resource for getting published in Australia
and New Zealand. Author Network - resources for writers including links,
articles, monthly columns and ePublishing services. Canadian Writer's
Journal Canada's Independent Writer's Magazine. Freelance Spain - the
online Spanish resource for editors and journalists.
FreelanceJournalist.co.uk Helping journalists build a presence on the
web. The web directory for UK freelance journalists. Freelancers.co.uk
offers you the complete guide to freelancing for publishers as a
copyeditor or proofreader. New Zealand Writers Website Writing Resources
for New Zealand writers writelinkpro.co.uk WritelinkPRO is the content
provider for top UK monthly newsletter and website. We pay on acceptance
for writing articles, fiction, poetry, reviews. We offer free e-book
workshops, free e-book on travel writing, exclusive Members Area.
Journalism International Federation of Journalists - The world's largest
organization of journalists, representing around 450,000 members in more than
100 countries. News Jobs Network Journalisms resources and News jobs in US,
Canada and Utah. UK Links 4 Journalists the most useful sites on the web. This
is the journalist's section. Translation ProZ: Freelance translators,
translation services, agencies, jobs and directory ... Writers' Federation of
Nova Scotia Fostering creative writing and the profession of writing in Nova
Scotia. Writerfind New Zealand Linking New Zealand writers with local and global
markets. Playwriters writernetwork. We provide dramatic writers with the tools
they need to build better careers and redefine the
About the Author
Janet K. Ilacqua is a freelance writer based in Tracy, California. For more
information about her services, check her website at...www.writeupondemand.com
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14)
How to Overcome the Lyric Writing Hurdles
that are Keeping You Behind.
The lyric writing side of songwriting is known to create an enormous
number of problems for some folks. No matter how hard they try, they are
unable to write a single line that they can be pleased with.
In many cases these very same people make phenomenal advancements in
writing music and melodies. However they just can't seem to figure out
how to come up with suitable lyrics to match them.
If you are facing such a situation, there's probably no need to worry.
By taking certain appropriate steps you should be able to overcome lyric
writing hurdles and write songs that deliver.
(1) Here are some essential ideas for overcoming these hurdles.
1. Collaboration
If you're very good at writing melodies but can't seem to write a single
line, one solution might be collaboration. Instead of beating your head
against the wall for ideas, find someone who is very good at writing
lyrics and work together. You may be surprised at the wonders that can
emanate from a combination of his excellence at writing lyrics and your
brilliance at writing melodies.
2. Lyric writing tools
Perhaps you may be hoping for some other solution. While you don't mind
the idea of collaboration, you want to allow yourself to get better at
writing lyrics, instead of leaving it to someone else.
As far as I'm concerned, the importance of laying hold on good
songwriting "tools" should never be underestimated. Educate yourself as
much as you can. Make use of songwriting books, programs, courses,
software, articles or whatever valuable resources that you have at your
disposal.
3. Motivation
You've probably heard it said a thousand times ... Without motivation,
you won't go very far. This also applies to your lyric writing. While
the songwriting "tools" outlined above can help you improve, without
adequate motivation failure is inevitable.
(2) Here are a few tips to help you generate lyric writing ideas.
1. Use different lyrics to bring the same message across.
Choose a theme which is known to have made a few hits. What message does
this theme bring across? Write different lyrics that bring the same
message across. A typical example of this is John Denver's "I'm Leaving
on a Jetplane" and Wyclef Jean's "Gone till November". These songs made
hits in different eras. Their basic message was similar ... Baby, you
don't need to cry because I'll return.
2. Add a unique twist to a cliche.
Turn on your radio and you will hear cliches being repeated over and
over. Using these very same cliches is simply a futile exercise. My
suggestion is to add a unique twist to these cliches. This is something
I am focusing on more and more.
A typical example of adding a unique twist to a cliche is found in
Dianne Warren's "Unbreak my Heart" made popular by Toni Braxton. The
ever popular cliche, "break my heart", was twisted.
(3) Here are three lyric writing suggestions.
1. Write a song about a particular incident. Your song should tell a
story.
2. Write lyrics that have absolutely nothing to do with anything you've
actually experienced.
3. Get lyric writing ideas from newspapers, magazines, movies, TV and so
on.
Overcoming lyric writing hurdles involves a lot of determination, hard
work and perseverance on your part. Implement the suggestions presented
above and move one step closer to lyric writing success.
About the Author
Mantius Cazaubon offers lots of valuable songwriting tips, suggestions
and advice on his site UltimateSongwriting.com. Visit Ultimate
Songwriting.com for the ultimate truth about lyric writing and
songwriting.
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15)
So, You Want To Collaborate?
The Key to Success For Songwriters
by Alex Forbes
Copyright 2006 Alex Forbes
Collaborating is one of the most rewarding and productive activities a
songwriter can engage in. It's also one of the most challenging. Co-writing will
stretch you in ways you can't even imagine up front.
Take a look at the Billboard Singles charts, and you'll notice that the vast
majority of hit songs were written by 2 or more writers. Why? Because many
songwriters have discovered that the collaborative whole is far greater than the
sum of the solo-writing parts. We're all human, with strong suits we can
capitalize on, as well as weaknesses we can supplement with the strengths of
others.
Many artists find that writing alone year after year is limiting. The
jack-of-all-trades approach may produce flashes of brilliance, but solo writers
often find themselves stuck in a rut.
If you're feeling the urge to merge with other talent, first take a hard look at
yourself as a songwriter from an objective standpoint. Picture your next
co-writing appointment as a potluck -- what will you bring to the party?
* Are you passionate, enthusiastic, hard-working, and fun?
* Are you willing to commit time, energy, money, and your heart to the worthy
cause of making great music?
* Do you have unique talents and powerful things to say in your songs?
* Are you willing to give and listen to constructive feedback?
* Are you familiar with the ground rules and terminology of your chosen field?
and, most importantly:
* Have you generated a body of work that shows off your strong suits as a
writer?
BE LIKE A MAGNET
How can you attract quality co-writers? First of all, let's face it, most
successful, talented writers aren't looking to pull you up by the bootstraps.
However, many will want to collaborate if it looks like they'll get something of
value from the partnership. Therefore your job is to create material that other
writers think will contribute to their success.
And keep in mind that most people to want to work with partners who have
achieved a comparable level of development. I can't expect Serena Williams to
invite me over to play some tennis, or Tiger Woods to challenge me to a round of
golf, until I work on my game just a wee bit more. Why should songwriting be any
different?
Make it your goal to become a collaborator magnet. This means getting your
contributions into the best possible shape before you walk in the door.
You will inevitably be judged by the actual goods you lay on the table. And if
you're honest you'll admit you're weighing your potential collaborators the same
way. This is as it should be. Look with an objective eye over your body of work
thus far.
Do you have:
* Neatly typed lyrics, laid out in identifiable song form?
* Best versions of instrumental tracks, melodies, hooks and/or riffs?
* Lists of possible titles?
* A few potential "song starts?"
* Any finished songs professionally demoed?
These are the "calling cards" you will present to other songwriters and artists.
You want to hone them rigorously so you can show them proudly, secure in their
value -- not apologizing, cringing, or making excuses for their shortcomings.
Isn't that the standard of quality you'd expect in return?
You "pay your dues" by polishing up your talents, your diamonds, to a bright
sheen. Eventually, if you take your own gifts seriously, word will spread that
you have something valuable to offer. This process is sometimes called "eating
your way up the musical food chain." It doesn't happen overnight. There are no
"quick fixes," as in any serious field of endeavor.
A few days of research can provide you with a wealth
of opportunities. Here are some paths that have produced results for me,
and I've collaborated with at least a hundred other writers since 1983:
* Take a songwriting class.
* Find a teacher, or better yet, a mentor.
* Start a local songwriting support group.
* Hire or start a band, even if it's only for a limited number of gigs.
* Join a Performing Rights Organization (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the
U.S.)
* Check out programs offered by music business organizations such a The
Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Recording Academy, Women In Music,
Nashville Songwriters Association, etc.)
* Join the various online songwriting communities -- just Google it!
Myspace.com offers a whole new realm of possibilites.
* Check local publications and listings for showcases, classified ads &
open mics.
* Search the Internet for performers in your vein of music.
* Go to local music stores and check their bulletin boards, or put up
your own sign.
* Post a free ad on Craigslist.com.
* Read or subscribe to music business publications.
You're only limited by your imagination and your level of commitment.
In summary, there's no such thing as a free lunch, but there is a
delicious feast available if you're willing to tap the well of your own
talents. How's that for a mixed metaphor?
Finally, I suggest people delve fearlessly into their deeper selves when
they write songs. Listeners can always tell when you're being truthful
and real.
In a nutshell:
* Write your truth, and write a LOT.
* Dare to write gawd-awful songs in the quest for the brilliant ones.
* Create a support team that will hold you to higher standards.
* Develop your strengths and supplement your weaknesses as a writer,
player, singer and engineer.
* Read the books, do the exercises, subscribe to the publications...
know your field!
* Participate to the hilt, creating relationships with a
variety of potential partners.
Together let's raise the level of songs in the world, so that these
become the good old days of music again!
About the Author
Visit http://creativesongwriter.com for professional coaching,
consulting and song critiques with Alex Forbes. |
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