TaoMannaDon

The "reality of being creative" may appear boring to an onlooker. It may feel boring to a poser. But with other creative people or in the quietest solitude there is plentiful joy in the creative process. The reason I don't perform (setting aside my absolute lack of performing talent) is, for me, the boring part begins when the creative part ends. Keep writing, Don

It is probably more accurate to say there have been some writers in successful bands who appeared to be undisciplined. Unless we were there at the time we don't know what their writing process looked like, which might have been different from their public image. Using the word "great" to describe some writers of pop hits is quite a stretch. In my youth, Neil Diamond was one of my favorite songwriters; but, in retrospect, I'm not sure I'd call him a "great" writer. Considering the number of hits he churned out, I expect he was quite disciplined in his writing. Keep writing, Don

Not every song we write will be great, not every song will be good, not every song will be ok, not every song will even be bearable; some will be just crap. You might put the same or more effort into it but it will still be just crap. Our subconscious minds know this and so songs are left unfinished. As long as they're unfinished they still have potential; once finished - just crap. The crap, bearable, ok and good songs have an important function -- they build the skills we need to create the great songs. Finish every song. You need the experience. And it might just pay off someday. Every writer has greatest inside him. Keep writing, Don

And this could be the next line of that song: I love you But your cousin makes me drool Perhaps the three of us could spent some time together

The lyric needs: 1. a purpose - why am I writing this 2. a subject - what is this lyric about 3. a scope - what gets included or excluded 4. a style - is this a story about something that happened or just about a feeling or about something totally mysterious 5. a tone - is it positive, negative, hopeful, mellow, dark, filled with angst or anger 6. a message - what can the listener learn You can think about all of this beforehand or you can sit down and begin to type words and see what happens. You can do like I used to do and pick up the guitar and play through chord sequences uttering nonsense phrases until something good comes out. The thing that works for you right now is what you should do. Don't give up what works. But there is a reason why disciplined, schooled people are productive. They've learned the techniques and don't mind "working" at something they love to do. We might quibble over terminology or what's important but the main thing is: Keep writing, Don

To write from life .... now you know, young writers. The successful, seasoned writer revealed what every young writer should consentrate on, especially if song ideas aren't coming. Write what you know, what you've done, what you've seen, what you've felt, what you've pondered and fretted over. Do that and you'll always have plenty to write about. And the writing will be more authentic, maybe even inspiring. Keep writing, Don

a good songwriter does it for the joy answers inner urges understands the craft dreams of a better life hopes he can inspire thinks he has a chance to know his work is worthy of smiles and tears and pensive moods from those who hear his song Keep writing, Don

C, Am, F, G In the 1960's thousands of songs were written with those chords. Use progressions from songs you like. There is plenty of theory you can learn but if it sounds good it's probably already been used on many songs. Choose your genre and copy the hits, no guicker way to start. Once you learn the popular progressions, you will naturally progress to more original stuff. Keep writing, Don

Can I play? I actually wrote this during the Elephant in the Room challenge but it didn't seem to fit with the other entries so I didn't post it. The Elephant in the Room Verse 1: I walk across the hardwood floor To find out who is at my door But half way there I slip and fall On something usually found .... in an animal stall Chorus: Somebody did his business and left his calling card The elephant in the room is gonna have to stay in our backyard I really need an over-sized shovel And maybe great big broom To clean up the mess that was left behind By the elephant in the room Verse 2: I stumble to my locked front door The wife is home from the grocery store "I forgot my key" is what she said She sees that monstrous mound ... then her face turns red So I told her ... Chorus: Somebody did his business and left his calling card The elephant in the room is gonna have to stay in our backyard I really need an over-sized shovel And maybe great big broom To clean up the mess that was left behind By the elephant in the room Bridge: I said that I was sorry and it won't ever happen again For the next three months I'll guess I'll be sleeping on the sofa in the den All because my floppy-eared buddy .... likes to watch TV But I say "Look at the bright side .... at least he didn't pee" Everybody sing .... Chorus: Somebody did his business and left his calling card The elephant in the room is gonna have to stay in our backyard I really need an over-sized shovel And maybe great big broom To clean up the mess that was left behind By the elephant in the room

I think you have the kernel of a good idea: A workshop? Yes, if enough people get interested. Pick a subject for everyone to write a lyric about? Yes, but probably not a current event and certainly not about politics or religion. No winners or losers? Yes! We discuss the various merits of elements of each song? Yes, provided the discussion and the writers responses stay constructive and provided the goal is and remains that all participants improve their writing skills. Something like this would interest me. I would certainly participate in the discussion on the merits of various elements of the songs in the workshop. Perhaps one requirement might be that the writer label each lyrical section (verse, bridge, chorus) so that the discussion can accurately include proper content for each section. To enhance the "workshop" atmosphere other requirements might be considered. Perhaps both the subject and the lyrical structure (ABAB, ABABCB, AABA) be set by the workshop leader (after an open discussion with forum members). Can a workshop like this attract enough members? Can the final result always be improved writing skills? Design a workshop with a Yes" to both questions and you got something good. The main thing is to .... Keep writing, Don

You can gleen my opinion of contests in the first line of my signature. I'm sure many will think it's a good idea. Why not make a list of both good and bad things about contests and see if, on the whole, it is a positive or negative thing. I won't enter or vote in the contest. It goes against my reason for participating on the forum. Each songwriter is at their own stage of development. Pitting them one against the other doesn't seem beneficial to me. If you can come up with a process that gets a lot of people involved and everybody comes out of the process a better writer, then count me in. Keep writing, Don

Words Got Rhythm Hickory dickory dock The mouse ran up the clock I learned that back when I was just a kid Words in groups have rhythm Some of it we give’m Some of it occurred when the words were made Words are one wind instrument we’ve all played Prosody can explain it Practicing can maintain it Once you understand it You’ll think somebody planned it And they did

Phil You can download a demo here: Band In A Box demo The program comes with videos that help. If you know chords, you can type them in and it will create a song in the style you choose. If you don't know chords you can ask it to create a song for you. The more you learn, the better it works. Download the demo first. Maybe you can answer your own questions. I don't have a answer for you because I'm not certain what you're asking. And I'm a long way from my home computer right now. Other people here use the program. I'm sure you can get the answers you need one way or another.

Many dictionaries will show the stressed syllables in multi-syllable words. Check the on-line dictionaries. Maybe one of them will help.

Back in the 1980's I got quite a shock when I bought my first drum machine. For years I had written songs and played my guitar while singing the words. Trying to fit those words into the bar structure of a drum machine showed me that I was just adjusting the length of my "imaginary bars" as I played my guitar. Once the drum machine confined me to a set number of measures for each line repeat in subsequent verses, I could see the importance of having a similar number of syllables in line one of verse one, two or three (etc.). Now I use Band-In-A-Box instead of a drum machine. Even if a new lyricist didn't want to learn an instrument or chord structure or how to write a lead sheet, being able to sing or say your lyric in time with a defined structure will put them on the right path toward more music-friendly lyrics. So my tip for new lyricists is use something that forces your lyric into an defined musical space. An instrumental version of a song that is similar to what you want to write might work. Programs like Band-In-A-Box take some time to learn but are certainly worth the effort.

Bridges must be strong. That's why they make them out of steel and concrete. They are sometimes beautiful; always functional. Bridges don't just happen. They are well-thought out. The design is everything. Bridges are necessary, but not always. Don't need a bridge? Don't build one. A bridge across a river is good. A bridge to nowhere is bad ... because it is the function of a bridge to take you somewhere. If you don't need to go there, you don't need a bridge. If you need to go there but you can get there without a bridge, why build one? Bridges connect things that are similar: land on one side of the river to land on the other side of the river. Need to get to higher ground or a second floor? Don't build a bridge. Steps or an elevator or, perhaps, a long and winding road might lift you up but that ain't a bridge's job. Bridges have similarities with what they connect; still, they are different. You always know when you are on a bridge. You always know why you are on a bridge. The view from the bridge can be wonderful, even enlightening. When you exit the bridge you are closer to where you are going. You write a song to take your listeners on a journey. You tell them what they need to know to get to the destination you have chosen for them. That destination might be more accessible with a bridge. Bridges made of steel and concrete have similarities with bridges made of words and music. If you think your song needs a bridge, consider those similarities. It will help you decide if a bridge is required. It will help you build better bridges. It will help you write better songs. Questions? Keep writing, Don

Thank you for offering. Unfortunately, notes on paper make my eyes glaze over. I can figure out what they mean but I can't hear the music in my head. Once recorded, if you post a link I'll be quite pleased to listen. Beyond thanking you for the opportunity to enjoy your well-written lyric, I want to thank you for a bit of inspiration reading your lyric provided me. As often happens, as soon as I realized how good it was, I got my hands on a guitar and toyed with a few chord sequences and melody lines. The way you structured the verses led me to think a little differently about how to sing those lines. I liked the results. Some version of the resulting chords and melody might just end up on some future song I will write. If that happens it will be because you wrote that lyric and I got a chance to read it. Thank you. Keep writing, Don

This is the first lyic I've read of yours. Is this song finished? I'd love to hear the final version. This is an good topic. I've never collaborated so I haven't posted any thoughts. But I'm reading the thread with interest.

I have some favorite song structures that don't appear very often in the music I listen to. One of my favorites is Chorus, Verse, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus. (The Verse, Verse parts might be one longer verse instead.) The first thing the listener hears is the catchy part of the song, the part that explains why the song is worth listening to. That is followed by the complete uninterrupted story in the verses. The chorus repeats. The bridge reveals important details that don't fit in the verses. And the final chorus ends the song. A good singable title in a well-rhymed chorus, unrhymed verses to keep the lyric sounding fresh, and a bridge that catches your attention -- put all that together and you've got a good song. Keep writing, Don

Some music software appeals to professionals. Some music software appeals to amateurs. And with the advent of Microsoft Songsmith, we now have music software that appeals to posers. To expand their customer base, I suggest this ad copy: Microsoft Songsmith --- karaoke for those who don't know the words or the melody

Just a word of caution to Nightwolf and clarification to Lazz: In Arizona "fire me" means "terminate my employment." Apparently, in Vancouver B.C. "fire me" means "shoot me." English is such a tricky language.

My first reaction to current songwriting treads is one of "Thanks, but no thanks." As a devout amateur, I like to think of myself as surrounded by a protective bubble that keeps the influences of modern songwriting trends outside of my creative process. That delusion sometimes lets me take the credit for stuff other people thought of first. The tried and true traditional music process and the trends of the 1960's though the 1980's is where I'm most comfortable. But I am a product of all my experiences. And although I don't care for the direction the music industry is headed, I'm still affected. In fact, I feel certain that part of the reason I started writing songs with unrhymed verses was to counter the mindless rhymes of modern Rap. A more positive influence was hearing how fresh new hit songs sound when fewer rhymes are present. I like a combination of tradtional instruments (guitar, piano, etc.) and synthisizers in music production. I haven't owned a synth since the 1980's (I have owned a Juno 106, a Prophet 600 and a DX7). To give you an idea of how tradition and trends affect me, I currently lust after both the Prophet 08 by Dave Smith and Omnisphere soft synth by Spectrasonics. Can I borrow a few bucks? I don't have to consciously think about trends because I only answer to myself when I'm creating. But I'm affected; it's hard not to be.

I was 15 when I started writing. I was not very outgoing either. I'm sure that was part of the reason I began writing. I just made stuff up by copying ideas from the songs on the radio. That was very satisfying. It was many years later when I realized how many song-worthy things I had already lived through by the age of 15. I mentioned a song I wrote about my childhood in my other post; another one of my favorite original songs is about a fishing trip with my father when I was much younger than you. Teenage angst has been the driving force of many generations of music. We all go through similar issues at that age; not being very outgoing should be a help, not a hinderance, to your writing. Take some time to think about it. Plenty of things have happened to you or around you. Many things didn't happen the way you wanted or at all. A lot of stuff turned out much better than you expected. All this is fodder for songwriting. The main thing is to get started and keep at it. Don't expect every song to be good. Do expect to get better. Learn from the experts (read some songwriting books) as you develop your skill; but don't wait for that knowldege from experts. Don't wait for inspiration. Don't wait because of doubt or anything else. Begin immediately. Right now you are on the edge of joy. It's a joy that may follow you throughout your life. If you come to love songwriting, as so many people have, it will lighten life's burdens and give wings to your spirit. Keep writing, Don

Everyone occasionally finds inspiration just in the normal course of watching TV, reading books, surfing the net, listening to the music you like, etc. Those things inspire the ideas but they may not provide the impetus needed to write the first word of a song. That part rests in you. You decide when to begin the writing process. If you aren't writing because you are waiting for inspiration, I suggest you learn to enjoy waiting. Waiting rarely is as much fun as writing; so, perhaps you should find the will power to make that decision and start writing. If you still need song ideas then look at your own life. I don't know how old you are but, since you are old enough to use a computer, you have lived enough to have things to write about. One of my favorite original songs is about something that happened to me when I was six years old. I wrote it from a sixty year old man's perspective but I could have written a similar song the day I started writing forty-five years ago. Songs about your life experiences can be rewarding in many ways. You might want to look at some of my topics on this forum for more guidance. And you might want to read the quotes in my signature section for more thoughts on waiting for inspiration. Keep writing, Don