john

Hi Jesse 1500 is certainly a lot. Is that words and music for all of them? Have many been picked up by artists? oh and welcome to Songstuff Jesse! Cheers John

Of course people fictionalise... if only to spare people's feelings. Just because we create a parallel fictional story, doesn't mean it is unauthentic. In fact, there is a case for saying that writers can be liberated to be more honest when they fictionalise, precisely because they are not having to keep the peace by pulling a punch. For example Joe is your brother. He has a gambling addiction. He looks like he might lose his house. His kids regularly go without food, and their clothes are shabby. It worries you the damage he is doing, but he will not take a telling. He isn't interested. He doesn't care. Many would choose not to write about him or anything about it. They shy away. Few would choose to write it completely about Joe, especially using his name. Writing a song about Joe being a deadbeat dad, with his addiction, how it makes you feel, his wife and kids feel, could cause a lot of upset. Still, it is something important. The feelings are important. You could start by writing "fiction by omission". So you omit the guys name, his kids name, the name of the town... but you know if he or his family ever hear this song they will know it was written about them. So you can either: write it honestly, but not care how it affects them, and not care if it blows back on you or Pull your punches so that at least if they recognise themselves it is perhaps less devastating to be so observed or change it more. so, to stay emotionally honest, and keep it about the pain of addiction, it becomes a story about a woman with a drink addiction, with one child instead of two. There are maybe some other changes too. The emotions are still honest. The worries. The selfishness. The pain. But now you feel while they might see themselves, at least they don't know it is about them. They may even suspect.... but most likely not. What you have of course is a fictional narrative to spare blushes, to save you pulling punches. But you have written a very meaningful piece. It is honest in all the important ways. I have written a mixture of songs. My friends and family know songs about my wife or myself are honest and open, though I tend to write first person without names. But songs about other people I tend to fictionalise, as much so they will not be embarrassed by them. On occasion I have told them when they inspired a song. Yet again I tend to write first person, putting myself in their fictional shoes. Other times I see a story or situation that simply inspires a story. I put myself in those shoes and imagine a scenario. I overlay how I thinkI orothers around me would react and I try to keep it honest. Is that less worthy because I thought about it? We all analyse. Even up front. I just choose to acknowledge that I do so, and I view that as a strength. Each to their own.

Interesting topic. It sparked a few thoughts and an opinion or two hopping about wanting to get out I certainly think much of what songwriters do is fictional, but often it is more a fictional narrative to a real circumstance or event. The balance changes from writer to writer and especially when they are a singer songwriter. That doesn't mean they don't use "appeal" as a filter on idea selection and development. A fictional narrative to real events has been used by many modern singer songwriters from Adele to Alanis Morrisette, Amy Winehouse to Ed Sheeran, and many more besides. In many ways it is this ability to build a fictionalised narrative while keeping the intensity and authenticity of emotion that underpins many hits. Of course some writers are far more literal than others, and struggle to build any sort of fictional narrative without losing emotion, or indeed they fail to build a fictional narrative at all. Professional, non-performing writers can write some wonderful songs, but often they stick to safer topics. Not all by any means. Perhaps it is more focus on a broad appeal fiction that is at fault? It creates an overal homogenised sameness to pop, rock or country... at least within each genre. Conversely writers who write literal, personal only songs can often be so specific that their songs become hard to relate to. Or at least you can find yourself relating to some aspects and absolutely not relating to other aspects. In such cases writers are confusing the main reasons people relate to songs. True fans like to get to know their artists lives, they want to believe in that authenticity, that intensity, but they also want to understand their heroes suffer from similar issues in life, things they can relate to. That even when the star expresses their indulgence of wealthy excess, that it is something the listener can relate to. Something they would like to think they would do. What they don't want is an expression of the writer's life that they cannot relate to. Maybe a bit, but not to be dominated by it. And that is the judgement writers have to develop. The ability to write things people want to hear, even when they don't know what they want to hear. The ability to be relatable and relevant. The ability not to be so consumed by our own ego in that we believe the world should want to understand us and our sad lives, when really they seek to use our songs to further understand their own, and to help them feel connected, understood, and fundamentally not alone. They do of course look for more. Originality. Stimulation. Teasing. Satisfaction. A journey. But hey I can't cover it all in one post lol On a bright note it does mean if you have a good grasp of blending authenticity and fiction, and a willingness to take topical risks balanced with an eye towards appeal... you really have an opportunity to stick out. Cheers John

Hi and welcome to Songstuff Aurora!

Hey Tom and Mike Good to see this topic going again To be honest i think of modern arrangement as everything built on top of melody and words, up to the end of aspects of mixing. So yes, taking a bare bones piece to a full piece including song structure, instrumentation, harmony, rhythm etc. In this modern age I also include production in this because in particularly electronic pieces (but not only) production can produce unique musical components of the finished recording. Personally I don't distinguish between the skills of taking a song for the first time from melody and words to full song, than I do re-arranging an existing song, or for that matter re-mixing a song. They all involve imagining or reimagining a song, taking a song from where it is to where you want it to be using skills in instrumentation, song writing and more Cheers John

Hi and welcome to Songstuff Will

Wrong board. Topic moved. This is not an introduction. Please read and follow board rules.

Hi Gang Of all the gear in your studio, what is your favorite piece of gear and why? Which piece of gear is core to your sound? What is the most expensive piece of gear in your studio? Cheers John

both of these guys have a load of excellent lessons, including a range of vocal warm ups

A few tips: Use warm up and cool down exercises Learn some basic voice production technique (head voice, chest voice and importantly, mixed voice Hydration is your friend. Take a bottle of water with you. Like any set of muscles exercising help, specifically the right exercises. The ability to sing longer relies upon not using bad technique, staying hydrated, strengthening your vocal muscles, and not singing until you have warmed up. I would also avoid excessive talking if you suffer from a tired voice or vocal strain, shouting and drinking alcohol if you are singing... including communion wine! Alcohol dries your vocal chords. Far from comprehensive but it will get you started. I will dig out some YouTube urls to good vocal teachers with a lot of vocal tips andpost back as soon as possible

One point I would make is that it is easy to think things are just one way, because that is all we, ourselves see. If all we see amongst our peers is piracy, then that could easily be our view of the industry, or our view of "people our age". That is not a prerogative of youth either. Awareness comes from observing, from talking to friends online and offline, old and young, and by reading trend reports from industry (admittedly much fewer numbers do the latter lol). Much like the perspective on albums too. The fact is that at least for now, albums are still made, and record labels still sell music. Were albums to stop making money, were music to stop making money, believe me, record labels would not be seen for dust as short term profit is pretty well all they care about.

*passes you some water* Welcome! Come on in! Put your feet up, here's a guitar, some good food and a beer to boot... hope you are ready to play.... roll cameras... okay, 3, 2 , 1 cue BHG! Welcome to Songstuff

Hey Symph... (should I call you Mr7?) welcome back! It starts with the mic, and certainly different mics suit different purposes. So you have a vocal condensor, but that isn't giving you a great sound for your instrument amp? Foam squares... no point unless you use them in the right place for the right reason. Such things are "sound treatments", to condition the sound within a room, or "sound proofing" to stop external sound spilling in, and studio sound spilling out. On that front, for most home studios a movable baffle is a better idea (like a partial partition board that has high absorption characteristics). You can then reposition it as needed. A second board can be used to reduce computer fan spill. So... what were you recording (sounds like a guitar from an amp)? What exact mic did you use? Wtf was it doing in a shoe? lol It is useful having at least one vocal mic and a cardioid or two. While SM57 are relatively good all-rounder mics for live work, there are better studio instrument mics, even budget ones.

It can be hard to separate. Pretty well any big artist went through the image wringer when they were first signed. Many are going through that wringer until the end of their career. The difference with Metal bands? Very little. Many believe all that bollocks is a true representation of themselves, and why not? Is it any less valid to dress in denim and leather and wear tats, than it is that women wear push up bras and paint their faces? Apart from that, is there. Place for theatrics in music? I think so... as long as it is obvious that it is theatrics. Too many believe the hype. Look at the hip hop scene. Goths. The dress of pop adherents is no less image obsessed. I do however agree to some extent. Most of us are looking for authenticity. We want to connect with someone who believes what they are singing. I love David Bowie, yet the man played with his image endlessly, like a toy that needed constant reinventing. The truth was in the authenticity of his words, the emotion in his performance. I can't think of an artist that didn't use their image... even when that image was true to their own off stage persona. Image is omnipresent. The problem is when image consultants become involved. It stops being about the rtist's vision and becomes about the image consultant's and the record label.... but for such artists, their music has already gone down that route... it might be realised by the artist, but it is the record label that is deciding what is and what isnt release (for such artists who have no creative control). I guess my perspective is people in every day life have an image. People doing their jobs have different images. On stage, like it or lump it, for a working artist... it is your job.... but for most it is far, far more than a job. If you have an image anyway.... why should it not be part of your performance? Music and lyrics can be fantastical... why does creativity have to stop at writing, or at musical performance? From a listener's perspective, as long as we are entertained, as long as we connect and are transported... and as long as we can separate reality from myth.... and to be honest, the people who cannot frequently have the same problem with anyone, walking down the street... that is more about their perception than anything else. Is there such a thing as a neutral image? Certainly we can be more common, less fussy, more... natural and unadorned... but I don't think there is neutral. Interesting stuff

Welcome to Songstuff Rory.

Hey Michael, welcome to Songstuff! Good to have you aboard.

Hey Jeff Welcome to Songstuff! The more you put in, the more you get out. Cheers John

It depends Rudi. We are musicians, and performers. There is undoubtedly a role for image within that.image covers so many aspects. Hell we all have our own image. From our body shape and hair cut, tattoos, the clothes we wear, the car or bike we drive, what we drink, where we eat... everyone has a personal image. Many things are extensions of that image. To deny a musical image is unrealistic. To have one and not harnesss it seems a waste. Does that mean we have to cynically exploit it? No. Still, your image as a performer is that. An actor or dancer is used to using imagewith no questions asked.. As an artist, how you dress on stage, the stage set, your album art, merchandise, how you talk on stage, your lyrics, the music, how you talk when interviewed... all contribute towards the image that fans have of you. Why let the impression you give be accidental? Why not take control of it? Why not use an image that enhances perception of your music? Certainly the wrong image can damage it. Don't believe me? Try dressing as Hitler and performing and seeing if people react differently. We do know that frame of mind will change how music is received. Much like writing, arranging and performing, visual performance, even visual hooks.... all have an effect.

Hey Tiffany, Welcome to Songstuff!

Which is exactly why you change the purpose, so you can try and manage the "too many things going on" scenario. Even if you are talking about non guitar related distractions, changing focus on purpose like that keeps your focus fresh, and should make it easier to keep concentrating.... though it wil take a bit of perseverance until a habit is established before real benefits kick in.

Patty, a big welcome to Songstuff! Good to have you aboard. It's a good ship and true.

Hmmm Randy you lost me. I see: Patty -> Community Peggy -> Patty Robash -> Patty Patty -> Robash Randy -> Whom it may concern Peggy -> Confused Me -> Randy Did Rob maybe post to Robert here and then delete it? We have 2 members called RobAsh, and they are different people

Ooooh good! I hope it is a reasonable port and there is some real commitment to delivering a fully featured product.

Well that blows! Get better soon dude. I have heard Shingles is very painful. Other than rest I am not sure of what treatment you get, if any.

I try, I try