Sings, Composes, Weak On Guitar?

[elliotjoy]

Hello! 

 

I am a singer and a published poet and recently I have gotten into songwriting.  I started playing the guitar in order to help me compose.  I also have Guitar Pro 6 for sheet music creation.

 

My questions are these -

 

I sing, I understand music theory, and I can play enough to help me compose.  Do I need to be able to play the guitar really well?  I probably won't ever get to performance level on the guitar. I love playing it and increasing my music theory knowledge, but I probably won't ever get to professional level. 

 

Is there anyway I can create music that sounds good enough to share with people?  I would love to get feedback.  I would also be happy to let others use my songs.  I am more interested in writing them than performing them.  What outlets are there for people like me - Collaboration? Digital music?  I am open to everything and anything.

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me singing and playing a song I wrote.   I have written more since then that I feel are better, but I need to put them up.

 

Thanks!

 

[Rudi]

Hi EJ

My questions are these -

I sing, I understand music theory, and I can play enough to help me compose. Do I need to be able to play the guitar really well?

 

No. So long as you can play what you figure out what’s in your head, its fine.

 

Is there anyway I can create music that sounds good enough to share with people?

 

Are you recording using a PC or studio? That’s one way of breaking it all down and laying the music down piecemeal.

 

What outlets are there for people like me - Collaboration? Digital music?

 

Yes & yes.

 

Sorry I cannot view/listen to your link from where I am. (I think it best to post recordings in the Songwriting Critique area)

 

Perhaps later.

 

Good luck

 

Rudi

[gingeritus11]

oh yes, you are a songwriter. welcome to the club!

I liked your song, and I think with a bit more tuning up of your guitar skills you could do it all on your own.

Look at Bob Dylan. He couldn't even sing, at least not by conventional standards.

People like to listen to poetic lyrics as much as they like to listen to crazy riffs and the like. If you want to collaborate on something, to make it exactly as you'd like it, I would suggest asking around to others locally to help you. Do you know anyone else who plays guitar?

You can also find people online. But the thing is, it doesn't really matter how complex it is as long as it says what it needs to say and sounds good. From a marketing aspect, complexity has little to do with it. A majority of pop songs are using the same 4 chords, rudimentary and simple chords at that. 

It really matters what you're going for. I'd suggest finding some other people who play the music you're going for and see how that goes. There are plenty of people here, I see, who are willing to collaborate over the internet, I'd check some of them out to see what they're all about.