Song writing.....

[Sprocket]

I think Rikky Rooksby's The Song Writing Sourcebook is very good and particularly on structure.

BTW, Thank you Tony...I looked into that book, and actually ordered this one today. So thanks for the recommendation!

[tony]

I think Rikky Rooksby's The Song Writing Sourcebook is very good and particularly on structure.

BTW, Thank you Tony...I looked into that book, and actually ordered this one today. So thanks for the recommendation!

I hope that it is useful for you.  I found it so.

[AndyR]

I recall an interview with Andy Partridge (of XTC).  When he thinks he's finished a song, he'll sing it to an empty room with no accompaniment.  If the melody and words stand on their own without any rhythmic or harmonic support, then it might be a keeper.

I remember that too Ted!

This is a very interesting thread - I agree with most of what's being said, so I won't repeat. Definitely get the books mentioned - they are excellent, I've got a couple by Rooksby.

But I don't think I spotted anyone saying this (apologies if I missed it):

Often when I create something I actually tend to write by "performing".

I've always got an imaginary audience I can call up in my living room. I tend to sing to them. If a chord sequence or something comes up, I'll work it and pretend I'm gigging the song - I'll even go as far as communicating with the imaginary drummer and bassist. Sooner or later I start singing over it. Maybe jibberish, maybe cliches, but it's all about emotion...

Then suddenly a line that means something might come out (or I might be aware of a line I'm sitting on, in my head or in a note book). By "means something", I mean it adds to the emotion that me and the imaginary band and adoring audience were sharing.

At that point vocals start flowing. I'll often go round and round till there's 2 or 3 verses in my head - still fluid, but I "know" them. Eventually I'll realise I might have something. Grab paper and write it down, or grab MBR and tape it (that's what I bought the thing for, but I rarely use it like that!!).

The rest of it is like what everyone else says, depending on the mood, how much of the song I've got, I could use any number of methods - but most of my favourite ones started by performing to my adoring (imaginary!) fans...

Of course, you have to get over the idea of doing this, and possibly getting caught by your significant other, or off-spring, or housemates, while you're in the middle of a particularly "Celine Dion" moment! It's all about feeling at ease and being able to communicate emotions for me - I'm buggered if I can do it to my complete satisfaction in real-life, so songwriting is where it all went!!

[Sprocket]

Id forgot to mention I found this the other day when looking for that Rooksby book...its bout 50 pages viewable/readable online via google, and the reason I decided to buy it.

[The Reverend 48]

OK guys you have inspired me to have a go at song writing
I hope you don't mind me sharing the process which led me to write my first ever song........
As a couple of you suggested I have a file on PC for musical ideas and also a pad and pen handy
Anyway I have just bought my first acoustic and was fascinated how cool minor chords sounded so I found a rhythm on my looper and recorded about 1 minute and saved in my PC file........
The next night I was watching TV and was moved by an incredibly sad story about infant cot death...
A lyric sprang to mind, so I jotted it down.....Then a couple more lines emerged.......
I then went back to my musical note added a lead to help set the tone and give an idea of the melody......
I was now getting in deep so I sent my rough lyric and the music to PJ to see if she could sing the lyrics over the music
I was really pleased with what came back (PJ's a musical genius) so I wrote the rest of the lyrics......
I then recorded a rhythm track with 3 layers of Acoustic guitar in my MBR and sent it to PJ to lay down the vocals.......
I was concerned that the form was not typical but T and some of you guys had said anything goes as long as it works
I then added some more Lead guitar........
Mixed and mastered it with Adobe Audition
Although it's simple I am more than pleased with my first song
The Result is "Hush Now" ..... in post your mp3
https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=5194.0

Once again Thanks guys for giving me the bottle to take the plunge.......
I hope to do more.....  
In the meantime where's my 12 bar blues backers LOL

[upsetminded]

For years I have struggled with the song writing process. I was so jealous of people who just hear music suddenly in their heads and write.

Then suddenly (finally)....
I woke up at 4:00 am the other night hearing tunes, out of nowhere.  Decent one's too!  I stayed awake and ended up writing 3 new songs effortlessly... lyrics and music all at once.

The stuff that came out of that moment is better than anything I methodically struggled to get out for the past 15 odd years.

Don't know where it came from but man I hope it happens again.

[henwrench]

song writing is a little like mental shitting. But don't try too hard! We all know what happened to Elvis when he tried to shit too hard...

                                  henwrench

[Vanncad]

I woke up at 4:00 am the other night hearing tunes, out of nowhere.

That use to happen to me sometimes. I kept a box under my bed and filled it with scraps of paper, each with just a couple lines on them. I would go through those scraps every once in a while, and eventually I would get a song out of them.

The good thing about "scraps" are that you can just arrange them on the floor and get a better "visual" layout of a potential song.

Good for you on your inspirational night! Those are "magic" times.

[OsCKilO]

song writing is a little like mental shitting. But don't try too hard! We all know what happened to Elvis when he tried to shit too hard...

                                  henwrench

I agree totally with that one!!!

[Oldrottenhead]

just watched a programme on bbc1 about dame shirley bassey making her new album, people like richard hawley , gary barlow, manic street preachers  and such wrote songs for her was very interesting and some nice insights into songwriting.

shirley was fantastic cant believe she's 72, hope this doesn't meaning i'm turning gay lol. check it out here on the bbc iplayer  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00p36t8/Imagine_Winter_2009_Dame_Shirley_Bassey_The_Girl_from_Tiger_Bay/