Song writing.....

[Sprocket]

Ive been doing some reading about song writing lately.

Starting with: How To Write Songs On Guitar by Rikky Rooksby...this is a great book, I will use it as reference as long as Im playing guitar. It reads like the guitar lessons youd wished youd taken, right now Im learning about "triads" which is a lesson most other books seem to avoid...Im finding this book more useful than I had anticipated, but I get the feeling Im gonna learn ALOT more before I begin writing.(which isnt a bad thing at all)

Today I found this and thought Id share, just click on the article title(otherwise it just looks like small paragraphs) http://www.guitarnoise.com/tag/songwriting/
It seems to have alot of really good ideas and suggestions...and there are dozens of articles to read.

[OsCKilO]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmO6fc-FdE

[s.w.goatlips]

This is a bit of a coincidence, because I have been tempted over the last few days to pose similar questions. I was'nt sure if it would be too off topic because it brought with it a massive amount of questions. Lately I have had lyrical ideas literally pouring out of my brain and filling pages of a book that I bought for this specific purpose. Personally I am finding that the ideas for a song (lyrics) are coming much easier than the actual music. Which kind of makes sense to me anyway because I figure that "songs" most likely started as poetry put to music......but that brings with it some tough questions. Like, what is the motivation for doing it in the first place. I also think that it is a major coincidence that this site has been renamed "songcrafter" when most musicians prefer to be known as "artists". Which brings the big debate of "what is Art and what is Craft?" Let's face it. MOST mainstream music these days is motivated by MONEY. And I started writing about that. Lady Ga Ga, Madonna, Marilyn Manson, et al. Is this purely "style" over "substance"? They are all very successful in terms of sale, but do they have something to say? I'm asking, not judging (although I must admit to a healthy dose of cynicism.)

[s.w.goatlips]

I hope I'm not being too boring, or worse, sounding like a preacher, But this stuff has really been grinding in my brain lately.(like I said in my first ever post, I have way too much spare time). But all this stuff does beg a lot of questions. To ME, I find that I am much more engaged by the concept(s) behind a song. It seems to me that I can only write (and therefore relate to) something I know. Every picture tells a story etc. (By the way, my education is predominantly in visual art). However it is a given that a "catchy" tune will capture a lot of people and a lot of cash, no matter what the idea is. (Achy Breaky Heart for example..) .... and so some more questions. Pink just toured here (Australia) recently to much acclaim and financial success. So did Britney Spears, but to much scorn in the press due to her lip-syncing. She still had sell-out shows tho'. Why is it that these guys need 150 dancers snd a trapeze act to sell their music?......Did Kurt Cobain and Marilyn Manson make self harm and suicide a little bit "cool" to a susceptlble young audience? Pearl Jam had very successful shows here too, with a few lights and a few roadies.........I think I'm going crazy!

[OsCKilO]

Mr GoatLips.....



I think the Key is to Chill out and Enjoy the process of making tunes!

Forget what everyone else is doing....

Make Music, and Never buy a CD again....   I think that this is the way that this site moves!!


Peace Bro


Cant wait to hear your stuff...


T(Osckilo)

 

[OsCKilO]

Oh yeah.....

A survey in the U.k of 16 to 21 year olds asked the question :-

"how much would you expect to pay to hear your favourite tune?"


100% answered:-

"Nothing"


There is very little money in recorded music bro....

[OsCKilO]

For anyone but the chosen few...

[tony]

Pink just toured here (Australia) recently to much acclaim and financial success. So did Britney Spears, but to much scorn in the press due to her lip-syncing. She still had sell-out shows tho'. Why is it that these guys need 150 dancers snd a trapeze act to sell their music?

Is that fair?  People like to go and see big shows.  They always have.  I know that when I listen to one person and a guitar I occasionally get the feeling that I would like a rhythm section and maybe horns and a shit hot arranger to put it all together for them.  The pleasures come in different ways.  I like to watch documentaries and my daughter likes Die Hard.  At the risk of sounding clichéd, that's entertainment.

[T.C. Elliott]

Art vs craft is a decent subject to tackle, I think. But there is a difference between a songwriter and a musician. And one does not exclude the other. But, IMO, craft is a decidedly more accurate picture of music making.. especially recording.

You go into the studio and record a song. You have a drummer, a guitarist, a singer, a bassist or keyboarder or both, you have a songwriter, you have an arranger, you have an engineer and you have a producer. Those could all be one person or those could all be separate people. But the roles are there. And no matter how much you are putting into your art, there is a craft.

I in my little basement room use different skills when I write a song then when I record a guitar solo. I also use a different skill set when I mix the song or when I render it. I use yet another skill set when I'm arranging it from acoustic guitar/vox worktape to a full electric version. What part gets played by what instrument? Do I use BGVs (back ground vocals) here, there, everywhere or nowhere? Do I add drums or do I only add a fiddle?

To me this relates to those songwriters who depend primarily on inspiration to write vs those who sit down and have a dedicated time to write. On the surface that would be an indicator of art vs craft. But even those inspired have to work at finishing the song. So both versions include craft... one version possibly more so than the other.
I find, however, that the more I sit and make myself do the work in the songwriting the easier it is for me to be inspired or to find good ideas to write about. Sunday night I decided to write a song and got something that was a bit above average for me. Three years ago that wouldn't have been likely to happen. I'd have to wait until I was in line at the grocery store or wherever I happened to be for inspiration to strike and then hope I remembered it long enough to get to the guitar.

I like being a songwriter and I enjoy the craft that is required to further my art.

[Tony W]

Piggy, thats heavy. Great post.