Q: I've got writer's block. Everything I do seems ho-hum, and I can't think of anything to write about. How do I find ideas for songs? How do I get more creative?
A: I did the Artist's Way (Julia Cameron) with my girlfriend 4 years ago... and it wasn't always an easy thing to do, or stay motivated with, but I think it was one of the best things I've ever done. We did it as partners, so we could share the ups and downs... and we took 2 or 3 weeks to work through each chapter. I highly recommend morning pages even if you do nothing else in the book... it just gets the junk out and the flow going.
I aspire to live the most creative life possible, and I love what I do. The process that I experienced going through that book allowed to 'play' at painting. I started writing music again with a friend. I changed my priorities. I write music & play with music & teach music, now I'm experimenting with sonic textures and feels. I like to make new recipes with styles and genres and fusion... until I find something I feel expresses me. I think of my music like pictures... sensations... ideas... sonic poems. I feel like a kid with all the technology at my disposal!
My recommendation for a block is... do something really different. Find a Chinese pop percussion and a classical flute riff and an Indian Sitar and mix em up. Make up a song about lettuce in an Asian pop style. Make up a song about spaghetti in a seriously hip hop style. Just play for a bit, get away from form and structure and genre. Get excited about music again. 15 minutes of play a day and morning pages does wonders for the spirit.
I also listen to LOTS of indie music, signed and unsigned. I'll turn on muchmusic and listen to hiphop and rap, I'll turn on CBC and listen to opera and jazz, I'll turn on my local rock station and listen to that... I'll turn on CMT and listen to country. I have different music in every room of my house ....
There's that old saying... if you want things to change you need to do things differently, shake things up, open your mind to new possibilities. If you can't figure out what to write a song about, write a song about THAT. Just start!!! And don't stop until 5 minutes have gone by... no matter what!!
[...here I am writing my blog and typing away on my keyboard and I got to return that phone call and I gotta remember to ask my friend about dinner on Saturday... oh, if I connect those thoughts..... "Saturday, empty page, without you..."]
hey, now I have an idea for a song! LOL
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
basic rules for songwriting ? :o)
When I was a budding songwriter with dreams of glory I thought I could make the music industry listen to me.... but what I learned - from all the songwriting boards I frequent, and all the wonderful folks I've worked with - is that.... wait for it... I don't need the "commercial music industry" (read: record labels) to do music, or make money in music.
I think the basic rules for any songwriter should be:
a) be true to yourself (but open your mind),
b) study musical forms & songwriting structure,
c) network and collaborate with like-minded people,
d) yes! take lessons to better your skills,
e) wake up every day excited that you get to work on music,
f) copyright your work,
g) understand the biz but don't let it get you down,
h) experiment... think outside the box...
i) have a sense of humour & a sense of fun
j) always keep your word, be professional in attitude and deed
k) get out and listen to live music, from coffee shops to opera houses. Open your mind to the world of music... which extends far beyond North America.
I think the basic rules for any songwriter should be:
a) be true to yourself (but open your mind),
b) study musical forms & songwriting structure,
c) network and collaborate with like-minded people,
d) yes! take lessons to better your skills,
e) wake up every day excited that you get to work on music,
f) copyright your work,
g) understand the biz but don't let it get you down,
h) experiment... think outside the box...
i) have a sense of humour & a sense of fun
j) always keep your word, be professional in attitude and deed
k) get out and listen to live music, from coffee shops to opera houses. Open your mind to the world of music... which extends far beyond North America.
songwriting contests - Yes or No?
No. Winning a songwriting contest will not help you get further in the music industry. Save your money.
Monday, January 02, 2006
the process of writing lyrics...
Q: "I've been writing music for awhile, and would like to write lyrics too. Does anyone know a hard and fast rule, that I could recite to myself that would encapsulate the process of writing?"
A: It's helpful to write every day, journal writing is a good creative 'starter'. Carry a notebook and jot down bits of ideas & phrases & conversations.
When writing:
- think of an image or a feeling or a story
- brainstorm it in a visual way without worrying about structure of any kind
- come up with a 'catch phrase' - 3 to 5 words, that captures the idea you want the song to express... as you write, continue to focus on this one idea
- tell the story of the song as visually as possible,
- avoid 'yoda speak'
- make your lines conversational
- check your grammer
think of a song like a story... we need a setting, characters, 'forward motion', things to 'happen'... try to answer the questions 'who, what, where, when, why'.
when re-writing:
-recognize cliches
- work to develop a consistent rhyme scheme & rythmatic meter in the verses, have a DIFFERENT rhyme scheme and meter in the chorus
- any lyric line should be able to 'stand on its own'
- everything in the song should lead to the 'conclusion' of the hook
Personally, I used to write by sitting down with the guitar and improvising over chord progressions and writing down what felt good. That's okay, but my songs lacked structure. So nowadays I tend to write the lyrics first, and, once they have a solid form/structure, then I start foolin' with music.
Also, know that ALL writers right LOTS of not-so-good stuff and then RE-WRITE... or put it in a drawer (I have a couple stuffed full) LOL
no matter what, keep writing!
A: It's helpful to write every day, journal writing is a good creative 'starter'. Carry a notebook and jot down bits of ideas & phrases & conversations.
When writing:
- think of an image or a feeling or a story
- brainstorm it in a visual way without worrying about structure of any kind
- come up with a 'catch phrase' - 3 to 5 words, that captures the idea you want the song to express... as you write, continue to focus on this one idea
- tell the story of the song as visually as possible,
- avoid 'yoda speak'
- make your lines conversational
- check your grammer
think of a song like a story... we need a setting, characters, 'forward motion', things to 'happen'... try to answer the questions 'who, what, where, when, why'.
when re-writing:
-recognize cliches
- work to develop a consistent rhyme scheme & rythmatic meter in the verses, have a DIFFERENT rhyme scheme and meter in the chorus
- any lyric line should be able to 'stand on its own'
- everything in the song should lead to the 'conclusion' of the hook
Personally, I used to write by sitting down with the guitar and improvising over chord progressions and writing down what felt good. That's okay, but my songs lacked structure. So nowadays I tend to write the lyrics first, and, once they have a solid form/structure, then I start foolin' with music.
Also, know that ALL writers right LOTS of not-so-good stuff and then RE-WRITE... or put it in a drawer (I have a couple stuffed full) LOL
no matter what, keep writing!
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