Tips on writing music
The Music -
Here are some suggestions I have for studying and researching the subject of songwriting:
- Go to the NSAI website and check out the workshops there. Consider joining NSAI.
- go to Ultimate Songwriting.com and check out the books on this page http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com/songwriting-books.html
- Study the lyrical and musical forms and rhythmic structures of songs YOU love. How many lines in the verse and chorus? How many beats in the lines? How did they make a "bridge"? How did they end the song? What was the musical "riff" that makes you think of the song?
- Try taking a song you love and putting your own lyrics to that song's music. You can't, of course, end up using that music, but you can structure your song the same way. Then you put new music to your lyrics.
Do you have any other thoughts, questions, websites or insights? Please join the conversation and click COMMENT.
Btw... another of my absolutely favorite songwriters is Hugh Prestwood. ("The Song Remembers When", "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone", etc.)
Labels: Songwriting
2 Comments :
At February 22, 2008 at 1:37 PM ,
Billy Robbins said...
One Saturday night back stage at the Ryman Auditorium when the Grand Ole Opera originated there, while Hank Williams the 1ST was sitting on and about to totter off of a stool, Miss Minnie Pearl walked over to him and asked “Hank, how do you find the motivation to write all your songs”?
His answer was, “Miss Minnie, I don’t write these songs; I just take my pen in hand and The Good Lord writes them for me.”
So in my opinion, the greatest (Country) song writer ever depended on the Creator to guide his song writing.
At February 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM ,
Unknown said...
Yes, I happen to believe this is literally true. If it is a good song, God sent the thoughts. We get to participate and send it on through to our pencils, pens, computer keyboards and voices to someone who will, in some way, be better off from hearing the song.
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