Writing in a style

I'm no songwriter, but since you have a pretty good life you could always try drawing from personal experience. Another way to go is to find something that makes you happy (small children, animals, doughnuts, politics...whatever) and just write a song about that.

I'm in no way an expert at this . . . I'm very much a novice songwritter, but in my experience, "sounding cheesy" is usually a symptome of a lack of emotional honesty.

I can't give you any recommendations about how to fix it, besides the obvious -- avoid cliches, edit, edit, re-edit, then edit some more, and paying attention to every line to see if a) it carries it's weight, and b) it's what you want to say.

Try changing voice, adding a contrary point of view, or otherwise re-focusing a song you've already written to see if you can't wrestle the cheese away from it.

what you might think is cheesy, someone else might consider deep of uplifting. you should post your happy songs and see what other people have to say about them. it may also give you a better perspective on how to improve them.

Good points all of you and thanks for your input.

I have tried drawing on my own life. But somehow even when I try it seems to either take a dark turn, or I over do it and sound insencere (as Kingpatzer pointed out). Maybe it will just take more trial and error.

I am not a great writer by any means but I think my stuff is decent when I write from a tragic standpoint. I wonder if that is because most of what I have written has been from that area... and once I write from a happy area for a while.. it might be easier to tap both.

Thanks for the responses. Definately given me some ideas to work at.

Geoo

Try taking your tragic stuff and turn it around with sarcasm or some form of humor. Think about the country Christmas song (which I can't remember the name of for the life of me) which has the line in it "Momma got run over by a reindeer". Now in reality that is tragic as can be, but phrasing changes it to be funny.

Or look at Stephen Lynch's stuff. All of his music is based on some form of tragedy like "Special Fred" who is a friend that is brain damaged. Now brain damaged is not funny until you change the context or the moral of the story.

I hope that made sense. I guess another way of saying it is find the bright side of the tragedies you already wrote about.

I just want to say that if you want to write a happy song (and this doesn't only count for happy songs) you have to think about the subject of your song. When you are writing your song don't go further than your subject. When you start whit writing lyrics its easy to take a subject wich you can only see from the bright side like: happy days, the best expierence you've ever had go on. When you become an intermediate songwriter you might try to write about subjects wich you can also see from a dark side: politics, girlfriends :) and much more.
There's just one thing you must never do: take a subject that's almost impossible to look at the bright side like: racism, murders, a broken hearth. You can look at the bright side of this but your song will have two meanings and it will never be a very happy song.

I've seen your songs on the SSG, Geoo, and they're OK as they are....if it ain't broke don't fix it!!! I know what you're getting at though, this year I've written about 20 or so songs for SSG, blues, put-downs, a protest song...one love song, I think!

So maybe you're just developing your own style...and if it works, and it seems to be working so far, stick at it. Inspiration can come when you're least expecting it...that's my experience, anyway!!!

Good luck, I'll see you in the SSG....

:D :D :D

Vic

One of the things I find toughest about writing is that when I write it is always about something sad or disturbing. I have tried to write "happy" music but it always comes out so cheesy and unappealing.

I listen to happy music, mostly. My life aint terribly bad. But I cant get anything positive to come out.

Has anyone over come this or read of some techniques to work it out? I do the Sunday Songwriters Group thing (For the most part) but even what I write there comes out un happy.

Geoo

As the old saying in writing goes: we write about what we experience. When I first started out I use to write very raw, and I'd go off topic by the 2nd verse. I didn't know how to write a good chorus, or let alone make the transition from verse to chorus or chorus to verse. Songwriting takes practice. It took me about over 150 songs before I figured everything out. As mentioned above, do not use cliches. Cliches offset creative writing, and songwriting is about being creative. Always be honest, and make sure every line carries it's weight. Also, if you're going to write a love song, don't be like the other 5 million love songs you see out there. For a few examples on how you'll fit in with the masses: the idea that you're my everything, always on the road being far away from you, when I first saw you etc. Try to be original with a subject thats commonplace in most music. Thats all I could think of for now, but if something else comes to mind I'll be sure to repost. Good luck!