I thought I'd wrap up this Year of the SSG with a two week assignment. What I'd like us to do this week is get our thoughts down about what we're trying to write about. Where the idea came from, the imagery you want to use, the rhyme scheme (which may well change), all the things that normally go on subconsciously.
Second part of the post (and do keep it as one post rather than 2) is to actually turn those ideas into a song.
The process is what we're looking at. How we go from an idea to a song and how it metamorphoses along the way and can end up miles from where we started.
I'm not quite sure what is expected because I am not a writer that can take an idea from nowhere, put it together and write it down in one session.
So right or wrong I am going to use this post as a journal this week and next as I go through the thoughts and see what develops. Bear with me.
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I have been dwelling alot on the fact that my songs tend to be sad and heartfelt. The sadness in life is easier for me to tap into rather than the joys of life. I am not sure why that is, but it is.
So this week I have been listening to alot of Contemporary Christian music lately and I thought it might be a good way to get me writing more positive music. But then my seven year old really crushed my heart today and when I feel musical, its really all I can think about.
So that is where I am at today. Trying to decide with way to go.
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Couple of days have gone by and I have mulled this project around a bit. I've come up with a catchy little progression that is basically D - C - G with some other stuff thrown in to try to make it interesting. Last night I played this over and over again. I do this to get it well into my brain. Towards the end of my session I hummed along with it to see if any feelings would come out. Nothing yet.
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This morning as I was leaving I saw a picture frame on my wall. It is of a potter molding clay into an object, like a cup. It is a spiritual peice with a reference to the bible. I'm going to use this for my song. How God molds us and even though the clay may fall apart at times, He (like the potter) can just start reshaping and forming us. With my focus a little more defined, I now expect to being hearing one liners and feelings that I can add to the song so I can shape it into a complete peice.
Geoo
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
The sadness in life is easier for me to tap into rather than the joys of life.
Yeah, I think that's pretty common. Besides, conflict is more interesting. If you want something more positive, maybe just try making a happy (or happier) ending to a painful song. Then you've got the best of both worlds.
Ice cream is a dish best served cold.
Hey Geoo,
I'm not quite sure what is expected because I am not a writer that can take an idea from nowhere, put it together and write it down in one session.
I dont think the objective is to write it down in one session. My take on the assignment, I think is the same as yours, i.e to articulate the process that you would go through in the course of writing the song, and you've got 2 weeks to write it. Its more about finding out how other people tick. For my part Ive only got the chord progression and a couple of lines that sound good to me so far. But as we get into it I think Bob wants us to post the ideas and thoughts that went into each step.
pbee
Well, to finish this post and lesson..
This is the third straight lesson I have missed for lack of inspiration. That said.. Its a lack of inspiration to a certain style.
My original plan was to write to a different style each week but once I step too far out of my comfort zone I have a really difficult time getting the ideas to flow. So, I am just going to end this lesson. Next week I am going to go back towards my area of writing and realize that I am just not good enough yet to write the style that I would like to be writing.
Geoo
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
Hey G!
I know where you're coming from and it's not a good time. I usually try to sit down with my guitar when I want to change the style of my lyrics. I know a lot of people would frown upon this way of "writing", but my take on it is that once you've created something that is your own (say, a happy tune, for once...a good example for me) you tie this and that to it, thoughts come to you while you play and a few lines are born. This -could- be developed into a song.
Alas, it doesn't always work...
Just a sidenote, am I making any sense and am I even close to describing what you are feeling?
But Geoo, I thought the journal was a truly interesting read, perhaps that should be an assignment next year.. Would be interesting to see where all the thoughts come from, even though the song doesn't make it. Then again, perhaps it should be a project over time, seeing that the assignments usually go over a week and few people here have the time and opportunity to post each day what's and why's as well as lyrics and a finished melody. But I still think it was an interesting read.
"I wish there was an over the counter test for my loneliness"
Just a sidenote, am I making any sense and am I even close to describing what you are feeling?
Yeah I think so. I tend to write songs that are from a sad perspective. Love has been lost, feelings hurt, why arent you there for me like I am for you, type of songs. What I would like to write are upbeat, fun, inspirational, love is great, type of songs.
Funny thing is that my life is pretty darn good and love hasnt really treated me all that bad.. but thats the mood that come out. Maybe its my internal "tone" I hear in my head or my style of voice? In other words, does your vocal style (Either internal or external) have anything to do with the lyrics you write?
Kind of like when you are playing guitar, maybe improvising, and you can hear the next note before you play it... maybe your style of singing influences where what that next lyrics is going to be?
I dont know.. I'm just an amatuer. I might as well be discussing rocket science but its a thought.
I'm very introverted. Can you tell? :D
Geoo
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
Rocket science? That.. thats a good idea, I like that :)
My thoughts on upbeat songs really simmer down to human nature. We're a demanding crowd, we complain and whine and rarely stop to think of how good life is (what I'm doing here is called generalization, I think) or how lucky we are. If anyone is reading this, chances are you own a computer, you have roof over your head and food on the table. Life -could- be worse. Now, I'm not a political or a poetic genious, so for me writing songs with political messages would be like Geoo writing songs about rocket science.. oh, alright, I can't write songs about rocket science either :oops: So, the easiest way to vent frustrations is to write about things I know.. I, too, have an easier time tapping into the sad parts of my life than our good ones, no matter how my life is going at the time of writing.
Err.. I'll have to pause here for a moment and rant on later, work just called, emergency, I'm rushing off!
"I wish there was an over the counter test for my loneliness"
