Archive for January, 2009
“Songwriting Techniques” By Ken Hill
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Songwriting Techniques
By Ken Hill
In the article that I wrote (21 Songwriting Tips), we explored many different ways to expand our musicianship as a whole. Songwriting Techniques takes us a step inward, focusing on the art of welding a song that used to exist only in our minds.
No need for music theory here. This article merely examines the foundation of songwriting and offers alternate perspectives on how to construct a song.
As with all my articles, only take the tips that are relevant with you and your style of music. These techniques do not apply to every form of music, because many different styles seem to clash with others. Discard the parts that you don’t agree with.
Foundation of Music
How tricky. I’m going to explain music while staying away from music theory as much as possible! By all means, if you know music theory, it can only help you as long as you don’t abuse it. Still, many great musicians have existed without ever laying one eyeball on a piece of sheet music. The foundation of most songs have these things in common…
1) Rhythm.
Rhythm, in this instance, refers to the skeleton that holds the guts of your tune. It is the chord structure that lays the groundwork throughout the song. Without a good or interesting rhythm section, you song will lack some serious oomph.
2) Lead.
The lead is the instrument that carries the listener through the song. Quite often the rhythm repeats and with some genres of music, quite monotonously. Without a lead to push the song forward, there will not be movement in the song and people could get bored rather quickly.
The lead is usually distinguished as being the highest pitched part of your song. If it is not the highest, then it is most likely the loudest. In many songs, a vocal or a guitar solo usually take the lead.
Imagine removing vocals and solos from most of the music that you hear on the radio. Most of the songs would be much less interesting! The lead is one of the most tricky and important parts of the song.
A good rhythm lays the foundation. From the foundation, the lead is usually the instrument to make it soar, or fall apart terribly. The lead only has one restriction. In most cases, it is only limited by the foundation of the rhythm. If the lead can be free while adhering to the bonds of the rhythm, then your song will be all the better.
3) Bass.
If the bass is doing it’s job correctly (excluding a bass solo), it should be supporting the rhythm while building interesting (or at least avoiding poor) harmonies from the lead. I would say that the two most prominent tones of a song are the highest and lowest pitch and their relationship to each other.
It’s like a cheeseburger. The rhythm is the bun that holds it together. The lead is the meat that tastes so great! The bass is the cheese that gives it that extra zing. The last two parts, the percussion and the ghost are all the extra condiments like ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions or whatever your individual particular taste is.
4) Percussion.
Notice I said that percussion was a condiment. That’s because you can get away without percussion. It’s like ketchup. Most people like ketchup but some don’t much care for it.
I, personally, must have ketchup in my burgers, oops! That’s off topic (mmm, making me hungry!)
For some musical styles, great percussion is essential. A choir could benefit from percussion but does not necessarily need it. A rap song thrives on a great percussion. No need to explain what percussion is. Drums, bongos or basically anything that has some sort of impact that is timed to give it some sort of groove. It may even be a sample repeated in rhythm.
5) Ghost.
Ghost? What the heck?! This is one element that does not have to be in your song, but is highly recommended. Ghost instruments usually shine after a person has listened to your song many times. These are those little tunes and riffs that you never even noticed the first few times you heard it.
A good ghost note should add in a new subtle depth to your song that could not be attained through the other four categories. It should personalize your music with your individual flair. A good ghost sequence should make the listener feel like if it weren’t there, your song would feel just a little more empty.
When people hear a song they love for the tenth time and notice a sequence that they never noticed before, then you’ve successfully added a ghost sequence.
Now What?
So now what? You have the five foundations of music. What do you do with them? How do you start? That is a tricky question that I can’t answer. Sometimes a great song starts with an awesome chord progression from the rhythm, sometimes its the vocalist who comes up with a great melody line (the lead), sometimes its a funky groove, sometimes even a funky bass.
Doubtfully will it spawn from a ghost sequence. They are usually added in the end. Though songs have spawned from many different places, I will cover them in order starting with the…
Intro
For me, I usually write the introduction last. That’s okay, no matter how you do it, I’m just going to give you some different ideas on how to start your song.
*Synchronicity.
In many cases, the first four foundations come out at the same time. This gives your song a feel of a strength from the beginning. It goes from 0 – 60 in 0 seconds. There is no loss of momentum (although there is no build of momentum either).
*Lead first.
Vocals, or a lead instrument begins the song. It will feel empty because it’s not supported by any of the other four foundations. That’s okay in this case. The feel of this idea is to make your the lead ‘naked’, to expose it like it could never be exposed before. Once you have bared the soul of the lead, usually the other foundations are quick to follow. Many slow songs will have a lead begin the music.
*Rhythm first / Percussion first / Bass first.
No need to sub categorize these. They are all about the same idea. Buildup. Start with any of these three foundations and build off of them, usually a lot quicker than if the lead came in first.
*Veered off the road.
Some songs veer off the road to lead the song in. These are usually deceptive ideas to make the listener feel that it is one style or type of song when it is entirely something else. Sometimes it is also a series of sound effects (wind, rain, door slamming, cars, commotion, talking, etc.). Veering off the road is tricky, as it can turn a person off if it is too long or annoying. Have a distinct reason for every part, don’t just mumble.
*Light Weight.
Lightweight involves using instruments that are usually ‘lighter’ than the core instrumentation of the song. For a light song, the ‘lightness’ might come from the slowed tempo, or less articulation with the playing of the chords. In a hard rock song, it might start with a piano or an acoustic guitar. When the song fully comes to terms, it would then switch over to a distorted guitar playing the same rhythm, or a modified form of the same rhythm. This allows the lead to continue on without having to change the overall feel of the song.
*Heavy Weight.
Blast them with a stroke of sheer power. Then when you think they are on the brink of explosion, drop it off into a much lighter form of instrumentation. Heavy weighting the song usually comes in strong, and builds up even stronger. Just when you think it’s about to hit the climax, it will completely drop off, only to be resolved (or visited again) way later in the song.
The Rest of the Song
I’m sure most of you know what a chorus and verse is. There are common song structures, but I’m not going to go over that. You all should know the standard and if your music would like to follow that standard or veer away. What I’m going to introduce are some new ways to enhance your music. I’m not including mixing techniques, just a handful of musical ideas to make your songs more creative.
*Morphing.
Morphing a melody is a great way to introduce a new instrument. Basically, two instruments are playing the same thing, but one has no volume and the other has full volume. Slowly turn the volume down on one instrument (decrescendo) while the other gains volume (crescendo). It will make the instrument appear to morph in.
*Switcharoo.
Another nice idea is when two instruments are playing two different parts. Switch the parts around to let the other instrument take the lead.
*Dropoff.
Stop the music at once. This will create a tension. It should resolve rather quickly or you’ll lose the effect. This can be very powerful if used right.
*Invention.
As one instrument finishes the first measure, a new instrument plays the exact same thing on the second measure while the first instrument continues it’s path. Here’s an example… (imagine these are being sung at the same time)
Instrument 1: Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world…
Instrument 2: Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what…
*Texture layering.
Two to five synths all play the same part. Every synth has it’s own distinctive sound. This will make it sound like one huge sweeping synth. You can even layer other instruments (guitar, voice, etc) at the exact same pitch to give it a humanistic uniqueness. If the lead is layering with the texture, then it can later branch off to establish itself.
*Swirling Pans.
Can be used with texture layering. Basically as one instrument pans completely to the left, another one is going right. They will appear to swirl around in circles around the listener.
*Veer off the road.
Let your music veer off the road briefly to introduce a strange tension. As soon as they begin to feel a little lost, snap back into place.
*Creative ghost uses.
Extremely light vocals which say interesting things. Complex instrumentals that are barely heard. Be creative with the way you sequence your ghost tracks.
*Drone.
Does not always have to be droney. This could simply be keeping the bass in a stationary position as the music revolves around different chords which include the bass note.
*Escalate.
Escalating is when the pitches gradually get higher and higher. This is usually a way to add a climatic part to your song. Don’t overdo it and this idea could either be used rather quickly or very slowly. Make the escalate interesting by having the part do interesting things while the climax builds. Escalating is used a lot with choruses as well, since that usually designates the central theme of the song.
*Going downstairs.
Opposite of escalating. The pitches slowly creep downwards. This usually happens to take down a highly charged section of a song.
*X movement.
While one instrument escalates, another creeps downward. This will allow the new instrument to take the center stage.
General Tips
*Be efficient.
Say exactly what you’re trying to say without rambling off topic. A great motivational speaker leads the conversation the entire time. He (or she) speaks with authority and charisma. From that strength, comes the wisdom to use powerful word combinations and compelling dialogue.
The motivational speaker is leading the audience through a world of ideas which exist only in their heads. If he begins to ramble, he begins to lose control of where he is leading them. The vivid imagery begins to get confusing, and the message may get lost.
Music is very much the same. By all means, being efficient does not mean making an overly simple song. It just means you should only put in the music that reflects what you’re trying to say. Don’t shove too many ideas out at once, or they will be too thin and scrappy to enjoy.
Cut the fat off the steak. Let them enjoy the parts that are relevant.
*Have movement.
Movement usually comes from the lead, or a solo. Movement is the reason why the listener will play your song over and over.
Let’s face it, if your song is four measures long and your repeat it throughout endlessly without any changes whatsoever it will have little to no movement (which may be okay if you’re writing a jingle or a video game soundtrack). Even trance music will have tones and textures that evolve slowly to give it movement.
It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if…AAAA! I can’t take it anymore!
Movement is what usually makes your songs come alive.
*Endless movement.
A few people enjoy listening to endless movement, but for the most part- people enjoy being able to relate to a central structure. What I mean by endless movement is a song that never quite establishes a central mood or theme. It keeps running, and the listener is usually spending the entire time trying to play catch up, never being able to fully immerse themselves into a feeling because it moves too much.
Imagine a song that is written like this (don’t think lyrically. Just picture the mood of this rhyme, and compare it to the mood of a song).
The cell is dark and black,
my teeth are gritting with rage,
a little girl eats her ice cream,
dancing along the street,
because I love you,
oh baby, you’re as sweet as can be,
as pretty as the sea,
so get on the dance floor,
I want to see you shake your booty,
yeah, yeah,
and let the slaying begin.
I hate this place.
You’re cute.
This will definitely send mixed signals to the listener. Some will find it to be awe inspiring (there are always people who love things that are way different), but most people will not be able to relate. The mood jumps too much. The message that you are trying to say will be twisted, because it never situates itself.
The mood has not been established.
*Going to the Movies.
Music and movies have a lot in common. Both have a catalog of different genres that different types of styles fall into. Both try to emotionally connect with the people who are experiencing it. Both use many of the same concepts to wrap the audience.
For instance, some songs start with a “heavy weight”, which means that they start off extremely hard. Slowly, the music begins to ascend to something even harder but just before it reaches that point, it will drop off into the core of the song (which is usually much lighter at first), only to revisit that same tension later on in the song. Many movies start off strong to capture the audience.
After the strength of the movie has been shown, it will usually drop off into something completely tame. The tension will be later visited but it will also resolve. So the next time you write a song, think about how it would be as a movie. You will notice many similarities, and you can even use concepts from movies in your music.
Be creative, and you’ll see what I mean.
*Say the same thing in different ways.
If your song tends to repeat, perhaps you should consider a very slight variation. It could be the singers tone, or one little note that switches it up. Although this doesn’t apply in every situation, it’s always nice to keep repeating melodies interesting.
*The art of fish hooking.
For most songs, the art of introducing the hook is the best way to catch the fish. Sometimes the hook is blatantly there, sometimes it is hidden only to be revealed later. The great thing about using a hook in your song is that you have established the central theme in which to build upon.
As you build upon that theme, make sure you do it in such a way that it establishes itself as an individual and not a grain of sand in a desert full of overused hooks.
Well, that’s it for now. I’m sure I could write a 100 page book of the little intricacies of songwriting. These are the simple basics, and I hope that some of them will help you in your future endeavors. Until next time, happy songwriting!
About The Author
Ken Hill is an electronic/new age composer under the name of Soulwire. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas about this article, please be sure to e-mail him at soulwire@gmail.com or send a myspace message at his page, http://www.myspace.com/soulwire
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
PS: Feel free to download my FREE eReport “11 Ways To Eliminate (Song) Writers Block FOREVER!”
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, writing, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting help, songwriting resource, songwriting blog, songwriting zen, songwriting technique, corey stewart
FAWM Is Approaching – Are You In?
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London
It’s almost that time of year again where we sharpen up our pencils, clean out our ears, tune up our instruments, calibrate our home recording equipment and prepare ourselves to test our songwriting processes to an inch of its life.
Yes, it’s FAWM time.
For those who don’t know, FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month and the deal is, to write an albums worth of material in the month of February, which is set at 14 songs in 28 days. You can find out more about this brilliant songwriting concept by going to www.fawm.org.
On the FAWM website it describes the concept in this way:
“This is the club. Each February, FAWM.ORG forges a collaborative
community where thousands of musicians of all walks and skill levels
write an album’s worth of material in the shortest month of the year.
That’s roughly one tune every other day. “Fawmers” are a mix of music
professionals, students, homemakers, and folks who work dayjobs but
rock nightclubs.”
The website is easy to navigate and is very straightforward with its information. My suggestion is that you sign up (it’s free, no catch) and participate. Later on in the year they also run something called 50/90 (50 Songs In 90 Days) but we’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.
There is no real point to FAWM. It’s not a contest and no-one gets judged, it’s a concept which tests us as songwriters. How is our songwriting process? Are we ready to tackle inspiration, the muse head-on?
I’m going to give it a go, are you? Let me know if you do.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: fawm, 50/90, songwriting, songwriter, songwriting tip, songwriting process, songwriting idea, songwriting help, songwriting zen, songwriting blog, corey stewart
Even More Songwriting Tips From Ken Hill
Today I rediscovered the third installment of the series of songwriting tips by New Age composer Ken Hill called “Songwriting Tips Part 3 – Writers Block”.
It proved a bit of a challenge to find as well as another article called “Songwriting Techniques” which I’ll post very soon.
Again Ken Hill gives us the disclaimer about the information contained in his series of articles:
“Not every tip will apply to your particular style, so take what works for you and discard the rest.”
Here is “Songwriting Tips Part 3 – Writers Block” for your enjoyment.
By Ken Hill
It is not necessary to read them first to benefit from these current tips, but “21 Songwriting Tips” covers the most generalized ground and builds an excellent foundation. Each successive article becomes more articulate and specific.
Writing an article can be tricky because I have to address the fact that I’m referring to tips to help you increase the strength of your artwork and art in itself is a very subjective thing! There is an old saying that goes, “My truth is not your truth”. The same must be applied with this article.
So I’m going to give you the standard disclaimer. Not every tip will apply to your particular style, so take what works for you and discard the rest.
One more note. I have been receiving wonderful responses to my other articles. If you find these tips handy, please feel free to e-mail me. It’s always great to know if what I’m writing is reaching out.
It may take me some time to respond back, as it’s becoming common to become overwhelmed with e-mails regarding songwriting, as well as my music.
So yeah, blahbity blah blah. Are you still reading this or did you skip ahead already? Okay then! On with the show!
Tip #40: Writers Block Blues: Acknowledgment is empowerment!
Picture this. An illustrator is flustered beyond belief. In his trashcan are hundreds of crumpled up papers of “failed” works. He is trying to draw a house, but to no avail. Again, he grabs a new piece of paper, shakes his aching wrists and begins to draw a line. After a minute he stops and examines his work. He has successfully drawn a very cool looking cube.
“This is no good!” he screams, crumples up the paper and tosses it into the trashcan with his other crumpled friends. Somehow, it is all uninspiring to him. His last illustration of a house was to die for. And now… nothing.
What has happened to the illustrator has happened to every single one of us who compose regularly. It’s the dreaded writers block! That’s great news! Well, it’s not great news that you are having writer’s block, but it’s great news to know that you are not alone!
The first step to overcoming writer’s block is to acknowledge that you have it! You see, it’s not the pictures of the houses that’s the problem. It’s the illustrator. For some reason, he cannot become inspired. The reasons are many.
He could have just written something so amazing that he feels like he can never achieve that type of excellence again. He could just be drawing up blanks. He could even be too involved in his work to the point of mind tingling numbness! Whatever the case may be, acknowledge the fact that you have writers block and stop throwing your work into the trash!
It’s probably not the music, so keep your “uninspired” works. You may realize you were doing something ingenious later on when your mind is clearer.
Summary: Acknowledge it when you have writer’s block so you don’t lose too many great ideas! The sooner you can come to terms with it, the sooner you can fight back and get back on track!
Tip #41: Writers Block Blues: Drawing a house starts with one line.
What can we learn from Mr. Illustrator from Tip #40? We can learn a lot! That’s the great thing about mistakes! Well, I consider throwing away tons of paper a mistake! Not only did that poor tree die for nothing, there may have been tons of great ideas that got sent through the shredder because they were done halfheartedly.
That’s a different tip from part 2 of songwriting tips, which clearly states (I’m the songwriting lawyer, mwahaha) that you should never throw away your ideas! Save them! You might find a home for them later.
Drawing a house starts with one line. Writing an article starts with one word. Writing a song starts with one note. You cannot possibly write a song as great and awe-inspiring as your last song if you do not give it enough time to become something! Ideas must be nurtured in order for them to grow correctly.
Mr. Illustrator has been throwing away multiple drawings of cubes before he finished them as houses! Here’s the trick that will help those who are having writers’ block because they feel they cannot achieve the level of expression of previous songs. YOU NEVER WILL!!! Just kidding. Actually, let me tag something on that. YOU NEVER WILL IF YOU DO NOT GIVE YOUR IDEAS A PLACE TO GROW.
You may feel uninspired by the first note. You may feel uninspired by the first several hundred notes. Keep cracking away and don’t give up! Greatness may not be achieved until the thousandth note.
Mr. Illustrator may have become inspired by his picture had he drawn in the windows, chimney, grass, maybe tossed in a mad cow to reflect his frustrated feelings. He might have found an inner vision and rekindled the flame!
Don’t give into the evil writer’s block ghosts which whisper in your ear, “Thhiiiiiis stiiiiiiinks…. throoooow it awaaaaaay….” Like the movie, “A beautiful mind”, you’ve got to ignore those pesky voices in your head and focus purely on the music.
Like a wet candle, it may take some time, but if you keep igniting away, it will eventually burn! So don’t give up and stop trying to jump up an entire flight of stairs all at once. You’ll definitely trip and fall down! Take it one step at a time.
Summary: Take it one line at a time. Stop trying to see the whole picture. The picture will make itself clear after enough lines are connected. Don’t listen to ghosts, unless you think it’s cool. Writer’s block is like a wet candle. Ramen is a very tasty wet noodle.
Tip #42: Writer’s Block Blues: The hit song writer!
Many times people approach songwriting in the totally wrong way by thinking, “Now I’m going to write a hit song!” Got writer’s block, did ya? Can’t blame you.
Deciding to write a hit song is like an ad campaign deciding that they’re going to really win the crowd by deciding to write the most effective ad ever. When would you not want to write an ad as effective as possible, and how is it possible that the company can turn on the “most effective ad ever made” button on and off at will?
More importantly, if you’re having writer’s block, how is this decision going to help your music?
It makes more sense that the goal of a songwriter who writes for the audience is to make an emotional connection with that particular audience. This connection is made through musical ideas and gestures that evolve in time to captivate the listener to a particular feeling.
Many other nonmusical factors (promotions, quality, ease of purchase, etc.) will be the determining factors of a hit song. Don’t choke your thoughts up with the end process. Deciding to write a hit song is not decision that most of us can make, and it may make you a nightmare critic!
You might hold a magnifying glass up to every inch of musical space, evaluate, and tear apart many great ideas from over analyzation. Just be yourself. If you know how to promote your product, promote the living daylights out of it.
If it becomes a hit song, all the merrier. If it doesn’t, at least you had a great time writing great music. I think it’s just about every musician’s dream to have a hit song. Still, that is the byproduct of something that is more important to the musically stumped songwriter.
Discover the essence of the song instead.
Summary: Writing a hit song is a nice gesture, but can get in the way of your focus on the music. This applies to other methods of thought too. Stay away from “I’m going to write an even better song than my last” or “I’m going to write the best song ever” or “This next song will be the one that makes me millions”.
Don’t focus on the outcome of your music. Right now, focus on the actual point of your next song by the ideas that would embellish it.
Tip #43: Writers Block Blues: Oh My Bloody Eyeballs!
If your eyes are bloodshot, it’s time to take a break! Right now. Go ahead. Go to sleep. Read this article in the morning. What? You’re still reading this? Figures!
Let’s presume I love crystal lemmings. All day, I tell my friends about these crystal lemmings that I make. When I’m at work, I tell all my coworkers, “Man, I make these cool crystal lemmings! Let me tell you how I do it!” When I get home, I spend hours making hundreds of crystal lemmings.
It’s nearly midnight and your eyeballs have become bloodshot from all the squinting that you had to do to make those cute miniature animals. Time to create something new, right? In most cases, WRONG! Get some sleep and take a break! Burn out is a great way to get writer’s block.
Find the time of day that you feel that you are most creative and try to structure your “creation process” around those key times. Perhaps it’s not a key time, but a key moment! That’s perfectly alright too!
When it comes to composing, the key to a great song may very well lie in your state of mind more than anything else. Know thyself. The more you understand about you, the better off you are.
Summary: Find the perfect creative times/moments and build a structure around them. Don’t burn yourself out or you will very susceptible to writer’s block. Know and understand yourself and what inspires you as a songwriter. Build around those inspirations. Know thyself!
Tip #44: Writer’s Block Blues: DUH!
Duh…
Dmmmm…..uhhhh…dooh…
FOCUS!
Dahabba?
Summary: Duh…(Translated: “If your brain is drawing blanks”) Dmmmm…..uhhhh…dooh… (Translated: “then you must find a way to”) FOCUS! Dahabba? (Translated: “Tinker around with your instrument or listen to some great music on CD/MP3. When your brain latches on to something, stop whatever it is that you’re doing and figure out why it hooked you. Now build off that idea into your own song. Analyze. Analyze. Analyze. Sounds easy doesn’t it…. habba?”)
Tip #45: Writer’s Block Blues: Be a vision!
Example 1:
You’re walking through the jungle. Birds are chirping. You are wet from walking through the marshes. You hear a crocodile roar. It is very scary.
Example 2:
The sun’s light barely pierces through the jungle’s dense clutching grasp. The endless echo of screeching birds mimic and mock your fears which have become a reality. You are lost. With every swish through the murky waters, you hear the low rumbling of crocodiles on the prowl. And then, as you take your next step you hear a SNAP! You scream like a whelping dog as you clutch your chest and…
I’m stopping here! Which example is more effective when it comes to painting a picture? I would say that most people would say example 2!
Well, I hope that’s what most people would say. It took me a whole 10 minutes to write it. Well, that’s why I’m a musician and not a writer! I bet some of you wanted to know what happened? Don’t worry! You just stepped on a twig and got startled. You weren’t eaten. Or maybe I’m just saying that to keep this article PG!
How does this relate to writer’s block? It’s all about a vision.
I did not know what exactly I was going to write. As soon as I wrote about the “jungle’s dense clutching grasp”, it made it easier for me to picture something dreaded and haunting. I rode with the idea and decided to embellish it with adjectives that fit the general mood.
Sometimes, to defeat writer’s block all you need is a vision to focus upon. For example: I once wrote a song about a war. The entire song, although there were no lyrics, had a very precise vision in mind while I was writing it. The vision that I had, allowed me to already determine the way I would like it arranged.
If you, as a songwriter, use a specific vision in mind, your framework may very well become more evident.
If you can’t find a vision, write a song about example 2! Write about the way it made you feel. Let the beginning of the song reflect the first sentence. As you can see, this vision would most likely start off very dreary but most likely build up into something with a bang (especially the “clutching the chest” part)!
You can do this idea with any story, movie, or other idea. Take those same emotions that you get, and turn it into a musical vision of your very own.
Summary: Try having a distinct vision in mind when writing a song. The more precise that this is, the easier it will be to determine the framework of the song.
Tip #46: Writer’s Block Blues: Less can be more!
When writing a next song, make some rules! That’s right! Make some sort of incapacitating rule that forces you to use your creativity! I know I know. A lot of you people out there don’t like rules.
Well guess what? If you’re writing western based music (American music), you’re following rules whether you like it or not! There are 12 notes in a chromatic scale. Tons of songs only use 7 notes per song, in different octaves (these 7 notes would be referred to as a diatonic scale).
Whether or not you knew this is irrelevant. You’re still following the rules. Yes, there are exceptions (key changes, modal borrowing, etc. etc.) but even as you follow those exceptions, there has been a rule made about it.
If you really want freedom from rules then stop playing scales. Play any note you want to, and stop tuning your instruments, because they hold you down to the same 12 notes! If you’re playing a guitar, get rid of your frets, because that’s limiting! Chances are, the music will be so open that it will not sound very clean or good (unless you are just the master!).
Even more so, chances are you will probably have an even harder time coming up with something original that reflects your personality because you will discover some “pitch issues” that sound very bad to the ear.
Strangely, you may not realize, but if you limit yourself, you’ll actually find more freedom than going to opposite. Here’s an example, because I know you all love examples.
Example 1:
Draw me something really creative, and unlike anything that you’ve ever drawn before, with whatever you like however you want to do it.
Example 2:
Draw me a picture of the sky using only 2 colored pencils of your choice, none of them being blue.
Most people who are told to draw anything will most likely draw things they already know. As a musician, do you want to write new songs this way? That’s up to you to decide. If you’re having writer’s block, though, this changes the spectrum. Too much openness could very well be part of the problem.
Example 2, much like a vision but in an entirely different perspective, will give you a focus that will allow you to write something very creative, expressive, and in an entirely different light. This intense focus might be exactly what you needed to unlock your creative juices!
Now combine tip #44 & #43 and you’ll have a great basis for a new song!
Summary: Limiting yourself can be a great way to release yourself, by forcing you to make creative choices. What’s more interesting to you? Would you rather read a story written by an author who was writing about anything or by an author who had to write a comedy story in haiku format about a deranged painter with a gambling problem? Be creative with the limitations and have fun with the rules. Limitations can be quite fun!
Tip #47: Writer’s Block Blues: Read the other tips
How terrible is this? I’m writing a tip telling you to read my other tips. You know, there very well could be a tip that you may not have read that could help you get through your writer’s block! Read my other songwriting tips and see if there isn’t something else you could be doing.
While you’re at it, read other songwriting tips as well.
Read books on the music industry, your chosen instrument, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and whatever else you think is cool! Read, read, read! You can never learn too much! Musicians and authors have a ton in common, so reading can help release ideas, even if it has nothing to do with music! Write a song based inspired from a book you loved. Okay, this tip is mixing with the #45 vision tip.
Summary: READ! The more you know, the more you know of what you don’t know! Then you can read up on that too. 
You might be surprised how much you can learn from a couple of books. Be sure to take notes!
Tip #48: Writer’s Block Blues: Mind, Body, Soul Training: The Mind.
Writer’s block is a problem that you can fight! Be like Rocky and take a walloping, scream the name of your significant other and then knock writer’s block out! Let’s start with wiping it out of your mind!
Try meditation, especially to music. Try some yoga! Get plenty of sleep. Clear your mind. Let it become free. Now, begin to focus, not from the mind that is weighed down by 50,000 thoughts of what has happened today, but by one thought.
One pure and simple thought that, much like a dream, will evolve and change as it continues. Ever notice how creative dreams are? It’s not because you’re trying to be creative, nor is it because you’re concentrating the living daylights out of yourself, struggling to get a cool idea. Dreams are wonderful because they are a perfect example of how we can be creative by letting go. Let your subconscious to some talking, and let your consciousness turn those words into music.
Let it go.
Let it…
go…
Summary: Dreams are clear indicators that some of our most creative processes happen when we let go. Learn to use this to your advantage. Stop clenching your brain!
Tip #49: Writer’s Block Blues: Mind, Body, Soul Training: The Body
Don’t neglect your body! Exercising can release very cool endorphins that allow you to feel vitalized and sharp! Take your vitamins and eat good foods. Take a physical form of expression to counterbalance the mental form of music.
I have been doing martial arts for over 10 years now, and it balances my music very well! Stretch! Feel good about yourself! If your body is vitalized with energy (AKA. If you are in shape), not only will you feel much greater, you may notice a change in your self-esteem.
This change will very well reflect a change in your music as well as on stage performances!
Summary: Have a good self-image. Feel good about yourself. Self-esteem can play a factor on stage performance as well as overall compositions. Do physical activities that make you feel good about yourself.
Tip #50: Writer’s Block Blues: Mind, Body, Soul Training: The Soul
My goodness, get your bills straightened out! Why didn’t you pay the phone bill last month? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Your personal life reflects in your music life very much! If there is high stress in your life, you very well may get writer’s block for long periods of time!
The soul needs to be nurtured like a baby! This means you need to pamper yourself! Find ways to remove stress from your life. Stress is a heavy hitter when it comes to writer’s block.
Yes, those hardships can turn into excellent songs, and music may be just the key to helping you to express those feelings. We’re talking about writer’s block though. That means, stress is the reason why you can’t write. So, if you can turn your problems into music, then this is a redundant tip!
Get your loans consolidated. See a counselor if you have to. Do whatever it takes to remove as much stress from your life as possible. Stress is usually up to no good, and it only complicates and makes life more miserable. It must be destroyed!
So there you have it. There’s ten tips to fight writer’s block. The power is in you to write music again and love it! Keep it up, for all musicians everywhere! Arrrr! Fight the good fight! Don’t let writer’s block claim another frustrated minute!
About The Author
Ken Hill is an electronic/new age composer under the name of Soulwire. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas about this article, please be sure to e-mail him at soulwire@gmail.com or send a myspace message at his page, http://www.myspace.com/soulwire
What do you think?
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: writers block, songwriters block, songwriting, songwriter, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting zen, songwriting technique, songwriting help, songwriting blog, corey stewart
Inspiration Through Change
Just wanted to let you know how things were going with the changing of my work/creative space.
After getting my home office/music room set up the way I wanted, my next step is to reformat both my admin and audio computers.
I have been very busy over the last few days but now I’m at the stage in which I can start working and creating again.
Another resolution I made for 2009 was to attempt to use open source software as much as I can in my working and creative life. I’ve installed Kubuntu on my admin system and Ubuntu Studio on my audio system.
Kubuntu is working fine and I now have my computer looking like an open source version of my old Windows XP install however, what I’m most keen to have a closer look at is Ubuntu Studio.
Ubuntu Studio is a stand alone audio, graphics and video suite that is 100% open source.
It’s its own operating system with a very long list of features and programs included in the package. I promise I’ll keep you all informed on my progress, learning and using Ubuntu Studio.
The reason why I’m telling you this is because, through changing my work/creative environment and now completing the computer reistallations I’ve given myself a new lease of creativity and freedom.
I’m excited again and ready to get back into writing songs again with much gusto.
The old adage of “a change is as good as a holiday” rings very true in my life at the moment but to achieve the same effect in your songwriting process doesn’t mean you have to make any drastic changes.
In her article “Time For Change – Expanding Your Songwriting Process” Andrea Stolpe says that changing your songwriting process often is important because “keeping the ideas fresh and flowing often requires a lot of flexibility. It’s easy to suddenly find ourselves in a dead space, a plateau where all the shimmer is gone from our ideas”
Some recommendations she makes are:
- If you write music first, try words first (and vice versa)
- Try writing on piano instead of guitar
- Let your musicality take over
- Write little motifs, and songwriting ideas
- Get out of your comfort zone
Just as changing my whole way of doing business and being creative (new environment/new operating system) has sparked inspiration and excitement you too can give yourself and your songwriting a fresh start just by doing something a little different.
Inspiration through change. Hmmm, has a nice ring to it.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: kubuntu, ubuntu studio, open source, songwriting, songwriter, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting blog, songwriting resource, corey stewart
Home Is Where The Muse Lives
First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic new year. I’m excited about 2009 and I hope the new year is behaving itself for you so far.
As mentioned last year in my post “My Plans For 2009″ I moved my external office back home again. I took last week out to do it and finished everything by the weekend.
What a load off my mind.
Why did I do this? Well, I needed the change and even though I was able to seperate work and home by having an external office, I realised that my work (singer/songwriter/musician/webdev/blogger) was doing things that I love to do and therefore, my work is my life and not external of it.
I found that after a while, working away from home made me feel isolated from my homebase and the demarcation between worklife and homelife became a hinderence to my creativity and not the enhancement that I wanted.
I also realised that being creative requires a commitment from me to being present in my life. My previous work situation prevented this from happening. Some songwriters work well in an external office environment but I don’t, and it took me just under a year to figure it out.
Living and working at home has made writing songs a lot easier. Already I’ve started to pick up the guitar again and noodle around some songwriting ideas. I feel more inspired by being at home, work seems less functional and more holistic and creative.
For me, writing songs isn’t something that I can clock on and off to. Songwriting is my life and my life starts from the security and comfort of home. I’m glad I’ve figured this out now because I just know that great things are going to be happening this year.
A secure and comfortable creative environment can only lead to inspired output. Even though I may from time to time, travel into uncharted territory and steer myself out of my comfort zone in my quest to be as present in my life as possible, it’s good to know that I can always come home at the end of the day.
Home maybe where the heart but for this songwriter, it’s also where the muse lives.
Have a great 2009.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, writing, songwriting tip, songwriting blog, songwriting idea, songwriting resource, songwriting zen, corey stewart
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