Songwriting & Beyond…

I didn’t want to be writing about this at all, but I almost felt compelled to do it.

Most of you are probably waking up to the sad news that Michael Jackson died yesterday in his home in Los Angeles, USA. As a singer, musician and songwriter, I can say that there are only a handful of artists that have inspired me to do what I do… one of them is certainly Michael Jackson.

I’d like to this this opportunity to send all of our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends around the world. I’d also like to ask everyone reading this post to keep ‘on point’ and not digress to the scandals and controversy that have surrounded him over his career.

The reason I feel it’s important to make this post is because Michael has written and performed some of the greatest popular music of our lifetime.  As a songwriter, despite what genre of music you’re into, it’s hard to deny the impact that this man has made on popular music.

I’d like to remember him for his amazing ability to write, produce and perform his material in a way that will probably never be replicated… at least not in my lifetime.

Rest in peace Michael Jackson.

Please leave your comments at the bottom.

Comments from Sony Executives:

Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: "Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era. His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work. The entire Sony family extends our deepest condolences to his family and to the millions of fans around the world who loved him."

Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment, said: "Michael Jackson’s unsurpassed artistry and beloved music brought joy to every corner of the world. We join today with his millions of fans in expressing our profound sadness and we offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. It was a true privilege for all of us in the Sony Music family to work with one of the most talented superstars in the history of music. We will miss him greatly."

Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, said: "Michael was the kind of amazing talent that comes along once in a lifetime. He was an incredible recording artist, an insightful businessman, an unmatched performer, and a true icon. To all of us at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, he was also a trusted and passionate partner, who was very proud of our accomplishments. He will be dearly missed. We wish his children and entire family our deepest condolences."

I’ve received a VERY good article by Stephen "Realis Vir IV" :-)   …which I think everyone will benefit from. There are 7 tips on total, and to help you digest the info better, I will split the article up into three chunks (A, B and C) …and therefore I will post three times on this blog, over the next few days.

Let’s dive in. Read, absorb, take action …oh, and enjoy.

Bear in mind that when you’re writing you’re essentially writing for an audience — whoever is going to hear or read your lyrics. Now, there are usually four basic types of personality, although depending on what aspect or angle they will be classified differently; in the case of the four temperaments they’re sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic and choleric; in the case of the zodiac they’re fire, water, air, and earth; in the case of work/functionality personality type diagnosis there may be analytical, etc. You get the idea.

So think how this relates to your songwriting with the song listener in mind. You can write in styles that appeal to each of them. Here are some styles outlined that appeal to one, or even more than one of the groups, listed below:

Writing objectively - This kind of lyric writes it like it is. It uses down to earth story telling, that conveys directly to a person so they can relate. It may consist of lines like, "We were driving so late at night, and my silence I continued to keep, for while you traveling consciously, I was right beside you asleep."

This appeals to people’s humanity, the ability to feel they are in the song watching it happen with their fives senses. It talks about everyday life, but gets you into a story so it’s interesting. It might also describe objectively what was going through people’s minds and their surroundings.

Like, "I put down my coffee cup; I didn’t feel like drinking anymore. I had lost all appetite when you left yelling, slamming the door."

Examples of objective down-to-earth type story-telling lyricists include artists like Ani DiFranco, Colbie Caillat, Avril Lavigne, etc.

Writing mysteriously, artistically, philosophically -  This kind of writing style does the opposite. It appeals to the "what if?" and the how. It asks questions, imagines other realities, may write in surreal terms, or use a lot of metaphor, artistic description and analogy. It appeals to the curious scientist and detective experimenter in us.

Examples of writing like this would include stuff like "You awakened the hero in me. A man with honor and compassion. Your lips spoke volumes to me, with just one action, a kiss unparalleled you did fashion, a kiss so simple, but with complex passion."

…Or it may use elemental and exciting metaphor, "what happens to the organs once the heart can’t lead them anymore? A fire you fed in my blood red organ of cardio-vascular tension, is now a flame doused and unaroused by your sudden twist of lack of interest, hurling me headlong to another dimension. Is there a mind out there that can possibly understand this unique a feeling of despair?"

Examples of this kind of songwriter appear in 30 Seconds to Mars, Linkin Park, Styx’s song "Domo Arigatou, Mr. Roboto", Blue October, Evans Blue, etc.

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Ok, more to follow on that in a coupe of days. Good stuff huh? What do you guys think? Leave a comment below.

Shamir

Co-writing is such a powerful aspect of songwriting, and it’s so often overlooked by the vast majority of writers out there. In today’s era, collaborating is getting easier and easier.

Check out this article by Casia (who is a lyricist and music manager):

Have you ever wanted to put together a complete song but were unable to find individuals in your area to collaborate with? Are you a singer, a lyricist, a composer, a musician, or a music engineer but just can’t seem to connect with the right talent to successfully see your idea through to completion . . .maybe internet music collaborating is your answer!

The music industry has definitely changed, even from a few short years ago. With the advent of Musician Collaboration Sites, anybody with an idea can connect with like-minded individuals, from just about anywhere in the world and produce a song. You no longer need to be in the same room, in the same country or even in the same time zone.

Everybody has busy lives and with music playing a big part in the lives of so many people, either as a hobby or to sell a few tunes, or even with the high hopes of making it big, musician collaboration sites have become "The" social network for musicians.

What better way to get to know someone than to work on a project with them; a lot of friendships are formed this way. These friendships can turn into long-term music partnerships which can turn into the formation of internet bands which produce albums for sale on the many music sites that are available. Many internet musicians are putting together collections of songs with the intent of re-selling them to up-and-coming, promising artists.

It’s a good idea to check out the various collaboration sites and find a site where you feel comfortable. Each site is unique in its offerings. Some sites are completely dedicated to making music and connecting in a warm, friendly environment where people are open to discuss the many issues of song production, mixing, and all the technical details needed to transfer files to the master engineer.

Some collaboration sites offer contests with prize giveaways, some produce a yearly album of the best selected songs for the year and put them on music sites for sale; some sites have a site radio and live radio-chat shows including interviews with artists, music charts, blogs, feature artists, forums or groups to discuss specific details of musical interest such as singing, engineering, production, instrumental groups, challenges, and social topics of interest.

Many sites have chat rooms where you can chat about your project or brainstorm with others artists that you have not worked with before. Some of these chat room sessions have even ended up in the creation of a "one-nighter" where lyrics and a musical concept are put together.

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Thank you Casia! I’d just like to point out that Casia did in fact put in resources (collaboration websites) but those links are not valid anymore.  So, I need you guys to help out a little.

Could you put in any songwriting collaboration websites that feel would help others? Let me start off here.
Here are a couple that can help right off the bat:

http://www.musesmuse.com/forums/index.php - Probably one of the best songwriting forums on the net. There are people here ready to share a wealth of info with you, and plus you can share your idea’s in the forum and receive feedback from others

http://www.skype.com - If you guys have not download Skype yet, than shame on you. This nifty little free software sits on your computer and allows you to make calls (with anyone in the world who has Skype on their computer too) …for free. So if you’re in the USA, you can write with somebody in Africa! Or wherever! You can also send files. Another cool feature on Skype is that it saves your chat history.

Shamir

Here’s a nice article that should get your songwriting juices flowing:

I can break this discussion of song writing down into the simplest of ideas or facts. The fact is, that the best of songs, the ones that got recorded, and that we remember, were written about the personal experiences of the composer. And yes it is possible for anyone to write a song on any subject or idea, there are probably billions of them in notebooks stuffed into boxes and drawers going back forever and they lack that spark of human emotion only personal experience allows one to impart to another through song.

Words are one thing, and they can be most powerful, but it is when the sounds of music are added that real emotion comes through. Just words are subject to the internal sounds of an individuals mind, we all have our own music running inside …if you go for a long walk and let yourself whistle or hum, it’ll come out eventually.

Good songs tell a story, and we all have lots of stories to tell. But if you have one that everyone else has, like a love lost or a first experience in something we all eventually have or go through, and you tell your personal version of it, it then gives others the ability to nod in sympathy if nothing else.

Try this. Pick one of your own stories, write it down, compress it into a few paragraphs, and then try to sing it.

In that trying you will find words that don’t work and replace them with what does. It may roll out right, or it may not, but if it’s a good story you’ll find the right set of words to tell it in a song, and hopefully you’ll find that one key line that says it all. the ‘key line’  that people will remember most of all, will probably also end up being the title.

And if you don’t think you have any great stories,  put down the pencil and get out into the world, let ‘it’ interact with you, when it does, grab that pencil and begin writing whatever comes to your mind.

Have you ever noticed that most bands/writers write their best stuff on the way up, while they were struggling just to get by, living on the edge far down the ladder, when never seems to be enough of anything.

A place where you see and notice everything, and where sometimes the smallest thing can seem a huge event. And then as soon as they get a big hit, many just fade away with no second round. I think it’s the good living that kills off the creative part …the mind just gets to lazy having been living the good fat life of luxury, living one day like the next, with an excess of everything. Now, how much can you write about that?

Or it’s because the success allows them to build a bubble to live in, and so they cut off all contact with what was? This is too bad, because that’s where the stories were.

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The above article comes from Jon.

Thank you Jon!

Shamir

I thought I would share a question that came in the other day:

Hello Shamir,
I have a question. During my song writing I usually can write verses and bridges to songs (this includes melody for voice and chords for guitar) fairly easily, but the one aspect of writing that always stumps me is writing a good chorus. Since this is the most catchy part of a tune, I would like some feedback/advice as to how do write good choruses. Thanks for your time. - Craig

Hi Craig,

As already pointed out, a chorus is the most catchy part of a song. It’s probably the part that most of your listenters will latch on to, and sing in their minds - sometimes endlessly, to a point of absolute annoyance (we’ve all been there in our minds).

Surely enough, if this can be achieved, this is a good sign.

A good chorus can be broken down to a piece of melody which sounds good enough repeat many times over. Commonly, many great ‘hooks’ in history have been written this way. For example, if you listen to Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’, the chorus is one line that is repeated over twice. They use the same melody - and the hook line, ‘I Don’t Want Miss A Thing’ is also sung at the end of both lines.

Take another example, Tina Turner’s ‘Simply The Best’. The line is repeated at least three times in the chorus, each with a different chord behind the melody. Sounds simple, (excuse the pun) and you’d be right, it is! But it works like a treat. Remember, the genre of music isn’t important here. You can integrate this system is whatever type of music you write in.

Most songs follow this system. Why? Because it works. Billie Jean, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Purple Rain …all the songs that are coming into my mind at this precise point have this system in place. Your job is to take it and integrate it in your song. Remember, a melody worth repeating twice can be a chorus, and can be subtly repositioned with a different chord in the background. This causes a tiny mood change depending on what your song is about.

One other thing to point out is that many writers I know actually start off with writing a chorus, and then build the song around that. This works very well too. I know that it’s not always easy doing this, but if you can, I think you’ll find other elements will fall into place.

This is especially true for lyrical purposes. How? Well, breaking down the chorus into more details can easily be the bases for the verse and/or bridge .

Lastly, I’d just say this. A chorus will never be as good or as bad as you may think. You can only write it, sing it over our loud a few times and check out in your gut if you resonate with it. You may write a great chorus now only to find out that the next chorus for your new song that you write may be even better. Edit, modify, tweak, and move on.

Kind regards,

Shamir
SongwritingTipsOnline.com