Hi Burt,

Usually I have a phrase/some lyrics in mind before I start writing a song. I work on the melody and chords (it comes together most of the time) and then finish the lyrics (some pop in my mind while writing the melody). Sometimes I only have a chorus and can't write a verse (both lyrics and melody), sometimes it's the opposite. Some songs just pour out from me in ten minutes if it's something I really feel connected to. It all depends.
I always go back to the song after I finished it and try to alter the chords to get to something more interesting, but a lot of times I find out that the original chords I've put are the best ones to deliver the message I'm looking for.

I'll give your methods a try as well. Thanks for them!

From your description it sounds like you write very organically, going where ‘the muse’ takes you – unfortunately the muse can be a bitch and run you up walls all the time!

One thing that comes through from what I’ve read about writers (not just song writers) is a consistent methodical approach. An approach that doesn’t deny ‘inspiration’ happens, but is also a method that creates effective material even if there is no inspiration. The big challenge is for all of us to find our own ‘work flow’ that achieves that.

I think it is important to consider that there is a whole ‘physiological’ response (endorphins, ‘epiphany high’) when we spontaneously think of an original (for us or for the world) idea. That physical response is not present when we work at something. Some times this endorphins rush can mask what might be a mediocre idea and sometimes the lack of that can make us undervalue the ‘work’ we are doing as we develop an idea through.

I think song writing is sculpture – the thing we want to create is in the ‘block’ (pun intended) already we just need to remove the excess. Our ‘flash’ of inspiration is actually seeing ‘briefly’ what potential the un-worked stone has to offer. The difficult bit is removing the crap and even sacrificing some good stuff so that the finished piece emerges.

To stretch the analogy (if your still with me) if the stone isn’t moving or you are cutting away too much then you need to sharpen or change the chisel. If you change tool and it still isn’t working then you need to get new tools!

The sculpture analogy works well for me because it takes ‘writing’ which is a highly personal and internal process and separates it out; into the stone (the narratives, characters, situations & emotions within us); and the chisels (the techniques we can arbitrarily employ to craft songs). These divisions are often not apparent when we write, but awareness and understanding of them is vital if you want to move beyond the vagaries of inspiration. This is the consistent methodology we all have to discover (I’m still looking).

There are so many good books (many on TAXI recommended reading) that either anecdotally or specifically offer great ways to work the material.

Working this way offers a different and less fleeting high and that is the opportunity to stand back and look at a well-crafted song – that certainly peers and possible public will also appreciate.

A final thought - not every ‘inspiration’ will lead to a song, but like the sculptor wielding the chisel, if we work on the material you are build skill and muscle memory that will be the foundation of future work.

Less art more craft, less artist more artisan.

HTH
Burt

Hi Burt,

Seems like you got a lot of helpful information concerning songwriting! I loved that analogy you used.

Just to be more clear, even when songs come out fast with insipration, I ALWAYS go back to them and listen to them for some time, trying to make them perfect. If a certain song doesn't seem very good - I won't keep it, no matter how I wrote it.

I do work in a more "technical" aspect sometimes, but I always feel like those songs sound forced and not good enough. I actually played some songs of "that kind" for some people (not only my biased friends ) and they commented that they were very good, but I never feel good about them. I think I always need to feel somehow emotionally connected to those songs, which is pretty hard for me to achieve when working on songs in that aspect.
I guess it's a learning process, I need to learn to appreciate some of my songs even if they're more "technical".

I'll definitely give those books recommended by Taxi a read. Thanks again for the great advices!

Hey Restless

I absolutely get what your saying and have had similar experience with songs that have been more worked than others – but sometimes that can become a self fulfilling prophecy – we don’t feel as confident about them so we don’t give it the full push when we perform?

Your comment ‘go back and make it perfect’ betrays some of your getting stuck? What is perfect? I don’t believe in perfect or finished any more – I believe in effective and to a deadline.

For nearly 5/6 years I had a very ‘uncreative’ period after being a professional musician and actor. In my defence I was a new dad and not really focused on my music, but despite that when I sat down to write it wasn’t ‘perfect’.

I teach theatre and film and about 2 years ago I decided to recompose the music for a play called ‘Three penny Opera’ in a Bollywood style. My colleagues with 4 months left to go thought I was mad and that it would never happen. I did it however and in the process produced some of the best melodies I have ever written and a lot of effective (not perfect) material.

At the same time I read about TAXI and it appealed to me because it had deadlines and briefs. I’d worked out that all my best work was done under pressure and while the previous uncreative years had been busy, there was no creative pressure (or limitation).

I good artist will never be happy with there work, so unless you have some limitation you run the risk of turning in on yourself looking for ‘perfect’ as opposed to ‘finished on time’. Don’t get me wrong ‘finished on time’ doesn’t mean crap, but it provides creative limitation that can fuel rather than stifle.

Try setting a deadline for yourself and just complete the song? Use some the tips in the Frederick books and just do it. You might a lot of rubbish, but writing a lot of rubbish is better than not writing at all – because in that rubbish there will be gold.

You said you get rid of stuff as well – you should re-cycle I bet in that material that you throw out there must be some great opening lines, hooks or tags or the start of a whole new song? I have the front page of my song book where I write potential, titles, hooks or lines – it great to have them to refer to when you next get stuck.

HTH
Burt

Hi Burt,

When talking about "going back and making it perfect" I don't mean I go back to it and fix it for a month or so. But it depends. Of course I don't think it's "perfect", but it depends on some inner feeling I have and looking at it from a more logical and technical point of view as well. TBH I'm just starting with songwriting (I'm just 19...), it has always been more of a hobby but I decided to take it to a more professional level now. I'm just starting my journey. I don't have a lot (if any) experience in finishing songs on deadline unfotunately, I'm still young and I still have a lot to learn, but it's really nice to have this community and Taxi to help me sharpen my songwriting skills.

Sure, I always keep songs I didn't like somewhere and I do some recycling as you suggested.

Don't get me wrong - even when I have a "block" - I keep on writing, always. It just seems that the melodies and lyrics that come up aren't very good. It's a matter of practice and determination, I can say that songs I've written when I was 15 sound like a joke now, and I'm sure some of my songs I'm writing now will not sound as good when I grow up.

(Actually, the song I was talking about in the original post is finished already and has been produced, I just need to find a vocalist to lay some vocals on it. )

Thank you very much for all the tips and advices, this is helping me (and I'm sure it's helping some others as well) a lot!

Sounds like you are going great and clearly a lot more sorted then I was a 19!

Cheers
Burt

You said....."So sometimes the key to writing a great song is letting go of all stops and obstacles and just go with your inner feelings. Don't be afraid of them."


That's it....brainstorm. Imagine all possible directions and ways the chorus melody can go. Try ALL of them.

I'm also a big believer in melodies. I believe once you get the melody....you got it all.

The harmony is usually imbedded in the melody, so just focusing on the melody takes care of everything for me.

And of course....relax. You can't write if you force yourself.

Hope this helps

good luck