Lyric Technique - please help!

[Quintus]

Hi there all

Can anyone please recommend a contemporary source, either written or visual, where one can attain material to improve lyric writing technique?
Just got a return and it's an area that needs work on.

Would really appreciate any input.

Thank you!
Margaret

[Len911]

Hello Margaret.

http://www.amazon.com/Songcrafters-Colo ... 1453835660

I like this book over many others because I think it addresses prosody, meter, rhythm, cadence better than any I've read.

Not sure what your particular weakness might be,

[Quintus]

Hi Len

Thank you I will most definitely make a plan to purchase that.

The critique feedback: "Lyrically I'm not hearing enough of a fresh perspective with the themes you chose. The lyrics are too familiar. As writers we have to find new ways to say things that have been said."

I value the screeners feedback, really informative and nice comments even though a return. I'm just wondering whether I'm not contemporary enough, perhaps I use too intellectual words. I think my lyrics would have fitted in with the 60s or 70s but not today. How do I modern up as it were?

[Kolstad]

In addition to Len's suggestion, I would highly recommend Robin Frederick's books on songwriting for contemporary ideas on lyric writing. I own several shelfmeters of these type of books, and Robin's are the one's I return to every time. Robin is the only writer I know of that adresses the contemporary theme and give you ideas on how to deal with that. It's about so much more than just picking the right words.

Get the one that fits your type of work, the film/tv book if you pitch for those opps, and the songwriting book for artist/ band pitches. They are quite different, but I've found both indispensable as you get proper tools to develop your own material in either direction. So it's "hands on".

http://robinfrederick.com/

[Quintus]

Hi Kolstad

Thank you you have been most helpful. I really appreciate your input, and this sounds like a definite purchase for my library.

Regards
Margaret

[the1lyricistmm]

Someone suggested to me about a year ago to read The Craft Of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis. It's an older book but it has a lot of the same techniques that still apply today.

If you don't want to wait for a book to be shipped to you, you can always try to do a search on the internet on how to write lyrics. Oh yeah, I watched a Taxi video (How to Write a Song in 10 Steps) the other day and the guest on that particular episode was a professional songwriter (Robin Frederick). Her website is mysongcoach.com. You should check that website out and see if it can help you out.

[Quintus]

Hi Mary,

I've had a lot of suggestions re: Robin Frederick's books and website, so that's a confirmation for me, thank you!
I will most definitely check out the Taxi Tv link on song writing. I must admit I need to make it a habit to watch Taxi TV!

[the1lyricistmm]

Hi Quintaus,

Taxi Tv is a good habit to get into. Even if you can't make the weekly podcast, you can always check out the newest episode a day or two later on YouTube. I made sure I was available this last Monday to check out my first Taxi Tv podcast in person and I'm definitely going to check out next Monday's episode. Hopefully, I'll see you next Monday in the chat room for Taxi Tv.

[Quintus]

Hi Mary

Going to try my best to watch!

[hummingbird]

Hi Margaret, I wanted to say that the resources spoken of above are very good. I would also recommend using songwriting forums like this, not only to post your own lyrics and get feedback, but also to read other's lyrics and see what the feedback was - I learned a ton about lyric writing doing just that.

There are certainly calls for songs that sound like they are from the 60s or 70s, so consider that a strength and perhaps look for collaborators to work on songs from those eras to pitch to film/tv.

If you are interested in getting your lyrics to sound like "now" ('modern up') then I would pick a couple of genres you are very fond of, and google the top ten hits for that genre right now. Then do this exercise: every day for the next week or 10 days, look up one of those hits and write out, longhand, the lyrics for that song. Read them out loud after you've written them down. Next day, different song, same exercise. If it works for you like it worked, for me, you might find, after a few days, that your songwriting muscle has been strengthened. You see how the story is told. How the verse leads to the hook and the chorus. How the words frame the story.

HTH
Hummin'bird