For the country writers:

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:03 pm

Nov 14, 2008, 5:46am, jchitty wrote: I think that's what it all boils down to....getting up every day and writing a line or two if you can. Pretty soon, you'll have another finished song. Taxi has definitely helped me improve the quality of my songs, but it's also stifling my creativity. The problem I'm having right now is I find myself screening all my songs a bit too critically. This "following the rules" BS can be a pain in the ass. I have about six songs underway right now, most of which I'm losing interest in because I think they're not good enough.

squids · Post by **squids** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:30 pm

((((((((((((Cam))))))))))))))))))))) Big hugs, sweepea. Been there too. Betta days ahead honey. PMd ya.

sgs4u · Post by **sgs4u** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 7:04 pm

Nov 14, 2008, 8:03pm, cameron wrote:Taxi has definitely helped me improve the quality of my songs, but it's also stifling my creativity. The problem I'm having right now is I find myself screening all my songs a bit too critically. This "following the rules" BS can be a pain in the ass. I have about six songs underway right now, most of which I'm losing interest in because I think they're not good enough. Hey Cam. There are a lot of people who have lived thru the feelings you're talking about here, including me. It sucks, the whole second guessing yourself thing. OTOH, how can anyone learn what they don't know until they realize there's more to learn? It's much faster learning like that, than assuming we know everything we need to know, and then hitting that wall. You're already past that stage. Whew! Once the ego is thoroughly smashed, rewrites are easier & faster and the songs end up being better. You're doing fine man, it's just part of the process. At least I sure hope it is... I'm almost positive... I think.

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:39 pm

I'll agree with DJ here. I average about 50 songs a year. It keeps the songwriting muscle in shape. Even if I think a song isn't that great, I'll lay the framework out for it anyway. The hardest part of writing is getting the WHOLE song out on paper, computer, whatever you use. You can always go back and rewrite parts of it again when you're in a more positive frame of mind. I've had some stinkers turn into pretty good songs. Ever heard of the saying, "A great writer is only as good as his editor is?" Well, that's true in songwriting too, a great songwriter is only as good as his rewrites are. (No, I am NOT calling myself a great songwriter, I just like that saying, hehe)I had one particular song that I struggled on for months....it boiled down to one line. That line made the song, and without it, it wouldn't work. I was pretty self critical at the time thinking, "I can't write this line...nothing sounds right to me."Then lo and behold, one morning, I found that perfect line, but it tooks months as I say.I'm guessing you're like me too, Cam. You write down every snippet of lyric or idea....you record every snippet of a melody too. You never know when all that stuff will come together and create a good song. I don't use Masterwriter or anything (think that's the name of the software)...I like all the clutter on my table...little snips of paper everywhere...it inspires me to write. It says, 'get the hell off your duff today and finish writing me.' At some point also, we all have to just let go of that internal critic and let the song flow from us...I believe in many ways, 'the song writes itself' and comes deep from within our subconcious mind...we just have to let it break out, not worrying about the critics.You can always refine it for the critics later.

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:12 am

Nov 16, 2008, 10:00pm, mojobone wrote:Nov 16, 2008, 7:39pm, jchitty wrote:Ever heard of the saying, "A great writer is only as good as his editor is?" Well, that's true in songwriting too, a great songwriter is only as good as his rewrites are. Sometimes your internal editor is just too strong; maybe he's better "educated" than that 'beginner mind' of the author. This is why co-writers were invented. If two writers disagree with the editor, he's toast.Unless that editor owns a publishing company.

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:40 am

Nov 17, 2008, 7:20am, cameron wrote:Yep, I have a little digital recorder I carry with me everywhere. Has all kinds of little ideas on it, most of them junk, but the good ones stand out when you listen to the playback... days, weeks or months later. Kind like your scraps of paper on the table, Chits.Doubting my own abilities seems to be part of my song writing process, so just ignore my whining. Once I get to that point I usually shame myself into getting productive. I had a good day writing over the weekend so I'm feeling better already.Cam I don't think you're whining...I have those down days too...you're right, it's all part of the process. In fact, I get depressed as hell sometimes. I got a really good bit of news via e-mail this morning though...a much needed shot in the arm...can't say what it is right now, but it made my day! Now I might be able to write quite a few songs, hehe.

byllsong · Post by **byllsong** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:59 am

Just as we have high and low tides, new and full moons, good and bad days, etc...I'm sure we all have times that we are more creative, more responsive to the muse.We have to learn to recognize it. We know that the tides will change twice a day, that the moon will be full every month.Why don't we know when our peak times are?We recognize and understand more things about nature and our surroundingsthan we do about the part of us that makes us...us.Being human is a simple yet complicated thing.We have some much to learn about being us.The other day I was building a bird feeder and I felt like I was in some creative bliss. Everything came together smooth and effortlessly. It was a good day. If I had written a song that day in that state of being, I would soon be a Wealthy Songwriter.So I save my little snippets and lyrics and chord changes and keep an eye out for that moment to arrive again.But I'd rather not have to wait for it. I would like to draw upon it at will...but I don't know how. Billy

squids · Post by **squids** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:25 am

Aw, Billy......interestin' thought, isn't it? That we can't know our peaks so we gotta keep our chops ripped alla time in prep for it. I suppose it'd take alla surprise outta life if we knew. Conversely, if we knew our peaks, we'd also know our valleys and bein' Irish, I'd avoid that like death. That's the thrill of livin', I guess, now knowin'.

matthoggard · Post by **matthoggard** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:46 pm

Yeah thats a good motto, but ironically the Boy Scouts was the first place I smoked weed and got drunk.Just prepared me in a different way i guess. M~

matthoggard · Post by **matthoggard** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:10 pm

Hell yes!Good one Dale.

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