Writing Hit Songs - Myths

[squids]

Quote:So here's Hummin'bird's list of things to do to get on the radio:-- call up the local college station-- send them CD-- voila Are we having fun yet

[andreh]

No offense intended! Just callin' it like I see it.AndréQuote:Well, maybe I'm jes slow then.

[gongchime]

The part that said, "If you could consistently write "HIT" songs you'd have no competition" is just saying what many others in the industry have said. Most of the time, at any given moment, it's hard to predict what is going to be a hit song. So, it's difficult to write them consistently. (unless you were Phil Collins back in the day. Old balding drummer of all people seesh)He quotes someone who also points out that there are many other ways to make money besides writing hit songs. Getting stuff on tv or in movies is a much better way than shooting for the hit song market.I can honestly say that even after a degree in music that I didn't know what were the most important things to listen for even though I knew all of my scales, chords, arpeggios, progressions, etc...And I know lots of people who have been doing music for more than 10 even 20 years who still don't know. It's not obvious what is important.Everyone talks about the form or the words because that's all they know to talk about but there are a lot of things you can screw up in the process of creating a song. And you only need to screw up one of them. Some line in the lyric may be awkward and what would have been a good or great song puts people off. Or something just not right in the accompaniment etc...What is the secret that makes people keep reading 300 pages of a book. We've all seen letters, words and sentences before. We've all read stories. We should be bored with it by now. The fact of the matter is that we REALLY ARE BORED WITH IT BY NOW. You have to be a borderline genius to get someone to read 300 pages of a novel. What keeps people turning pages? An interesting story isn't enough. It's your method of presenting the story in such a way that nothing jumps out into your consciousness about the mechanics that makes you start thinking about anything else except the story which also better be good.I think the same thing is true of songwriting. If only one thing in your song makes me start thinking it's strange or just bland that's when I'll stop listening. If only even one section doesn't transition well into the next thing then we start thinking about that instead of the good feeling the song is (was) producing. In India they have a word for the feeling that music produces. It's called rasa and you never want to break rasa. But it's very easy to break. The Berklee book on Melody writing was the book that helped me start writing music I liked. It's what allowed me to produce more music than I needed for my first album and several of the tunes were good enough to make it to the top ten on several websites and stay there for months and even make it into the number one position. I also have gotten music in music libraries and sold on CD Baby. What that book is teaching, is not found in ANY other songwriting book. And I've seen em all. Both those focused on popular music and classical. Most of them just talk about the mechanics of music and a bit about lyrics. Hello? I already knew that.

[gongchime]

Forgot to mention I did all that without a single guitar, bass, keyboard or drum kit: real or sampled. I'm tellin' ya, there's something to this Berklee book.

[sgs4u]

Did all of what?Quote:Forgot to mention I did all that without a single guitar, bass, keyboard or drum kit: real or sampled. I'm tellin' ya, there's something to this Berklee book.

[Casey H]

Quote:It's a sales pitch...Although, saying that most writers who get their songs on the Billboard charts are "ordinary" and basically just hacks who got lucky, is perhaps just a tad ridiculous coming from somebody who apparently has never written or produced anything musical of note. I'm sure he knows how to...he's just too busy writing all these books mattoIt reminds of the guy who writes a book on how to get rich betting on the horses at the racetrack. If he can get rich doing that why is he writing books? Casey

[ibanez468]

That's a good way of looking at it Case! I-468

[gongchime]

Steve a Gilbert asks questions but the answer is right in front of his nose if he would only read. I guess I'll have to read it for you. All of this;"start writing music I liked. It's what allowed me to produce more music than I needed for my first album and several of the tunes were good enough to make it to the top ten on several websites and stay there for months and even make it into the number one position. I also have gotten music in music libraries and sold on CD Baby."How about my 2,000 myspace friends and I turn down a lot of people. Notice there isn't a single heavy metal band, hip hop act or bikini girl. But it's not so much about the music as it is my charming personality. Hehe

[squids]

Quote:No offense intended! Just callin' it like I see it.AndréQuote:Well, maybe I'm jes slow then. I figured Steve or casey would get my joke. I. Don't. Write. Music. Fast. Anybody get it now? Anybody? No? Whenever someone says "I jes call it like I see it" I always think of Seinfeld when he used to talk about people who use "I'm just saying'" as an afterthought after something really....uh..... blunt (honest?)Example:"You're, like, HUGELY fat! I'm jes sayin!!" Anyway, I'm not pickin' Andre.....it was a poor quip on my part, nothing more.

[geo]

OK am I the only one who agrees with his assessment of writing a hit song? Kinda makes us part of the problem.... don't it?In my last critique I was instructed to both study and emulate the music I was submitting for but also develop my own voice.... I guess as long as it sounds just like what's on the radio I'll be OK.The thing to remember is your goal as a songwriter.... I write to please me, but I hope the masses will also enjoy it.... but I write for me.Not a lot of success to show for it.... but I'm happy... Geo.