How do you avoid plagiarism?

[GringoKC]

I'm working on a new song, but every time I try to write, the melody of another song (recent hit by a major artist) pops into my head. Can't seem to get past it.

Anyone ever have the same problem? Any suggestions?

[BrettB]

I know the feeling it really sucks

The problem is, I am often not aware the melody allready excists. I keep writing songs that I am enthousiastic about untill I play them for someone who says: Hey dude, that is just like...

I guess w'll have to live with that. After all, there are only 12 notes in our system, and so many combinations are allready used...

[Henri Devill]

Listen to talk radio....I never listen to top40 rock..or write the melody from your Inst. not using your voice..that way any unintentional plagerism will have a harder time showin' its ugly face..If you use your voice exclusively its much easier to imitate others vox melodys..Think about it...Good luck


Don

[badgas]

I can relate to that. About a year ago I wrote a kids song.

The tune kept running through my head and I kept thinking, man, thats a good melody, and the song should go over well with kids.

After about a month, I was playing with some people at a friends house, takin' turns with our own material. Two young girls about six came in and listened. I thought I'd try it out on them, so I played my new kids song.
When I was done Curly says, "Man, I haven't hear that song in years."
It was like a ton of bricks fell on me. The song must of been sixty years old, I heard it as a kid and somehow remembered it.



There is not much of a cure for this problem. Careful attentiveness to what your doing may correct it.
We all do it, come close or do it unaware.

[ditnoj]

HOWDY!
this is; as mentioned a big and probably unavoidable problem: (sorry about the wierd punctuations but the puter i?m using just started wierding out!)

what I do is 1) like the other guy said, don't listen to much music when you are writing (easier said than done). 2) listen to a lot of music after you finish writing to see if any of it is "familiar".
3) I use "motive development techniqes" (motive as in motif as in Bach) combined with harmonic or melodic twists to vary my original ideas. If it's supposed to be pop or "catchy", this is harder to do and make work. BUT it can work::: check out the songs on "Bear in the Big Blue house"

and then; don?t worry about it! kc and the sunshineband made a living off of everything sounding alike!!

[Peter D]

I'm with Henri - I go out of my way not to listen to music on the radio. Even so, it's hard not to pick up good hooks or phrases when you hear them. Plagarism is more applicable to journalism and literature than songwriting - the parameters are not as clear-cut. Songs often have the same or similar chord progressions, but are unique in the way they're put together by each writer. To me the melody is the telltale sign of whether you've "plagarized" someone else's song.

As far as chord progressions and melodies, anything that is sonically pleasing has been done at least once, so it's up to songwriters to find a different way of presenting it with their own unique stamp on it.

[DanielJohn]

I try to stop listening to any music for about 48 hours before I start writing music. This helps me since I usually have a song stuck in my head at all times of the day, even at night when i'm sleeping, but of course those songs are the annoying ones and I can't sleep.

The only type of music I listen to within that period is Smooth Jazz. It keeps the creative side of me open. Since I'm not writing jazz music, I can't really copy the melody.

Hopefully that helps you a little bit.

[chazba]

My Sweet Lord...
Really want to be with you....


I wonder what George would have to say on the subject.
The darndest thing is..I was surprised to learn that it was borrowed, and I was around when " He's so fine" was a hit!! Go Figure............

I wonder if the producer or A&R guys were on top of that while it was being recorded??

chazba

[Porter]

This thread has prompted me to ask a question related to this matter. There is a Sixpence None The Richer song.. Kiss Me. I use a lick that is similar however it's in a different key, and 4th and 5th chord is different. Is that plagiarism?

It sounds similar, however it isn't.

Another thing to think about is that has someone else written the same words as you in a different part of the globe. You may never be able to find out. Emotions are common globally.. I imagine that some songs would be too..

Porter

[DanielJohn]

Porter,
I direct you to something that may help you in this situation.

Vanilla Ice "My song goes dun nun nun nunununun, their song goes dun nun nun nunununun, it's much different."

or maybe Kid Rock's stolen guitar part from Metallica. Nobody seems to care.


-DAN

[GringoKC]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I've taken a few days away from the project and maybe that will help. I'm definititly gonna try the suggestion about listening to some instrumental soft jazz or something next time and see what happens. It's hard for me to hang on to an ear worm when I'm listening to something else.