grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I’ve found this a few times to be a useful way of writing a song. It’s not exclusively aimed at someone with writer’s block ~ anyone can adopt this method. Maybe many of you already have.
Variation 1.
Take a song, any song. It could be a song you love, a song you can’t stand or one you’re indifferent to. It doesn’t matter really, because all it is going to be is your initial template.
Copy the song in its fullness onto a track of whatever you record on. It’s important that you either slow down or speed up your recorder so that the song you’re selecting ends up in a different key and at a different speed to the way you’ve always known it. How much you speed up or slow down is entirely up to you but that song should be a slowed or speeded-up version of its normal self. Speed up or slow down by semitones so that it is easier to find the key or chords or notes.
At this point, work out the chord structure or note structure of the song you’ve copied into your multitracker. Once you’ve done that, record that chord sequence or note sequence onto a track. The instrument that you use is going to be a matter of whatever you’re comfortable with. Guitar ? Piano ? Trumpet ? Organ ? Bass guitar ? Violin ? It’s only you that can decide and do it. There are loads of instruments out there.
Once you have recorded the sequence, and this is the first really testing part, you need to work out your own melody to that sequence. This may come quickly, it might take a long time. It’s important to stick to it. Don’t worry if it sounds corny or predictable ~ for those that have some kind of block, work on the basis that beggars can’t be choosers, even if that statement is not entirely true all the time. And whatever you do, don’t sound like your template song !
Once you have a melody to fit the sequence, you are on the road to a song and it is at this point that you can start to think of other instruments unless you happen to be a soloist. Keep the original song for time purposes only and if you happen to use drums or percussion, you have the choice of either playing to the template or using a click and getting as close to the tempo of the template as possible. You may even, once you have the chord or note sequence, just record a click anyway and do away with that original song. There are different ways to go about this. Just be inventive and take the approach that anything is worth trying.
I can’t tell you how to fit other instruments because only you can know what you want and what you have access to.
And what about lyrics ?
Well, if there are to be lyrics, I suggest you don’t be precious. Just write anything. Literally. Whether it makes sense or not. Whether it tells a complete story or not. Whether it comes over as a rant or not. Of course, if you have strong lyrical ideas, then ignore what I’ve said and go for it. But if you haven’t then do a 60s Dylan and write any old words. Someone will think they are pregnant with meaning. And if they don’t, so what ? Learn to have fun with writing songs. Not every song is going to be a literary masterpiece that wins the Booker prize. Some of my favourite songs I’ve written have atrocious lyrics. And some of the songs I’m kind of ‘meh’ about have what I consider to be great lyrics. But the song is anything but.
Keep the song short and sweet to start with, unless you’re feeling ambitious. As you increase in confidence, you’ll expand on your ideas.
Above all, have fun.
Variation 1.
Take a song, any song. It could be a song you love, a song you can’t stand or one you’re indifferent to. It doesn’t matter really, because all it is going to be is your initial template.
Copy the song in its fullness onto a track of whatever you record on. It’s important that you either slow down or speed up your recorder so that the song you’re selecting ends up in a different key and at a different speed to the way you’ve always known it. How much you speed up or slow down is entirely up to you but that song should be a slowed or speeded-up version of its normal self. Speed up or slow down by semitones so that it is easier to find the key or chords or notes.
At this point, work out the chord structure or note structure of the song you’ve copied into your multitracker. Once you’ve done that, record that chord sequence or note sequence onto a track. The instrument that you use is going to be a matter of whatever you’re comfortable with. Guitar ? Piano ? Trumpet ? Organ ? Bass guitar ? Violin ? It’s only you that can decide and do it. There are loads of instruments out there.
Once you have recorded the sequence, and this is the first really testing part, you need to work out your own melody to that sequence. This may come quickly, it might take a long time. It’s important to stick to it. Don’t worry if it sounds corny or predictable ~ for those that have some kind of block, work on the basis that beggars can’t be choosers, even if that statement is not entirely true all the time. And whatever you do, don’t sound like your template song !
Once you have a melody to fit the sequence, you are on the road to a song and it is at this point that you can start to think of other instruments unless you happen to be a soloist. Keep the original song for time purposes only and if you happen to use drums or percussion, you have the choice of either playing to the template or using a click and getting as close to the tempo of the template as possible. You may even, once you have the chord or note sequence, just record a click anyway and do away with that original song. There are different ways to go about this. Just be inventive and take the approach that anything is worth trying.
I can’t tell you how to fit other instruments because only you can know what you want and what you have access to.
And what about lyrics ?
Well, if there are to be lyrics, I suggest you don’t be precious. Just write anything. Literally. Whether it makes sense or not. Whether it tells a complete story or not. Whether it comes over as a rant or not. Of course, if you have strong lyrical ideas, then ignore what I’ve said and go for it. But if you haven’t then do a 60s Dylan and write any old words. Someone will think they are pregnant with meaning. And if they don’t, so what ? Learn to have fun with writing songs. Not every song is going to be a literary masterpiece that wins the Booker prize. Some of my favourite songs I’ve written have atrocious lyrics. And some of the songs I’m kind of ‘meh’ about have what I consider to be great lyrics. But the song is anything but.
Keep the song short and sweet to start with, unless you’re feeling ambitious. As you increase in confidence, you’ll expand on your ideas.
Above all, have fun.
