I'm sure if a master of theory were to disect my songs they would find tons of theory based things I did without knowing, but I need to know what im doing, and then some.
Well of course a "master of theory" would be able to find tons of theory based things that you're oblivious to. The same could apply to every musician there has ever been. Similarly, all of us here at HR could do the same thing in our own way. We'd be able to point out things to you about your songs and you'd say "wow, I wasn't even aware of that !".
But the real question I'd have for the master of theory is "Can you knock out songs that people like ?".
I'm not sure theory will improve this. Practice writing songs will. I do believe theory will help you to write better songs, but not "what you want when you want". That comes from within you.
It will definitely help and I encourage you to learn as much as you can... but it isn't the magic bullet you need. Practicing is the magic bullet. Write songs as often as you can. And that is something you can do with or without the study of music theory.
However, I never have written any parts out. I chart chords and lyrics, but I have never scribed the music to staff.
None this may help, but I hope it does.
I think the Chilmaster makes a bucketload of great points here.
There is something of a misconception in the word "write". When we say we
write songs or parts, what we mean is that we just find/work out/create parts. They're not necessarily written down.
Practicing songwriting will do more for anyone that wants to write songs than all the theory the universe has to offer. As I once said, I don't knock theory. It's useful. But in reality, we all use it whether we call it that or not or whether we know it. If you know that playing a B note while everyone else plays a G chord will fit, then you know some theory. But when you try it, it's because it sounds cool in that moment, not because you theoretically deduced it..
Well after about 3 albums worth of songs, I looked at them and realized okay, they're really good, but Ive got no control over the genre. I'm jumping from blues to psyche - folk to hard rock and even classical. Its just kind of falling out of me at random times, in different genres/styles.
Personally, I think that's brilliant. I mean, when I listen to a heavy band, I love an album full of heavy stuff. But the vice is also versa. Difference in albums keeps things interesting.
I cant just sit down and say, im going to write a good song today, sit down with an instrument and make it happen.
Course you can, Malcolm ! That's what many songwriters do. It
is a craft in part, which is why it takes practice and work.
What im really looking for is a way to reign in the differences in genre in to one signature style whether I start writing for a totally new project or continue with what I have. I'm not sure if thats through instruments used and their respective amps/effects, production, or in the actual composition itself.
I have always written different kinds of songs genre wise. But however different they may be, those that help me with my songs always have that knowing look of "oh, he's off on one again...." because there is something about them that identifies them as having me in them, regardless of lyric or instrumentation. I think you'll find that though you might not see it in the songs you come up with, others will. At the same time, in my book, it's a good thing to straddle the path of diversity.
Well, I'd say no one can do that on the spot. It takes time to plot out a song and work out the parts.
Sometimes it can happen really quickly and fly off the cuff within minutes. Sometimes it can take months or more.
With experience, you can do just that. I generally write long songs. For years I kept saying that I was going to try to write short 2 and 3 minute ones but somehow, they'd all go long again. But over the last year or so, I've gotten ruthless and forced myself to write short, succinct songs. During the summer, my drumming friend and I recorded the bass/drums or guitar/drums to 15 of them.
Now, these songs may or may not be shitty but I'm confident enough now to be able to knock them out in half an hour or so. Others take months.
I came home one day last year and as I plonked into a chair, my wife was at the computer, the kids were watching telly and just like that, I wrote a 6 verse song about rats. Took about 10 minutes. I had a melody as I wrote, hummed it into my dictaphone and bingo. I later added an extra verse because of a line that was too ridiculous to pass up. I was confident I could work out guitar lines and a bass part etc. That's happened lots of times this year.
Songwriting can be so easy. It can also be like pulling teeth in it's difficulty.
!
It's a good thing!
