Musictheory: What should I know to write great Popsongs?

[glynb]

I'd suggest making sure you have something to say, the sheer idiocy of songs like Sk8er Boi notwithstanding.

Nothing of value to say before that.

Hold on a minute - the guy asked what it took to write great pop/rock songs. Since when has 'having something to say' gort to do with it? 'Sugar Sugar' by The Archies is a great pop song anyone whose abjective would agree as soon as it comes on people feel a happy groove and start singing along - but does it say anything meaningful - NO.

Don't get me wrong, having something to say IN ADDITION to coming up with a great hook or tune doesn't do any harm, but it is not the starting point. Pop songs are not poetry. Sk8er Boi isn't a particularly good pop song in my view, but it does speak to its target audience - kids. Kids generaly are not looking for deep meaningful lyrics, that interest comes later (hopefully) - but the song is successfull for the market it was aimed at. Will it be regarded as an all time pop classic in ten years time - hell, no chance!

IMHO the mission of a pop/rock song is to entertain.

 

[dafduc]

Hold on a minute - the guy asked what it took to write great pop/rock songs. Since when has 'having something to say' gort to do with it?

I tried to make it pretty clear that I was talking about MY experience, and that my attempts at writing from the head rather than the heart all came up woefully flat.

I agree, though I hated it at the time, that "Sugar Sugar" was a great pop song. I also think it would make a great medley with "Pour Some Sugar on Me"...

It's pretty hard to imagine stuff like that coming from ANYBODY'S heart. But you have to find your muse. For me, I couldn't do it until there was something to say.

Your mileage may vary.

Daf

 

[Roel]

theory shmeory.....
feel it ...write it down.....rewrite ....rewrite.....rewrite....



most songs i have written that were any good fell out of my mouth and fingers in a single night...then it was a matter of final touches here and there over the next few days.....NOW THE MIX on the other hand....THAT could take months...lol

If this works for you.... But since popsongs are all about clichés, studying those clichés will get you ALOT further on the road. And knowing this is kindof the difference between "feel it, write it down" and "feel it, try something, try other thing, try another thing that isn't what you are looking for or hearing inside, try alot more stuff, still don't find it, forget it, and occasionally finding something else that sounds pretty cool and write THAT down..."

It's just a minor difference though...

Theory really is what allows you to just write it down, and if it comes to rewriting, that's what theory is all about...

 

[Jamal Bucket]

If this works for you.... But since popsongs are all about clichés, studying those clichés will get you ALOT further on the road. And knowing this is kindof the difference between "feel it, write it down" and "feel it, try something, try other thing, try another thing that isn't what you are looking for or hearing inside, try alot more stuff, still don't find it, forget it, and occasionally finding something else that sounds pretty cool and write THAT down..."

It's just a minor difference though...

Theory really is what allows you to just write it down, and if it comes to rewriting, that's what theory is all about...

well maybe subconciously i know something about theory then...but in all seriousness all the songs i have done that TO ME anyway sounded any good were just that ...sorta like mental diahreah...just a big flush of words and music..???..maybe its just me ..and it doesnt happen all that often like i said "SONGS THAT WERE WORTH A SHIT!"...lol....ones i have to rewrite more than a few times seem to loose the "magic" pretty quickly ..it doesnt help that i dont have a very long attention span..so if the song isnt just kicking ass then i lose interest and move on.

jamal

 

[Layla Nahar]

most songs i have written that were any good fell out of my mouth and fingers in a single night

Does that happen to you often? I'm thinking, If that happened every 6 weeks, you could put out an album every year and a half. If it happend every other month, you'd be at a respectable 'one every two years' rate.

I spent two weekends with a singer from Algeria when he played in montreal. (He's really well known there) & he said in his almost 20 year carreer, he's only had about 10 songs like that(!) Seems that most were crafted w/ a lot of trial & error.

(Myself, I'm working these days on building the tools & the stamina to write when i'm not "chanelling" )

 

[Jamal Bucket]

yeah i have something like 12 or so songs on my nowhere page ..90% of them were written and recorded between june 2002 and dec 2002...maybe its just me??....now since then ...i have only done about 3 ...




i just might be strange..

j

 

[yiordanaki]

jamal,

I could be wrong, but a while a go when people were posting pics of themselves, im pretty sure you had one holding a young child.

Perhaps thats a reason your writing/recording has slowed????


Ive heard kids can be a HANDFUL!

y

 

[Jamal Bucket]

jamal,

I could be wrong, but a while a go when people were posting pics of themselves, im pretty sure you had one holding a young child.

Perhaps thats a reason your writing/recording has slowed????


Ive heard kids can be a HANDFUL!

y

EXACTLY!......upon reading my post above yours ..lol..i realized i had forgotten to even SAY i had in idea it might be cause we had a new bossman 'round the house now..... your right on the money...but i would trade 5 hit singles for one of him.











ok maybe 3 hit singles..

 

[glynb]

And don't forget -- don't sleep with them BEFORE you get the hook-up!!!

Hmmm...is this from hard personal experience Layla?

Just curious

 

[Layla Nahar]

Hmmm...is this from hard personal experience Layla?

Just curious

He he ... some things are better left to the imagination!