Songwriting Challenge

  • Thread starter Thread starter Layla Nahar
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Layla Nahar

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Hello Everone

I have recently resolved to write (at least) one song a week.


Would anybody like to join me in this? I propose it as a way to get some focus and encouragement.
The only 'rules' are that the effort must be serious and the song must be complete. No blank spaces for syllables or words that you will fill in later, no passage of lyrics that have no tunes. Melodies and harmonic structure must all also be in place.

Just this sunday I finished my first one. I don't like it very much, but its not *bad*. Now I am on to my next one. I hope to make it harmonically quite simple, and give it a 'lively' rhythm.

Anyway, if anybody else would like to join me in this, do let me know.

& good luck & good writing to you all.

Layla
 
hi, sounds like a good way to get yourself working. Where in boston are you located?
 
Good concept.

I think the challenge might be more effective if there were a few more boundaries - like a song-topic-of-the-week, or a style limitation (specific song form, rhyme scheme, have to use a six-syllable word, something like that) each week. Challenges seem to go better with a narrow focus and a defined end. So the broad challenge could be a-song-a-week, but there'd be a weekly challenge with a narrower focus. Might get some participation in the weeklies from some folks who don't want to do the long-term thing, too.

Whaddya think?

Daf
 
sure.....

I'm in....name a topic ......

I need to start writing lyrics again.....been to few and far inbetween....ya know?

Joe
 
Ya man hit me...Its been awhile since I've written anything:(



Don
 
not in, but I may be...

I'm sorry I haven't replied yet, I keep seein' this thread and feeling bad, because nobody will take you up on it...
Kudos to Joro and Henri for havin' the gumpshin' (not the word I'm thinkin' of btw) to post up.
I like this idea, but I'm not sure I can keep up. I used to write alot more, and then stopped for a while. When I started back up recently, I was hit with a steady influx of words and music for a couple of weeks. Some of my best stuff... or so I think. Alot of work is still to do on my 5 or so new songs. I still have thoughts though... and a challenge like this I could use as an excuse to tax my creativity instead of waiting for it to break through.....Hey Layla, any chance we could ease up on the finished product and say, full song..yes but what if the music say... I don't know... sucked. Could we still get like a B for the week? And how long do we go? A month? 2? 6? I think I'm in... OH WELL, what's the worst that could happen if I fail? I get an F right? Wont be the first time:D
I AM IN!!!!!!!
SHINY AS TIN!!!--------HEY NO PEEKIN:D------okobd
 
LOLOL (at myself)

I'd be fortunate to get one song a month done :D

Not a bad idea though :D
 
Re: not in, but I may be...

okobd said:
and a challenge like this I could use as an excuse to tax my creativity instead of waiting for it to break through.....Hey Layla, any chance we could ease up on the finished product and say, full song..yes but what if the music say... I don't know... sucked. Could we still get like a B for the week? And how long do we go? A month? 2? 6? I think I'm in... OH WELL, what's the worst that could happen if I fail? I get an F right? Wont be the first time:D
I AM IN!!!!!!!
SHINY AS TIN!!!--------HEY NO PEEKIN:D------okobd
Click to expand...

THe whole point of the idea is to help us write without inspiration. And the songs don't have to be polished or good - just (more or less) complete. So, if the music sucked - not a problem. Most of my music sucks - I'm a wordsmith - Im doing this to force myself on the music a bit. And the object is not to finish a song to perfection, but to get *one done* and move on to the next. I did two this last week. ON - frankly it sucked, but while I was working on it I got the second idea.

THis week I had something bad come up, has been taking a lot of time and energy, so I will only write one song. I hope to focus on the melody this time, make something with a wider range than from the previous two weeks.

ps: I only get acess to a compoter once or twice a week these days, so if you don't hear from me, it doesn't mean I've dissapeared.

How is everybody doing?

OH -- I consider the week to end on SUNDAY. Shall we all be posting about what we've done on monday?

(How long should the challenge last? I plan to make it a regular part of my work - but if people here would like to put a limit - what do you like? 2 months? 6 months? 3? lemme know

Layla
 
Had something real sad & stressful come up this week. I thought it would paralyze me or wipe out my energy & focus for writing a song. BUt it seems that I have managed to stick to my goal in spite of a *lot* of stress. I got one song - words & tune, & got about 50% of the chords in place.

Maybe I'll even make this another 2 song week - but i doubt it. I'm pretty exhausted.


How is everone else doing?

Layla
 
I got mine too!

Sorry to hear about the stuff you got goin' on Layla.
I hope it all works out. I've got alot of personal stuff goin' on myself and that's exactly why I wrote this song.
I think it's great. The melody and words are done, but I've yet to pick out the chords to match what's in my mind.
I hope that's ok.
-okobd
Oh, and I wrote it on Sunday. I hope it still counts.
thanks again, Joe
 
sharing the songs

Layla,
I'm sure you plan on sharing the songs once you get 'em cut and copyrighted, right?
I know I'm way way way behind in getting my songs down, and I'm not real enthused about putting up another song that makes me cringe, much less every one else that listens.
That being said, I'll share mine as soon as I can.
obtw, I've got 2 verses, the music and chorus for this week.
It's still Sunday though, and I'm sure I can finish up the words tonight. I'd never cheat and do 'em after midnight which would actually make it tomorrow. That's just not right.:D
-oko
 
Ya know that IS a good idea. I started something, worked on it for a couple weeks, and haven't touched it in MONTHS. I need a kick in the ass!!! I'm gonna try this. Just F@#ckin' do SOMETHING and get it done, good or not. Won't have lyrics, but if it gets done in a week or less I'll put it up somewhere and post here.
 
Sharing songs

Sharing songs is optional. If you want to put your song up, by all means, do! But you don't have to. Its just enuf to say "I did mine this week"

The motto should be

Just do one, then move on!


Must run now!

Luck & 'bon laboro' to all!!
 
All my stuff is in storage but I want to try & drag out my drum machine (an ancient Dr Rhythm) to add another element.

I'd like to hear from some of you guys who expressed interest - Roktuk, Kelison, jagular, okobd, joro, dafduc - have any of you written something this past week?

I met a guy recently, 55 years old, working in LA, seemed to be pretty well hooked up, & he said to me "publishers are only gonna want to hear your 101st song." I'm really hopeing I can get to writing two songs a week. that means I'll be ready to shop stuff in about ... ONE YEAR!

Let me know how y'all are doing. Its getting lonely at the top!
 
Layla Nahar said:
All my stuff is in storage but I want to try & drag out my drum machine (an ancient Dr Rhythm) to add another element.

I'd like to hear from some of you guys who expressed interest - Roktuk, Kelison, jagular, okobd, joro, dafduc - have any of you written something this past week?

I met a guy recently, 55 years old, working in LA, seemed to be pretty well hooked up, & he said to me "publishers are only gonna want to hear your 101st song." I'm really hopeing I can get to writing two songs a week. that means I'll be ready to shop stuff in about ... ONE YEAR!

Let me know how y'all are doing. Its getting lonely at the top!
Click to expand...

LOL

I'm still trying to hit my one per month goal. That 101st song is gonna be awhile :D
 
Hey Layla......
yeah, I penned one....still workin' on it though...
lyrics take me some time to finish...at least it's in progress...

I could write ten songs a day...but, they would be crap...

Once I get a hook...it goes pretty fast...the rewriting is what takes time..

I'll post an MP3 when it's done,
Joe
 
Two days workin so far, 2,3 hours a day. My songs don't have a verse - chorus kind of structure, but I've got a little over a minute of song. It's goin better than I thought, though. Time to get back at it. ;)
 
Layla and all... I used to write 3-4 pages of handwritten tiny lettered prose a day for about 4 years straight besides writing poetry and occasionally songs. Now I concentrate on songs only. I totally applaude you for what you are doing! For me, a discipline has always had to reach a near obsession for it to really grow and progress.
Right now, I complete about 10 songs every six months... I have a floating body of work, usually consisting of a couple dozen ideas in various states of completetion... I pull some out to finish and add more to the soup on a regular basis. What usually pushes me to finish them is the need for fresh material in one of my bands, or if I'm compiling work for an album.

If you wanna check a couple out
http://mattyaki.com/tunes.cfm

The flow state is an incredible place to be. I believe if you sustain your output long enough, that will be your new level of un-inspiration. So when you get inspired...!
 
Great to hear from everybody.

This week I'm working on an RnB song. I've got half of the words with a basic tune. I have an accoustic guitar, but no piano, which will make the chordal structure for this a little harder to nail (you don't hear a lot of guitar in todays RnB)

I'm hoping I can make this a two song week.

LN
 
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