when you can't write down lyrics...

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjr
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mjr

mjr

ADD -- blessing and curse
When lyrics hit you (a verse, line, or whatever) at an inopportune time, how do you remember it if you can't write it down (or whatever) immediately?

Sometimes I'll have a great lyric hit me, and I won't be able to write it down...just wondering what you all do.
 
if you can't remember it, was it really that great in the first place?

what songwriter doesn't carry around a pen or pencil? what are you doing that is so important that you can't scribble down a line or two? if I'm in dire need, my cell phone has a memo pad built in to it...
 
grn said:
if you can't remember it, was it really that great in the first place?

what songwriter doesn't carry around a pen or pencil? what are you doing that is so important that you can't scribble down a line or two? if I'm in dire need, my cell phone has a memo pad built in to it...
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Sometimes I'm driving. Sometimes I'm in the restroom. Sometimes I'm away from my desk, and don't have anything handy to write on.

Sometimes I'm just in various circumstances where I can't write things down.

I have, though, started carrying around a notepad.
 
Always have pen and paper handy. Consider a digital voice recorder -- many cell phones have them built-in.
 
some of my best songs were written while driving (I remembered the idea until the next red light when I could jot it down) or in the restroom (I keep a guitar in there)...
 
grn said:
some of my best songs were written while driving (I remembered the idea until the next red light when I could jot it down) or in the restroom (I keep a guitar in there)...
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A guitar in the bathroom? Cool! If my bathroom were big enough, I'd friggin' do that!

I think part of my problem isn't that what I'm thinking of isn't good. I think I get distracted too easily sometimes...or I try too hard to remember what it was, and my brain goes, "Oh yeah? Watch this!!" and makes it hard for me to remember!
 
Remember that episode from Seinfeld where Kramer sets his mental clock?
 
Monkey Allen said:
Remember that episode from Seinfeld where Kramer sets his mental clock?
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Can't say I do...not a big Seinfeld fan...
 
In part I do agree that if the lyrics are "that good" you will remember them. I normally find that if the muse hits, it's normally a line or a key hook (which is much easier to try to remember than an entire verse).

However, a writer should always have pen and paper and/or a small digital recorder. You should be ready when the gift of inspiration is presented to you. In the bathroom - write it down as soon as you zip up your fly (OK, wash your hands first). Driving - pull over. No paper - write in on your arm.

I once had a song hit me while driving on the freeway - the concept and several key lines, which I knew some of which would be lost if I did not act quickly. The very first place I could turn off I did and wrote it down (it later developed into what I think is one the the best songs I've ever written and my publisher jumped on it very quickly). Within a week of that particular moment of inspiration I purchased a digital voice recorder (perhaps the smartest $50 I ever spent).

Never take lady muse for granted - be prepared when she offers a gift or perhaps she will choose never to return!!!!!
 
mikeh said:
In part I do agree that if the lyrics are "that good" you will remember them. I normally find that if the muse hits, it's normally a line or a key hook (which is much easier to try to remember than an entire verse).

However, a writer should always have pen and paper and/or a small digital recorder. You should be ready when the gift of inspiration is presented to you. In the bathroom - write it down as soon as you zip up your fly (OK, wash your hands first). Driving - pull over. No paper - write in on your arm.

I once had a song hit me while driving on the freeway - the concept and several key lines, which I knew some of which would be lost if I did not act quickly. The very first place I could turn off I did and wrote it down (it later developed into what I think is one the the best songs I've ever written and my publisher jumped on it very quickly). Within a week of that particular moment of inspiration I purchased a digital voice recorder (perhaps the smartest $50 I ever spent).

Never take lady muse for granted - be prepared when she offers a gift or perhaps she will choose never to return!!!!!
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Well, at work it's relatively easy...unless I'm called away from my desk. I keep pens and paper on my desk and if something "hits" me, I write it down.

At home it's pretty easy, I've got paper and pens everywhere (except in the bathroom!), so writing that down is easy, also.

The problem I have is when I step away from my desk to do some other task, or when I'm driving. A small digital recorder sounds like the way to go, but I don't know how useful it'd actually be.

BTW...how do you get a publisher? Does it cost anything? Do you have to present a full demo to them? Was this a publisher for you or was it a publisher that you could sell your songs through?
 
There are dozens of books that explain all the ways to research and contact a publisher. There are many resources that list publishers, some accept unsolicited material - most don't. There is a cost - but it should never be an up front cost (anyone that wants money up front is likely a "song shark" rather than a publisher). In most publishing deals, the publisher gets part of the royalty fees (in my case 50%).

Normally you must contact a publisher (hopefully you've done research to make sure the publisher works in the musical genre you do best) and determine if they accept material. There is a whole mating dance that is involved - which I choose not to get into, but the information is readily available.

All I can say - if you are really, really, really serious about being a writer - you will do your own research.

I've worked with a few publishers over the years most of which I accessed by use of the traditional mating dance. However, the publisher I currently work with actually came through Taxi (for those who bash Taxi - it can work). A writer I worked with was a member. A song we co-wrote was submitted to Taxi, Taxi in turn submitted the song to this publisher, publisher placed it in a movie (we did have to re-record with better vocals, a better mastering job, etc). Now there were many other songs Taxi passed on and once we/I had direct access to the publisher there were many songs he passed on. That's all part of the dance.

The writer I worked with has moved on (he is reportedly now working with some people in the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill camp). I stayed with the publisher because my long term goal has always been composing for film - and this publisher has a track record in that genre. He has since placed a song in another film and ABC just picked something up for some TV special. The songs in the films are just background filler (no closing title "featured material") - but each small success paved the way for the next success.

When you work with this type of publisher (actually most publishers) you have to write very commercial 3 minute songs, heavy on good lyrics, clever melodies and all the other "formula driven guideline" (things that so many on this board seem to detest). However, everytime I get checks in the mail (from the publisher and from BMI) I can forgive myself for writing "formula driven songs"
 
i just whip out my cell phone and memo it on there or voice record it so i can remember the tune i came up with it...
 
For $29.99 I bought an Olympus mini cassette recorder that is ALWAYS with me in the car. Mini cassettes, built in mic. Great way to never lose an idea.
 
If i'm driving for example and a thought hits me, I do what I always do. Rhyme with it in my head until I find a piece of paper and pen. That is probably one of the most frustrating things a songwriter can come across. I remember just a few days ago I was literally going bananas becuz I couldn't find a working pen in the house and it was sooo late. I think I just ended up rhyming the bit in my head the rest of the night, then I still remembered it in the morning, so I cud write it down on my computer. By that time, I came up with more material.
 
Sal4001 said:
For $29.99 I bought an Olympus mini cassette recorder that is ALWAYS with me in the car. Mini cassettes, built in mic. Great way to never lose an idea.
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Well, I've started carrying a notebook around with me. I'm going to do a little research on mini recorders. Maybe I can pick one up at Wal-Mart or something.
 
My wife gave me her iPaq from work> She wasn't using it, so I adopted it. It is the best ever. I can jot down notes in freehand or type them in. I got a 1 gig sd card so i have MP3s of a bunch of works in progress and inspirational recordings. The only problem is that a pocket PC is a little bigger than a cell phone and it has solitaire on it so I tend to waste time with it instead of doing something constructive.
 
Sal4001 said:
For $29.99 I bought an Olympus mini cassette recorder that is ALWAYS with me in the car. Mini cassettes, built in mic. Great way to never lose an idea.
Click to expand...

I own three of these type recorders and keep one in each vehicle and the house and have for many years. When I have writer's block I will pull out a tape from the past and listen to the snippets of ideas that I recorded long ago while driving, etc. Some times I can rework a song, or get a new idea for a chorus, or take off in a new direction. I have probably 35 hours recorded a few seconds at a time. Hundreds of ideas over time. That's just me though.
 
If I'd been about in 2006 {there's a story attached to my join date} I would've replied to this statement by grn
grn said:
if you can't remember it, was it really that great in the first place?
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"Totally disagree. Greatness has nothing whatsoever to do with the memory of it. There are hundreds of snippets of songs that are years old that I have, many of which I consider fantastic but had I not written them down or hummed them into a dictaphone, I would've forgotten them. Even now, sometimes in the midst of delivering stuff, a line or melody or harmony will come and I can't get to paper or I'll be talking to someone. Many of the bits that come don't make it because of the distraction......."

And if I'd been around in 2006 I would've said in response to mikeh's comments
mikeh said:
In part I do agree that if the lyrics are "that good" you will remember them.


I once had a song hit me while driving on the freeway - the concept and several key lines, which I knew some of which would be lost if I did not act quickly (it later developed into what I think is one the the best songs I've ever written and my publisher jumped on it very quickly)
Click to expand...
"That's a contradiction. It developed into one of your best songs yet you knew that if you didn't get it down quick, it would be lost. So it was obviously "that good" but you couldn't remember it without writing it down".

But neither are here so it's rather pissing in the wind or shadow boxing......
 
I usually find if this happens to me (i hate it when it does XD) but if i'm out and i can't get it down just then, i put myself back into the same mindset and attempt to feel the same emotions i was feeling when my mind started making up lyrics.

This usually helps, and sometimes it doesn't but then i'll find later on, maybe even a few weeks down the track i'm writing a new song and the line comes back :) so it works out sometimes haha. Does this ever happen to you?

Of late, i've began jotting down the line or lyric on my phone under notes - this way i don't lose any of my genius lines and i can re-evaluate if they're really that good in the first place XD
 
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