161
How can I tell if I have what it takes?
QUESTION:
I am new at this. For years I have been able to create
poems and I have recently wrote 5 songs. I'm not sure
if they are good and I'm really frustrated because I can
not put music to them. How do I get started as to finding
out if they are good, putting music to them, and starting
a music career?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
As with anything that is new, the best place to start
is with educating yourself on the subject. I would suggest
an afternoon at your local bookseller where you can leisurely
browse through the section on songwriting and find some
books on the craft and the business of music that will
get you started in your studies. Next, I would strongly
suggest finding out where your nearest songwriting organization
meets. There is no substitute for learning to know other
songwriters who live and work near you. You will learn
from their experience and also will be able to find music
collaborators whom you might co-write with and turn your
lyrics into completed songs. Songwriting organizations
also spend time critiquing each other's songs.....a very
valuable service in helping you to know whether or not
what you are writing is anywhere near "the mark." Then
continue to take advantage of the many online resources
for songwriters. You have already found Lyrical Line which
is one of the best! Take advantage of the various features
of the website -- it is designed to help you get educated
in songwriting. Other online songwriting resources include:
-
The Muses Muse (http://www.musesmuse.com)
-
Independent Songwriter (http://www.independentsongwriter.com)
-
Writers Write (a website for all kinds of writers including
songwriters at http://www.writerswrite.com)
-
My website at http://www.cqkmusic.com
Be willing to invest some time and even a few dollars
in educating yourself on songwriting. It will be well
worth it and will start you on the right path toward your
place of maximum contribution as a songwriter. Good Luck!!
Back
to top
162
Where to find help
QUESTION:
I have tried to write songs but I dont know really what
to write about. Where can I find help?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
Please refer to the question above for part of the answer
to your question. Educating yourself in the craft of songwriting
through reading is one of the best ways to stimulate your
creativity and begin to develop ideas for songs. In addition
to educating yourself on songwriting, you should be reading
great literature by great authors covering great thoughts
and topics. Stretch your mind to THINK and FEEL as you
read. And then start journaling. Write down how you feel
after you read a certain author or poet....what thoughts
come to mind....images and concepts that you have read
about. Do the same thing when you read the newspapaer
or watch the evening news. Instead of just vegging out
and hearing the news....try to imagine what you would
be feeling if one of the top stories had happened to you.
For example, if a tornado has just destroyed a town in
Mississippi, try to put yourself in the position of one
of those townspeople who escaped into a storm cellar only
to come up a few minutes later to find the entire town
gone. Write in your journal how you might feel, the fear....the
sorrow....the overwhelming sense of loss. These exercises
will help you tune into life and human emotions -- from
which spring the greatest ideas for songs. You are absolutely
right to realize that the foundation of every great song
is a great idea. And there are great ideas "humming in
the wires" of our daily experiences. Your task is to develop
your mind and emotions to become a receiver that will
pick up the signals all around you. Once you develop that
skill, you will have more ideas than you will have time
to write about. Go for it!!!!
Back
to top
163
Can you just write the lyrics?
QUESTION:
To become a songwriter do you have to come with music
for all the instuments or can just provide the lyrics?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
Songs are made up of both words and music. There are instrumental
songs that have music only, but NO songs are made up of
just lyrics. Lyrics alone are only poems. As Burt Bacharach
once said: "You can't whistle a lyric!" You do not have
to be an arranger or an orchestrator to write melody and
harmony for a song. You just need to have enough knowledge
of music to create the music "blueprint" of the song.
If the song is eventually recorded, arrangers, sequencers
and orchestrators will "dress up" the basic melody so
that it sounds sophisticated and sexy! But that is not
necessarily the job of the composer. While it sure doesn't
hurt for a music writer to know theory and composition,
many of the greatest songwriters of all time cannot even
read or write music. Many compose by ear and play a guitar
or keyboard only enough to write their songs. If you are
a lyricist only, however, you MUST either learn how to
write your own melodies -- or link up with a musician
who can collaborate with you. The best place to start
is your local songwriters association.....or a college
or church music department. Hang out where there are songwriters,
and eventually you will begin to get the "hang" of writing
songs. If you are serious about learning songwriting,
you will also want to do a lot of self-education -- read
the many great books from Writers Digest Books, Hal Leonard
Publications and other publishers of books on the craft
of songwriting.Like anything else that appears glamorous
on the surface, songwriting means a lot of hard work IF
you are serious about excelling and becoming a REAL songwriter.
It all boils down to how bad you want to write songs.....the
decision is yours.
Back
to top
164
Looking to get my lyrics out there
QUESTION:
I am a female Country Lyricist/Singer seeking contacts
to get my original lyrics out there. Some I would like
to pitch to various artists and others to perform myself.
Serious replies only please. Have many to offer and able
to write effortlessly one or more almost daily. I know
that my lyrics are very good and am excited about going
on from here.
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
This is really more of an advertisement than an actual
question, but I have to respond to it because it relates
to so many other lyricists. You may be the greatest lyricist
in the world, but it is going to be very hard -- if not
impossible -- to pitch yourself as a lyricist only. The
Music Industry is looking for SONGS which must contain
both words and music. While there are certainly great
writers who write only lyrics in the Music Business (i.e.,
Bernie Taupin, Hal David etc.), they are established writers
who have made it by collaborating with great musicians.
And usually those great musicians were not already household
names when they started writing with them. They grew together
as they wrote and helped each other excel. My advice (which
may sound like a broken record if you have been reading
the Questions and Answers section for very long) is to
find a collaborator in your community. Start with your
local songwriters association. Get involved in things
musical that are being done right where you live. There
will be wonderful musicians who will be as gifted with
the music as you are with the lyrics and will be able
to help you create some completed songs that can be pitched
to both artists and publishers.
Back
to top
165
One-sided co-writing and what to do
QUESTION:
What if a co-writing situation is very one-sided, that
is to say the first one and one-half lines were used,
and the rest of the song including the hook/title was
solely written by the second writer. Does the second writer
have the right, or is it within proper songwriting ettiquete
to ask for a lion's share of the song?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
Co-writing agreements can be decided any number of ways
for any number of reasons. For example, if you have a
chance to have a major songwriter contribute to a song
you are writing (even if it's a small contribution) you
may be willing to give them equal ownership with you in
the song. The credibility and connections it would give
you to have your name on the same song with that established
writer may be worth more to you than an actual monetary
percentage. But the fairest way to assign percentages
of the song is to figure out exactly how much each person
contributed and then agree as to the divisions. Usually
with two writers who both contribute, they will divide
it equally, but in the situation you described you may
wish to give the writer who contributed less a smaller
percentage -- i.e. 10-20% of the song.
The important thing here is that you have that agreement
IN WRITING. If you don't have the money to hire an attorney,
then put it in a simple letter of agreement and have both
writers sign it. This will hold up in court if there are
any "variations in memory" later on. The thing about songwriting
is that everybody is friendly UNTIL the money starts coming
in. Then everyone's memory starts getting real fuzzy.....and
each person remembers that he/she contributed more than
the original agreement. If the major part of the song
is yours and if you don't want to give the other writer
any of the song for the small amount they contributed,
the easiest thing to do is simply write your own lines
where they had their lines....then the song is completely
yours.
Back
to top
166
Finishing a song
QUESTION:
I am having a hard time "bringing the song home." It seems
a lot of my songs start very strong and then the last
verse has a hard time being as strong or stronger (the
clincher line or lines.) Also it's real hard for me to
write simply and clearly with a consistancy that earmarks
great "hit" songs. Any suggestions?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
This question relates to the very important matter of
song CONTENT. You have to have enough to say to fill up
at least two great verses that will really set up the
"killer chorus" you have written. When you get a song
idea -- before you ever write the first note -- try just
sitting down and letting your ideas freeflow. Write down
every cliche, metaphor, simile, fragment, thought, feeling,
idea and image you can think of in relationship to that
core idea. You may want to use several writing sessions
just for this phase of the songwriting process.
Once you have filled several notebook pages with this
freeflow stuff....then go back and start highlighting
the best of what you have written down. Next, decide how
you are going to organize this content. There are many
ways to do it effectively. You may use a "timeline" technique
where the first verse is in the past....the second verse
is in the present and the chorus applies to both. Or you
may use a "vignette" method where you paint little word
pictures in each verse that create a mood ( a great example
is Gary Burr's song, "Can't Be Really Gone" recorded by
Tim McGraw). Or you may use the "problem-solving" method,
where the verses paint a picture of a situation that is
difficult and the chorus provides the solution or the
philosohpical answer to the problem. There are many ways
to organize content, but whatever you choose.....outline
the song before you ever start to create rhymes or lyric
phrases. The content of the song is like the wood for
building a house. The songcrafting techniques of rhyme,
meter, melody etc. are the tools for putting the house
together. But remember, if you don't have any wood, you
don't have anything to use your tools on. The concept
or idea is paramount!!
Back
to top
167
Pointers on chorus writing
QUESTION:
I have problems writing the chorus. It is the really hard
part of songwriting. The rest comes easily (usually) but
the chorus is very hard. So do you have any pointers or
advice?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
Your question is a good one and shows that you understand
the importance of the chorus in a Verse-Chorus song. Because
the chorus is SO important, it can be difficult to write
well.
The chorus almost always should contain the "hook" or
thesis statement of the song -- which is usually also
the title. The hook should summarize the entire concept
or point of the song and should contain the strongest
musical and lyrical elements. It should also be repeated
in the chorus several times to reinforce it in the listener's
mind. I find that since the hook (within the chorus) is
the most important element of the song, it is best to
focus on finding a "killer hook" before you ever write
the first note or word of the song.
The hook is inextricably connected to the idea or concept
of the song and should be memorable, easy to sing and
even contain a play on words or meanings (which is especially
good for Country songs). For example, I wrote a song one
time that was about a footloose and fancy free fellow
who finally met the girl of his dreams and was now ready
to get married. I could have called the song, "I'm Ready
to Get Married" but instead I called it, "Fit to Be Tied."
The play on words made the song fun and memorable.
Depending on the kind of song you are writing, the hook
itself may almost solve your chorus problem. Some choruses
are simply the hook repeated several times. If you need
more, you can add some strategic lines of music and lyric
that will reinforce the hook. Once the chorus is written,
you can then go back and create verses that will "set
up" the chorus. The hook should be the "shining jewel"
that stands out above all the rest of the song and everything
else in the song should work together to point to that
one killer line of words and music.
Try starting with your concept or idea for the song first
and then find a "killer hook" to hang the idea on. Once
you have crossed that hurdle, you have written the hardest
and most important part of the song.....then you can just
write the song "backwards" -- adding the verses next and
then a bridge (if you think the song needs one).
Hope this helps. Keep in touch and let us know how things
are going!!
Best of Luck.
Back
to top
168
What's a lead sheet?
QUESTION:
Please tell me what a lead sheet is and what it contains,
as opposed to a lyric sheet.
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
A lead sheet is the melody line of a song notated on music
paper with the chords indicated above the staves where
the harmonic changes occur in the song. Lyrics are usually
written in below the staves to coincide with the music.
In other words, a lead sheet is basically a simplified
method of writing a song out on paper.
A lyric sheet, on the other hand, is simply a typed copy
of the lyrics for the song written out in a "lyric format"
-- with rhymes displayed at the ends of lines, and with
the chorus and/or bridge indented to make it easy to read.
Many songwriters think that music industry executives
or publishers "expect" to receive a lead sheet with songs
that are submitted to them, but this is not true. In most
cases, a typed lyric sheet is more than sufficient along
with a clear demo on CD or cassette. Often, the first
person to receive and review the demo may be a secretary
or intern that can't even read music, so the lead sheet
would be of little help. If and when the song reaches
a professional, they will be able to hear the harmonies
and melody immediately and be able to probably play the
song better than you. The only reason they may ask for
a lead sheet is in the event that the arranger for the
song would like to have it on hand. If that is the case,
you may be able to supply the lead sheet then. For most
purposes a lead sheet is completely unnecessary and immediately
shows that you are inexperienced in songplugging.
For further information on how to submit a demo, type
a lyric sheet etc., please refer to my manual, "How to
Get Somewhere in the Music Business from Nowhere with
Nothing." Ordering information can be found at http://www.cqkmusic.com/cqkprod.html.
Back
to top
169
Closure on a story line
QUESTION:
It is difficult for me as a songwriter to come up with
a story line that comes to closure during the song, while
capturing the audience, and providing a new slant on a
old theme. Any suggestions?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
Very good question! Your question indicates that you understand
what needs to happen in a song for it to be cohesive and
communicate to the listeners. I hope you will stay tuned
to our radio program, I Write the Songs, on Lyrical Line
because we are discussing some of these very elements
right now in our series on Lyric Writing. Also, refer
to the Question and Answer above.
Story lines evolve out of a great concept or an idea that
you want to communicate. To find those great ideas you
must learn to "sensitize yourself" to life around you.
You may want to delve into your own life experiences...
or you may hear the stories of others and realize that
they contain a certain "truth" that you would like to
write about. As in writing novels, the characters don't
need to be "real people" but composites of real people
whom you have met or have read about.
Once you have the idea, I recommend taking several writing
sessions to just "freeflow" and write everything that
comes to mind about that concept or idea. You may fill
several legal pad pages with this freeflow content. Use
as many descriptive words and word pictures as you can.
Then begin to organize the content. If you are telling
a story, decide what the "thesis" or point of the song
is and then use that as the chorus. Next, begin to outline
what you want to put in the first verse.....how you will
expand it in the second verse.....and then whether or
not the song needs a bridge. As you outline, you will
begin to see where the story needs to "turn" and how it
needs to inevitably flow into the chorus. Writing a great
story song is like writing any other kind of essay or
paper. It must be outlined so that you cover the important
points and so that you support the overall concept or
thesis of the song.
Give these suggestions a try and then let us hear from
you as to how it is going. Best of Luck!!
Back
to top
170
Going Pro
QUESTION:
How can a non-professional songwriter become a professional?
Do you think that some one like me can?
ANSWER
(by Mary Dawson):
The answer to this question is relatively simple. If you
want to BE a professional, you must ACT professional.
The word "professional" is really not definitive -- in
other words, there are not certain "specific requirements"
you must have to BE a professional. A person who is a
professional in any field takes their job seriously, strives
to excel at it, is knowledgeable about their profession
and behaves in a professional, courteous, businesslike
manner with colleagues.
Translating that into the world of songwriting simply
means that you must begin to think of yourself as a songwriter
and become skilled at the craft AND the business of music.
You will need to do a lot of study and reading on the
various aspects of both the artistic and the more legal
matters that are involved in songs and music. As you become
educated and skilled in songwriting, you will begin to
project confidence and expertise in your manner. Professionalism
is something you cannot fake! You don't need to be rich
and successful yet, but you HAVE to know your business
and conduct yourself with integrity and class!
One very practical first step would be to simply put down
"songwriter" on the blank that asks for your profession
on any information forms you have to fill out for the
doctor's office etc. If you really want to be a songwriter,
don't put down "clerk," or "secretary." Put down "songwriter"
and be proud of who you are. You will be amazed at the
responses you get from people who see this in your information.
They will perk up and respond to you with interest and
admiration (probably because they are also aspiring songwriters
at heart). When you do this you will have just taken the
first step toward becoming a professional -- then just
be sure you study hard so that you have the knowledge
and skill to back up your identity!
