Category Archive: Quick Songwriting Tips

May 20, 2011

Wiping the slate clean with alternate guitar tunings

If you're a guitar player, one great way to get new ideas going is to put your guitar into a different tuning. Suddenly, the slate is "wiped clean" — all your habitual chords and progressions are gone, and you have to approach the fretboard with "beginner's mind" once again.

You find new shapes and new sounds that open up exciting new songwriting possibilities. And with a capo, you can move those new sounds into other keys, as well.

Some popular tunings (listed from bass to treble) are:

- DADGAD
- DADF#AD (open D)*
- DGDGBD (open G)*
- DGDGAD (open G variation)
- CGCGCE (open C)
- EAEAC#E (open A)*
(* Also good for slide)

One great way to ease into alternate tunings is with "Drop D": DADGBE (drop the low E string to D). It's easy on your strings, and it's easy to use. For one thing, a "power" chord is now just a barre across strings 4, 5, and 6.

(If you have two guitars, use one for playing alternate tunings and one for standard tuning — you'll break fewer strings from retuning all the time.)

Posted by richard at 09:56 PM

May 15, 2011

The trouble with copy-and-paste in music sequencing...

If you sequence your backing tracks on computer, and you're trying to create an authentic "band" sound, think twice before using the copy and paste functions too much.

Of course it's convenient, and we all do it. But if you reuse your tracks from one verse or chorus to another, you could be robbing your demo of some serious dynamic energy.

Think about it: When a band plays a song, the arrangement evolves from beginning to end. No two sections are exactly alike, even if they look the same on paper. Maybe the drummer hits a little harder in Verse 2, or the bass player pushes a little more, or whatever. But if all the verses (or choruses) are the same, you lose all that. Sure, you can add more parts, but if the rhythm section is stuck in a rut, then the song is, too.

Instead, try to make the core parts evolve, so that each section plays its own, unique role in the song. Imagine how someone would really play each part in a real band setting, and shape your tracks accordingly. Yes, it's more work, but the result is much more convincing, and well worth the trouble.

Posted by richard at 09:54 PM

May 10, 2011

Be the singer...

Do you fall into this trap? You've made up a cool chord change. But when you try to write a melody, all you can sing is the roots of the chords, or some other line that moves in lock-step with the chords. It's a common problem, and it leads to melodies that are predictable and one-dimensional.

Luckily, the solution is simple: Instead of singing and playing at the same time, record yourself playing the chords, and then sing over the recording.

When you don't have to sing and play at the same time, you can "be the singer," which frees you up to focus on the vocal line without being distracted by the demands of playing your instrument at the same time. You can sing lines that have a different rhythm from the chords, that move in the opposite direction... In short, you're free to explore all the possibilities, not just those that are easy to sing while you play.

For many songwriters, this approach is very liberating, and leads to much more interesting melodies.

Posted by richard at 09:53 PM

May 05, 2011

Finding new chord-melody interactions...

One very cool way to open up more chord possibilities for a melody tone is to find every chord you can that contains that tone, regardless of the key or scale.

For example, if the melody tone is C, that one tone could be the:

- root of any kind of C chord
- major 7th in D-flat Maj7 or C-sharp min/Maj7
- minor 7th in D min7, D min7b5, or D7
- major 6th in E-flat 6 or E-flat min6; 13th in E-flat7
- aug 5th in E+, E+7
- 5th in F, Fmin, F7, etc.
- dim 5th in F#min7b5, F#majb5, F#7b5
- aug 4th in G-flat7(#11)
- 4th in Gsus4, Gmin(sus4), G7(sus4); 11th in Gmin
- major 3rd in A-flat, A-flat7
- minor 3rd in A min
- major 2nd in Bflat(sus2); 9th in B-flat(add9), B-flat min(add9), B-flat Maj9, B-flat min9, B-flat 9
- min 9th in B7(flat9)

The effect can be subtle or dramatic, depending on how far the chord you choose deviates from the key - or whatever harmonic context - you're in, and/or how dissonant or consonant the chord is relative to the harmonic flow in which it occurs.

Such chords can also act as pivots for modulations, especially between two sections (e.g. chorus to bridge, etc.)

Posted by richard at 09:50 PM

April 14, 2011

Don't stereotype yourself.

If a song idea comes to you that feels outside your usual "turf" as a writer, don't turn it away. See where it goes, and whether you can get a finished song out of it.

Sure, it might feel strange to write a silly children's song if your usual thing is heavy metal. But write it anyway. Even if you know you'll never record it yourself, maybe somebody else will. You never know — maybe this weird little idea will become the song that makes you famous and puts your kids through college.

More important, you don't want to judge or limit yourself as a writer. You want your creative channels to be wide open, to receive whatever inspiration and ideas might come. And when they do come, you don't want to judge them too soon, or shut the door on some part of your creative self. You want to be open and flexible, so your imagination can be free, and so your songwriting range and skill continue to grow.

Besides, any song that comes is a gift, and it's good to practice some humility and gratitude where those gifts are concerned. Otherwise, the next one might take a lot longer in coming.

Posted by richard at 09:37 PM

April 04, 2011

Make me feel it.

Don't write a song that tells me what you feel, or tells me what to feel.. Write a song that makes me feel it.

Too many songwriters write about emotions. They write about something that's happening "over there" somewhere. The song is just a memory or shadow of an experience.

Write songs that create real experiences, rather than just describe them. Make the words, images, and music (and performance!) evoke a feeling or conjure a world that's so strong that I can't help but get swept up in it.

How do you do that? I can't give you any formulas, but there is a simple question you can ask yourself: "Does this song move me?" Not, "Does this song express how I feel?" News flash: No-one cares how you feel. They want to feel something themselves.

What I want to know is, does just listening to this song — the song itself — give you chills, make you want to cry, make you feel more alive? If it does, then it might just make me feel that way, too.

Posted by richard at 09:30 PM

March 30, 2011

"Good writing is rewriting." - Truman Capote

It's rare that the first draft of a song is worthy of ending up on a record — yours or anyone else's.

The fact is, the best songwriters work hard at it. And the bulk of that work is devoted to editing and rewriting. Taking the time to consider every line, every image, every word, and finding ways to make a song better. Cutting out the cliches and wasted words. Eliminating the distractions, evasions, and tangents. Focusing and tightening the language to make it clearer, more alive, more true.

Even if you think your first draft is great just as it is, you owe it to yourself (and your audience) to see if you're right. If you are, I congratulate you. But if you're able to make some improvements, I congratulate you all the more — you've just made a great song even greater.

And when you think that a song is finished, and that you've done all you can to make it the best it can be, put it aside for a week or two. Cool off. Then take it out again. See anything you missed?

Posted by richard at 09:29 PM

March 27, 2011

The shell game.

If there's a part of your song that feels weak to you, and you're hoping listeners won't notice or care, don't kid yourself — they will. In fact, it will probably stand out even more to them than it does to you.

Why? Because other people, unlike you, don't have any attachments or delusions about your song. They hear it more objectively and open-mindedly than you ever can.

In songwriting classes and workshops, it's exactly these "I-hope-they-don't-catch-it" weak spots that get caught first, by teacher and listeners alike. It's almost as though we can hear when the writer's trying to put one over on us. But the "shell game" never works — we always know which cup the pea is hiding under.

What's funny is that, when the problem is pointed out, the writer almost always says, "Yeah, I know.. I was thinking the same thing myself." In other words, when they wrote the song, they didn't trust their (or the listener's) instincts. When that little voice inside said, "I don't know if this really works," they didn't take it seriously.

Save yourself some time and trouble and fix the problems now.

Posted by richard at 09:28 PM

March 25, 2011

Modus operandi

When you're working on a song, it's often helpful to take a step back and consider what kind of song it is. This is especially useful when you're revising, when you feel stuck, or when a song feels like it's at a creative crossroads.

By "what kind of song," I don't mean what style or genre, but what sort of "strategy" the song is using. How is the song supposed to "work?" Here are just a few questions you might ask yourself:

- Is it a story, with a beginning, middle and end?... or,
- Is it an expression of a single state of mind or feeling?... or,
- Is it a series of snapshots that all illustrate the same idea?
- Is it literal and factual?... or,
- Is it dreamlike, or stream of consciousness?
- If it's a story, is it happening now, or in the past?
- Is there a "turning point" from one state to another?
- Who is the singer singing "to?" Everyone? Someone specific? No-one?
- Should people understand every word, or are you being more indirect?

I'm sure you can think of similar questions of your own. They're worth asking. They help you zero in on the song's "modus operandi," which will help you focus your efforts and know what direction you're going in.

Posted by richard at 09:27 PM

March 22, 2011

Avoid "negative inspiration."

Let me explain what I mean...

There are some songwriters who say, "Listen to this s**t on the radio... I can write a better song than that!" Yes, some of the songs on the radio are bad. Yes, some of these bad songs are very successful. Yes, you could probably write something better.

But to focus on that is to miss the point. You should be trying to write the absolute best songs you can, not to merely outdo inferior songs that you have no respect for.

Forget the bad songs and focus instead on the greatest songs you know of, whatever "greatest" means to you. And don't take someone else's word for what's great — pick your own songwriting heroes and heroines. News flash: they may or may not be on the radio.

Ironically (and, perhaps, predictably), writers who adopt the "I-can-write-better-than-that" stance end up writing inferior work themselves. Their cynicism about the songwriting craft, and about the listener, sabotages their efforts almost before they begin.

Rather than be reassured by what you think is the worst, try to be inspired, and challenged, by what you think is the best.

Posted by richard at 09:25 PM

March 19, 2011

Start a songwriting group.

Consider starting a songwriting circle with four or five other writers. There's nothing like community to feed your spirit, and to make you bolder in your creative efforts. Let your group become a songwriting lab, and a support group.

Some activities your group might consider:

- Share your songs with each other. Give each other feedback.
- Share resources and information.
- Provide each other with encouragement and moral support.
- Come up with writing assignments that you all can work on.
- Try collaborating with different people in the group.
- Bring in guest writers to shake things up every now and then.
- Listen to songs you admire and discuss them together.
- You could even perform together on a split bill or as a group.

Why go it alone?

Posted by richard at 09:24 PM

March 18, 2011

Be heard.

Don't keep your songs to yourself. They're meant to be heard.

Don't be afraid of being judged, or of being ripped off. The risk of either is far outweighed by the risk of becoming isolated and discouraged as a songwriter.

Find ways to get your songs out into the world: open mics, coffeehouse concerts, song circles with other writers, a songwriting coach, a songwriting workshop, releasing a CD, posting your songs on your MySpace page, or even just playing your songs for family and friends.

Let people hear and respond to your work — you might be pleasantly surprised by what they say. Some may give you much-needed encouragement, and some may give you excellent advice on how to make your songs even better.

But whatever you do, don't hide. Be heard. Knowing that your songs have a "place in the world" will make you do your best work, and will give you a greater sense of focus and purpose as a songwriter.

Posted by richard at 09:23 PM

March 16, 2011

Song-babble

I call this kind of writing "song-babble." It's made entirely of pre-fab, generic bits. It resembles real songwriting, but is so derivative and thoughtless that it communicates nothing (except perhaps the writer's inexperience).

Even worse is song-babble filled with archaic words and grammar, like something from the 19th century: "To you I give my heart / from you I shall not part." Yikes.

It's easy to miss the fact that song-babblers really do want to do good work. But, not knowing how to get started, they resort to bland imitations that sound vaguely "songish," but contain no real feelings or ideas.

Don't write song-babble. Say something. Communicate your honest, real feelings. If you're writing a love song, then really go into what being in love feels like for you, and write from there. Do custom work — no prefab.

Anything else is a waste of time — yours and the listener's. If you don't feel it, we won't either.

Posted by richard at 09:17 PM

March 13, 2011

Learn to play other people's (great) songs.

Learn to play and sing songs by the writers you admire the most. Learn them by heart. Study how they're put together. The world's great songs are the best songwriting textbook you could ever have.

Many developing songwriters resist this idea because they're afraid of losing their own "voice." But if you do it right, just the opposite will happen -- the more you know, the more free you'll be. Songwriting is a craft as well as an art, and you want to be the best craftsman you can.

You don't have to choose just today's hit songs. In fact, it's better if you pull from as wide a range of styles and periods as you can — whatever you think is great.

The more cover songs you learn and study, the more you'll learn about form and structure, how words and music work together, how to tell a story, how to keep people interested...

Think of it this way: The world's greatest songwriters can become your teachers. Hey, you might as well learn from the best!

Posted by richard at 09:01 PM