Songwriter's Thread (All Musicians Welcome)

[Strafe]

You notice that in the Jam Session Section, most of the threads are for fans of Music, not Musicians. And I'm sure that plenty of people here play instruments and write songs, so I decided to start a thread for people who want to talk about Making music instead of just listening to it. But since a thread about all types of Music, which would be incredibly chaotic and disorganized, I figured a specific topic should be chosen. And I suppose if this thread has enough popularity, someone can go make a Guitarist's thread or a Pianist's Thread to follow suit.

Well, seeing as Songwriting is a pretty broad, multi-instrumental Subject, I guess it's a safe place to start. This is going to be a sort of center for Songwriters. A little place where you can post lyrics for critique. Maybe write out lyrics for people to put music to and vice versa. A base of operations, if you will. Instrumental compositions are just as welcome. In a sense, lyrics in song are a form of poetry, so poets are welcome too. Musicians and Non-Musicians are Equally welcome. No elitism please. No form of music is better than another. Maybe more technically challenging and involved, but not better.

So songwriting is... writing songs. Be it Compositions of pure notation, or lyrics sung to music. A typical Pop structure verse, or a symphony in movements. None is "better" than the other, though some may prove more difficult and thus favored. But the creation of music is a beautiful thing either way. These days, songwriting tends to suggest more towards a pop structured song with lyrics, so that may end up being the main point of discussion here.

--

For a little bit of direction to the thread, I'll ask an introductory question:

What do you think is the best instrument to write a lyrical song to? I favor guitar or piano as my accompaniment, since its easier to separate your hands and mouth, but maybe you write lyrical songs on the tuba and somehow found a way to sing and play at the same time. Or maybe you write songs without a background to sing to? So, a question that even non musicians can answer, though anyone who can sing, no matter how good or bad, can be considered, in loose terms, a musician. (Lots of Commas.)

[Strafe]

So... no posts yet. Cool. Maybe I should have done a guitarist's thread. Are songwriters few and far in between?

Or is the question weird? I dunno.

At the moment, I'm typing, trying to figure out what to do with this thread that no one can relate to.

Alright then, an absolutely open question to anyone, including non-songwriters:

What are your favorite songs about usually? Like Love, hate, anger, things that shouldn't be mentioned on a Christian Site?

[Phantom_Sorano]

First off, I appreciate your thread tremendously, Mr. Strafe.

As to your first question, I would have to agree. The guitar and piano make great instruments to write lyrical accompaniment. Personally, it depends on the mood and genre of the piece. Saxophone, especially the soprano saxophone, can be beautiful with a lofty jazz singer.

For the second question.....hmmm...for me, it is hard to say. The meaning of the piece is everything. Sometimes it's the words, sometimes the particular melody, instrument....there are so many things.

To me, it's about the story the music is trying to convey. There are millions of songs, but only a handful of musicial pieces. For instance, if you were to listen to Frank Ticheli's piece "An American Elegy", you might just think it to be a decent, patriotic composition. But what if you looked up the meaning for it? The first time I heard it, I just thought it was pretty. Then I was told that the songwriter was actually from Columbine; he had just written the high school's alma mater when the tragic school shooting occured. I listened to it again. I could hear the gentle echoes of the voices which is expressed by the distant trumpet; the reoccuring melody that finally and boldly annouces itself is the alma mater "Columbine, we are all Columbine". When I could understand the music and the story it conveyed, I actually cried.

There are many more examples I could list, but this is one of my favorites. Lyrically, I am astounded by the song "Sunscreen" by Baz Luhrmann. He simply talks through the song, but each time I hear it, I gain a new gem of wisdom. It's a piece which I quote daily and ideas I live by.

So, in short, it is about the story the music is trying to relate to the audience.

Links to the mentioned songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIIKdBYfmlo --Ticheli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ&feature=related --Luhrmann

[Strafe]

YAY A POST!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

I'm sure about the soprano, but I've never had the chance to play sax with a singer, though I did overdub one of my songs with me on alto sax in harmony a long time ago. It was... ok I guess. What would have made it good is if I could actually sing... lol.

The Baz Luhrmann is almost comical in its presentation. A person preaching over a cheesy rap beat. It's pretty profound... Maybe better just to read the essay though, so I don't laugh.

Yeah, when songs have a real, profound story behind it, they really take on a new dimension. The American Elegy is hauntingly beautiful. Maybe out of place to say this, but it have some resemblance in character to The first movement of Holst's First Suite in Eb with... thematic development. It has a recurring theme, but it's not a Chaconne obviously. But after the little identity crisis in my head, I'm amazed. Even standing alone, it's a strong fluent and atmospheric piece. And then the trumpet solo and the keychange after the crescendo. I melted. Every rise and fall was like a crashing wave smoothing back after a storm. Because maybe that's what the song was to Ticheli. A way to soothe the storm in his heart? I don't know. I'm not Ticheli.

I guess when there's a meaning in an event, it can really come out. Although, I rarely have enough that happens in my life for the song to really have any meaning. The only songs I wrote from actual events were after this girl rejected me, which was just a load of poetic sounding self pity, and the death of my grandfather, or a weird meditation on what clouds thought of us living in a seemingly pointless life... not too proud of my resume.

I guess to segue into the next part I'm really itching to talk about, Lyrics in Worship Songs. I guess worship songs are a more contemporary side of Church Worship services. Some don't sing, and some sing hymns, so it may not translate. But its all the same if God is glorified in the end.

But moving away from my brooding lyricism, I've been on to writing more worship-like songs lately, at the encouragement of my pastor. I started writing based on scripture, which instantly has much more meaning than anything I come up with, and it keeps me from writing something weird. I sometimes fall back into my questioning habits, so they're not full on worship songs, but more like a Contemporary Christian song with a more worshipful stance. But sometimes, worship songs can feel a bit impersonal, if you say the same words every Sunday without really taking in what it means. It can become Christian Jargon, just nice sounding things.

I guess in response to that, the song, "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan is really a wake up call. It's not wishy washy at all, and is actually rather raw and unfamiliar lyrically, using bare images, and rougher ways of describing God's love for us. I first hear his recording of it, and I wasn't quite sure what to think. I was used to the sort of oversung Sunday worship "Nice-Feeling, glossed over "songs. So my Dad plays it in the car one saturday, since he was going to lead worship the next day. He wanted me to hear it. Well I thought it was definitely musically very well done, with a really strong Chorus, and very poetic lyrics. Half way through the song, I thought it felt a bit difficult to worship to. But towards the end of the song, he begins to cry in the recording. That really caught me off guard, and I was curious.

Well there was a reason for that apparently. My Dad explains that one day, he was praying at his Church, when his friend cries out in prayer, "If it would shake the youth of a nation, I will give my life today." That night, McMillan finds that his friend was killed in a car crash. The next morning, he writes a worship song about God's love. Well, when I describe an event like this in 3 sentences, it really loses impact, but still, try to imagine how this plays out.

I'm not exactly sure what I'm most amazed at. The raw emotion he conveys through the song, the strength of faith he has to praise God in the midst of tragedy. I don't know. But it shook up my conceptions of what a worship song was. We sang it the next day, and it was... well powerful. I didn't know what to say. But if you read the lyrics, it really makes sense, that God loves us in that bare open way, no reservations, no glossed over sayings. I guess I'm really inspired by this song.

EDIT: Oh right and here's a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0luHiWwi08

[yukoxholic]

I play piano and trifle in a few other instruments so as to answer your first question I am mostly “piano-driven” when it comes to writing songs. Though I don’t necessarily need an instrument per say when I am writing a song with lyrics. Normally, the melody is already in my head and I’ll record something acapella before composing the arrangement.

When it comes to writing a pure instrumental piece I basically “chain” myself to my piano. Usually, pieces like that require a lot of attention from me because I am a perfectionist and always look for the greater detail in composition with no words. Something that will make the listener “feel” what I am trying to convey without saying anything at all.

Music itself is an art form so whichever way we, as the creators go about constructing our compositions is undoubtedly the right way for each of us. I’m always interested in hearing how others who compose or write songs go about making his/her piece of music because the process is so exciting!

For me, if the music is there be it in my head and then transcribing that to an instrument or just by singing I feel both aspects are an opening to songwriting. ^_^

As to your second question, I love songs that make an impact or make you think. I also love “folk songs” or songs that involve a story around them. I don’t know I’m not really picky when it comes to music so generally if it has a great beat or the words are just amazing I’ll listen to it!

[Strafe]

YAY ANOTHER POST!!!

Yeah I just started dabbling in Classical Composition myself, since my Piano teacher wants me to enter a competition that leads to some kind of award for a scholarship, and it definitely requires alot more attention and involvement. I'm actually a bit strange when I write Classical Compositions... I don't transcribe them until after I basically have the whole thing memorized. I'm not exactly sure why I do that, since I'm composing a 10 minute piece at the moment... But as long as I remember it in the end, it's alot easier to perform when the time comes, and I record myself fiddling around with the ideas, so I guess its... sort of ok. Definitely not an orthodox way of doing it, especially when I put in a giant climactic sort of rise that I can't actually play technically. I wonder if composers write songs that are too hard for them to play. At the moment, I'm stuck on deciding to make it a Solo Piano piece, which would make it conceptually easier for me to write, or a Violin Solo with Piano accompaniment, which would take the melody from the piano to make it technically easier for me.

I sort of also wanted to make this a sort of songwriter's marketplace/coffeehouse/some sort of word for community of sorts, where you can share some of the stuff you wrote. Like the lyrics or a recording of your song. Probably the best thing to do would be to link to a video or audio hosting site for recordings, then attach a word file to your post so the lyrics don't take up too much space in the post.

[Phantom_Sorano]

Mr. Strafe, I want you to look up this one composer and examples of his work; like yourself he was unique in his composition style because he would plan each piece in his head and was dislexic. Look up Percy Aldrigde Grainger. You'll be pleasantly surprised. He loved to write for the piano, aswell as the soprano saxophone. Listen to some of his pieces and how the chords mix. Lincolnshire Posy is a great place to start; the piece Lord Melbourne doesn't even have measures!

[Strafe]

Eep. Soran just called me Dyslexic. Ouch. JK, I know what you mean. I'll look him up in depth, and it's good to know that I'm not weird.

By the way, Soran, it seems you play the saxophone, right? By your familiarity of composers who write for the medium, it seems safe to assume that you do. If so, then...

YAY SAXOPHONES RULE MWAHAHAHA!!!

Anyways, about the songwriter's community idea, it would look something like this:

http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/356141

For example, this is a little scrappy demo I threw together this afternoon of my Song Clouds. I lost all my recording programs, so I didn't put any compression, EQ, reverb, or anything that makes it sound unbad, so it's totally bare. I also found that singing in tune while playing piano is harder than I thought. I overdubbed one sax part, but that's all I know how to do on audacity.

Attached are the lyrics.

I wrote the song after my grandfather passed away, but it's not explicitly about that. It's more about how our lives look to things that don't live. Or clouds, in the song. The clouds are looking down on the world and watching us live these mundane lives where ones without souls live without any real purpose, and the ones who should have a purpose just work and grow old until we die. They find it incredibly sad, and lament that fact, until they realize that they themselves are even more meaningless, since they're caught within the same repeating cycle, unable to die, unable to feel the pain of work, and the joy of the fruit of labor.

Lots of cloud imagery, turning, when it rains, watching the birds flying below them, a reference to Candide when the man makes his garden grow. Stuff like that.

[yukoxholic]

That’s awesome about the competition you will be entering. Good luck with that! I find I’m overly critical when composing something so what may seem completely fine to one person may seem terrible to me. So, the entire classical process is always frustrating for me due to the fact that I am my worst critic. All that aside though composing is a lot of fun. I believe within classical composition you have the most creativity just because it is not necessary to add words into the mix. I always have to record ideas that I have when composing. XD So that’s great that you can remember everything! As to how long a piece should be I have an “inner timer” that I go by when I feel the piece is complete then it’s complete!

I’d say why not start with making it a solo piano piece only because as you said it would be easier for you but it would also allow you not to get frustrated or “stumped” when composing. I always make it a rule never to bite off more then I can chew. ^_^; Plus, you can always go back and add accompaniment or write it differently for another instrument...with composing there are infinite possibilities.

I’d share my stuff if I wasn’t so critical of it which I’ll eventually have to get over once I start classes again. XD Maybe I’ll try an acapella piece first.

I really like your lyrics and the jazz sound! It’s interesting how the melody and the words just fit so easily together especially given the background of your song. I was expecting like a really forlorn sounding ballad but was pleasantly surprised! Keep up the good work!

Also, I don’t know how you go about doing your recordings or what equipment you use but normally I record each instrument separately and then add vocals to the layers when mixing. That helps a lot (at least it helps me!) so you don’t have to keep thinking of timing and if you are in tune. ^_^

[Strafe]

Thanks!

I would have overdubbed the vocals, but the tempo fluctuates a bit too much, especially in the ritardando at the end of the bridge and end of the song. And since Audacity doesn't have a metronome, I can't just feel along to the tempo like I normally would. So I had to know exactly when I was going to sing what and play what by playing Piano and Singing at the same time. That basically moves the mic 2 feet away from my mouth. Zero proximity effect, zero bass= thin, sterile sounding vocals+ Less control. I'm not usually this bad.

I'm used to using Ableton live which has a metronome, powerful editing software, and alot of goodies that make me sound prettier, but maybe its good to be exposed.

I think I'll record what I have of the piece so far so I can get some of your super hard criticism.

I'm also a bit curious as to what you do, Yukoxholic. You seem to know alot about this stuff, and seem to be pretty experienced with it too. Like are you studying at a conservatory or earning your masters or something? You're probably ridiculously good at piano/ singing/ composition too.

[yukoxholic]

I’ll actually be attending conservatory this fall for my masters which is in like less then 2 weeks. I’m equally excited and anxious about the whole thing so I’m hoping everything goes well! During the summer I had the opportunity of teaching a workshop for children and teenagers in songwriting and music appreciation. It was a lot of fun working with each of them and to see everyone become enthralled with the idea of music and interpreting their songs to actual composition. It was also interesting to see all the different styles of each student. I know some teachers put a certain pressure on students when composing (totally had that before x_x) but I’m not that way. I just want everyone to have fun and love what they’re doing. I believe that no composition is a waste or is ever terrible because no matter how simplistic or intricate the piece is it’s your own and all that hard work and dedication shows in the finished product.

Aww, that’s so sweet of you to say! I’ve been playing piano since I was very young as to my vocals I’ve never had voice lessons or anything. I just love to sing. My voice is like every other pop/rock singer at best. XD

Ableton Live is awesome! I really love working in Ableton. I also use ProTools though I find myself in audacity quite a bit before bringing the track over to Ableton or Protools. I like using condenser mics for vocals and dynamic ones for instruments with phantom power. I'd love to try out a Tascam portastudio though as well as using groove production.

[Strafe]

Eheheh. I nailed it. Conservatory and masters. I'm pretty good. So what part of music composition are you getting your masters in? I'm sure there are alot of things about composition. Or are there? I don't know. But are you going to become a full time composer or like a teacher at a conservatory in composition or something like that? That sounds incredible. I secretly want to make a living off of music, but I'm no where near good enough technically or theoretically at this point in my life if I'd be considering it to even try. I do want to minor in music in college though. Maybe in Sax or piano if I practice super hard... Uh oh... only 2 years left. Scary.

Well you don't have to give a super detailed measure by measure critique, but this is what I have so far:

http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/356389

I don't think I need to add any more to it, but maybe cut out, work on the transitions from each part, etc. And I actually need to learn how to play it lol. I hope you can tell the difference between real notes and my mistakes. Especially in the middle when it gets really hairy. I mean REALLY hairy. I even stop multiple times. heheh.

I'm not sure if this is right, but it feels like a romantic era sort of waltz, with perhaps too much of a grandiose scope. I try too hard.

Well the story I'm trying to tell is of a boy fleeing from his father because he thinks his father despises him. He sets out on a journey across the world, trying to become someone that his father can be proud of. He leaves after a terrible fight, though it was started by him. So he travels, on his own, which is the minor section, looking for some kind of greatness. What he is really trying to find is the love that he thought his father never gave him. Then he sees what he sees as that greatness, or love, when it changes to the parallel major. He sees the girl of his dreams, and pursues her. The steady thematic crescendo from the start of the Major part to when it changes keys from C to A is basically him pursuing her. Within this, the boy, now a man, forgets of his parents entirely. The key changes to A in that sort of climax thing when he finds that the girl he pursues loves him as well. I envision something cheesy like rose petals getting thrown at a grandiose wedding with the church bells and whatnot. And the couple is blissful, honeymoon etc. before the fire slowly dwindles and fades into a warm glow, or back to C. It's a happy marriage and I'm too much of an idealist. But when it again changes back to minor, it is when the man remembers his parents and realizes that the love he has now was the same love as his father had shown him. Full of remorse he travels back to him, worrying of how he left on a fight, and fearful that his father would not forgive him. But he finds his father, weak and frail. He is in his last moments, and all his life he was waiting for his son to return. The father forgives him, and the sort of climax in this section is when the father gives his blessing to his son. The immediate pianissimo after that is as the father draws his last breath and dies. The son buries his father, then returns to his own family, aware that the love his father gave him is now his to give to his newborn daughter.

The end. That's basically what the finished product is supposed to be. However, the current incarnation sounds like this:

A son runs away from his father and becomes Godzilla, destroying all the cities with his terrible piano playing. So yeah... I need to learn how to play it.

[Phantom_Sorano]

Mr. Strafe,

I must say, I love "Clouds". Your voice is beautiful and your piano playing is wonderful. My only suggestion is to loose the saxophone recording that you have. It doesn't seem to fit the piece so well. Vibrata is the key; a tenor or soprano would do wonders.

[Phantom_Sorano]

in "What I have so Far", I suggest putting in some of the heavier "agreeing" keys in what I would guess the 10-20 measures. Also, the areas of the main melody are a bit naked; try to put in some heavier chords to balance that bright sound for crispness. Excellent work. I can't wait to add your work to my repotoire.^^

[yukoxholic]

My masters will be in music theory and composition. I do like teaching and working with people who share my love for music. I wouldn’t mind teaching at any level be it college or elementary. Although, I love the idea of becoming a full fledged composer I believe such a feat would take many years to accomplish though it is not something that I don’t dream about as well as believe could happen someday. ^_^

Aww, you’re so young you have plenty of time to decide on what you would love to do and you have a lot of potential musically I think you could definitely become a music major as well as make a living in music. People tend to believe that majoring in “music” is like majoring in “theater” that there is no career in it but that is not true at all. Many of my friends have gone onto conducting, becoming part of orchestras, concert pianists, composers, teaching, etc. Possibilities are endless.

As to your latest composition, everything up until the 6:00 minute mark (perhaps a little further in) I enjoyed thoroughly even the parts you had difficulty playing. The only critiques I have really would be that I don’t necessisarily think this piece needs to be 9:00 minutes long. I actually think you could shorten this piece down to 6:00 minutes. When you get to the 5:40 mark you start the repetition of your first half of the composition. You don’t really need to do that again especially since you had a wonderful crescendo. You could literally go into an allegro or due to the current tempo of the piece an andante. I love the element of surprise in instrumental pieces. When you don’t know what you’ll hear next within a piece of music. I really like the melody though, very beautiful!

Because I don’t have your composition in front of me in order to see your musical notation I’m not sure of your transitions between measures. I do hear that within some parts you have some difficulty in playing this could be due to the way your composition is set up. Tweaking those things so the transitions between measures will flow smoothly would be a good idea. Perhaps, adding half cadances because at times when I assumed the piece was concluded you started up again. ^_^

Overall, your piece is lovely! Keep working at it. You’re doing a great job and it’s especially amazing being the age that you are that you have this organic ability for composition! Really, don’t stop, keep it up!

[Strafe]

Wow. Thanks for everything. I'm feeling all giddy from getting my head blown up so large, so I should probably calm down and respond to everything objectively.

About Clouds. Thanks Soran! That's the few compliments on my voice I've ever gotten! Means alot to me, since I'm so self conscious about singing. But yeah... I just threw the sax in there haphazardly, and it really doesn't fit in the mix. The frequencies clash with my voice too much and I really wasn't playing anything otherwise. What I really wanted was a violin part, but since I can't play violin... I made stuff up on sax ^_^; And I don't own a tenor or soprano, so I'm stuck. Maybe I'll rerecord the piece with just piano and vocals and leave it at that.

And on to my composition. Yeah... ok I sort of overshot the timing a bit too much and it was too long. But I really wanted to bring back the first part somehow and add more ornamentation and trills to it, since I purposely play the first time without ornaments. What would be a good way to do this? Since I really like it when the beginning comes back, but more aged and a bit weary... I dunno. I think it would be alot easier to write it as a violin solo though. That way, the chords can be thicker and stronger, though I sort of like the bare open sound I get at the beginning. Maybe I can record me pretending to be violin on sax again. Just keep in mind its supposed to be violin. lol.

My actual future plan is to major in electrical engineering so that I have something to tangibly fall back on. What I really want to try is starting up a Christian rock band. But I guess since it's me, more indie and classical inspired. See what can come from that, then if not I still have my bachelors... So the extent of my recent practice has been guitar and songwriting, coincidentally the two threads I started on the Jam Session thread. lol. While I still have the time, I need to practice alot and write alot, just get better etc.

[That Dude]

Here's some lyrics that I wrote recently.
=====
Pictures And Memories

Each picture is a bittersweet memory
The fading out of you and me
The breaking down of all that we could be.

Will I just be a passing dream
Forgotten by the morning?
Or a nightmare haunting your sleep?

And I don't want to fade away
No I don't, no I don't
Wanna become a memory
Watching us becoming me

So please say just once say that you loved me
Baby say that you loved me

I will be willing to let this go
I just want to know
That you're not just letting go.

[Strafe]

Oh nice. . Does it go along to music, or is it like spoken word or poetry? It sounds like it means something to you, and maybe a bit painful, but very open and sincere, desperate even. Is it a break up song?

Oh and BTW, my other older stuff is here:
http://www.myspace.com/mattkimdemos

I guess request lyrics if any songs catch your ear.

[That Dude]

Oh nice. ]
http://www.myspace.com/mattkimdemos[/URL]

I guess request lyrics if any songs catch your ear.

It goes along with music, but I haven't written any or anything like that. I want to make it into a rock song, but alas, I suck at playing music. I do have some techno stuff. I'll post a link to some of it, though I haven't updated it in a few years, even though I have made like two or three more CD's since then.

Anyway, yes I guess you could call it a break up song, about a girl that I was going after for a long time. I'll post some more lyrics here sometime soon.

Here's some of my older techno stuff.

http://www.myspace.com/samtrefrenandthehouseoffunk
http://www.purevolume.com/thephiladelphiaproject

[Strafe]

Techno's actually alot of fun. I had my techno phase... for better or worse... Never got too far though. Definitely not as complex as your stuff though. Did you do like midi keyboards and layering the tracks yourself, or did you cheat like me and use premade loops?

If you want, I would put music to some of your lyrics. Maybe a collab project. Like acoustic, or legit hardrock. Either one.

[That Dude]

Yeah the techno I showed there is some of my crappier older stuff. I've gotten better...Though my latest one I did wasn't as good as my second to last. Anyway I cheated and used premade hooks on Garageband...Though I have started to make my own loops on it sometimes.

Anyway, yeah I'd totally be up for a collab. Maybe we could go for a sound like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJc44NXQRKI
Or maybe like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3utUy67em8

[That Dude]

Here's some more lyrics of mine...
--------------------------------------
Nothing But. (All For You)

What can I say that hasn't been said before?
All these words already taken
I wish I could have made them

And I'd make myself the moon
Reflecting the light from you
But with these words I'll give my heart
It'll have to do

What can I do that hasn't been done before?
Is there a way I can give you more?
And I can never repay, but...

I'd make myself the moon
Reflecting the light from you
But with these words I'll give my heart
It'll have to do

I can never do anything new
But remember this
This old me is all for you.

[Strafe]

Alright. I'll see what I can do. Might be hard with Rhythms though. I might record something eventually, so check back sometime for it if I do.

[Kunoichi]

I have read most of this Strafe-san. I played classical piano for a number of years and then was forced to start. Unfortunately the pieces I did write I couldn't at the time record and currently do not have a electric piano or regular piano.

Is it okay for me to write some lyrics even though I don't have music? Or would that be better for a different thread? Thanks!

[Strafe]

Of course, feel free to post lyrics here without music. It's anything related to songwriting after all.

[yukoxholic]

Each picture is a bittersweet memory
The fading out of you and me
The breaking down of all that would could be.

Will I just be a passing dream
Forgotten by the morning?
Or a nightmare haunting your sleep?

For some reason your lyrics here:

Will I just be a passing dream
Forgotten by the morning?
Or a nightmare haunting your sleep?

Do not seem to flow well for me. I think it is because in the last verse of your first stanza of lyrics.

The breaking down of all that would could be.

You added a "could" rather then just one or the other.

1. The breaking down of all that would be.
2. The breaking down of all that could be.

Or if it is necessary to have both perhaps adding an "or".

1. The breaking down of all that would or could be.

Will make the flow better. For some reason I just feel like something is missing after the line: Or a nightmare haunting your sleep? It could be the sentence structure as it differs from your previous ending that being you have an identity rhyme of words. Though this could all sound completely different with music and flow fine, so it could just be me.

All in all I like your lyrics a lot! My favorite part is: I will be willing to let this go. I just want to know. That you're not just letting go. Completely awesome! ^_^

And on to my composition. Yeah... ok I sort of overshot the timing a bit too much and it was too long. But I really wanted to bring back the first part somehow and add more ornamentation and trills to it, since I purposely play the first time without ornaments. What would be a good way to do this? Since I really like it when the beginning comes back, but more aged and a bit weary... I dunno. I think it would be alot easier to write it as a violin solo though. That way, the chords can be thicker and stronger, though I sort of like the bare open sound I get at the beginning.

The best way would be after your climatic crescendo you should try doing a variation of the first few measures. Perhaps, adding broken chords or arpeggios to your piece. ^_^

This thread is starting to pick up! I’ll go through everything else posted later today.

[Warrior4Christ]

*enters thread*

This looks like a good thread. Though I'm admittedly not a natural song writer. But we do have a number of talented song writing people at my church, and we sometimes have a song writing night at our band practices (group effort). I like those - I'm more of a refiner of existing material rather than making stuff up from scratch.
I play bass, but I can't really play guitar, and I can do a bit of piano. But bass isn't the greatest for songwriting, since.. it's not really made for doing more than one note. So I try to get by with piano.

I'm actually doing a short musicianship theory course at the moment, and I'm quite enjoying it. It's nice being taught things more completely... so that the bits I did learn a while ago now make sense! It might even help me with song composition...

[Strafe]

Heyheyhey, (Warning: plug) You're a bassist? Then you need to Join the Not so Official Guitar Club of CAA! Bassists are Guitarists too! The thread is a bit below this one right now, but I highly recommend it. If you're in a worship band, then all the better! (End of Plug)

Anyways, I was thinking of starting a group project in this thread where we all contribute parts to a collaborative song. Like some of us write the music, some of us the lyrics, some of us record, maybe all of the above. Whatever you feel strongest in. It might turn out to be this diverse project that turns out great. Sort of like how I'm about to work with That Dude (Hahaha. Love his username) and his lyrics sometime since I'm not home today.

[That Dude]

[quote="yukoxholic (post: 1418774)"]For some reason your lyrics here:



Do not seem to flow well for me. I think it is because in the last verse of your first stanza of lyrics.



You added a "could" rather then just one or the other.

1. The breaking down of all that would be.
2. The breaking down of all that could be.

Or if it is necessary to have both perhaps adding an "or".

1. The breaking down of all that would or could be.

Will make the flow better. For some reason I just feel like something is missing after the line: Or a nightmare haunting your sleep? It could be the sentence structure as it differs from your previous ending that being you have an identity rhyme of words. Though this could all sound completely different with music and flow fine, so it could just be me.

All in all I like your lyrics a lot! My favorite part is: I will be willing to let this go. I just want to know. That you're not just letting go. Completely awesome! ^_^





The best way would be after your climatic crescendo you should try doing a variation of the first few measures. Perhaps, adding broken chords or arpeggios to your piece. ^_^

This thread is starting to pick up! I’]


Actually what you are talking about was a typo...It's supposed to be, all that WE could be. Not would could be.

I'm going to go back and fix that now.

And thanks for the comments, and also the encouragement.

[yukoxholic]

Nothing But (All For You) is so sweet! It reminds me of Beck’s Full Moon Sway (not like entirely at all but just because of the idioms between the making yourself the moon and reflecting the light) really cute! Good work! I notice you have a certain song-writing structure. Are all your pieces written in this way? Or do you play around with different styling?

And onto a question I have for everyone: What is your inspiration behind the songs or compositions you write? Where do you get your insights? Is it from daily life, encouragement of others, a muse, etc?

I have to say a lot of the songs I write come from my general love of writing. I love to write not only songs but poems, short stories, prose, articles, heck, even fan fiction. If it can be put into words so shall I do so! XD

I also have a belief in that every living person, place, or thing has a story. When I go out to meet the day I often look at everything as a potential composition even circumstances that happen in my life or changes that occur everything is a perfect situation to express the way I see or feel something which I hope can be interrupted into many different things depending on the listener/reader. I try not to be so selective about the message I want to share with someone as I want it to be 'universal' in the way each person discerns my music and words.

Anyways, I was thinking of starting a group project in this thread where we all contribute parts to a collaborative song. Like some of us write the music, some of us the lyrics, some of us record, maybe all of the above. Whatever you feel strongest in. It might turn out to be this diverse project that turns out great. Sort of like how I'm about to work with That Dude (Hahaha. Love his username) and his lyrics sometime since I'm not home today.

That sounds like a fun idea. I would be interested in collaborating with anyone whenever I have the time. ^_^