Write Your Own Songs

In this entry I'll be discussing how songwriting fits into the 'big picture' as opposed to
specific songwriting techniques, which shall be addressed in a future publication. Let's
face it, a song is a story put to music. Say this to most songwriters & they'll babble on
to the point of tedium. I'll cut to the chase.


Most people who listen to music and have no connection with musicians don't give any
thought as to how a song actually comes to fruition.


• People don't care how long you took, just tell them the story.


Write a brief synopsis about each song IMMEDIATELY on completion. Save this, along
with the song lyrics, to the relevant folder & print AT LEAST two hard copies. Add your description to EVERY site that you submit the track to. This gives each track an identity of its' own to the listener & to the all-important search engines before it has even been heard. 


Song genre' (not everyone has heard of you...yet!) & tempo should be included wherever you are able.


• Let the song introduce itself.


Liner notes for albums, let alone individual songs, are grossly overlooked by most musicians these days. Give the public the credit they deserve. Liner notes work for you & FOR you. That's right. They're a win-win option that should not be passed up. You are PERSONALISING the song before its' even heard! You are drawing the prospective buyer inadvertently closer to a sale and you're giving a glimpse of what the song is about to YOUR way of thinking.


• Listeners rarely get the same meaning from your songs as you do. This is a HUGE positive!


How cool is it to have your own lyrics and music analysed

so closely as to have them
mean something totally different to someone you have never met? A great mistake
many songwriters make is to become 'precious' about the interpretation of their songs.


• Let people to enjoy your music as THEY want to.


By providing the aforementioned liner notes you are keeping your inbox clear of
lengthy descriptions of your own material. Whilst initially flattering, it becomes tedious.


Lyrically, people tend to enjoy exaggeration in a song. This can be problematic at times
but many years ago I found a couple of marvellous ways of doing this without any
effort at all. Swap from singing in the first person to singing in the second person.
Become “...the hollow guy at the bar...” If this isn't enough, swap gender!


• Don't sing about YOU & try role-reversal!!!


Each songwriter has their strengths & weaknesses. Well prior to utilising these to hilt,
one must be FULLY aware of them.


There is only one way to do this and it's the long way. Have one of your recorded
songs listened to by as many people that you know and have them honestly appraise
it. Ask them to actually WRITE their opinion down for you. Ask people from as many
different walks of life as you can. That's the easy part.

• Involve people before a song is even released!


Most people will initially laugh but believe me, secretly they'll be quite taken that you
have asked them. They'll be telling a lot of THEIR friends about it too! It's the most
congenial form of advertising that there is.


Now for the difficult part; sifting through your feedback. It will vary in every possible
manner that you can think of. Don't get bogged down. Look for consistencies, good
and bad. Keep firmly focussed on the fact that it is your SONGWRITING that is being
analysed and nothing more.


• So the guitar isn't loud enough. Who cares?


It is, of course, common courtesy to thank those kind enough to appraise your
songwriting skills by way of a finished product.
Once you have sifted through all of your opinions you should have a pretty definite
idea of where the general public see your strengths & weaknesses as a songwriter.
Now the fun really starts.


• Who are you really writing for?


Ask the vast majority of independent songwriters if we write because we enjoy it &
we'll say “Yes.” It's a pretty solid & stock-standard answer, otherwise we wouldn't be
independent. Ask the vast majority of independent songwriters if we write for the money, most jump up & down saying “No! Never!” Ask the vast majority of independent songwriters if we're writing for listeners, most will say, “Yes,” almost as an afterthought.


Truth be told, we write songs for all of the above reasons in varying degrees.


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