Insights on How to write a song: Part 2
Insights on how to write a song Part 2
Also Read: How to write a song part 1
What is a song
A song is a short musical composition which may include words. How we play the song is what we call the arrangement of such. How we record it, falls in to the production side.
I thoroughly enjoy bringing to life your songs and making them shine, by diving deep into your most adequate chord progression, groove , background, timbre, and effect that will transport your lyrical line to a sublime climax.
My role as a producer, How can I help you?
My role as a producer, is to hear your song as a passive bystander and compare what I hear with what you believe you are expressing. Together, we identify what needs to sound better and establish a musical solution, to make sure that the audience will hear exactly the feel you want to convey.
When we compose and record our songs, we all should reach a point when we feel satisfied with the results. But at this stage, it is always important to get an impartial opinion, so as to understand if our judgement of what sounds right has worked.
When I hear a musical production, I quickly get the feel if it all sounds right and also if it does not. I base my judgement on the premise of: Do I understand or, Do I not understand what is going on.
Some producers might just classify non understandable music as bad music, but in my case, I do not believe in a bad song, just in a song that needs to be worked on. If I am not able to understand what is going on, I love to ask my self why.
There is always a musical why to an unclear song, it may be the chord selection, the structure, a lack of motif development, volumen, harmonic clashes, lack of groove, ect. Thus, there is always a solution to make your song sound better.
I love to combine my skills as a composer, arranger, producer and team up with songwriters, to work together, to achieve the ultimate sound, song and emotional impact .
Insights on how to write a song: Your hit song
I must state that I only like to work with songs that can be played live, that can be played on any instrument and format, and at variety of tempos. If your song only works with a band and cannot be played with a guitar and voice, then you need to work on the song more, as good songs are standalone units.
Insights on how to write a song: How to fix an unclear song
I love good songs. We all now what a good song is as we all love them and they stay as hits for perpetuity. While it is impossible to make any song a hit, it is more than possible to make sure your song is a unique reflection, of the exact feeling you wish to portray. In other words, your song must be delivered to the audience at its full potential.
The studio recording is really only a mirror projection of the core ingredient. The recording will really not make a song sound better, it can give it a good make over and you will initially feel an improvement. But, as you keep on listening to the song, if it has not worked well with just a voice and guitar, it will not work well in the long run, no matter how much money you spend on decorating it.
Be unique
The more unique you are, the more value your music will be to others. But please remember uniqueness also means to be able to deliver a solid composition and also a solid performance.
Insights on how to write a song: Test your song live
Part of the process of how to write a song is about testing the final result. You need to play it over and over until you are happy with the melody, chords and structure.
Play it live and see the response you get from your listeners. If the audience losses interest in your song, then it is time to take it back to the drawing board and figure out why. It could be the structure, the tempo, the register, the lack of variation ect.
Try different versions until it feels right for you, every time you play it. You will know when you have it right, as you will be able to play your song over and over again, and never get tired of it, and always come up with something new while you are performing it live .
Test your song with different formats and contexts
A good song will work well with any instrumentation and context; A good song will work well with one guitar and vocals, the same as it would with a full orchestra.
If you cannot make your song work with one piano and vocals, or a guitar and vocals, go back to the drawing board and figure out why.
Not happy with your interpretation
What happens when you are not happy with the way you play your song, or perform it?
I am sure that sometimes you do not feel good after performing your song. You should always strive for feeling satisfied in your vocals, and or playing.
But, do not judge your performance until you are able to play your song from top to bottom. Cherish the slight imperfections that you express along the way. They should add up to showing who you are, and there fore showing your gift, your human values, your uniqueness, which is what the audience is waiting for. They need to hear your uniqueness so as to be aware of their own, and connect to you.
Still not satisfied ? Do you need more ? Maybe you have not been sweet enough, groovy enough, powerful enough in your interpretation ? If you are not sure how to achieve such , send me your song for a free production assessment.( conditions apply)
Insights on how to write a song: Share you message
Your interpretation should always be based upon sharing your message with the song, and not trying to just fill in the space between you and the audience. When you fill in the space, you are hiding your true feelings.
Therefore, you need to be sincere and transmit your emotion with your personal musical tool box. The bigger your tool box, the more variety you will be able to express.
For example: How to achieve a climax without having to scream. You can create intense variations of a melody by elongating, shortening, displacing, adding notes, ect.
The interpretation is the key element for a song to come to life. Please do not be fooled by the false concept of music production, where the surroundings of your voice, apparently make the song sound better.
Insights on how to write a song: Music Producer, Objective number 1
One of my objectives as a producer is to guide you towards your most sincere interpretation of your song. This will involve coaching you in the way you sing, or play your instrument, to help you reach your maximum potential.
For example: we can achieve a great variety in expression by just saying the words without any music and conveying only with groove and regular speech intonation the necessary emotion. Once we have the desired expression with the words, that is you tell the story only with words and groove, then we can add the notes , or new notes to the spoken words, bringing further life to your expression.
There are multiple ways of achieving your unique interpretation. The correct choice will depend on the style of music, and your melodic or rhythmic skills.
I will love to work with you, send me your song and together we will create the final recorded version, that will live in your soul for ever.
Insights on how to write a song: Do not leave it unfinished
Do not start writing a new song until you have finished the song you are working on. If not, what may happen, is that since you have not completed your previous song, you might actually be rewriting it or delaying the satisfaction of completion.
This is an absolutely normal process we must avoid. Finish the song before starting a new one. You will know when it is finished when you are able to play it, repeat it , sing it and feel satisfied with a sense of completion.
Satisfaction
The objective of all music is to share with others a musical message in a manner we there is some sort of communion. The words, melody, harmony are some of the raw elements we will use to build up our performance.
In the end, the only goal is that of feeling satisfied, so as to be able to get up the next day and repeat the process over again with a new song.
This article is part two of my insights on how to write a song. If you would like to be kept up to date on new articles on further insights on how to write a song, please send me an email and I will put you on my mailing list for this subject.