HOW TO GET STARTED, WHEN TO JUDGE, HOW TO DETACH!
Some of you might read my blog for fun, or because you know me personally, others might be fellow artists, who are interested in the process of songwriting.
This post is directed to the latter ones.
Songwriting is a blessing and a curse. I´m sure most of you agree! Some days, writing a song seems the most natural thing to do, I like to compare it to writing in your diary or cooking a delicious meal. And then there´s those other days that give you a headache. Days that are filled with hard work and plenty of frustration. I´m sure every artist has been there before. You start judging yourself, questionning your abilities and end up hating your works. And yet I stronly recommend pulling through! Keep the eye on the ball. The bad days are just as important as the good ones. Sometimes, all the crap has to come out first, before the brillant stuff comes to light.
So, how do I get started?
While many roads may lead to Rome, I have found my personal itinerary, which I like to stick to. I will usually come up with a song title or a hookline that promises a good story. This main idea will set the tone of the song. It marks a beginning and points into a direction. You know: In the beginning was the word! Once my basic idea is set, I will start by strumming some chords on my guitar. Every once in a while I try to incorporate chords, that I have never used before. It is good to surprise yourself, to widen the horizon. I will keep strumming, using various tempi and strumming patterns until I find a certain groove. That´s when I´ll start humming a melody. Whatever comes to mind. No judging allowed! I will try various sequences of short melodic patterns…once I find something that sounds right (mind the word “right”…a song is supposed to feel right, not nice in the first place) , I´ll try to figure out whether the melody is strong enough to be formed into a chorus or wether it is predestined to become a verse or a bridge. Choruses in general need to be catchy, building up suspense and making unusal turns, that don´t sound all too predictable. In some songs, these key elements blend in naturally. Yet some days you will work long hours trying various directions, lenghts, rythmns and so on, until you settle with a chorus that seems ok. In my experience these songs end up sounding too technical, too brainy. They feel constructed and usually lack autenticity. At least that´s the case for my songs.
Once I am done with my jam session, I will let go. Yes! You heard me! I will let go of the song. I will let it rest…and I will stay away from it at least 24 hours, usually longer. This distance helps to clear the mind and sharpen the ears. After one or two days, I will listen to my draft again and I will start judging. Does it sound catchy? Is it predictable? Does it fit into a certain genre of music? Would it work out commercially or not? I will make adjustments and I will work on the lyrics. During this process, intellectual construction work is totally allowed. Like a structural engineer I will test the architecture of my song, trying to find ways to make it stand the test.
Once I am 90 % done, I will start recording a demo version. I´ll save the 10 % for later, since I know I will be coming back. I like to retouch my songs every now and then. So why not safe the best for last!