‘Arts and Entertainment’ Category

Learning The Songwriting Process

So you want to be a professional songwriter. If so, you need to be willing to learn about the songwriting process and put in as much practice with son...

 

So you want to be a professional songwriter. If so, you need to be willing to learn about the songwriting process and put in as much practice with songwriting as you can. For every songwriter out there, the most important thing is to practice and research to find out things that can help you with your songwriting abilities. Learning about the songwriting process and how things work should be your goal.

Songwriting is extremely personal and if you are not going to take it as such you are probably not going to go very far. If you want your song to have meaning not only for you but for others listening to it as well, it needs to come from the heart. If you cannot handle being open and using your personal thoughts and feelings to write your songs, it is just not going to work and it is as simple as that. One of the main things you will learn if you ever take songwriting lessons is how to avoid writers block.

Almost all songwriters struggle with this at some point in time but the problem is when it happens all the time. Even though some days your words may flow like wine on other days you may struggle to get even one line written. Writers block can be caused by an overload of pressure and stress or anxiety. As you would learn in songwriting lessons, the best way to avoid writers block is to do things that help relieve stress.

Most people have so many obligations and packed schedules and are left with cluttered minds. You still need to worry about what to make for dinner and how to pay the bills but you also need to have a calm mind at times so you can just sit back and write your songs. By practicing relaxation exercises like yoga and meditation you can help to keep yourself calm and relaxed. Once you are relaxed you should have no problem opening up and writing your next big hit.

Songwriters always need to take their time when writing a new song and never rush through the songwriting process. This could be what turns a potential hit into a one-hit wonder. All those one-hit wonders you hear of may have whipped out a good song here or there but it is the lasting singers and songs who really make an impression. To be a success and stay in the business for a long time, you need to work hard and make sure that each and every song you release is as perfect as you can get it.

Important Songwriting Basics

 

Song writing for most people tends to be a terrible nightmare.  Not knowing the important songwriting basics, which would make songwriting easier, is the main reason for this.  Instead of focusing on how the song will be structured they may turn their attention more on how they want the product to sound.  As a result, they give up and quit writing songs.  There are certain elements that are basic for songwriting that will be reviewed in this article.

One of the songwriting basics is to focus on the first part of the song or the first verse.  One must ensure that this verse captures to attention of the listener so they are drawn into it.   To do so the lyrics in the first verse must be able to draw pictures in the mind of the listener.  It is important that changes in the verses come in the words and not in the melody of the song.   Although the words of the song should change from verse to verse, the melody of the said song should stay the same.

The chorus, which usually follows the first verse, must be written thereafter.  Here is where the writer can affect the emotions of the person listening to the song strongly.  To keep the listener engaged to the song, the chorus is repeated in between the verses.  The chorus sums up the song for the writer and because of this must contain the most important lyrics of the song including the hook.  It may be a great idea to begin by creating the chorus or hook and then revolve the verses of the song around it.

One may also include a line in every verse that is a summation of the theme of the verse called a refrain.  The first or last line is usually used as the refrain and is repeated in each verse contained within the song.  In songwriting, one can also add a bridge.  This is a contrasting piece of music that causes the flow of music to break while affecting the emotions of the listener.  This is where plots and twists in the story being told by the song are brought out and secrets revealed.  In order to practice this, it is important that one play contemporary music, listen to it and point out the basic elements explained here.

How To Win Songwriting Competitions

 

Many people are usually interested in songwriting competitions.  Society lives for good songs and when there are competitions, many will appreciate them.  People and groups in the career have been moulded by such competitions and it is no wonder they are valued.  Different companies and groups organize many contests in a bid to promote those who show great creative talent.  Those who are preparing for contests can do different things to make sure they scoop the top prize.  The following are just some of the top tips that will help all people know how they can nail it.

The first thing is to create a good hook or chorus.  One that is catchy and manages to bring the point across will always perform better.  Time is of the essence and spending a fair amount of it working on the hook can make all the difference.  The first verse must draw in the attention of people and this is how to win in a competition and apart from the hook, the verses should be worked on.  Story lines will be liked by many.  Creativity is one element that needs no compromise and people can certainly tap into it.

To ensure this, people can employ a new or unique idea in the songwriting competitions.  A different idea needs to capture the imagination of people to deliver good stuff.  This should be done with great care because people want to be entertained and not made to think too hard about a new idea.  Being on top will take this and more.  A certain catchy melodic line must be included in the song.  It should provide the harmony needed to execute the song in a desired manner.  Instruments will dramatically change the appeal of a song and songwriters need to tap into this potential.

To save the time, there needs to be good coordination that will suit the song.  Look for the right instruments that will accompany the song.  Most contests will have different guidelines on what will please the judges.  It is paramount for all who participate to follow all the guides to the letter to make sure that they do what is required.  Go back and look at the people who have won competitions in songwriting.  Know why they were able to make it to the top.  The lessons will be learnt effectively to pull it off.  Have a positive mind and it will work for your.

How Professional Songwriting Classes Can Help Your Singing Or Songwriting Career

 

There are so many people these days that are coming out as aspiring singers and songwriters. This is a wonderful thing to see and there is a lot of great talent out there but one thing a lot of these newcomers are missing is the completion of a professional songwriting course. There is one step that a lot of people are missing out on however and that is to go through with professional songwriting courses. A lot of people just assume that if they have a half decent voice they can make it.

Songwriting classes teach a lot and they can help singers and songwriters out in a tremendous way. For one thing they teach you how to make things more personal. Songwriting is all about making it come from the heart and feeling your songs as you write them. If you are not able to sing or write songs and be honest about your emotions and feelings then you are not going to make it very far.

If you take a look at some of the greatest hits of all time you will see just that. The point of a songwriter should be to write a song that is relatable to other people as well. Another benefit of professional songwriting classes is they will teach you to match your voice better to the right songs. Not every singer sounds the same even if they are singing the same song and instead you should be striving to find those songs that work for you.

All the best professional singers from Mariah Carey to Tracy Chapman have gone through songwriting lessons. Songwriting lessons teach singers not only how to match their voices to the right songs but how to find their own singing personality and not copy others. You can find these classes all around the world so you should be able to get signed up to a local group. There are even online course that are available which makes things really convenient.

There are lots of great online professional songwriting classes available. No matter who you are you can truly benefit from taking professional classes and working with an expert. It will help you avoid being a one-hit wonder and instead make your mark in the world as real talent. It is definitely worth the time to devote to songwriting lessons.

Having A Successful Songwriting Collaboration

 

It is easy to see there are more people than ever before who are coming forward and saying they want to make it big as a singer. It is easy to have a decent singing voice but if you really want to have success in this business you need to work at it. All singers, even if they do not have plans of always singing their own songs, should take the time to take songwriting lessons. Learning how to write songs teaches a singer more about themselves, more about the music and how to choose songs that are suitable for their voice.

There are different professional songwriting classes and courses you can get signed up for. Songwriting must always be personal and come from the heart if you want to make it work. People who are too closed off and who are unwilling or unable to share their feelings with others are not going to be able to write meaningful, relatable songs. Only once a person has established themselves as a songwriter in their own right can they think about doing a songwriting collaboration.

Otherwise they are not going to have anything to offer to the collaboration and it is really as simple as that. The first step is for a songwriter to check their ego at the door if they want this to be successful in any way. Sure you can be proud of the work you are doing but you also have to give part of the credit to someone else and that can be hard to do. When doing a collaboration it is about a partnership and not just one person taking all of the glory.

When you are doing a songwriting collaboration you should always boost yourself up by giving yourself a pep talk before getting started. Often times people involved in a collaboration have trouble with it because they find the other person is either better or worse than them. This is why it is so important to make the right decision on who to work with in the first place. Working with anyone, even someone you are close with can be challenging when you are trying to come up with a hit song.

You can come up with a song together that is at the top of the charts and maybe even be the one singing it. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to do this. Just be sure to work hard and follow through. That is the difference between being a long term musician and a one-hit wonder.