Saturday, January 7, 2017
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Intention – the bolder dimension of songwriting
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
Intention – the bolder dimension of songwriting
One of my song tutoring students recently sang me a song she was working on called ‘Listen You’, which I thought was a cool idea about missing that special someone. She had strong lyrics for her chorus, but the chorus chords she had were in a minor key just like the verse had been. The minor chords worked great in the verse, but the melody fell flat at the chorus. I call this kind of chorus melody problem flat lining, as in, the melody didn’t lift enough for a chorus. I suggested that she go to the relative major key, and that the melody needed to be ‘happier’ for the chorus to pay off the manic lyric idea she had set up. This eventually made for a killer chorus for that song.
This started me thinking, if the question is, ‘how do you write a breakthrough song?’, this experience with my student reinforced my conviction that having an intention when writing is the answer. In other words, if you can imagine the result you want before you get there, you have a much better chance of achieving that result.
I think lack of intention is one of the things that is crippling the music industry. I see creators in many fields (not just songwriters) influenced by the culture of immediacy that we are living in. I believe some songwriters are influenced away from writing a breakthrough song, expressing a riveting clear universal emotion with catchy melodies, and instead are focused on making trendy tracks that sell immediately. I think the craft of songwriting is suffering as a result, and this shortsightedness is contributing to a lack of certain songs’ longevity on the charts.
But keeping this idea of intention can be a tricky business when writing a song, because sometimes you don’t want to question that magical part of writing from pure inspiration. Great songs can seem to fall out of the sky and flow through the writer.
However there are so many facets of songwriting that can be improved by conscious thought. There are many examples of this, not the least of which is McCartney’s now clichéd story about ‘Yesterday’ starting out as a song he dreamed called ‘Scrambled Eggs’. After further consideration, the title and subsequent lyric story of ‘Yesterday’ had just the right feeling for the melody he dreamed. The title and lyric fit the melody like hand in glove. But my point is that he worked at the title and the lyric until he had something great. And that was all because of his intention to write a great song. Luckily he didn’t settle for ‘Scrambled Eggs’.
So, you ask, how can we take an OK song and make it better, with the right intention?As a starting point, here is a quick intention checklist to run your songs by.
Intention Check List:
1)How do you want the song to feel?
2)Does every aspect of the song feel the way you want it to feel?
3)Does the lyric develop within a section, and from section to section, to express an urgent coherent story, the way you want it to?
4)Does the melody have the right flow, i.e., does it climax and subside where it needs to? (from the verse into the chorus, etc..)
5)Is there rhyme scheme consistency and development in the right places?
6)Have you mapped your melodic rhythm by using slash marks to count the number of syllables (for ex., map the V1 melody so that V2 will have the same melodic rhythm)?
Feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you did with the checklist…I’m curious!
Thoughts, questions or comments? Share them here!
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Lyric Holy Trinity: Writing a Breakthrough Lyric
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
Obviously, a hooky melody is what draws people to a song, but an emotionally riveting lyric is what keeps them coming back time after time. In addition to a compelling story (which I’ll talk about later) there is a holy trinity of three elements which – to me – are absolutely paramount; this holy trinity is needed for a lyric to be engaging and interesting enough so people don’t turn you OFF. So after you go back to work on your current song, ask yourself, is your lyric:
1) Universal (Does the story express a universal emotional truth?)
2) Real (Is it a simple, fresh, street expression of that truth?)
3) Urgent (Does the song takes place in a single emotional moment, and does the protagonist own that emotion? Does every line of the lyric come from the same emotional place?)
So, how did you do on the holy trinity checklist? Unfortunately 1 or 2 out of 3 ain’t good enough if you want to have a breakthrough song. But do not despair – you can make 3 out of 3 every time if you follow a few simple steps.
How to express a universal emotional truth
Some examples of universal emotional truths include heartbreak, restlessness, attraction, etc… But it’s all in how you say it. Look at your lyric; is it in the passive or active voice? If it’s passive, take the same song idea and flip it from passive to active. For example, you could say ‘why don’t you come back,’ but I would rather say ‘I want you to come back’ because it’s not passive and blaming. And let’s say you want to express that ‘life is falling apart’ or you’re ‘falling off the edge of a cliff’ and ‘never going to recover from this heartbreak.’ Whatever it is, really go for it and don’t just say ‘I can’t stand this’.
It doesn’t have to be in first person but it’s definitely more dramatic and compelling to say things like that in the first person rather than ‘when are you going to come back,’ ‘why didn’t you come back,’ ‘it could have been so much better if you had blah blah blah…’ There can be a passive part of the song, could be the bridge, however people aren’t generally drawn to songs that are passive. There are so many different forms of entertainment competing for your audience’s attention. Changing from the passive voice to the active voice can make your lyric much more immediate and appealing. A listener will be engaged way more if the protagonist of the song is passionate about what they are expressing as opposed to blaming the other who the protagonist is singing to.
So, ask yourself: Is your song’s emotional story universal? Is the theme of the lyric consistent?
Keep it Real
This is so important! I like to imagine myself as the character in the song, and I really try to forget about everything else in my life. If somebody’s calling me and inviting me to a gig or whatever I try to ignore all of it and just think, “what is that person in the song going to be thinking about?” Whether it’s ‘wish fulfillment’ or how ‘things feel different now…’ How’s that going to feel? I find it’s a lot easier to come up with the lyric ideas if you are literally that character of your song. Its method acting that I find works, much better than saying to myself, ‘hmm now I have to write about such and such a subject’ which I find NEVER works. You’ll never get there if you think about it. You need to feel about it. The lyric has to sound like someone would actually say it, or it will not connect with people..
You have to live in the soul of the character. Even if I’m in a different moment in my personal life – which is usually the case – I want to complete the song I’m writing from the point of view of the character. Living in the character is of paramount importance, and it’s gotta be 100% believable. It’s gotta be that every line in the lyric says ‘this is who this person is and this is where they are in their life.’ Because when a person hears something on the radio or in the car or an mp3, it’s gotta catch them that way, and you never know where in the song you’re gonna catch them. They may be tuning in to your song in the last line of the pre chorus, they may be turning it on the last line of the chorus, or in the bridge – you never know. Anybody should be able to flick on your song at any point in the song and GET it. So your job is to grab and keep ‘em for the whole ride.
It’s a challenge, because when you’re writing a lyric you don’t want EVERY line to stand out. Obviously, if you have a good idea for a title, you need to set it up and support every lyric – and every lyric idea has different requirements. But there are key points – like the first line of the song, and the chorus – that have to be breakthrough lyrics. However, if you give your audience too much to absorb all the time it can be mental freak-out time. There have to be moments of stand out lyrics and then other supporting lines. For example, the lyric right before the chorus could be a good point to write something simple so that the chorus stands out more. The lyric in that place usually needs to go down easy, to keep the song balanced.
And if it comes naturally, by all means make it ‘street.’ Adele’s song ‘Chasing Pavements’ does this well. But be careful, it’s gotta be real or it will fall flat. It doesn’t have to be ‘street’ to be real, and if it’s not, it better be a really vivid cool expression of your universal emotional truth. If I’m going to sing along with a chorus, I want it to be an emotion I can identify with which is fleshed out by the lyrics of the chorus – even if it’s something simple as my song “Better Off Alive.” It’s not particularly ‘street’ but it is an edgy restless twist on that old phrase ‘better off dead.’ Here’s some of the lyric and a link to the song, sung here wonderfully, by artist la Sara who I recently produced two songs for:
BETTER OFF ALIVE (W. Cohen/M. Harwood)
I WILL NEVER BE AFRAID
THERE’S NOTHING IN THE WAY OF MY GOOD TIMES
TURN IT OFF CAUSE NOW I’M TURNING ON
ALL THE CLOUDS ARE GONE CAN’T BEAT THIS BLUE SKY
JUST LIKE A DESERT THAT TURNS INTO A WATER STREAM
THERE’S SOMETHING IN THEN OUT THAT MAKES IT A BRAND NEW ME
NO POINT IN BLAMING YOU ‘COS SOMETIMES WE MAKE MISTAKES
JUST GOTTA STAND UP AND SAY
I’M BETTER OFF ALIVE
WANNA LEAVE THE DARK BEHIND
OH I’M BETTER OFF ALIVE (BETTER OFF)
THAT’S JUST MY KIND OF PARADISE
LIFE JUST STRUCK ME ON THE NOSE
THAT ARCHETYPAL POSE MAKES ME CRAZY
NUMBED YOU TRIED TO MAKE ME UP
BUT NOW I’M WAKING UP TO THE FEELING
I CAN’T IMAGINE A TIME BEFORE WE SAID GOODBYE
TO ALL THOSE USELESS THINGS THAT CLUTTER UP THE MIND
I GUESS I’D RATHER LIVE THAN BEING SOLD A LIE
I’M NOT BUYING TONIGHT (UH UH) IS THAT A CRIME THAT’S WHY
I’M BETTER OFF ALIVE
GONNA LEAVE THE DARK BEHIND
NO I’M BETTER OFF ALIVE (BETTER OFF)
THAT’S JUST MY KIND OF PARADISE
Sometimes it’s better NOT to be ‘street’ as it can put an expiration date on the song. So my advice is be ‘street’ where appropriate, but no matter what, be bold and be cool in how you express your truth.
Convey Urgency
To help get into that urgent place, sometimes I like to write down the raw elemental concepts of what I want the song to be about before I actually set a lyric. I find that it frees me from having to worry about scansion and rhyme and I can focus on expression, and find it helps me to own the emotion instead of dotting “i’s” and crossing “t’s.” I’d like to tear a page and give props here to Julia Cameron’s breakthrough book “The Artist’s Way” (search ‘morning pages’ on Google and you’ll know what I mean).
Recently one of my students had a lyric about missing someone. They had mentioned ‘I want you to be here for when the sh-t hits the fan’ or something to that effect. My reaction is that’s not an urgent representation of the feeling. If you are having that in your conversation, it’s a ‘secondary’ conversation in which you can afford to be cerebral. But that does not make for an urgent lyric. If you were having an urgent conversation with someone you care about, you would be blurting out your raw feelings, and I don’t think you’d be so cerebral. I’d rather hear something about how you feel about them NOT being there when the sh-t hits the fan. However that subject could be cool to use if the tables were turned and the song was about the protagonist wanting to provide comfort by saying something like ‘I will be here for you when the sh-t hits the fan’ because that has some urgency to it.
Two further examples of effective dramatic urgent lyrics are songs by Evanescence, and the songs of Kurt Cobain. Their songs are so in the moment, focused in that moment, there’s no other emotion around it – you really believe and you can connect with the depth of that emotion. Check it out.
On another tip, and I don’t know how you feel about opera (I tend to have a love hate relationship with opera…) but the great operas tend to have storylines where the characters are so embroiled in their particular personal dramas that you are taken along for the ride, and that’s what a good pop song should do as well. A great song will give listeners the break they need from their own mundane existences. Take Puccini’s ‘La Boheme’, or check out Aretha’s amazing last minute filling in for Pavarotti at the 1998 Grammys singing ‘Nessun Dorma’ from Puccini’s ‘Turandot’ for example. Now I don’t know what the song is about, and I’m sure this has a lot to do with the melody, and with Aretha, but I get goosebumps every single time I watch this. And it wasn’t even in her key! Look at the close ups of Faith Hill with tears in her eyes and Celine Dion shaking her head at the end of the piece..Now that’s drama. But let’s face it, Puccini could not have written that melody without a dramatic story!
People are drawn to songs that take them on a wild ride. To make people want to listen to a song you have to rouse them out of their everyday lives, which is why I’m saying a lyric has to be as urgent as possible. Part of your job as a songwriter is to make sure that the listener is always engaged in a particular emotional space and not skirting around the periphery of the emotion.
So, use the restlessness in your spirit to do what you want to do, and be where you want to be, in your songs and in your life. You have the potential to write great, breakthrough songs.
Thoughts, questions comments? Share them here! You can also contact Wayne here or by writing to wayne@waynecohensongs.com
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write? Part II by Wayne Cohen
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write? Part II
a) Before working begins I start by putting myself in my collaborator’s place. On first meeting, what would make my collaborator comfortable? If we’re working at my studio I like to make it a comfortable (although not TOO comfortable) physical environment, pleasant, minimal, and stimulating, not too relaxed. It’s a place where work, not chilling out, gets done.
b) If time permits, I’ll suggest a chat over a cup of coffee or a meal. We both know the work is at hand, but I think we will achieve a better result if we can get to know one another. I might start by asking how their trip was, or what they’ve been up to, ask them about their impressions, and share my own. I like to show my respect and appreciation for my collaborators’ talents and culture, yet I’m also not afraid to mention a few of my recent accomplishments (without being obnoxious about it). I find that strong co-writers respect self-respect. I also try to find common ground in 3rd party songwriting accomplishments that my collaborator and I both admire.
c) Right before starting to write I like to listen to and discuss some songs we both have a passion for, it’s an inspiring moment for me. This is particularly valuable when writing with an artist, as it breaks the ice and is also a good barometer for where the artist’s taste and goals are. I will ask my collaborator what it is about those songs they admire. I like to get a feel for what they value, and I try to share what I value with them. While I think it’s important to find common ground with my collaborator, I like to celebrate our differences as well, as that can often make for good results. For example, I may be great with titles, concepts and lyrics, and my collaborator may be great with melodies. Now that’s a good team!
3) Discuss objectives (Why does this song need to exist?):
I like to introduce and discuss our objectives for the days’ work, before actually working. I find it useful for us to agree to not waste time developing mediocre ideas before getting to work. No need for hurt feelings, simply agree before the writing process begins that you will each share a bunch of ideas and then mutually agree on what has the most breakthrough potential (lyrically, melodically, and track wise). The world has way too many mediocre songs so it’s of paramount importance to set up ground rules. Don’t fall into a situation that is needlessly confrontational or overly polite. To use a fishing metaphor by way of Steely Dan, don’t be afraid to ‘Throw Back The Little Ones’. Decide why this song needs to be, before you and your co-writer invest time and energy developing it. If you have a good answer to this, proceed to the next step!
4) Collaborate on creation:
To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write? Part II
In part I of this article, we discussed something I call the “collaborator’s code”. This week I’ll explain in more detail my own ground rules for collaborative songwriting.
Collaborator’s Code (by Wayne Cohen):
1) Come with an idea (aka ‘preview and imagine the result’):
Collaborator’s Code (by Wayne Cohen):
1) Come with an idea (aka ‘preview and imagine the result’):
Before I even step into the room with my collaborator, I imagine the result I want to achieve. Part of the magic of the creative process is not knowing exactly what’s going to happen, but if I have a general idea of what I want to come out of the room it’s usually a good starting point.
2) Get (not too) comfortable, celebrate your differences:
2) Get (not too) comfortable, celebrate your differences:
a) Before working begins I start by putting myself in my collaborator’s place. On first meeting, what would make my collaborator comfortable? If we’re working at my studio I like to make it a comfortable (although not TOO comfortable) physical environment, pleasant, minimal, and stimulating, not too relaxed. It’s a place where work, not chilling out, gets done.
b) If time permits, I’ll suggest a chat over a cup of coffee or a meal. We both know the work is at hand, but I think we will achieve a better result if we can get to know one another. I might start by asking how their trip was, or what they’ve been up to, ask them about their impressions, and share my own. I like to show my respect and appreciation for my collaborators’ talents and culture, yet I’m also not afraid to mention a few of my recent accomplishments (without being obnoxious about it). I find that strong co-writers respect self-respect. I also try to find common ground in 3rd party songwriting accomplishments that my collaborator and I both admire.
c) Right before starting to write I like to listen to and discuss some songs we both have a passion for, it’s an inspiring moment for me. This is particularly valuable when writing with an artist, as it breaks the ice and is also a good barometer for where the artist’s taste and goals are. I will ask my collaborator what it is about those songs they admire. I like to get a feel for what they value, and I try to share what I value with them. While I think it’s important to find common ground with my collaborator, I like to celebrate our differences as well, as that can often make for good results. For example, I may be great with titles, concepts and lyrics, and my collaborator may be great with melodies. Now that’s a good team!
3) Discuss objectives (Why does this song need to exist?):
I like to introduce and discuss our objectives for the days’ work, before actually working. I find it useful for us to agree to not waste time developing mediocre ideas before getting to work. No need for hurt feelings, simply agree before the writing process begins that you will each share a bunch of ideas and then mutually agree on what has the most breakthrough potential (lyrically, melodically, and track wise). The world has way too many mediocre songs so it’s of paramount importance to set up ground rules. Don’t fall into a situation that is needlessly confrontational or overly polite. To use a fishing metaphor by way of Steely Dan, don’t be afraid to ‘Throw Back The Little Ones’. Decide why this song needs to be, before you and your co-writer invest time and energy developing it. If you have a good answer to this, proceed to the next step!
4) Collaborate on creation:
a) Present ideas: Though I’ll start by mentioning I have ideas that I’d like to share, I’ll usually ask my collaborator to share their ideas first to make them more comfortable: “So whaddya got for me?” I might say, playfully, although it depends on the situation. I try to think about what would be the most appropriate mode for getting the job done. I find phrases like “what if we tried this” or “how about this as a possibility” are valuable for introducing ideas without making your collaborator feel insecure about their own.
b) Who’s doing what?: It’s usually pretty obvious, but sometimes a short conversation about this can make things be more productive For example, is somebody on guitar and somebody on piano, but more importantly who’s writing the melody, the lyrics, the track?
5) Dig down, stir it up, prove your passion:
5) Dig down, stir it up, prove your passion:
Bend but don’t break when it comes to accepting or rejecting your ideas and your collaborator’s ideas. I think it’s essential that each collaborator is in the habit of pushing themselves and the other to come up with the best they can, while always cultivating a positive atmosphere.
6) Keep the ball rolling (with a whisper, not a scream…”):
6) Keep the ball rolling (with a whisper, not a scream…”):
Brainstorming an idea, melody or title that either of us brings to the day is where the process usually starts. I like to begin with a title, or an emotional truth that has yet to be formulated into a title. Next we work on a chorus melody, then the verse melody, then the chorus lyric, then an arresting first lyric line of the song, and so on. I like to keep us on our toes by not getting bogged down in any one area. It may appear we are jumping around, but in fact in my mind is a clear picture of the order of business. I find that the creative voice often starts as ‘a whisper, not a scream’ – it needs to be encouraged without being put on the spot. I can’t get too much good work done if I feel like a deer caught in headlights. I imagine my collaborator is the same way.
7) Strive for a tangible result:
7) Strive for a tangible result:
I strive to end the session with something we can walk away from the room with. Perhaps there’s just enough time to write a melody or lyric but not enough to write the whole song. It’s important to set realistic time/space goals in co-writing. I always make sure we have a recording, even if it’s just on a hand held Dictaphone or a Word document of the entire melody and/or lyric – something to remember where you left off and where you can start from next time if you decide to continue.
8) Steps for next time:
8) Steps for next time:
If I respect the work we did together and think that it merits further attention, I think it’s essential before parting ways to schedule a follow up session so we can finish the idea, start a new one, or if it’s finished already, demo it! But to me the most important thing to remember is to consciously decide and be ruthless with one’s self about whether the days’ work is worth moving forward with. You can’t rely on anyone else to have the quality control that you can have.
And when the song is done (and you believe it merits a demo)…
9) Define collaborators’ contributions:
And when the song is done (and you believe it merits a demo)…
9) Define collaborators’ contributions:
Once the song is complete, have a conversation and get closure on what the songwriter splits are. In my experience I think it’s a good idea to define these splits (in writing if possible) after the song is complete but before the demo is recorded. Email confirmation of the splits is useful so that there’s a record of the agreement. My rule of thumb is if two people are in a room and a song results, each person gets 50% of the song. If I write to someone’s track I get 50% and they get 50%. If somebody writes the entire lyric and somebody writes the entire melody each party receives 50% of the song. There can be exceptions. If the artist wrote two words in the song I believe they can be entitled to receive as little as 10% or as much as 50% depending on the effect their contribution had on the song. I personally subscribe to the ‘let them go first’ philosophy, so you can get a sense of where your co-writer is with the splits, but in my experience it’s usually pretty obvious how it should go down.
10) Decide how to demo it:
First step is to decide what the purpose of the demo is.
If you’re pitching to an outside artist it needs to sound as much like that artist’s record as possible. You and your collaborator need to discuss how that will be achieved (will you be hiring programmers, musicians, singers, studios, etc.) Producing outside song demos can cost anywhere between $500 and $1500 to produce once all the talent is paid, the cost of which should be split proportionally by the writers. I find that it’s better to go for a similar emotional content in the demo singer and NOT to try to make the singer sound just like the artist you’re pitching it to. The artist and their A&R person know very well what the artist sounds like! If I’m writing with an artist, I usually ask them to do a reference vocal, then I or people we hire create the track. But in the case of an artist co-write the demo, at least for initial presentation purposes, usually doesn’t have to be as produced as when you’re pitching an outside song.
If you’re writing with a track writer, and you’re the singer than you need to have a conversation about whether you are the right singer to sell the song. It’s all about vocal intention being appropriate for the song pitch. I find that it’s usually a good idea to lay down a very quick guide demo of vocal, one instrument, and a beat with the correct tempo, arrangement and key. After we spend some time building the track, then we lay down the keeper vocals. If you’re writing with a track writer, it is their job to provide the backing track and production of the demo. Tag team vocal production between co-writers can be advantageous although it’s usually best if all directions to the demo singer are filtered through one person – this way the singer won’t feel like they’re in a tug-of-war between two producers.
To summarize, effective co-writing is basically an extension of the golden rule: "Treat others only in ways that you're willing to be treated in the same exact situation." If you had any previous hesitations about co-writing before, I hope you have found these articles helpful in overcoming your hesitation. Leave any questions/comments here on the blog or feel free to drop me a line.
10) Decide how to demo it:
First step is to decide what the purpose of the demo is.
If you’re pitching to an outside artist it needs to sound as much like that artist’s record as possible. You and your collaborator need to discuss how that will be achieved (will you be hiring programmers, musicians, singers, studios, etc.) Producing outside song demos can cost anywhere between $500 and $1500 to produce once all the talent is paid, the cost of which should be split proportionally by the writers. I find that it’s better to go for a similar emotional content in the demo singer and NOT to try to make the singer sound just like the artist you’re pitching it to. The artist and their A&R person know very well what the artist sounds like! If I’m writing with an artist, I usually ask them to do a reference vocal, then I or people we hire create the track. But in the case of an artist co-write the demo, at least for initial presentation purposes, usually doesn’t have to be as produced as when you’re pitching an outside song.
If you’re writing with a track writer, and you’re the singer than you need to have a conversation about whether you are the right singer to sell the song. It’s all about vocal intention being appropriate for the song pitch. I find that it’s usually a good idea to lay down a very quick guide demo of vocal, one instrument, and a beat with the correct tempo, arrangement and key. After we spend some time building the track, then we lay down the keeper vocals. If you’re writing with a track writer, it is their job to provide the backing track and production of the demo. Tag team vocal production between co-writers can be advantageous although it’s usually best if all directions to the demo singer are filtered through one person – this way the singer won’t feel like they’re in a tug-of-war between two producers.
To summarize, effective co-writing is basically an extension of the golden rule: "Treat others only in ways that you're willing to be treated in the same exact situation." If you had any previous hesitations about co-writing before, I hope you have found these articles helpful in overcoming your hesitation. Leave any questions/comments here on the blog or feel free to drop me a line.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write? Part I by Wayne Cohen
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
Part I: To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write, that is the question...
...Whether it is nobler to toil by one’s self, or share your gift with another writer, thereby potentially exponentially expanding your songwriting and song networking reach. Well, the good news is that you can do both, which I like to do for several reasons.
I like to write by myself so that I feel I can really explore every aspect of an idea, so I won’t get lazy, and obviously, because it can be twice as lucrative if you write a hit alone.
But maybe you come up with a million melodies and no lyrics, or you have lyric ideas but no melodies, or maybe you’ve got a million melody and lyric ideas and can’t organize them enough to pull together a coherent song easily, or you’re a visionary producer/track writer/multi-instrumentalist but you need help with lyrics and or melodies; maybe you’re all of these and you just want a break from yourself. Have no fear, co-writing can be good for you. At worst, it might be a good way to get out of your own face for a while.
So I co-write, because it can be invigorating and create surprising results, and there are some obvious advantages: it expands your network for pitching, and expands your mind about the kinds of songs you can write. For me the beautiful thing about co-writing is that I don’t have to be all the people in the band I’m not (the female singer, the drummer, the amazing guitarist, etc.), and still can come up with something to be proud of – something I could never have predicted, or that either of us might have written, without a collaborator.
These days co-writing can come in several forms:
I’ve always found it wise to collaborate with people who complement what my strengths. As much fun as it could be to be in the room writing with someone who does what I do, I find it’s more productive if you work with someone who does NOT do what you do (although I have written great songs with people who share my same strenghts and weaknesses, so go figure). The greatest thing about co-writing for me is that you generally can never predict what will come out of the experience.
An effective co-write requires mutual trust and respect between collaborators. To foster 'singing the same song’ with my collaborators, after years of co-writing, I’ve found it useful to develop some simple ground rules which I call the COLLABORATOR’S CODE. Much of this is unspoken, but I find things go much better, and faster, if I have this in the back of my mind while working with a partner. Here in part one I’ll give you a preview of the code, and in part two I will delve into more code detail, and examine options for how to demo a co-written song.
But before we get to the code, I wanted to mention that when I collaborate I always like to think of it like I’m going to a party (which my mother taught me I should never do empty handed). So, rule number one is to always show up with an idea. This could be a subject, a title, a lyric, a melodic fragment (a hook is always good), basically anything that you feel passionate about that could be the basis of a breakthrough song. Having said that, I’ve shown up to plenty of co-writing sessions with an idea only to end up writing something completely unrelated. But it’s all good, ‘cuz if I don’t use an idea I just file it away, and the good ones always have a way of coming back to haunt me until they write themselves. If they don’t come back to me they probably weren’t worth much in the first place. But I find it’s better if you always bring SOMETHING to a co-write, even if you discard it.
This brings me to one of the trickiest, challenging, yet potentially rewarding aspects of co-writing, which is selling an idea to your co-writer. He or she, in effect, is the first audience for your song idea. It’s tricky because you want your co-writer to respect your ideas but to contribute as well. So my suggestion is to start by having some respect for your self and your collaborator by bringing an idea to a co-writing session that YOU like, so you can get behind selling it to your co-writer.
If you’re, deathly afraid of sharing what you think are ‘stupid’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘inconsequential’ or the ‘only great ideas I’ll ever have’, or if you think you’re ‘too good’ to co-write, check your ego at the door and GET ON WITH IT. Because, here’s the deal, no matter whether you write a #1 single or another song that sits on a shelf, you will LEARN something from the experience. Keep in mind, your co-writer is probably just as insecure or as much of an egomaniac as you are, so don’t be shy, you will still be who you are after you leave the room. And if worst comes to worst if you’re not happy with the results of the co-write you are within your rights to say, politely, to your co-writer (preferably followed by acknowledgement from them) that you’re going to take your idea back so you can write it by yourself or with someone else. So, even if all you learn is that you don’t want to co-write with that particular person again, you will gain an invaluable perspective on your place in the songwriting firmament, simply because you are sharing YOUR ideas with someone else who is listening and responding. But it’s also possible you will get something more from the experience, a great song.
But watch out, co-writing can inspire friendly (and sometimes not so friendly) competition. Some of my best work has come from passionate yelling and screaming interactions with co-writers fighting over a particular lyric or melody phrase. The right kind of creative tension can produce good work, but it has to have mutual respect at its' core, otherwise it ends up being a grandstanding session that DOES NOT work.
I’m willing to try any collaboration once, if I or someone I respect (like a publisher, manager, producer, A&R person, music supervisor or artist) has a positive instinct about it. If you decide you want to co-write, I find it’s usually good to go with your gut about whether you think you’ll click with the other writer, however you should allow a small percentage of your co-writers to be with talents that you never thought would be compatible with yours, just to keep you on your toes. Some of the greatest records have resulted from unconventional hybrids, so for example, if you’re an acoustic singer/songwriter why not see if you can vibe with an urban track writer? You may end up with a hit record that neither of you could have written by yourself.
When I was signed to Sony Music I was put together with lots of co-writers and artists. Most of these bore good-not-great songs, but I still believe ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’. You just need to be sensible about your choices, before you make them.
Even if you do all the ‘right stuff’ to prepare for a co-write, don’t be too hard on yourself. There will be days when it just doesn’t happen, even if ‘on paper’ a co-write looks like it should work just fine. I find that I usually know within the first 30 minutes whether it’s going to work. A word to the wise: if it ain’t happening I think it’s better to politely say something like “It’s great to see you today, but I have to say I think we’ve both written better songs, so I’d like to call this complete, and move on to something else.” Be smart and size up the situation in advance. If you’re both track writers and neither of you write lyrics, it’s pretty clear that you either need to not collaborate, or to include a lyricist!
So, in summary, some advantages of co-writing:
Coming up with something you would never have thought of on your own and potentially expanding your creative and song networking scope. If, for example, if you’re a country songwriter, you might be able to expand your song networking scope by writing with an urban music track writer.
And here at long last, in usual order of my experience is the…
COLLABORATOR’S CODE:
1) Come with an idea (Preview and imagine the result)
2) Get (not too) comfortable, celebrate your differences
3) Discuss objectives (Why does this song need to exist?)
4) Collaborate on creation
a) Present ideas (let them go first!)
b) Decide who’s doing what? (melody, lyrics, track)
5) Dig down, stir it up, prove your passion
6) Keep the ball rolling (“ideas are usually a whisper, not a scream…”)
7) Strive for a tangible result (I like to know that I at least have a complete melody when I walk out of the room, with a title, so it does not have to be a complete song, just something that you can build on in the next session.)
8) Steps for next time
And when the song is done:
9) Define collaborators’ contributions (songwriter splits)
10) Decide how to demo it
New Developments in co-writing:
Lately the internet programs like Skype have made it possible to get the benefit of instant feedback and the spark of collaboration without having to spend time and money to travel. For example, I’ve been working with Riccardo Foresi, an artist from Italy. The first time we worked together he was in NY but lately he’s been back in Italy and we’ve been writing utilizing the video capability of Skype as if we’re in the same room. I find that it’s still better if you start the relationship (or the song) in the same room, but with our most recent song, the collaboration took place entirely online. Riccardo sent me some melodies and a track that he had started in Italy, for which I wrote a hook, title and lyric for the melodies in NYC, and then we tweaked it together over Skype. Truly an amazing experience.
By the way, you can hear some of these Skype session results by clicking here. And we chose tunecore to get Riccardo’s music out.
Next week:
The COLLABORATOR’S CODE in greater detail, including how to define collaborator’s songwriting contributions, and options for how to demo the co-written song.
Thoughts, questions or comments? Share them here!
You can contact Wayne here or by writing to wayne@waynecohensongs.com
Part I: To Co-Write or Not to Co-Write, that is the question...
...Whether it is nobler to toil by one’s self, or share your gift with another writer, thereby potentially exponentially expanding your songwriting and song networking reach. Well, the good news is that you can do both, which I like to do for several reasons.
I like to write by myself so that I feel I can really explore every aspect of an idea, so I won’t get lazy, and obviously, because it can be twice as lucrative if you write a hit alone.
But maybe you come up with a million melodies and no lyrics, or you have lyric ideas but no melodies, or maybe you’ve got a million melody and lyric ideas and can’t organize them enough to pull together a coherent song easily, or you’re a visionary producer/track writer/multi-instrumentalist but you need help with lyrics and or melodies; maybe you’re all of these and you just want a break from yourself. Have no fear, co-writing can be good for you. At worst, it might be a good way to get out of your own face for a while.
So I co-write, because it can be invigorating and create surprising results, and there are some obvious advantages: it expands your network for pitching, and expands your mind about the kinds of songs you can write. For me the beautiful thing about co-writing is that I don’t have to be all the people in the band I’m not (the female singer, the drummer, the amazing guitarist, etc.), and still can come up with something to be proud of – something I could never have predicted, or that either of us might have written, without a collaborator.
These days co-writing can come in several forms:
- Melodist meets lyricist
- Melodist meets lyricist meets track writer
- Melodist/lyricist meets track writer
I’ve always found it wise to collaborate with people who complement what my strengths. As much fun as it could be to be in the room writing with someone who does what I do, I find it’s more productive if you work with someone who does NOT do what you do (although I have written great songs with people who share my same strenghts and weaknesses, so go figure). The greatest thing about co-writing for me is that you generally can never predict what will come out of the experience.
An effective co-write requires mutual trust and respect between collaborators. To foster 'singing the same song’ with my collaborators, after years of co-writing, I’ve found it useful to develop some simple ground rules which I call the COLLABORATOR’S CODE. Much of this is unspoken, but I find things go much better, and faster, if I have this in the back of my mind while working with a partner. Here in part one I’ll give you a preview of the code, and in part two I will delve into more code detail, and examine options for how to demo a co-written song.
But before we get to the code, I wanted to mention that when I collaborate I always like to think of it like I’m going to a party (which my mother taught me I should never do empty handed). So, rule number one is to always show up with an idea. This could be a subject, a title, a lyric, a melodic fragment (a hook is always good), basically anything that you feel passionate about that could be the basis of a breakthrough song. Having said that, I’ve shown up to plenty of co-writing sessions with an idea only to end up writing something completely unrelated. But it’s all good, ‘cuz if I don’t use an idea I just file it away, and the good ones always have a way of coming back to haunt me until they write themselves. If they don’t come back to me they probably weren’t worth much in the first place. But I find it’s better if you always bring SOMETHING to a co-write, even if you discard it.
This brings me to one of the trickiest, challenging, yet potentially rewarding aspects of co-writing, which is selling an idea to your co-writer. He or she, in effect, is the first audience for your song idea. It’s tricky because you want your co-writer to respect your ideas but to contribute as well. So my suggestion is to start by having some respect for your self and your collaborator by bringing an idea to a co-writing session that YOU like, so you can get behind selling it to your co-writer.
If you’re, deathly afraid of sharing what you think are ‘stupid’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘inconsequential’ or the ‘only great ideas I’ll ever have’, or if you think you’re ‘too good’ to co-write, check your ego at the door and GET ON WITH IT. Because, here’s the deal, no matter whether you write a #1 single or another song that sits on a shelf, you will LEARN something from the experience. Keep in mind, your co-writer is probably just as insecure or as much of an egomaniac as you are, so don’t be shy, you will still be who you are after you leave the room. And if worst comes to worst if you’re not happy with the results of the co-write you are within your rights to say, politely, to your co-writer (preferably followed by acknowledgement from them) that you’re going to take your idea back so you can write it by yourself or with someone else. So, even if all you learn is that you don’t want to co-write with that particular person again, you will gain an invaluable perspective on your place in the songwriting firmament, simply because you are sharing YOUR ideas with someone else who is listening and responding. But it’s also possible you will get something more from the experience, a great song.
But watch out, co-writing can inspire friendly (and sometimes not so friendly) competition. Some of my best work has come from passionate yelling and screaming interactions with co-writers fighting over a particular lyric or melody phrase. The right kind of creative tension can produce good work, but it has to have mutual respect at its' core, otherwise it ends up being a grandstanding session that DOES NOT work.
I’m willing to try any collaboration once, if I or someone I respect (like a publisher, manager, producer, A&R person, music supervisor or artist) has a positive instinct about it. If you decide you want to co-write, I find it’s usually good to go with your gut about whether you think you’ll click with the other writer, however you should allow a small percentage of your co-writers to be with talents that you never thought would be compatible with yours, just to keep you on your toes. Some of the greatest records have resulted from unconventional hybrids, so for example, if you’re an acoustic singer/songwriter why not see if you can vibe with an urban track writer? You may end up with a hit record that neither of you could have written by yourself.
When I was signed to Sony Music I was put together with lots of co-writers and artists. Most of these bore good-not-great songs, but I still believe ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’. You just need to be sensible about your choices, before you make them.
Even if you do all the ‘right stuff’ to prepare for a co-write, don’t be too hard on yourself. There will be days when it just doesn’t happen, even if ‘on paper’ a co-write looks like it should work just fine. I find that I usually know within the first 30 minutes whether it’s going to work. A word to the wise: if it ain’t happening I think it’s better to politely say something like “It’s great to see you today, but I have to say I think we’ve both written better songs, so I’d like to call this complete, and move on to something else.” Be smart and size up the situation in advance. If you’re both track writers and neither of you write lyrics, it’s pretty clear that you either need to not collaborate, or to include a lyricist!
So, in summary, some advantages of co-writing:
Coming up with something you would never have thought of on your own and potentially expanding your creative and song networking scope. If, for example, if you’re a country songwriter, you might be able to expand your song networking scope by writing with an urban music track writer.
And here at long last, in usual order of my experience is the…
COLLABORATOR’S CODE:
1) Come with an idea (Preview and imagine the result)
2) Get (not too) comfortable, celebrate your differences
3) Discuss objectives (Why does this song need to exist?)
4) Collaborate on creation
a) Present ideas (let them go first!)
b) Decide who’s doing what? (melody, lyrics, track)
5) Dig down, stir it up, prove your passion
6) Keep the ball rolling (“ideas are usually a whisper, not a scream…”)
7) Strive for a tangible result (I like to know that I at least have a complete melody when I walk out of the room, with a title, so it does not have to be a complete song, just something that you can build on in the next session.)
8) Steps for next time
And when the song is done:
9) Define collaborators’ contributions (songwriter splits)
10) Decide how to demo it
New Developments in co-writing:
Lately the internet programs like Skype have made it possible to get the benefit of instant feedback and the spark of collaboration without having to spend time and money to travel. For example, I’ve been working with Riccardo Foresi, an artist from Italy. The first time we worked together he was in NY but lately he’s been back in Italy and we’ve been writing utilizing the video capability of Skype as if we’re in the same room. I find that it’s still better if you start the relationship (or the song) in the same room, but with our most recent song, the collaboration took place entirely online. Riccardo sent me some melodies and a track that he had started in Italy, for which I wrote a hook, title and lyric for the melodies in NYC, and then we tweaked it together over Skype. Truly an amazing experience.
By the way, you can hear some of these Skype session results by clicking here. And we chose tunecore to get Riccardo’s music out.
Next week:
The COLLABORATOR’S CODE in greater detail, including how to define collaborator’s songwriting contributions, and options for how to demo the co-written song.
Thoughts, questions or comments? Share them here!
You can contact Wayne here or by writing to wayne@waynecohensongs.com
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song, Part II
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
Part II: Tools of the trade
When I write, it can take 6 hours or it can take a year to complete a song. To me the key to a great song is all about capturing a universal emotional truth and a momentary spirit and then crafting it until you as the writer can justify the existence of every melodic and lyrical phrase in the song. Any of those elements can come and go in a heartbeat, so you better be ready for it when it does. Oh and fyi, let it flow, don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t write it all in 6 hours. I find that after 30 minutes I usually know if I’ve got something worth pursuing. If you feel you don’t have that in 30 minutes, it’s probably time to call that complete and move on to greener pastures.Here are some of my capture and craft tools of the trade that you may find useful if you want to write a breakout song.
1) Go on input – absorb the world in and outside of you. It’s in the blog you’re reading, the conversation you’re eavesdropping on, the incorrectly heard snippet of someone else’s lyrics you just heard, it’s in how you feel about that person you can’t stop thinking about.
2) Listen to ten of your favorite #1 charting records 100 times, dissect what makes the melody and lyric special to you. I find it’s good to start by analyzing the structure of the overall song. Is the song a verse/pre chorus/chorus, or chorus/bridge/chorus kind of thing, or some other structure? Then I like to look at the chorus melodies, usually to see what makes the melody so hooky, and then do the same for the verses, bridge, etc. Then look at the rhyme scheme of the chorus lyric. Are they AB or AA rhymes, or some other rhyme pattern? Make a summary of the overall arc of the lyric story. What makes the lyric/story urgent, what makes it universal? What grabs the listener at the start of the song - is it a lyric, is it a melody, is it a beat? Which of those is most effective? Once you’ve done that, you should be pumped up enough to get in touch with your inner warrior so you can say to yourself “gee I can write something as good as that..”.
3) Get a lyric writing book and write down every idea you have that you think is a universal emotional truth, the first building block you need for a breakthrough song. If you’re passionate about it write it down, don’t judge it. You never know how a lyric idea can develop into a full-blown song.
4) Get a digital voice recorder. There are a lot of them out there, I happen to prefer the Olympus WC-331M. Same idea here as with the lyric writing. It’s all about capturing those moments you sing that melody idea, or play something you didn’t even remember playing, that can get your breakthrough song started.
The story goes that it worked for Keith Richards, who back in the day had a cassette recorder by his bed, woke up in the middle of the night recorded the intro riff for ‘Satisfaction’, fell back to sleep and when he woke up had no memory of it. Good thing he recorded it huh?
5) Have something you can build a simple beat with. GarageBand, any of the Apple loops jam packs are great, Pro Tools, Logic, Abelton Live, Digital Performer all now have software loops players, any kind of drum machine (Akai MPC is my old skool fave), are all options. I find I end up programming most beats as opposed to using an existing loop because I want a very elemental beat so as not to distract from the writing process. I find the more lo-tech the better, just make sure it is something that programs or loops easily. To make that breakthrough song come to life it’s not just about the beat. It’s about what the melody and lyric are doing in conjunction with the beat. You can always spruce up the beat if necessary, when you produce the song..
6) And remember, there is a songwriter inside of you.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song, Part I
Wayne Cohen is a songwriter, record producer and song tutor whose songs include Top 10 hit singles, downloads and #1 albums, which have sold more than 5 million, in the U.S., UK, Europe, Australia and Asia. He works from his NYC studio Stand Up Sound, as well as in London and Los Angeles. Wayne's 30 years experience as a songwriter and educator has also given him the ability to turn his toolkit into a song tutoring course that benefits songwriters around the world, in individual and group tutoring sessions, via Skype and at his midtown Manhattan, NYC studio Stand Up Sound.
Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song, Part I
I recently judged a battle of the bands here in NYC during which I was really impressed with the energy, dedication, focus, musicianship and marketing abilities of the performers. However I was struck that out of the five bands I judged, only one of the vocalists wrote a hook that I could remember after I heard it once. In fact, the band that I gave the highest marks to were an instrumental group that I thought had the best melodies!
In that moment it occurred to me that now, more than ever, when so much music is available to anyone with a mouse and an internet connection, a breakthrough song is what you need to make an impression. People will tell you to get the right haircut, imaging, packaging, marketing and production to break through, and they are not wrong, but if you don’t have at least one breakthrough song, none of the rest will matter. If you want to get noticed, creating or finding that breakout song is your job #1.
You are saying to yourself, how is this possible? Are you in denial, thinking ‘Isn’t my guitar sound enough to get me a record deal?’ Don’t worry, there’s a songwriter inside of you, you just have to find it.
So how do you do it? Well, Ringo Starr was somewhat right when he sang ‘you know it don’t come easy’, but I know there is a way for you to express what’s unique about your take on the world, and channel that into a hook laden melody with a cool breakout lyric concept and a hot beat..., in other words, a breakout song.
Call me a crazy curmudgeon, but really it’s a pretty simple equation...You have to reach into yourself, think about what you’re feeling, and then start feeling it, to begin your path towards that breakout song. When I write I like to decide which of my feelings can represent an urgent universal truth I feel needs to be shared with the world. To get me in the mood, sometimes, I like to start from the point of ‘righting a wrong’ or ‘wronging a right’, because it’s unlikely anyone outside your circle is going to care much about something that’s not urgent and universal. Remember your lust for world domination?
For example, I was writing a song recently called ‘Live On’ which started out as a thank you from a veteran artist to his long time fans. It was a catchy title with a good melody and a good beat, but lucky for me there was not enough urgency to it. So I put it away, and I say lucky, because the next day I had a co-write scheduled with a young unsigned female bluesy rock artist who needed a single. I realized that if I took the same concept, twisted it into a plea for her lover’s long lasting passion, and added the ‘L’ word to the title, suddenly the same song idea became an urgent universal cry for clarity from one lover to another. Recently that song ‘Love Live On’ by Laura and the Tears has been released as a single, playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and is available for sale on the iTunes Store. The lover in question has been duly served, and it remains unclear as to what will happen… :-)
In any case, my point is that it can take a bit of sweat equity to create that breakthrough song, but you never have to give up, you just need to dig a little deeper, because yesterday’s trash could be tomorrow’s treasure…
P.S. After that battle of the bands I was asked by the memorable hook vocalist why I didn’t vote for her. I told her that although her song was the best, her band was not, and since it was a battle of the bands I could not justify voting for a band that wasn’t up to snuff. By now you could be thinking ‘what a hard core son of a gun this guy is’ and you’d be right. But I hope she heard me when I said that her song was the best, because in the long run that will serve her. Now she just needs the right band, and several more of those kinds of songs.
Tune in next week for more in Part 2: Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song: Tools of the Trade
You can contact Wayne here.
Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song, Part I
I recently judged a battle of the bands here in NYC during which I was really impressed with the energy, dedication, focus, musicianship and marketing abilities of the performers. However I was struck that out of the five bands I judged, only one of the vocalists wrote a hook that I could remember after I heard it once. In fact, the band that I gave the highest marks to were an instrumental group that I thought had the best melodies!
In that moment it occurred to me that now, more than ever, when so much music is available to anyone with a mouse and an internet connection, a breakthrough song is what you need to make an impression. People will tell you to get the right haircut, imaging, packaging, marketing and production to break through, and they are not wrong, but if you don’t have at least one breakthrough song, none of the rest will matter. If you want to get noticed, creating or finding that breakout song is your job #1.
You are saying to yourself, how is this possible? Are you in denial, thinking ‘Isn’t my guitar sound enough to get me a record deal?’ Don’t worry, there’s a songwriter inside of you, you just have to find it.
So how do you do it? Well, Ringo Starr was somewhat right when he sang ‘you know it don’t come easy’, but I know there is a way for you to express what’s unique about your take on the world, and channel that into a hook laden melody with a cool breakout lyric concept and a hot beat..., in other words, a breakout song.
Call me a crazy curmudgeon, but really it’s a pretty simple equation...You have to reach into yourself, think about what you’re feeling, and then start feeling it, to begin your path towards that breakout song. When I write I like to decide which of my feelings can represent an urgent universal truth I feel needs to be shared with the world. To get me in the mood, sometimes, I like to start from the point of ‘righting a wrong’ or ‘wronging a right’, because it’s unlikely anyone outside your circle is going to care much about something that’s not urgent and universal. Remember your lust for world domination?
For example, I was writing a song recently called ‘Live On’ which started out as a thank you from a veteran artist to his long time fans. It was a catchy title with a good melody and a good beat, but lucky for me there was not enough urgency to it. So I put it away, and I say lucky, because the next day I had a co-write scheduled with a young unsigned female bluesy rock artist who needed a single. I realized that if I took the same concept, twisted it into a plea for her lover’s long lasting passion, and added the ‘L’ word to the title, suddenly the same song idea became an urgent universal cry for clarity from one lover to another. Recently that song ‘Love Live On’ by Laura and the Tears has been released as a single, playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and is available for sale on the iTunes Store. The lover in question has been duly served, and it remains unclear as to what will happen… :-)
In any case, my point is that it can take a bit of sweat equity to create that breakthrough song, but you never have to give up, you just need to dig a little deeper, because yesterday’s trash could be tomorrow’s treasure…
P.S. After that battle of the bands I was asked by the memorable hook vocalist why I didn’t vote for her. I told her that although her song was the best, her band was not, and since it was a battle of the bands I could not justify voting for a band that wasn’t up to snuff. By now you could be thinking ‘what a hard core son of a gun this guy is’ and you’d be right. But I hope she heard me when I said that her song was the best, because in the long run that will serve her. Now she just needs the right band, and several more of those kinds of songs.
Tune in next week for more in Part 2: Wanna break through? Write a breakthrough song: Tools of the Trade
You can contact Wayne here.
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