Songwriting help - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Courtnee · 01-01-2006, 01:17 AM

This thread is mainly aimed towards aspiring songwriters, but each exercise can be used to help with songwriting as well as poetry, short stories, novels, etc.

The biggest mistake made by songwriters is racking the brain, trying to come up with something that rhymes, has proper cadence, and/or relevance to what they want to say. But more times than not, that will cause writer's block faster than anything else. The more technical you let your mind get, the less emotion you are putting into the writing, and eventually you will wear yourself too thin.

So, I'm going to share with you guys some tips and exercises I've used to write my songs.

So you wanna write, but not sure what exactly to write about...
This has happened to me a lot, and I'm sure it's happened to many others. There are many different ways to find out what exactly to write about.

Exercise #1: Unlocking your subconcious

1. Close your eyes, and envision a field.
Is it day or night?
Are there people around?
Is the sky cloudy?
Are there any buildings around?
What season is it?

1a. What each answer means.
Daytime: You're curious
Nighttime: You're longing for someone/something

People around: You have a lot of things to say/tell about
No people: Either you have nothing weighing on your mind, or you feel no one is listening/will listen

Cloudy: There has been a recent revelation in your life
Not cloudy: No real changes in your life lately

Buildings: You have a sense of stability in your life
No Buildings: There has been a shift in the stability of your life (whether for the good or bad)

Fall: You're dealing with many changes in your life
Spring: Things are finally starting to look up
Summer: May have something overwhelming going on in your life
Winter: May be experiencing a loss, no matter how big or small

1b. Define what you just saw.

For example, I envisioned a field in the middle of summer, with people around, no buildings in the background, and no clouds in the sky during the day.

So, judging by that, my subconcious is thinking that at this point in my life:

I’m curious
No real changes in my life lately
There has been a shift in the stability of my life (whether for the good or bad)
May have something overwhelming going on in my life
I have a lot of things to say/tell about

2. Expand on these thoughts.

With your subconcious unlocked, you can begin to think on what your mind is thinking the most about. Sometimes just unlocking the subconcious is enough to kill writer's block, but sometimes you need more resources to get the words aflowin'.

Let's say you envisioned the field in the middle of Winter, which would mean you've experienced a loss. Let's also say that you're not sure what it means by that, because you don't feel you've lost anything lately. In this case, sometimes racking your brain can come in handy. Is there someone you were good friends with that you haven't talked to in a while? Is there a band that you really liked that broke up? Hell, even a television show that you were in to that got canceled. Anything can stir up emotion in you that can be great to use in writing.

3. Don't be afraid to exaggerate.

When you are writing, exaggerating is almost expected. It helps build a strong story, whether you're writing a story to begin with, or a song or poem. For example, check this poem out:

Awakened by a horrid sound
My heart pounding in my chest
My eyes drift eractically around the room
As a wave of fear pours over me

Sifting through the empty house
Yet I cannot find the origin of my terror
Was it just all just a dream?
As I venture back upstairs to bed

I begin to slip back underneath the sheets
I notice a horrid stench coming from the hallway
I do not dare peak out into the darkness
As I attempt to get back to sleep...

Wanna know what I wrote that about? Highlight the line under this one:
My cat throwing up a hairball.

See, you can write powerful stuff about damn near anything. All you have to do is be ambiguous about it, and stretch the details with melodramatic exaggeration.

Exercise #2: Bassackwards!

This one is actually really fun. Take one of your favorite songs, one that really moves you. Play it backwards. Pick out words that you hear.

Your mind will "hear" words that pertain to whatever is in your subconcious, so by listening to it backwards, you're not trying too hard to come up with something in your mind. Your mind is doing that for you.

Here's a song I wrote while listening to Breathe No More backwards:

Belonging

Know me...

I saw you chase me far away
Follow me here
And chase my mind away

All the the lightning
Here, when I saw you
I now know the decadence below

I saw you chase me far away
Follow me here
What are you doing to me
And chase my mind away

Hear me, love me
Wake me up
Heroes within you
Here with you helps heal the pain

Now I'm fearing the end
Being here is my only console
All along

I saw you chase me far away
Follow me here
What are you doing to me
And chase my mind away

Kiss me, touch away the emotions that fell
No more for us now
We're all alone.

Of course, I didn't hear all of that. I worked with what I heard and went from there. It's a very fun way to write interesting things that not even you knew was in you!

Exercise #3: Visual Aids

Another great way to start a writing project is to have some sort of visual inspiration. For example, grab a picture that moves you, or a snapshot of a loved one, and write what you feel. Use generic terms, like you're not writing about a thing, but a feeling. I'm going to give you a picture, and if you'd like, PM me with your writing of it:

You can write a novel about this picture. Don't pay attention to the technicals of it. Pay attention to what you see as far as emotions. Whoever sends me their poems/stories/songs about this picture, I'll add 'em to this thread!

heres mine:

A morning break
Another day without you here
No more to fake now
I have to be strong

Becoming your subject

Allowing anything and everything to flow through you is the best way to begin a written piece. But a lot of times, people can be aprehensive about getting too emotional or too into the thoughts inside their head, especially when dealing with hardships or traumatic experiences. But one thing that goes unknown to a lot of people is, as soon as you unleash the emotions and feelings into an outlet of any kind, the weight within you will subside.

When I want to effectively show emotion in a song, before I sing, I will 'take myself back' to the time in which I felt what I wrote. It's almost a sense of roleplaying. Whether I've moved forward with whatever I was feeling, or if it was something that happened a long time ago, I will put myself right back in the middle and then press "record". There have been many a time that I will have to stop because I'm crying too much. But once you release some of the overwhelming emotions, first of all you'll be able to think more clearly, but you'll be completely centered in that emotion. No longer will anything be blocking you from pouring out your emotions. And then once you've written however much you possibly can, there will be a sense of release that comes over you. So, you kill two birds with one stone!

No matter what the emotion, going back to the time you felt the most intense amount of it will aide in your writing better than anything else.

rjb182 · 01-01-2006, 02:22 AM

Wow, thanks for the tips. I'll definitely try some of those.

ABlairican Pie · 01-01-2006, 04:41 AM

I think I could really use this thread in my songwriting!!

Parakeet03 · 01-01-2006, 12:46 PM

Thanks! I cant sing for my life but I do like to write songs, I'll be using these tips.

Cactus Jack · 01-01-2006, 01:56 PM

Thanks!!

But how about us parody writers and funyn song writers?

Courtnee · 01-01-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Burgundy

Thanks!!

But how about us parody writers and funyn song writers?

hmmmmmmm thats tricky.....

As someone who sucks at parodys I really don't want to give you bad advice.But I always find that having a funny movie/show/song playing in the background helps.

I wish I could help more.

Hollow · 01-01-2006, 07:40 PM

i'd rather die than not be able to write songs. oddly enough though i seem to write more piano instrumentals than lyrics.

Cactus Jack · 01-01-2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Some Hearts

hmmmmmmm thats tricky.....

As someone who sucks at parodys I really don't want to give you bad advice.But I always find that having a funny movie/show/song playing in the background helps.

I wish I could help more.

Hmmm

Ahh thats ok

I have over 100 parodies written so I dotn need much

MissZero · 01-01-2006, 08:33 PM

Thanks for posting that...The tips are good to keep in mind, and I'm gonna try using the backward-song-playing one in a minute. They are totally right about not racking the brain though. Sometimes I'll have a vision for a song and I'll start to write and then I can't think of anything, so I take a totally different direction and sometimes get one of the best songs I've ever written. Alright I'm rambling lol..thanks for the tips

TheGreatPretender · 01-01-2006, 09:10 PM

Cool.....but does anyone know how to play a song backwards?

EmoJoe · 01-01-2006, 09:19 PM

Those sound cool

Courtnee · 01-01-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Burgundy

Hmmm

Ahh thats ok

I have over 100 parodies written so I dotn need much

I saw your "holiday" parody. it was awesome

Courtnee · 01-01-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safety pin

i'd rather die than not be able to write songs. oddly enough though i seem to write more piano instrumentals than lyrics.

I've tryed to make piano music but It always sounds crappy

I'm more of a song person

MissZero · 01-01-2006, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatPretender

Cool.....but does anyone know how to play a song backwards?

yea let a song play through and then hold down the back button...it didnt work to well for me cause it goes to fast to know catch all the words ya hear

Courtnee · 01-01-2006, 11:43 PM

Take Notes

There are many times that I'm lying in bed, watching television, and I hear something that sounds cool, or something triggers a thought or idea in my mind, and I always write it down. I swear, I have an entire notebook full of random sentences and quotes But there have been many a time that I've gone back in the notebook and found a few lines and worked them into a song perfectly. (My Eternal entry for example)

Keep a notebook near you at all times, or at least a pen so if you have to, you can write on your hand or something I always have at least a pen and my phone, that way if nothing else, I can do a voice record on my phone to listen to later.

01-01-2006, 01:17 AM	#1
Courtnee MAN VS SAMMICH. Forum Star Join Date: Mar 23, 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,413	Songwriting help This thread is mainly aimed towards aspiring songwriters, but each exercise can be used to help with songwriting as well as poetry, short stories, novels, etc. The biggest mistake made by songwriters is racking the brain, trying to come up with something that rhymes, has proper cadence, and/or relevance to what they want to say. But more times than not, that will cause writer's block faster than anything else. The more technical you let your mind get, the less emotion you are putting into the writing, and eventually you will wear yourself too thin. So, I'm going to share with you guys some tips and exercises I've used to write my songs. So you wanna write, but not sure what exactly to write about... This has happened to me a lot, and I'm sure it's happened to many others. There are many different ways to find out what exactly to write about. Exercise #1: Unlocking your subconcious 1. Close your eyes, and envision a field. Is it day or night? Are there people around? Is the sky cloudy? Are there any buildings around? What season is it? 1a. What each answer means. Daytime: You're curious Nighttime: You're longing for someone/something People around: You have a lot of things to say/tell about No people: Either you have nothing weighing on your mind, or you feel no one is listening/will listen Cloudy: There has been a recent revelation in your life Not cloudy: No real changes in your life lately Buildings: You have a sense of stability in your life No Buildings: There has been a shift in the stability of your life (whether for the good or bad) Fall: You're dealing with many changes in your life Spring: Things are finally starting to look up Summer: May have something overwhelming going on in your life Winter: May be experiencing a loss, no matter how big or small 1b. Define what you just saw. For example, I envisioned a field in the middle of summer, with people around, no buildings in the background, and no clouds in the sky during the day. So, judging by that, my subconcious is thinking that at this point in my life: I’m curious No real changes in my life lately There has been a shift in the stability of my life (whether for the good or bad) May have something overwhelming going on in my life I have a lot of things to say/tell about 2. Expand on these thoughts. With your subconcious unlocked, you can begin to think on what your mind is thinking the most about. Sometimes just unlocking the subconcious is enough to kill writer's block, but sometimes you need more resources to get the words aflowin'. Let's say you envisioned the field in the middle of Winter, which would mean you've experienced a loss. Let's also say that you're not sure what it means by that, because you don't feel you've lost anything lately. In this case, sometimes racking your brain can come in handy. Is there someone you were good friends with that you haven't talked to in a while? Is there a band that you really liked that broke up? Hell, even a television show that you were in to that got canceled. Anything can stir up emotion in you that can be great to use in writing. 3. Don't be afraid to exaggerate. When you are writing, exaggerating is almost expected. It helps build a strong story, whether you're writing a story to begin with, or a song or poem. For example, check this poem out: Awakened by a horrid sound My heart pounding in my chest My eyes drift eractically around the room As a wave of fear pours over me Sifting through the empty house Yet I cannot find the origin of my terror Was it just all just a dream? As I venture back upstairs to bed I begin to slip back underneath the sheets I notice a horrid stench coming from the hallway I do not dare peak out into the darkness As I attempt to get back to sleep... Wanna know what I wrote that about? Highlight the line under this one: My cat throwing up a hairball. See, you can write powerful stuff about damn near anything. All you have to do is be ambiguous about it, and stretch the details with melodramatic exaggeration. Exercise #2: Bassackwards! This one is actually really fun. Take one of your favorite songs, one that really moves you. Play it backwards. Pick out words that you hear. Your mind will "hear" words that pertain to whatever is in your subconcious, so by listening to it backwards, you're not trying too hard to come up with something in your mind. Your mind is doing that for you. Here's a song I wrote while listening to Breathe No More backwards: Belonging Know me... I saw you chase me far away Follow me here And chase my mind away All the the lightning Here, when I saw you I now know the decadence below I saw you chase me far away Follow me here What are you doing to me And chase my mind away Hear me, love me Wake me up Heroes within you Here with you helps heal the pain Now I'm fearing the end Being here is my only console All along I saw you chase me far away Follow me here What are you doing to me And chase my mind away Kiss me, touch away the emotions that fell No more for us now We're all alone. Of course, I didn't hear all of that. I worked with what I heard and went from there. It's a very fun way to write interesting things that not even you knew was in you! Exercise #3: Visual Aids Another great way to start a writing project is to have some sort of visual inspiration. For example, grab a picture that moves you, or a snapshot of a loved one, and write what you feel. Use generic terms, like you're not writing about a thing, but a feeling. I'm going to give you a picture, and if you'd like, PM me with your writing of it: You can write a novel about this picture. Don't pay attention to the technicals of it. Pay attention to what you see as far as emotions. Whoever sends me their poems/stories/songs about this picture, I'll add 'em to this thread! heres mine: A morning break Another day without you here No more to fake now I have to be strong Becoming your subject Allowing anything and everything to flow through you is the best way to begin a written piece. But a lot of times, people can be aprehensive about getting too emotional or too into the thoughts inside their head, especially when dealing with hardships or traumatic experiences. But one thing that goes unknown to a lot of people is, as soon as you unleash the emotions and feelings into an outlet of any kind, the weight within you will subside. When I want to effectively show emotion in a song, before I sing, I will 'take myself back' to the time in which I felt what I wrote. It's almost a sense of roleplaying. Whether I've moved forward with whatever I was feeling, or if it was something that happened a long time ago, I will put myself right back in the middle and then press "record". There have been many a time that I will have to stop because I'm crying too much. But once you release some of the overwhelming emotions, first of all you'll be able to think more clearly, but you'll be completely centered in that emotion. No longer will anything be blocking you from pouring out your emotions. And then once you've written however much you possibly can, there will be a sense of release that comes over you. So, you kill two birds with one stone! No matter what the emotion, going back to the time you felt the most intense amount of it will aide in your writing better than anything else.
	__________________ Whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection A freckle on the nose of life's complexion The Cinderella or the shine apple of its eye I gotta fly once, I gotta try once, Only can die once, right, sir? Ooh, life is juicy, juicy and you see, I gotta have my bite, sir. Get ready for me love, 'cause I'm a "comer" I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer Don't bring around the cloud to rain on my parade

01-01-2006, 12:46 PM	#4
Parakeet03 :-) Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 04, 2004 Location: does it matter? Posts: 6,809	Thanks! I cant sing for my life but I do like to write songs, I'll be using these tips.
	__________________ a long december and there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last i can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving now the days go by so fast

01-01-2006, 01:56 PM	#5
Cactus Jack RonFingSwanson Forum Idol Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Santa Rosa Beach,FL Posts: 103,099	Thanks!! But how about us parody writers and funyn song writers?
	__________________ Id Love to help you Tracy, but I cant have sex with a black guy, Id lose my endorsement deal with NASCAR-Jenna Maroney,30 Rock April 17,2009 9:02 PM : 100,000th post!

01-01-2006, 08:33 PM	#9
MissZero serve it up baby Senior Member Join Date: Sep 12, 2004 Location: Pa (Blah) Posts: 1,901	Thanks for posting that...The tips are good to keep in mind, and I'm gonna try using the backward-song-playing one in a minute. They are totally right about not racking the brain though. Sometimes I'll have a vision for a song and I'll start to write and then I can't think of anything, so I take a totally different direction and sometimes get one of the best songs I've ever written. Alright I'm rambling lol..thanks for the tips
	__________________ ~MissZero~

01-01-2006, 09:19 PM	#11
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	Those sound cool
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

01-01-2006, 02:22 AM	#2
rjb182 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 26, 2005 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 97	Wow, thanks for the tips. I'll definitely try some of those.
	__________________ These Crazy Games: An exceedingly random sports blog

01-01-2006, 04:41 AM	#3
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,620	I think I could really use this thread in my songwriting!!
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

01-01-2006, 07:40 PM	#7
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	i'd rather die than not be able to write songs. oddly enough though i seem to write more piano instrumentals than lyrics.

01-01-2006, 09:10 PM	#10
TheGreatPretender just because Forum Veteran Join Date: May 22, 2004 Location: Trying to think of a creative, witty location. Posts: 7,628	Cool.....but does anyone know how to play a song backwards?

01-01-2006, 11:43 PM	#15
Courtnee MAN VS SAMMICH. Forum Star Join Date: Mar 23, 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,413	aslo.. Take Notes There are many times that I'm lying in bed, watching television, and I hear something that sounds cool, or something triggers a thought or idea in my mind, and I always write it down. I swear, I have an entire notebook full of random sentences and quotes But there have been many a time that I've gone back in the notebook and found a few lines and worked them into a song perfectly. (My Eternal entry for example) Keep a notebook near you at all times, or at least a pen so if you have to, you can write on your hand or something I always have at least a pen and my phone, that way if nothing else, I can do a voice record on my phone to listen to later.