Creativity Abounds

Thanks to Steve for our spiffy new Songwriting Apples banner! Looks great!

How Do YOU Write Songs?

What process do I use when I write?

Well, usually I pick up an instrument and start jamming a little, finding a little chord progression I like, and at the same time I'll just be mumbling words or phrases of whatever I'm thinking about at the time. If I feel like I have a particularly cool progression I'll turn on my little hand-held cassette recorder (Radioshack) to get the original idea and/or melody and/or cool lines on tape. My memory is horrible and I have a lot of ideas, so recording them helps me focus the original inspiration AND just plain remember it a day later. How many times have I played something that I thought was really good only to forget it the next day? Too many. That's why I got the tape recorder. Cell phones also come in handy if you have a good idea. Just call yourself and leave the idea.

Songwriters on Songwriting is a great book about this process from some of the greatest songwriters of the century. (I saw used copies for $1.97 at this Amazon link!!)

This book was great because all of these amazing songwriters (Dylan, Petty, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, etc.) wrote in different ways. Some of them had a daily writing schedule while some only wrote when inspiration hit. It was encouraging to see that these masters of the craft struggle with inspiration, boredom, frustration, and "the wall" that makes you feel like you'll never write another song again.

Back to my process. I guess I get the original idea, and then I attempt to flesh it out by taking the pattern created by my initial inspiration and using that pattern to finish verse 2 and 3 and finishing a chorus. I usually can make up one verse that I'm really happy with and the start of a chorus. I then decide if the song needs a bridge or any other parts that would make it more interesting. If I don't really like it, why would I expect someone else too? I have to be happy and then if someone else likes it icing on the cake.

There. That's not the only way I write songs, but it is one of my approaches.

Just ONE good take...

In trying to record a decent demo of Rivers the past few days, one thing has become abundantly clear. I need a portable studio. Recording in the Man-Cave™ works well enough (WHEN it works), but dealing with the "ambient noise" is driving me nuts. With a family of six people, an eighty pound lab, noisy gas & water meters, phones etc., it's nearly impossible to get a decent "take" in this house. I'm not trying to get it "perfect" or anything. Just looking to get a relatively noise free demo. So... I've been looking at those portable digital Boss units. It would be wonderful to have a portable unit to record elsewhere with (can't lug the computer around!). Once I've recorded the dry tracks, I could import them into my computer software and mix/master them.

Anyway... I'm just venting a bit here. Looking for alternatives in getting a decent sounding track.

Having said all that... I did do a very good take of Rivers tonight. HOWEVER, after finishing it, I realized I didn't have my phantom power switch on and the take was lost. Never got a decent one after that. Hope to get one soon.

Looking For Ways To Start Your Song? A Few Ideas

This website was actually the flame that started the fire that got THIS blog going.

Here are a few articles that might help fan YOUR creative flame when you're facing the dreaded blank page.

Songwriting Tip: Constrained Songwriting

John Mayer Writes Songs And Talks About
Whether or not your a fan of John Mayer, he has some great ideas and advice about writing songs. And if you REALLY hate him, you can just read the article and then do exactly opposite. :)

Great Songs With Only Two Chords: Could You Do It?
Ok. Let's just take the word "great" out and there you have a songwriting challenge. Write a song using only two chords. Two of my personal favorites, the D and G would make a great song. No one said you had to play them in root position...

Song Critique Checklist
Check some things off yourself. Usually, we are our own best/worst critic. Give yourself a few guidelines and be constructive for a change.

Songwriting For Beginners Series
Good way to get started.

As I (or you) find more articles, add them in a link as a comment and then we'll edit this post to reflect it.

Rivers

Had some nice quiet/candle/guitar time in the Man-Cave™ tonight. This is what came out.

Thanks for checking it out,
John



RIVERS.mp3 - [12.26.06]

Sitting in a seaside bar right next to Mexico
Pretty girl pulls up and smiles and says to me
"I can tell your future for a fifty dollar bill
or I can make you smile right now for free"

All the people that we meet
Rivers flowing endlessly

Sixteen degrees and no one else is on the road
Drifter up ahead, I slow and let him in (he said)
"I could tell you stories that would make you laugh for hours
But hell if I remember where I've been"

All these mem'ries that we keep
Rivers flowing endlessly

[instrumental break]

Little girl says "daddy can you play me your guitar?"
I just smile and nod my head (she said)
"You should write a simple song that makes me want to sing
And play it for me when I go to sleep"

All these reasons we believe
Rivers flowing...

Endlessly

[instrumental ending]

Old News

Goodbye 2007!
So it ends. And so it begins again. This month completes the first full year for SongwritingApples.com. Since January, we've posted 44 new songs! That's nearly one new song per week from our talented writers. Here's hoping for many more new tunes for 2008. Thanks to all our contributors for making it a great year. And thank you for visiting SongwritingApples.com! - [12.01.07]

Live Shows Coming Up!
Songwriting Apples co-editors Steve and John both have shows coming up. Steve will be appearing at Rico Coffee in SoCal on November 9th, while John will be doing the Baseline Open Mic in Michigan on November 10th. Come out and support your local music on the left coast or the mid-west! We'll keep you posted on how the shows go! - [11.03.07]

November Challenge
Ok, so this is admittedly a bit of a different challenge. This month's challenge is to write a song for Pepto Bismol. Like I said, it's a little different. But, hey, who couldn't use an additional $15,000, right? See Steve's Post on this for further details. And good luck! - [11.01.07]

November Challenge
Ok, so this is admittedly a bit of a different challenge. This month's challenge is to write a song for Pepto Bismol. Like I said, it's a little different. But, hey, who couldn't use an additional $15,000, right? See Steve's Post on this for further details. And good luck! - [11.01.07]

October Challenge
Take a crack at writing a spooky/ghosty song for October! Maybe the Boo Blues or the Spooky Shuffle! - [10.01.07]

25 or 6 to 4!
In case you haven't noticed, there's a challenge on here at Songwriting Apples. One of our editors, Steve, has come up with the theme of NUMBERS for the month of September. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to come up with a new song with NUMBERS as an element, theme, or topic (e.g. One - U2, Love Me Two Times - The Doors, Three More Days - Ray Lamontagne, 867-5309 (Jenny), 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins). You get the idea, now get crackin'! - [09.07.07]

THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE!
We'd like to welcome our newest artist, Gene Gorski, to the bunch. Gene happens to be a doctor, so if any of you... nevermind. To hear the doc operatin' on a new song, check out his first offering on Songwriting Apples - Deathbed Confessions! What? We think this is a fine title for a song by a doctor! Check it out! - [09.06.07]

WE'VE GOT INTERNET SKILLS!
We're growing and improving the Songwriting Apples site! You may now find us at www.SongwritingApples.com and contact us via e-mail at songwritingapples@gmail.com. - [09.04.07]

Jason Gaylor

Springfield, Missouri

LINKS

• I help start Songpulls
• I design things
• I work at Blacksuits Creative
• I write songs and post them on Songfruit™
• I was the singer in the rock band Fern (There's another Fern out there writing children's music, and another in the UK—neither are me.)
• I have a personal MySpace profile
• I have a designfruit MySpace profile

BIO
I have been a songwriter for about twelve years. During that time I developed my graphic design skills making posters, CD packaging, and other propaganda for my own band and other various freelance clients. After various odd jobs through the years including a car wash, TGI Fridays, a music store, telemarketing, Hotels.com, and a gas station clerk, I'm now partners in a boutique design agency Blacksuits Creative in Springfield, Missouri, where I'm the Creative Director for Interactive Design. I'm also the owner of designfruit.com—a site primarily devoted to photoshop brushes and other resources for designers.

I started writing songs at about 17 years of age when I thought I was Eddie Vedder. After a very short time I began to do my own thing and develop my own style. I formed a band (Fern), dropped out of college, and hit the road. Fern released three albums and I have thirty or so unreleased songs as a solo artist. My biggest claim to fame is a tour with the Goo Goo Dolls during the seven years of Fern's existence.

I'm currently neck deep in Songpull—a project that several of my friends started in early 2006 as an outlet for our abandoned songwriting. Since then we have developed an online presence at songpull.com. The site currently showcases songwriters, at Songpull events performing original material on video.

I founded songfruit.com as an extention of designfruit.com to offer me a place to blog about music and connect with anyone interested in hearing my new material. I'm now part of the Songwriting Apples blog as a contributor and censored author.

I got back into songwriting in 2006 after a year-and-a-half mutual break from the music industry beast thanks to Songpull. The idea alone has nourished my writing into a realness that I was trying so hard to get to while writing and performing with Fern. I'm writing from a completely different perspective now—more from experience, more from the heart. My songwriting is much less filtered. I'm now writing for my family, myself, my friends and my fans, and not for the record labels. I finally feel free from the trap that many writers get into when spending time focusing on showcasing for record executives and writing the next big hit. I have fun with writing now, and I'm not afraid to write cheesy songs when appropriate.

RECORDING
I'm currently using Apple’s Logic Pro on a Power Mac G5. I usally use one AKG C3000B condenser mike and the MOTU 828mkII. For a guitar I use the same $600 Washburn acoustic I've had since I was 17, it has an unfinished front and a nice deep sound. I run through a song with this set up until its decent enough to keep. I figure I can spend time in the studio later and do a fully produced version, so I don't spend any time layering or overdubbing on the demos. I think it adds an intimate feel to my recordings when I don't get the vocals or guitars perfect.

INSTRUMENTS
See Recording.

member since - [01.30.07]

Featured Song History

12/07 - Death in Texas - [ES, October, 2007]
11/07 - Jesus and John Lennon - [JN, February, 2007]
10/07 - The Envelope Song - [LS, January 2007]
09/07 - People are Pictures - [SWG, December 2006]

Gene Gorski

Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania


BIO
I am a family doctor in a small town near the Poconos in Pennsylvania. I grew up here, rolled about 3 miles from my parent’s house and opened up an office in my house and have been here practicing for about 25 years.

I do family medicine with a master’s in herbal medicine and I am trained in age management medicine. I got in to that mostly for myself. I am probably the only person who nearly died of cholera in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I got that a few years ago from eating raw oysters and then that planted blood clots through my lungs and it was nearly curtains.

So after that I re-entered my childhood and went back to do the things I always wanted to do. Guitar. Guitar. Guitar. So it took years but I could finally not suck anymore. But I could never play a song by someone else and have it sound like it was supposed to. I like to call it a fatal case of white man rhythym and 5 finger epilepsy.

So I just played around and made nice sounds. That lead to melodies. Melodies without words don’t seem to mean much so then I needed words. I started writing and did a terrible job at it. So, being a doctor, I am good at going to school. Enter Berklee School of Music Online Courses. Great site and I took a bunch of classes. Song writing, melody, composition, theory. It all really helped.

So now I was writing and I needed to be able to record this stuff. So I put a studio in my house. I will cover the gear later. Took some more classes on recording and mastering and now I spend free time in there. It is my Inner Sanctum.

I have been writing for a few years and have about a hundred songs. I recorded two albums in the past few years. I self produced them and then made a thousand of them and sold them totally for charity. I was able to raise enough money to buy some prosthetic arms and legs for some kids in Ecuador and flew one up to FLA for surgery. Then the second one was used to make money for a local charity that grants wishes to th elderly in our community. I did this so that I could do something with my music and not feel like a prostitute selling the stuff. Everybody won.

Influences?

John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Jim Steinman and the master, the teacher the seer… Warren Zevon. Warren wrote the soundtrack to my life. He also has my favorite quote, “My life is like the best omelet you can make with a chainsaw.

Goals

I want to win a Grammy for songwriting.

Equipment

Way to much

Roland VS2400 16 track DAW
An assortment of about 18 guitars. My favorites are ones that I have bought from Jon Kammerer. He is a luthier from Iowa and has an incredible talent. His guitars are the best and of the ones that I have my favorites are a strat-like guitar and what Jon calls a stage acoustic that is hard to make feed back but feeds back like an electric. What a kick to play

Amps, I have two that I love. One is a Carr Mercury. It is all of 8 watts and can be decreased to 1/20 of a watt. Amazing tone and in my opinion it is what Stevie Ray plays in heaven. The other is a Mesa Boogie 5/25 Express. Many tones and extremely big sound in a small unit. Love them both

For playing out I use a Bose PAS system and I also think that it is amazing for live tone and playing out.

I have an assortment of Fulltone pedals and one of their tube tape echoes. They are also the best I have ever heard.

My only wish is that I played well enough to deserve this stuff.

But I am still trying.

Docgoose

member since - [09.06.07]

Eric Shouse

Monrovia, California

LINKS

• links to follow

BIO
I grew up in the Baptist church and have a soft spot for old time gospel music. I've been singing to crowds since I was 7 years old (Ugh... I must have been annoying to my older brother!). I played accordian for a little while when I was 11 (even more annoying) and then put it away. I started l playing bass at 16 and then started a rock band with some friends in college when I was 18. Still play in that band today.

I graduated from college with a music degree. Learned to play piano and a bit of guitar too. And I am excited to write more songs and get feedback with Songwriting Apples.

RECORDING
I record with a Digi 001 to Protools LE v6.4 on my P3 850 desktop that I built about 6 years ago. I use an Oktava MK-219, an Oktava MK-319 and a Shure 57 microphone.

INSTRUMENTS
Carvin C750T guitar, Roland RS-5 keyboard, Fender '62 reissue Precision Bass, & MusicMan Stingray bass.

member since - [01.28.07]

Liza Swart

Avon, Indiana

LINKS

• Myspace 1
• Myspace 2
• Blog

BIO
My first real memory of crying was at age four because the Carpenters blue plastic 8-track tape broke while I was at school. I started up music lessons around that time, and fiddled around with that until well into college, never really mastering anything.

I never connected with an instrument creatively until I started playing the guitar, about 10.5 years ago. I hate telling people how long I've played because it sounds more like I've been playing about 3 years. I've gone for long periods without playing, so I guess it's ok.

I like recording and messing around with production ideas/bgvs/the like. Right now what I record sounds like poop in a can, but the ideas are there in my mind. Oh well.

RECORDING
Right now, into a Samson condenser USB-cabled mic, hooked up to my little brother's computer, which runs the Audacity program. it's very rudimentary, but it gets the job done.

INSTRUMENTS
Alvarez PF90C, which is a retired acoustic/electric, slightly larger than a parlour body size with a single cutaway. I use Elixer custom light strings exclusively, along with white, .46 mm Jim Dunlop nylon plectrums. (ha! I said plectrum! I'm much a nerd!) I've had this guitar for just about 10 years exactly now, and it has a couple of cracks and some chipped finish here and there, but it sounds better today than it ever has.

member since - [12.21.06]

Steven Wesley Guiles

San Dimas, California

LINKS

• My Personal Myspace
• My Rock Band at Myspace
• My Rock Band's Web Home
• My wife and I make pretty music together

BIO
The first time I remember caring about music was listening to Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album. Several years later I played my first musical instrument: the harmonica. I wanted to play in the worship band with my church, which my youth leader agreed to. I found out later that playing harmonica along with drums and amplified instruments was akin to being sent out into left field in a baseball game.

I still liked it. Next the drummer taught me a basic drum beat. Finally I found a little abandoned guitar in my youth pastor's office. That guitar has been the source of many songs over the years (and still is).

My first true songs came out of worship and then heartache during my college years. The woman who first truly broke my heart also married me. Before I wrote my own songs I played guitar in a band called The Vegas Nerve.

Shortly after my first heart breaking, I had enough material to be in a band as a singer. A good thirteen years later I am still writing and recording music with Pushtart Wagon, but my heart is being broken for different reasons.

Somewhere after getting married my wife and I also recorded several albums. The last one, a Christmas cd, was something we were both particularly happy with. We were inspired by the likes of Over the Rhine and Innocence Mission and came out with something that we thought was beautiful.

My goal is to become a better and more transparent songwriter. I hope to touch something in other people that breaks their hearts, inspires them, and brings them hope. Here's to heartbreak!

RECORDING
I worked my way up from a simple Fostex 4 track, to a VS880, to a VS1680, to my current Windows XP based ProTools Mpowered.
I have two SM 57s, an SM 58, and a pair of Oktava MK 219s.

I've actually written some of my best songs using a Radioshack hand-held cassette recorder. Now I like to use Audacity whenever I can because it's easy to make my ideas into Mp3s.

INSTRUMENTS
I have a set of old drums that were burned in a fire but seem to sound just fine, an old Yamaha guitar (pictured in bio section), a Taylor 410, a Fender strat, and a 1972 Tele re-issue.

member since - [12.21.06]

John Natiw

Canton, Michigan

LINKS

• Music Myspace
• Personal Blog

BIO
As far back as I can remember I've been a musician. At first, it was a little toy drum set. Then my folks got me some piano lessons. I got bored with the pace so I took up teaching myself. After learning a bit of classical and a bit of Scott Joplin (what can I say, The Sting was big back then) I went back to the drums.

Drums completely captivated me for years. I played in a number of rock bands over the years, but the most successful was a little three man outfit called Satin Steel in the early '80's.

After taking a few years off (pretty much the entire decade of the '90's) I managed to pick up the drums again. Soon after that the band Seven Bridges, formed. Although I've since left this band, we made a bunch of great music and played to many people over a few years. My last official act with the band was going into the studio and record a four song EP/CD with them in April 2006. It was a great experience. One which I hope I'll be able to draw on when I record my own stuff.

Around November of 2004 I picked up my first real guitar, a Takamine acoustic. Although I had written a few songs before that time (on piano/keyboard), the creative flow really got going after that. Most recently (January of 2007) I picked up a new Martin acoustic (left). Between these two guitars, I should stay busy for quite some time.

My hope for the near future is to be able to play some of these song live and get into a studio to get some recorded. Until then, I'll continue writing and making demos here at the house.

RECORDING
Down in the Man-Cave™ I sing into an Audio Technica 3035 microphone which feeds into a Presonus Bluetube DP pre-amp (newly purchased in February of '07) then into an M-Audio 410 firewire recording interface and on into my PC. Most times for home demos I just do a take with one mic picking up the vocals and guitar. Other times, I'll sing into the mic and plug my guitar into the other input on the pre-amp. Sonar 4 Producer Edition is my software of choice. Windows XP is my OS. I listen to myself on a pair of M-Audio Studiophile BX8's. I usually don't get too worked up about the sound of my home demos. Hopefully I'll have some good takes for when I get into the studio, Lord willing.

INSTRUMENTS
Takamine EG544SC-4C - This is an FXC body cutaway with a solid Cedar top, HawaiianKoa back/sides, Rosewood fretboard.

Martin DCX1E - My new baby (above). Solid Spruce top, HPL back & sides, Morado fretboard, Fishman Classic IV electronics. A very understated guitar that shows its stuff when you play it. Oh... and is smells amazing. Out.

Casio WK-1630 Keyboard - This is a toy, but a really nice toy. I started playing piano when I was a kid and the first songs I wrote were on some form of keyboard. I'd like to start using the Casio in arranging/writing in the future.

Pacific & Yamaha Drum Sets - Yes, I have two. Back in my "band" days, it was too much of a hassle to cart around one kit. So I've got two really nice sets. The Pacific (left) is set up in my studio and the Yamaha is in storage.

member since - [12.21.06]

Complete Songwriting Apples Catalogue

March 2008 - 2/57
Clouds Have Rolled Away - Eric Shouse [03.11.08]
Move On - Steven Wesley Guiles [03.01.08]

February 2008 - 2/55
22 Songs Written for FAWM 2008 by Steven Wesley Guiles
Goodnight - Eric Shouse [02.20.08]
See You Fly - Nico Sanchez [02.01.08]
_____________________________

January 2008 - 3/53
You and Me Could Get Together - Steven Wesley Guiles [01.28.08]
Nothin' All Day - John Natiw [01.25.08]
That You Would Not Believe - Steven Wesley Guiles [01.05.08]

*************************
YEAR ONE
*************************

December 2007 - 3/50
Pepto Bismol Jingle - Steven Wesley Guiles [12.18.07]
2007-12-09 Built To Spill Instrumental idea - Steven Wesley Guiles [12.18.07]
Rock A Bye Baby - Steven Wesley Guiles [12.18.07]
_____________________________

November 2007 - 3/47
Instrumental Thing - Steven Wesley Guiles [11.17.07]
What Are You Waiting For? - Steven Wesley Guiles [11.14.07]
Times of Possibility - Steven Wesley Guiles [11.11.07]
_____________________________

October 2007 - 6/44
Cold Tacos - Steven Wesley Guiles [10.28.07]
Death in Texas - Eric Shouse [10.25.07]
It's the Rest of Your Life - John Natiw [10.23.07]
I See Your Ghost - Steven Wesley Guiles [10.22.07]
Wrinkles of My Mind - Gene Gorski [10.06.07]
Forbidden Fruit - Gene Gorski [10.03.07]
_____________________________

September 2007 - 6/38
Instrumental - John Natiw [09.25.07]
May the Nations Praise You (Psalm 67)- Steven Wesley Guiles [09.23.07]
Simple Math- Steven Wesley Guiles [09.16.07]
Dante's 9 Circles of Hell - Gene Gorksi [09.11.07]
God Remembered My Name - Gene Gorski [09.10.07]
Deathbed Confessions - Gene Gorski [09.04.07]
_____________________________

August 2007 - 7/32
One Cut Too Deep (2005) - John Natiw [08.25.07]
Cosmic Soda Machine - Steven Wesley Guiles [08.22.07]
The Skeleton of the Rocket Ship - Steven Wesley Guiles [08.22.07]
It's You - Liza Swart [08.21.07]
Tiny Footprints - John Natiw [08.19.07]
Dancing in the Midnight Sun - Steven Wesley Guiles [08.05.07]
The Birds Taught Me To Sing - Eric Shouse [08.03.07]
_____________________________

May 2007 - 2
I Can't Get Over It - Steven Wesley Guiles [05.20.07]
Unicorn: The Other White Meat - Steven Wesley Guiles [05.20.07]
_____________________________

April 2007 - 2
What Are We Waiting For? - Steven Wesley Guiles [04.24.07]
Let It Go - Eric Shouse [04.04.07]
_____________________________

March 2007 - 3
You Find It - Steven Wesley Guiles [03.27.07]
It's About Time - John Natiw [03.23.07]
Don't Give Up - Steven Wesley Guiles [03.14.07]
_____________________________

February 2007 - 7
Leave Letters - Liza Swart [02.19.07]
Our Year - Liza Swart [02.13.07]
To Keep Me Comin' Back To You - Steven Wesley Guiles [02.13.07]
Sing Like the Angels - Eric Shouse [02.10.07]
Jesus and John Lennon - John Natiw [02.10.07]
I've Got News For You - Steven Westley Guiles [02.03.07]
Don't Be Hatin' - G and the 4th Period Homies (Steven Wesley Guiles) [02.03.07]
_____________________________

January 2007 - 8
The Envelope Song - Liza Swart [01.25.07]
That Water Came - John Natiw [01.25.07]
Execute - Jason Gaylor [01.24.07]
Things - Steven Wesley Guiles [01.24.07]
Lay The Line - Liza Swart [01.15.07]
All We Need Is Some Love - John Natiw [01.11.07]
I Can't Please You - Steven Wesley Guiles [01.10.07]
Time To Kill - Steven Wesley Guiles [01.03.07]
_____________________________

December 2006 - 3
Rivers - John Natiw [12.26.06]
Better Days - Liza Swart [12.22.06]
People Are Pictures - Steven Wesley Guiles [12.22.06]

** SONGWRITING CHALLENGES **

This post will be home to all of our past challenges.


December 2007 - This month we have a title for you to write to. In keeping with the end of 2007 and the end of our first year here at SongwritingApples.com, the title will be:

One More Year

There are no real rules with this. Maybe it'll be a happy or sad song. Maybe it'll rock. Or perhaps whisper folk is what you feel like. Whatever it is, just be sure to include the title somewhere in the song! Looking forward to hearing the different contributions as this year comes to a close. Good luck!




September 2007-Write a song with numbers in it. Think of all the classic numbers songs. One by U2. One Is The Loneliest Number by that one group that only had one hit song. Sixteen Candles. Summer of '69. C'mon, people. Bring the numbers!

Struggling with a new one

Ok, I wasn't going to post anything about this one until it was done. But...

I've got two pretty good stanzas of lyrics (I think). Also have some nice music to go with. It's a bit harder to write when the music comes first, but I usually just sit and hum until I find a melody. Then the words come. I know this is kind of a bass-ackwards way of writing, but I've done a few really nice songs over the years this way.

Anyway... here's what I have. Maybe the evolution of this song will be inspiring to others here. Maybe not.

Verse 1
Sitting in a seaside bar right next to Mexico
Pretty girl pulls up and smiles and says to me
"I can tell your future for a fifty dollar bill
or I can make you smile right now for free"

All the people that we meet
River flowing endlessly

Verse 2
Sixteen degrees and no one else is on the road
drifter up ahead, I slow and let him in (he said)
"I could tell you stories that would make you laugh for hours
but hell if I remember where I've been"

All these mem'ries that we keep
River flowing endlessly

Better Days a la Liza

hmm I'm gonna say this one was finished on the 19th? whatever date was Tuesday. this is my pre-contest warm up. please scoot on over here if you like and give a listen. I just posted it originally as a very rough, guitar and vocal take, but eventually trashed that baby and made another. Finding the balance between just the right amount of BGVs and not enough is sometimes hard for me... maybe you apples can help a girl out.

Without further ado, a simple little ditty, I present...

BETTER DAYS.mp3 - [12.24.06]

Door bell rings in the morning-- I've seen better days
Your face there on the landing, we both could use some grace
Darlin' please, all I'm askin' is for a bit of space
'Fore this day is through... and I'll come back for you

Cell phone rings at the bus stop-- your voice on the line
Love you sound much more, much more composed than I
I'm not through yet, I just need some precious time
This much is true... I'll come back to you

And if I go, darlin' know, it's the first time- not the last.
And if I go, darlin' know, I'm coming back, coming back to you.

Church bells ring in the city, worker bees will rest
I head home in the sunset, tired and overdressed
One thing left in the twilight- I'll give to you my best
This I will do... love, I'm coming home to you

And if I go, darlin' know, it's the first time, not the last.
And if I go, darlin' know, I'm coming back, coming back to you.
Coming back- it's true.
Oh love, how could I leave you?

And if I go, darlin' know, it's the first time, not the last.
And if I go, darlin' know, I'm coming back, coming back--
I've seen better days.

(also a short disclaimer- although I didn't intend to steal the title of this song from Pete Murray, I'll give kudos where kudos are due... czech his "Better Days" out if you can.)

People Are Pictures: The Song That Started The Rolling Ball

Here are the lyrics for my first offering.

PEOPLE ARE PICTURES.mp3 - [12.22.06]

People are pictures, some of them fixtures in our minds
Some of them fading, sometimes the films exposed to the light
I can’t get bitter, while there’s a flicker I will hold on
And when there is crying, I will stare straight up into the sun

Make yourself at home, it’s not cold here
Make yourself at home stay all night
There’s no expectation, there’s no expectation…
…that you’re ever coming back, ever coming back, ever coming
…that you’re ever coming back, ever coming back, ever coming

[short instrumental break]

People are pictures, some of them fixtures in our minds
The ones that keep stayin’, those are the ones we think of at night
Don’t let it break you, you will see colors that you’ve never seen
‘cause what awaits you, is the picture, the light, and shakin’ tambourines.

You've found the First Post!

Welcome to the First Post. This article functions as a sort of FAQ for the site. Read it through a time or two. If you still have questions, hit us up with an e-mail!

WHAT IS Songwriting Apples?

Simply put, it's a place for songwriters. The people who hang out here are people who want to be challenged and inspired! Each month begins a new challenge cycle. With every new challenge each writer will determine an individual goal. For some this may be four songs in four weeks. For others, perhaps one. Maybe your goal will be to just work up some great lyrics or finish an older tune. The idea here is to be accountable to the group, be more productive and learn about the craft.

SO WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND Songwriting Apples?

This work (it's more of a labor of love) began in December of 2006. Two fellow musicians met on the message board for a band called Over the Rhine. The message board is titled The Orchard, and members of the board refer to themselves as "apples" (they don't fall too far from the tree, do they?). Hence, Songwriting Apples was born. Since then others have joined in and become a part of this community. In a short time it has become a place for friends to come together in the name of songwriting.

WHAT IF MY SONGS ARE NOT AS GOOD AS I'D LIKE?

Join the club! Don't be self-conscious. We're not looking to produce the next Let It Be, Imagine, Folsom Prison Blues or Somewhere Over the Rainbow here (but maybe we will now), just to try and move out of our "comfort zones". We're not here to judge these songs or compete with one another. Only to break through the barriers which lie between ourselves as artists and the creativity which leads to writing great songs! We are here to find our muse!

MY SONGS ARE PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR...

First, we aren't "looking" for songs, we're trying to write them just like you. We're here to offer motivation and help! There are no rules about these songs. They can be short, long, well produced, a single take recorded on a clock radio with a guitar and vocals or even a short acapella piece. The main thing is to complete your individual goal with each cycle.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Steve and I have agreed to maintain the site (with the exception of your posts, of course) and provide web space to host the resulting MP3s. Authorship on Songwriting Apples will be limited to contributors or co-authors, but anyone may view and/or comment on our work. Hopefully, our music (the good, the bad and the ugly) will have a greater audience this way. And maybe others will receive inspiration from our efforts.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE MONTHLY CHALLENGE?

Well, we're glad you asked. One of the reasons this site came to be (and a good part of why it's still here) is the monthly challenge. Each month our members choose a goal related to songwriting (but not necessarily related to apples). Maybe you'd like to write one new song this month. Or maybe you've got a few songs laying around and you'd like to finally record them and then post them here for feedback. Maybe you're on a "lyrics" kick and your goal is simply to write a set of great lyrics for your next song. Once in awhile we'll hit you with a special challenge. This could be a "love song", "number song" or some other particular subject matter. Whatever it is, we hope you use it as motivation to get (or keep) your songwriting on track! Just let us know what your goal is and we'll put it up there for all the world to see. You'll be surprised at how motivating that can be!

OK... I DIG IT. HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

There are a couple of ways for you to become involved with Songwriting Apples:

1. Become a contributor. Simply write a song and/or an article at least once every 90 days and send it to songwritingapples@gmail.com. Maybe a new song, maybe just a few observations on songwriting or music in general.

2. Become a co-author. Ok, so now you've been around awhile and are a pretty regular contributor to the site. We want to give our best contributors the ability to post your own articles on Songwriting Apples! We'll hook you up with the necessary info to do this. Steve and I will still retain the ability to edit your posts, but only to keep things looking spiffy around here. We'll try not to touch your content.

About the only thing we ask is that you contribute. We understand that certain times of the year may be hectic (the holidays, summertime). With that in mind, we only ask that, as a contributor, you go no more than 90 days without providing something for the site (co-authors will likely contribute a bit more often because, well, that's how they roll). Doesn't have to be a new song. Could be just lettin us know about a useful songwriting website you've found, a photo or video that inspired you or even a rant about how uninspired you are! If you're not writing... cool. Just stop in and tell us. Let us know what's up. Let us encourage you! Take a look at some of our previous posts if you're still not sure what to write about!

I'M IN! NOW WHAT?

If you'd like to participate (submit articles and songs to this site), e-mail us at songwritingapples@gmail.com. Once we receive your e-mail, we'll send you a response that will give you additional details. After that, you're free to start sending us articles and songs! Looking forward to working with you...

So come on in, write a bit, sit back and listen... whatever feels right.

Thanks,
John Natiw & Steven Wesley Guiles
Co-Founders/Editors - Songwriting Apples