Songwriting Inspiration Information

awesome photo by this guy

First, forgive the unforgivable sin of blogging:  infrequent updates.

Here's some new content for ya:

Songwriting Sessions Hosted by John Mayer called "Inspiration Information".  
Sure, the video is sideways, but it's worth it anyway.  A friend at Facebook told me about this.

Part 1
 Part 2
 Part 3
 Part 4
 Part 5
 Part 6
 Part 7
 Part 8
 Part 9

 

And these REALLY COOL podcasts on the structure of song from Pandora.  Each podcast focuses on what makes each TYPE of music unique.  What are the elements that make country music SOUND country?  What are the song structures and chord progressions?  Very useful for a songwriter.

Podcasts on the structure of music.

And this super-duper awesome blog that interview several different songwriters and asks how they managed to write 50 songs in 90 days.

Songwright.co.uk

Hijacked!!

Well, somehow our website address at www.songwritingapples.com got hijacked. We're pretty sad about it and if you have skills, and the means, and you know how to get it back for us, we'd sure be grateful. But if not, life goes on.

We still have all our posts here. Some of the files are missing and a few of the pictures (like our header).

More posts to come.

Tweedy Tells His Fans To Just Shut The F Up

And I'm kind of glad he did.

And he said it in such a nice way.

Probably the nicest use of the F word in a long, long time.

Five Four? What For?

Because it's COOL, that's why.
Try it. Break out of that 4/4 thing and put an extra beat in your step.

Here's the NPR article on the subject.

They Don't Fall Far From The Tree

My song made me proud tonight.
He layered multiple vocal tracks.
His a six year old rock and roll super freak.

Here it is:

Proud Moments In Rock History

Types of Songwriter Publisher Agreements

It may not be the sexiest information on the planet, but if you ever want to make a career (or life-long hobby) out of songwriting, you might do well to know a little about these legal documents that might affect your career.

10 Best Lists From A Master

Alan Parsons knows a lot of stuff. 

His advice might even be worth listening too.

You should.

Listen.

Read.

10 Best Bits of Musical Gear Ever

10 Things Everyone Should Know When Recording

Setlist for The Vault Martini Bar Show on 9/6/08

It's going to take me a moment to figure out my set. It changed the moment I walked in and scoped out the venue. Not drastically, but I realized I would need to do something a little more "rock" and a little less "singer songwriter". Not that I HAD too, mind you. Matt Coleman, the curator for the evening, gave me full permission to run my hour however I wanted, but I decided to alter my set slightly to make it flow better in the environment. (Read "Lots of people drinking and walking around, stage next to bathroom").

First, The Vault is a bar with a very unique set up: the inside has a great vibe and then you head out back into the alley. Old brick buildings go up two or three stories with lights hanging across between buildings and chairs and stools against the sides. It was really cool environment to play in and I hope to do it again. My only issue was the lighting. I had a hard time seeing my lyrics, which at some points I desperately needed. Oh well.

Opening the evening was a lovely bilingual set from Olga Tapia. She played acoustic guitar and had a wonderfully tasteful bassist accompanying her. I wish I could have heard her a little better, but I was sitting toward the back of the room and was hearing both the music from the front bar and from the little side bar farther back in the alley. She still did a great job and I really dug the cover song she played, but I can't for the life of me recall what song it was now.

Here's the set I played as I remember it. Please feel free to correct me if you remember it differently:

American Girl *This was planned originally and left, because who doesn't like this classic Petty song?)

Simple Math *My friend Eric really likes this song and as it turns out it also seems to be one a lot of people liked (including my brother who has recordings of just about every song in my repertoire). My brother Dave and his wife Elsa also really like this one. I need to do a proper recording. The one I do have doesn't even have the bridge section, which is really cool (imho).

Questions For The Wiseman *Well, this song got cut because I didn't feel it had the energy needed to sustain itself in this particular setting. Lots of people drinking. Lots of college age students on their first weekend back to school looking to hang out. It just didn't seem the right place for this song. 

You've Got A Heart So Big You Could Crush This Town (also known as "Walls") *I SO wanted to do this song by Petty, but it was so dark and my lyrics were so lightly printed that I couldn't pull it off. I think I was the only one there that night reading lyrics. A little embarrassing, but you know, I did write 70 songs this year, so I've only just started actually PERFORMING them recently, which means I'm relearning many of my own songs so that I can pull them off live. This song WILL be played soon, but just wasn't ready for this particular night.

Tammmy Faye, I Love You *I love this song. It's also been a favorite of many people at live shows and via my myspace page. This (along with "Questions for the Wiseman") will be on my solo album that is nearing completion. I can't wait for everyone to hear the final version.

Move On *I introduced this as "Not a political song"...because it's not. But that's the title of part of the Obama campaign so some may have taken it as a supportive song in that vein. It's neither for or against either candidate...unless you want it to be. :) I had a hard time with this song during the key change. I could sing it just fine, but I kept missing the chords. Nothing like missed chords to keep you humble. Well, if you don't take risks, you can get stagnant, right?

Short People *Not the song by Randy Newman, though I TOTALLY stole the first several notes and words. After that it's all me. Several lines were given to me by my good buddy, Mini Mendez. 

Los Angeles/Stand By Me/Bridge Over Troubled Water *Los Angeles is a Pushstart Wagon song that has been a long-time crowd favorite and is almost always a request of someone. I love the fact that a song that has NO chorus and really, no repeating lyrics is such a favorite. It's just four verses with a repeating chord pattern of C-Am-F-C. 

Green Beans For Breakfast *Another fun song that people seem to enjoy even though it's just totally wacky. I always have fun performing it too. I just wish I could do a better mouth trumpet noise. I really need to invest in a decent kazoo. Anyone wanna donate one? I used this song to switch moods after the heavy medley preceding.

Don't Give Up (I Hope This Finds You) *This song was written awhile ago for a friend at work that eventually passed away from cancer. I was never able to play it for her. This song is another that people seem to connect with when I play it live. Perhaps because it came from a genuine place. Not that that is the only reason a song connects with people, but in this case I think that's why.

May He Keep You As You Go *An alternate title for this song could be "The Irish Blessing Song". I wrote it to be just that. This will also be on my forthcoming solo release. I can't wait. It came out wonderfully in the recording.

I'm Sure I've Made Some New Friends *I'm using this song to close my sets because it just seems like a good show ender. Another tune that should make it to my solo album. Keep your ears peeled.

Following my set was a great set by Chad Villareal. He plays a mean funky acoustic guitar. His rhythm and lead playing reminded me of Dave Matthews (in a good way). He also had a sweet drum machine that he jammed along with. He really go the crowd moving and much dancing occurred.

The evening was closed out by Matt Coleman and friends. Longtime friend and collaborator Chad joined him on drums and I wish I had everyone else's names. All I know is that the combination of bass, drums, electric guitar, and Matt singing and on acoustic was magical and a near religious experience. It was obvious that this group of players not only loved music, but loved playing together. (And if they didn't, man they sure faked it well!) 

This was a late evening for me. I crawled into bed around 2:30. Yowzer. I'm an old man now. :)

Tom Is So Focused On The Prize

image by Scott



Tom St. Louis has haunted these halls in the past. He's a songwriter. He has a VERY CONCRETE GOAL: To "Get My Song In A Movie".

I was reading through a few of Tom's blog posts and I realized that most of them ended on this note: Would this song work in a movie? Tom would then proceed to explain what kind of movie and/or scene in a movie that his song would work. I can't help but think that if he continues on like this it will happen.

Tom, I'm pulling for ya'.

Anyone else out there set some specific goals? I'm sure goal-setting is one of those characteristics of Highly Effective People.

Vampire Weekend, 70+ New Songs, Summer's End, the Silver Jews

keyboard picture by


Forgive me bloggers, it's been weeks since my last post.

But, in my defense, I wrote 50 songs for this year's 50/90 challenge hosted by the fine folks over at fawm.org. I've got an album that's about 80% finished.
I've met a few songwriting goals. This February I wrote a little over 20 in 29 days. That puts my year song count at 70+. Dang. I've never written that many songs in one year's time, but then again, I've never tried until now. Granted, many of the songs will never, ever be on an album, but many will be coming soon to a theater near you.

I've discovered a band that reminds me of an indie rock ska band fronted by Paul Simon. I must have had my head under a rock and missed them. Surely you've heard their hit single? And the band name is just awesome: Vampire Weekend. C'mon! What DO vampires do on weekends?

In other news, the lead singer of the Silver Jews gave quite an interesting interview on the process of writing songs for his album. His a complex and interesting man. And he had an eye transplant too.

It's with a little sadness that I bid farewell to summer. I have quite a bit of freedom to work on music during the summer months, one of the reasons I originally became a teacher. Now I enjoy teaching AND playing music. Any chance I get to do both at the same time, I jump. If you haven't had a chance to catch some of my songwriting tutorials on youtube, you can find the whole lot of them here. The teacher in me had fun.

I'm Covered

"Covering" a song by another artist is simply the process of playing a song that was written by someone else.

Now, if you want to record that song onto a CD, you'll need to read this article.
It's painful. It's not easy. But if you're a musician and you care about being fair, legal, and legit, do yourself a favor and read this.

Clever Joe's Cover Song Advice

This Guy Is Awesome

There's no getting around it. Ronald Jenkees has mad keyboarding skills.
Watch this youtube video and tell me I'm wrong.

:)

How To Write A Song III

These videos are definitely labors of love. They take a lot of work to put together, but they seem to be beneficial...and I'm learning more about Adobe Premiere Elements. Like, it's youtube upload button is a big fat lie. It neither uploads nor goes to youtube. I had to import into MovieMaker...but that's another story unrelated to this.

I wrote THIS song and filmed the whole process.

It's called Except, Perhaps, The Human Heart.
It's not a real upbeat number, but it is a song. And when you need to write 50 songs in 90 days, every little song counts. :)

Naked Baby of Teen Spirit Fame Now A Teen

This just seemed really interesting to me.
I'm sure there's a song in there somewhere.

The article of the boy who's private parts made rock history.

Paul Weseterberg, My Hero, Releases 49 Minutes of Music For 49 Cents

Paul rules.
Period.

I'm listening to his 49 minute track right now. It may have lots of slop, but it's Paul's slop, so it's probably better than most. In fact the first "track", "Terry, Who You Gonna Marry?" is quite catchy.

What a great idea. This is up there with Radiohead's "pay-what-you-want" scheme. Clever.

Write A Song, Then Pass It Around...

I found this at NPR and thought it was incredibly apropos.

Here's a link to the full audio article. It's pretty cool. It sounds a whole lot like what collaborators at 5090.FAWM.org are doing.

Here's the creator's website: Telephono.org

I'm emailing this guy for sure.

Radiohead Makes Video With No Camera

This "video" is pretty cool.
I heart radiohead.

See it here (hosted by Google).

Some Good Reading For Songwriting

Starting with this article in the New York Times songwriting blog Measure by Measure, An Uncommon Thread.

The best of Nerd Rock with Weezer.

A new blog I discovered called Songwriting Zen. He's also a fellow 50/90 participant.

Another 50/90 participant has a great title for her blog...The Shy Singer/Songwriter.

Some tips of Self-Producing Your Own Music.

A 639 Year Performance!

Now, I've been to shows that seemed a little on the long side. Around the bands 2nd or 3rd encore I was heading to the parking lot. But SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE YEARS!!!

You have to read this article.

That John Cage was one cagey guy.

Steampunk, Melodicas, and Dub Reggae, Oh My!

Well, it's funny how things turn out, isn't it?

I started this month (well, last month) with the intention of writing three Steampunk-themed songs, and having a grand unveiling upon this very website. However, in attempting to pin down the genre of steampunk in a musical style, I seem merely to have chased it away. Instead, this month has produced two pieces of music that I shall share with you.

The first MP3, entitled "Further", began as a Steampunk piece. I figured that acoustic guitars and organs would have a lot of interplay in times where steam ran amplifiers, and so I set about attempting to create a cathedral-like space in which an acoustic guitar gave way to an almighty organ (fnarr, fnarr). What happened next, I'm not entirely sure - it may have been the fact that I've been listening to a lot of Porcupine Tree lately - but the time signature became slightly off-kilter, the bass became busy and the structure more epic. Add in an organ/electric break and you get something which I'm actually very proud of.

The other thing I want to share with you this month is an experiment, brought on by the fact that I obtained a melodica. Firstly, I love experimenting with the flow of an album - songs which, unless you look at the track number, you aren't certain are new songs. Secondly, melodicas are big in dub reggae.

Yeah, I can tell you're worried now. But it's okay.

Anyhow, this track begins with a hard cut and an Am chord. That means that any other song that ends on Am could, in theory, be hard cut at the last note and segue into this one. To play with flow even more, this track transitions into a straighter rock piece - now that, I'm not finished writing. You get a little taste of the verse riff at the end of all the dubness.

Whew. On to next month - and 50/90!

MP3 1 Further
MP3 2 Dub Experiment

Help Me Be Good

Here's a new one... don't have a recording of it yet, but I'll put up a link as soon as I am able. Looks like the last tune I wrote was Nothin' All Day back in January, so this is a welcome addition. I'm truly amazed and impressed with you all and the songs you've been writing! Keep up the great passion!

Short commentary/introduction:

We're all affected by bad decisions and/or mistakes. The person who makes the mistake suffers, but also the folks in their circle of influence sometimes pay a price. This song thinks a bit about those on both sides...

Thanks for taking the time,
John
p.s. Thanks for all you do with the site, bro...

Help Me Be Good
words and music by John Natiw

He woke up on Sunday and made one last mark on the wall
The last time he lived as a free man he couldn't recall
Since then it's been nothin' but dodgin' these big iron doors
Tryin' to stay out of trouble and settlin' scores

They gave him his old clothes and said 'don't you ever come back'
The rest of his life and a Bible tucked into a sack
Twenty one years to forget all the things that he'd done
He walked through the front gate, his face turned up into the sun

And he said...

Help me to be just a little less angry and misunderstood
I don't want to waste my whole life sayin' 'you know that I would if I could'
Give me the strength, Lord, to do all the things that I should
I guess what I'm sayin' is help me be good

The day that they took him away she was too young to know
Why a man that she wanted to stay said he still had to go
In the years that have past pain and anger have come home to live
In the place of a man who just didn't have nothin' to give

She thought to herself more than once 'he can go straight to hell'
Then a voice from the front room said 'momma, can I get the bell'
Twenty one long years of thinkin' 'bout what might have been
She turned to her son and said 'go let your grandaddy in'

And she said...

Help me to be just a little less angry and misunderstood
I don't want to waste my whole life sayin' 'you know that I would if I could'
Give me the strength, Lord, to do all the things that I should
I guess what I'm sayin' is help me be good

[instrumental verse]

Help me to be just a little less angry and misunderstood
I don't want to waste my whole life sayin' 'you know that I would if I could'
Give me the strength, Lord, to do all the things that I should
I guess what I'm sayin'... is...

Help me to be just a little less angry and misunderstood
I don't want to waste my whole life sayin' 'you know that I would if I could'
Give me the strength, Lord, to do all the things that I should
I guess what I'm sayin'
All that I'm sayin'
Please hear me sayin'...
Help me be good

Write Fifty Songs In Ninety Days?!

No. I'm not even considering it. But I thought about it and I think I've found a good middle line.

15/90.

From the people who brought you February's FAWM Challenge (14 songs in 28 days) comes their newest challenge: 50 Songs In 90 Days.

Fifteen songs in ninety days. That might be possible. Yes?
It begins July 4th.

Here's the official website.

Wish You Were In My Space

Here's the latest from one of our contributors (and a fellow FAWMER), Billy Sea.



I have a basic chorus in my head but haven't recorded it yet. (if you remember my music from FAWM, it was mostly country/folk. This is no different, lol) When I lay it down with music it will probably need a little tweaking.

Song - Wish You Were In My Space

v1
That computer seems to take up all your time
I can remember when your attention was only mine
But now it feels like you've drifted away
And you seem more distant every day

v2
I used to love the way you'd smile at me
Now I only hear your laughter at something on that screen
I'm afraid I'm losing us, I'm afraid that it is true
So I'm praying that my music can still get to you

There's nothing else I know how to do

Chorus
I wish you were in my space
I wish you were with me
I wish that I could break the spell
And I could finally set you free
It's hard living without you here
Together in this place
I wish you were beside me
Wish you were in my space

v3
If my words don't get through to you this time
I'll try again with different phrases, different rhymes
I love you too much to ever give up on you
And I'll just keep at it, hoping one day to break through

There's nothing else I know how to do

Chorus
I wish you were in my space
I wish you were with me
I wish that I could break the spell
And I could finally set you free
It's hard living without you here
Together in this place
I wish you were beside me
Wish you were in my space

(c) 2008 William Crowe

LOL, that was fun, Hope it isn't too terrible :)

Billy Sea (Bill Crowe)

Heartreak

Here's a new little instrumental bit that might sometime become a song.

2008-06-20 Instrumental

The Hard Work of Rewriting

I don't enjoy rewriting. But when I arrive at the better lyric, the more apt phrase, it all seems worth it.

I've rewritten a lyric tonight and I'm much happier with the finished lines.
I'd share it, but it's too fresh and I'm thinking I may regret it in the morning.

We'll see how it pans out.

:)


**EDIT 6/12/08**

Here's the original lyric (and the original song can be found here):

There was a wise man on a hill who once said
things fall apart, degrade and disappear
Now carry me down this hill to your town
I'll tell you why we're all here

So I carried him on my back for miles
As I labored he still carried on
'bout seeds and how one day I'd wish
I had a bucket full of them


How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin' since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That's something I'm hoping you could tell me too


When we got there he sat in a chair
The kind with springs all sticking out
He leaned forward and caught my eye
And then he opened up his mouth

We are diamonds, we are pearls
Lost treasures in this coal-mine world
If we never step outside ourselves
How can we be so sure? **weak melody line here**


How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin' since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That's something I'm hoping you could tell

How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin' since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That's something I'm hoping you could tell me too
That's something I'm hoping you could tell me too




Now, the revised lyric (bold parts have been changed in some way):



There was a wise man on a hill who
once said things fall apart, degrade and disappear
Now carry me down this hill to your town
I’ll tell you why we’re all here

So I carried him on my back for miles
As I labored in the dust and heat
and the questions filling up my mind
like water drops into the sea



How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin’ since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That’s something I’m hoping you could tell me too


When we got there he sat in a chair
The kind with springs all sticking out
He leaned forward, caught my eye and
then he opened up his mouth

We are diamonds, we are pearls
Lost treasures in this coal-mine world
the pressure and uncertainty
that’s all we are guaranteed


How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin’ since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That’s something I’m hoping you could tell

How do we fit into this Earth?
Have we been wanderin’ since our birth?
And once I get there what am I supposed to do?
That’s something I’m hoping you could tell me too
That’s something I’m hoping you could tell me too


The second verse ("we are diamonds, we are pearls") gave me much more trouble. Here are all the other lines I attempted. I'm not saying this song is done yet either, just that I'm happier now than I was before.

These lyrics would replace the spot of "the pressure and uncertainty" lines...

then he stood and uttered one last word
but he whispered so I never heard…



like a bird that needs it’s wings to fly
your questions help you redefine



like a bird that needs the sky above
but first you’re gonna need a shove



I just didn't like the "like a bird" metaphor, so I decided to can it and move on to something that somehow related to the original comparison of people to diamonds and pearls (and coal). Pressure makes coal into diamonds...hmmm...pressure and uncertainty, those things make us grow.

Yep. There's the inner working of my brain. I can't tell you how long it took to do this. You would think a few minutes...

:) More like an hour or two. Was it worth it?

Summer Is Almost Here

When I write instrumentals on the acoustic, inevitably the end up sounding something like this.

I set up two mics, an Sm57 about 1 foot away from my cheap Yamaha guitar, and the M-Audio Nova about 2-3 feet away. Then I recorded several one try passes playing various little chord/solo bits. I ended by layering a pedal-y tone type organ sound on the Casio keyboard.

I'm sure I could make a living as a new age acoustic artist of some sort...

:)

Here's the song:

Summer Is Almost Here

Stupid Laptop Cables!

So, due to issues (namely my being a dork and leaving an important cable behind after playing a gig), I did not achieve my steampunk goal last month. With this in mind, I still aim to complete three steampunk songs by the end of /this/ month instead.

I think before I try, however, that I shall paint my laptop power cable some kind of neon colour to prevent any further mishaps...

Cash In Your Ears

I thought this was such a clever title.
Read this article by Roseanne Cash. It's good.

The Article

Which Cliches Do YOU Use The Most?

According to Music Thing, these are the top 100 Most Cliched Cliches In Pop Song Titles.

Hmmm...how about a song composed ONLY of the 100 most cliched cliches?

CD Baby Mastermind Tells You How To Be More Successful

I think he's got some good ideas in this article.
Check it out.

I like the idea of "recklessly excluding". Just read it.

I'd say that most people that love Slayer will totally HATE my music.

Or, "I sound sort of like Metallica if all the guys in the band weren't so angry looking, only played acoustic guitars, and wrote songs of hope and peace. Oh yeah, and if they all had a really good sense of humor. That too. That's exactly what I sound like."

Power Out Light Bulb Idea

So, I decided to head out to the studio to work on song I've already demoed (sp?) but needed to refine. As I was sitting there I started fiddling around with my guitar with the capo in a position I don't always use. I started strumming some open notes and soon a little melody flew out.

I decided to open up ProTools and get this idea onto "tape". Just as I got ready to push record the lights went out and everything shut off. A second or two later the power returned. I left the room to check on the family and talk to the neighbors to make sure everything was ok. It was.

Whew. Idea not gone. I proceeded to hop on the family computer using a cheesy lapel mic thing. It works. Here it is. Raw tuna. Nothing yet...but you heard it hear first if it becomes something later. Don't go stealing it now.

;)


light bulb image by misserion

A germ of a seed of an idea.

T-Bone Burnett Plays DJ

What does the man who made O, Brother Where Art Thou do with his time? What does he listen to? Here's T-Bone in an interview.

If You Could Record In Wilco's Loft...

...what would it sound like? How would YOU go about recording your songs?
Do you see computers as an evil in the process of making your songs real?
Or do they need to be reel (tape)?

Read Andrew Bird's thoughts on this matter as he explores Wilco's studio, filled with every gadget and guitar his heart could desire.

Radiohead Hurts Me

...with this song and this video.

There are just some songs and videos that fit so well together and say so much in under 4 minutes that it's amazing to me.

Even if you don't like radiohead you will be able to appreciate this.

This video made me feel pretty crappy, but also made me more aware. I already knew there was a problem, but this gave me more food for thought.

The Videotape

Watch. Don't look away. Let it hurt a little.

The Beauty of Co-Writing

photo credits



Here's a great article in Measure by Measure about co-writing.

I've done a few in my day and am becoming more and more open to the idea the more I write. I've been very happy with my past collaborations.

How many of you have done co-writes/collaborations before? How did they turn out? Easy or hard? How was the "letting go process"?

Read the article and then let's talk.

Neverending Armpits!

Bono has been quoted as having said "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." And if you check out these lines from his song "The Fly" from U2's Acthung Baby!, you'll see this theme continued:

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief
All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief"

Continuing in that tradition is my five year old son.

Picture, if you will, a 5 year old singing in the shower.
Then, imagine, if you might, the melody for the song Neverending Story.

Here's the original song on youtube. It's pretty cheesy. Get that melody locked in your brain.

Then, add these words: "Neverending armpits...ah ah ah ah ah ahrmpits". Repeat about 50x.
Rinse. Repeat.

Sister says, "STOP SINGING!"
Brother replies, "I have to sing. Let me sing."
Sister says, "Ok."
Brother continues for at least two more minutes.

I'm SO proud right now I could just burst.
Moments later, sister joins in full voice.

Beautiful.
My son, the melody thief.
I'm sure he'll be a songwriting genius someday.

Recapturing The Magic Of That First Demo

How many times have you recorded a demo of a song that was great (with obvious flaws and recording issues), but when you went to rerecord it you couldn't capture "the magic" again?

I can't even begin to tell you how many frustrating times this has happened to me. This year, during the February Album Writing Month (FAWM.org) I tried my best to set up a decent recording no matter what I did, but sometimes inspiration was flowing and I just had to commit the idea to hard disk or risk losing it entirely.

So, I wrote a song in one take called "As They Please". I had just learned a new tuning and this was the song that came out of that. I recorded in one take and got most of the lyrics and most of the melody that I would want to use.

There were definitely things that weren't good, but there was a lot I really liked. So for the last week or so I've been relearning this song (because I hadn't tried playing it since). It wasn't too bad and I made a video of myself playing the fingerings (so that I could review it in the future if need be and so I could teach others the song). I can now play the song pretty easily and I've added a short instrumental segment to break up the mostly verse-y-ness of the song.

I just don't think my newest takes quite have that "magic touch" that the original had.

I'm going to keep trying to get a good recording, but I think I'll limit myself to to or three takes max per evening, that way it's still fresh and not to over thought. This is hard to do, but I'm going to try my best to make it happen.

Anyone else out there relate to this? What are YOUR experiences?

The Birth and Rebirth of Steampunk!

Until fellow songwriter Dan mentioned, I had never even heard the word "steampunk". Wikipedia tells us a bit about the origins of steampunk, but more important than the origins to us here at the SA, is that Dan will attempt to do something not done before. Here's Dan in his own words:

Okay, better late than never, right? Hello, Songwriting Apples!

My name is Dan, and this month I will be attempting to create three or more songs in a new genre, if such a thing exists any more.

I am writing a gothic horror storylined song cycle involving mad scientists and brains, and the genre I am hoping to be able to apply to them is "steampunk". Now, if you don't know what steampunk is, I suppose the simplest explanation would be to think of the modern world if we were still in Victorian times. If we had the technology we have, but it had merely evolved from steam-powered technologies of the day. William Gibson was involved in a book entitled The Difference Engine which is seen as something of the birth of steampunk.

There are bands out there who use steampunk as a genre, notably Abney Park, however (and not to trash-talk) I feel that their steampunk influence is purely visual. I do not deny that they provide a wonderfully begoggled and top-hatted, brass-sheen spectacle, however the music is fairly well within the industrial genre - which is, I feel, the right place to start. After all, steam punk is all about industrial - just not modern industrial. Imagine a guitar amplifier as a huge brass contraption with brightly lit valves atop it, glowing like mechanised firelies in an attempt to create a distortion from steam. Think of a drum machine as a giant contraption of cogs and gears which literally plays the drums.

This is the genre in which I hope to create three songs by June.

-Dan

Learning Your Own Songs So That You Can Play Them Again

Sounds like one of those "chicken and egg" scenarios doesn't it?

I wrote a song in the month of February that I called "As They Please". It was one of those "gift" songs that comes all at once with not much conscious effort on my part. I learned a new tuning and BAM! Out comes a new song.

That said, in February I was writing about .75 songs a day, so I didn't revisit this song until last night. I'm glad that I recorded a little instruction of the chord shapes and tuning on the origninal demo of this song.

I decided to make myself a video diary of HOW to play this song, first for myself, but also for anyone wanting to learn a few new chords in a new tuning. DADGAD. Gotta love that tuning.

Insecurities Laid Bare By Email

cc by Lisa B.



If Joe Henry and Roseanne Cash can feel insecure and doubt themselves, I think we all need to cut ourselves some slack and keep pushing through with our song ideas.

This post at Measure by Measure is by far the most illuminating and interesting. You get to read the email correspondence between these two great musicians AND hear the demo that came out of it. Great, great reading and listening.

Do it now. Here it is.

This Website GETS Your Music

Really. It understands your music. It analyzes it. If finds patterns.
I discovered this via Music Thing.

You'll have to try it and let me know how it works out.
The Echo Nest.

Jamie Lidell: Cheap Knock Off, Or Happy Return?

You be the judge.

Watch the unicorn video. If you have an aversion to serial killers DATING unicorns and then murdering them, you shouldn't watch the video. Just listen to the music.

The Rawest of the Raw

photo by psd


There’s a debate among songwriters and others in the publishing world that’s been raging for decades. It’s considered settled by many, but I diverge from common currents of thinking.

The debate is about whether music people can really “hear” songs when they have so many song demos to listen to. Are they overwhelmed and unable to distinguish? Have you been in their offices and seen the stacks? They have been accused of judging by “production quality”, which, for many of us is frustrating, because, tell me true baby blue, does the snare sound really trump the lyric and the melody?

Some “pure” or naïve songwriters have hoped in vain that “Label Heads” would be able to actually hear and recognize a song’s inherent quality. But what about an unadorned little clip of a pure melody played off key. Is it possible that someone could simply hear it? What it really is? Or, if the “production quality” is not up to snatch, should the music suit be forgiven for turning off and failing to recognize the quality of the piece?

It is a failure isn’t it?

I remember when my friend Bob Wiseman produced Ron Sexmith’s first recording. It was a little bit outside, as it would be if produced by Bob. I took it to some music business people I knew, and they said, “The guy can’t sing, and it sounds like it was recorded in a garage”.

Somehow, Ron got through. Enough people, or the right person, heard Ron and recognized the quality of his songs and of Ron the performer.

Demo Quality is the key to EVERYTHING we’ve been told over and over. Have you ever stopped to think how retarded that is? In other words, they can’t tell the difference between Jameson Irish Whisky and Aqua Velva but they want us to surrender to their expertise in music?

I have to fess up that in my own “career-let”, the one and only time I was signed to a publishing deal, it was a quality demo that got me there.

So why would I insist on working with rough demos? Well, for two reasons. One comes from marketing and the other comes from the realm of pure spirit. The marketing justification can be summed up as follows: when everyone else is zigging, it’s time to zag.

Waldo Emerson said something like… “Who you are is talking so loud I can’t hear a single word you’re saying”. Well that’s me. I’ve decided to let my essence shine for whoever gets it. I’ll let people hear the roughest demos…even with words incomplete and off key singing. Then I’ll know that whoever gets it really gets it.

All this is to say that I like the rawest of the raw demos. And the clip you are about to hear, of ‘A Prayer to Ireland’ being conceived could not be rawer. It was recorded walking in ‘The Burren’, in County Clare, Ireland.

As I climbed a craggy hill I said to Ireland from within myself, “Let me know you!” I was afraid that, after years of yearning to meet Ireland up close and personal, my visit would go by in a blink and I’d miss her completely.

After my little prayer, I turned on my tape recorder and started to whistle a tune that was coming in right at that moment, in real time.

I challenge you, gentle reader. Can you recognize what a good tune is? Can you hear a tune in the roughest form? Or have you become addicted to all the little burnishings the studio provides to trick the ear? Do you think this tune would be more than itself if played into a great microphone? Or is it already its essential self?

Next on the recording we’re in a pub after an afternoon of weeping on top of a misty mountain. Well, I did most of the weeping.

Okay all right, I did all the weeping.

So, anyway, the point is I think an audience can be trusted to hear the really rough early versions, or, in this case, they can actually hear the tune being born.

Am I wrong to share such rough, unpolished gems with whoever wants to hear them anywhere anytime?

I’d like to hear your opinion on this.

And please let me know how you like the tune.
http://zerald.com/prayertoireland.mp3

Checking In...

You just never know what's around the next corner.

Truer words were never spoken. Though I won't bore you with the details, these past few months have been hectic. Fortunately, there's been JUST enough time left each day/week to get out and play some music. Unfortunately, my involvement with this site has been sacrificed a bit, BUT... I'm loving what I'm seeing/reading/hearing. And I'm really looking forward to catching up on all the posts and concentrating on the writing process when the time is right. In the meantime, everyone in the band is on the same page and that page says "GO PLAY YOUR MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE!" And so, the people keep showing up... and we go. And what a ride it is turning out to be. But, I digress...

First, WELCOME to our new contributors. I'm still trying to figure out who is who, but keep posting and we'll become great friends, I'm sure.

Second, I have to give some love to my "brother in musical madness", Steve (the man who wrote about a hundred songs in a week or some crazy thing). Thanks for carrying the ball for a bit. I should probably call you and catch up soon. Look for it. Somehow, my friend, we've managed to keep this site running into our second year in the midst of real, everyday life. Family, jobs, kids, our other creative desires and other endless repsonsibilities keep pulling us in every direction.

But we're still here. And this place is growing.

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

Peace,
John

Measure For Measure: An Outstanding Songwriting Blog

Photo by jef safi

Creativity breeds creativity, yes?

Here are several highly creative people (Andrew Bird and Roseanne Cash among them) that have a songwriting/creativity blog in the New York Times.

Measure for Measure

Thanks to Tom St. Louis for his post that lead me down the rabbit hole.

“Catching” Versus “Writing” Songs And The Eternal Question—Is Chiggy Chaggy Really That Good For You?

/editors note/ Please welcome Tom St. Louis, a fellow traveler in the mission to write songs, and a new contributor to our wonderful little slice of the songwriting world/end editorializing/

One day I called myself to leave a message on my “answering machine”.
I was out somewhere, having played a gig. Feeling high…

After listening to my message — this was in the days of answering MACHINES and there were no buttons you could push to get right to the squeal – I spontaneously broke into song, extemporizing an unheard of Mills Brothers-ish tune.

Felt good.

I love it when songs come like that…they just arrive from nowhere and bite you on the left buttcheek and say, “Yoohoo!” And you say, “Where the heck did you come from…gosh you’re lovely!”

And sometimes you can feel it just before it happens…
…like a little wind stirring up at the edge of a plain…the creative spirit is THERE and available…and for the next magic moment or two you can pivot in any direction and the magic is all yours. It will do your bidding. You could sing or dance or draw or extempore in words or tunes…whatever you want, darlin’, it’s all there for you.
In truth this state is probably available all the time. I think we only recognize it some of the time.

Certain fishers of song, like Hoagy Carmichael and Irving Berlin were quite deliberate in the way they stalked* inspiration. It really WAS inspiration they found again and again, but dang did those dudes know how to prime the pump.

* Stalked as used by don Juan in the Castaneda books

When I contrast that kind of songwriting with what I call “chiggy chaggy” songwriting, I think catching songs is far better. Think of ‘Yesterday’, by Paul McCartney, one of the most covered tunes ever. He whistled it for a while before he even knew it was anything. Could chiggy chaggy EVER bring you a tune like that?

Could 6 dozen monkeys typing away like mad write the lyric for ‘Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts’ in seven centuries?

Okay, so I’m a snob. I admit it.
I know that many great great songs came from some dude scratching out various combinations of chords on his acoustic guitar or plonking out patterns on a piano. (And okay, mea culpa, I have done it a few times myself.)

That’s fine. If it works, God bless you.

My objection is that for many that’s all songwriting is and could ever be, and they are missing the best part, poor sods.

Can I be honest about my motives?

I’m an inspiration piggie — so much so that I don’t want to “do” anything as much as simply let it roll in…and then get inspired and keep rolling. When it rolls in, I’m thankful for the gifts I’ve been given. What you can make up can never rise to the level of what you can receive.

Another example: George Harrison’s solo on ‘Something’. Did he “write” that? Or did he receive it? Let’s not kid ourselves. There’s no way to write something sublime. You must receive it. Its complexity and beauty are so far beyond our conscious minds.
More on chiggy chaggy.

It seems to be an entirely reasonable proposition. You play around with a chord pattern to see what will happen. Then you try it to see how well it works. A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I just don’t work that way. My greatest joy is in “catching” songs. Sometimes completely. In other words the whole song is complete before I pick up a guitar or piano… (insert joke
about relative weights of uprights vs. grands).

I know a couple of songwriters who have gotten Pretty Defensive about this. I told them that I wrote every note of a song internally before I ever played it. They don’t like hearing this. Tough. I say mix it up. Do your chiggy chaggy if you must, but open yourself up to inspiration and learn how to really listen when it comes.
The song featured below is called ‘Tell Me How To Do It”.

It took as long to “write” as it takes to sing. The “Inkspots” of Canada are planning to record it. It’s a bit twee, but it is what it is. I wouldn’t change it for nuthin’. Otherwise the Inspiration Gods might just pass me by and throw a lightning bolt at one of the chiggy chaggers.

Listen here:
http://www.zerald.com/tellmehow.mp3

More examples of songs that fell from the sky and discussions of songwriting craft and philosophy:
http://gmsiamovie.wordpress.com

Guns and Roses Drinking Dr. Pepper?! Colplay Releases All Spanish Sleep Inducing Record About Frida?!

Well, one of the statements above is mostly not true.
You decide and then read the articles and see how you do.
For the record, I love G&R's Sweet Child o' Mine and Welcome to the Jungle.
I also really like Coldplay. I have all of their albums.

Guns and Roses Chinese Democracy

Coldplay's Viva la Vida. They also won the dubious award of band most people fall asleep too.


Both bands have more than one hit song that we could probably tear apart and learn a thing or two from. Have a favorite GnR or Coldplay song? Tell us why. When did you hear it?

I remember first learning the riff for Sweet Child o' Mine when it first came out. What a sweet riff. It's slowly becoming the new Stairway to Heaven.

The Man Who Wrote 69 Love Songs Writes A Song In Two Days

If you're familiar with Stephin Merritt, then you know he's a master songwriter, capable of almost anything. His band The Magnetic Fields is one of many of his creative outputs.


Here's the video of Stephin writing a song in two days in front of the cameras. He wrote it based on a challenge given involving his choosing from six pictures and six words. You have to see the video to see the process. I thought it was interesting, because as I understand it, Stephin is generally a much more planned out songwriter, so this faster style of writing is quite a departure for him, but not a bad one.

David Byrne and Thom Yorke Discuss The Value Of Music

Thom Yorke, frontman for Radiohead, and iconic pop genius David Byrne, discuss the value of music. And what an interesting and enlightening conversation it is.

The Wired Article

YOU Can Remix Radiohead!?!

I could have gone with a more provocative title, but I decided to take the high ground on this one. You can remix their song "Nude" by purchasing the individual tracks and then adding them into your favorite audio remixing software.

The question is this: is this an April Fool's joke, or the real thing? With Radiohead, I could see this being for real. We'll see.

Pressing Onward!

photo by Melanie


Wow. So, in February I wrote about 20 songs...in March, I think I've written 1. Ok. So, there's been a slowdown, but I'll be honest and say there's no way I could maintain that pace unless I was a full-time songwriter. I'm always THINKING of song ideas, but in February I took a much more active role in chasing those ideas down until they were fully formed (at least, as far as basic structure was concerned).

Pressing onward. My goal is to take this mass of songs and DO something with them. I want more people to hear them in a more finished form, so I've started the process of rerecording and have even had the privilege of passing on some tracks to be mixed by a fellow musician.

I hope to have a 5-7 song E.P. to release for this summer. I realize that during this process I have to redirect my limited time and songwriting energies towards perfecting rather than towards creating. This is neither good nor bad, it's just what I'm gearing myself to do for now. I have to admit that it's a difficult transition because in my mind I FEEL like I should be writing more more! MORE!!! but I know that my brain would explode if I didn't stop and reflect and refine.

So, here comes the refining.

Stay tuned.

Move On (My First Post-FAWM Song)

I wrote this song on March 1st.
Here it is in it's ragged glory.

I have much work to do because, as Eric stated in his last post, I've written a few thousand songs and I need to sort through it all.

This one just sort of snuck up on me.
Sneaky songs.

Move On (if that's what you've gotta do)

No lyrics for this one yet. Too lazy to type them.
Must create.
Picture suggestion?

Clouds Have Rolled Away

While Steve was busy writing like 1,000 songs in the month of February, I was busy sleeping, well actually dreaming. In early February I woke up 5 consecutive mornings at about 4am with a song in my head. I proceeded to my computer to get at least the main line and melody.

This is one of those songs. I dreamt the chorus and when I woke up I thought the words "the clouds have rolled away" fit.

I love sleeping! Wish it was always this productive.

Eric

PS - I had some fun with the production too. :)

Clouds Have Rolled Away mp3

Clouds Have Rolled Away
Words & Music by Eric Shouse © 2008 Everybody Run Music

Verse 1:
Oh my eyes have turned to grey
The world’s been on a rain delay
The radio says there’s another storm today
But as of now the clouds have rolled away

Chorus:
The rays are breaking on the scene
The hills are a new shade of green
There’s shelter here if I decide to stay
The news for now looks promising
The weatherman is smiling
Announcing that the clouds have rolled away

Verse 2:
All the sheep have gone astray
There’s nothing left to do but pray
Heaven knows that there just might be hell to pay
But for right now the clouds have rolled away

Chorus 2:
A check was written sight unseen
Accountants are calculating
Expecting another red letter day
Our hero appeared on the screen
Awake the troops with tambourine
This isn’t the same old routine
And in between the clouds have rolled away

Bridge:
Though it’s only just the moment, I will get out and live for it
While I’ve got the strength I’ll run ‘til I’m consumed
Though the road’s not paved with roses, when the thunder storm imposes
I will pause and inhale each and every bloom… Yeah!

End:
The rays are breaking on the scene
The hills are a new shade of green
And for right now the clouds have rolled away

14+ Songs Completed

January 23rd I decided to attempt the FAWM.org challenge.

Here are the fruits of my labors.
I will attempt to make a post with direct links from here eventually.
I'm still recovering from the process.
I may even have a song or two left in me before February closes out.

Goodnight

The other night as I was getting ready for bed (probably watching the Food Network as I brushed my teeth) this song popped in my head (well the first few lines anyway) so I sat down and worked it out. After sleeping on it, I figured out what the song was really about... a love that never leaves you alone or forgotten through life and beyond... the best thing anyone could ever ask for in my opinion.

May we all know that kind of love.

Goodnight mp3
Goodnight
Words and Music by Eric Shouse © 2008 Everybody Run Music

Goodnight my dear it’s not the end but the start
Of a journey to dreamland that’s not very far
And the night will be wonderful, your heart will be light
As you dance away, drift out of sight

The day has been long and your body is worn
When you open your eyes again, it’s like being reborn
And I’ll be right here holding you close to my heart
You will never be lonely in the dark

And I’ll be right here holding you close to my heart
You will never be lonely in the dark