Create a Fantasy

The world is a hectic place. Some people turn to drugs, some to other "recreational activities", but I like my music. Not just for listening, but writing, and perfecting as well.

Some days, I feel like I just can't be myself. My whole life revolves around acting. I've definitely become someone that I'm not. It's to a point now where, I don't remember who I am anymore. There are however, a ton of people that I'd like to be. As weird as it sounds, I combine all these people in my music. I'm like a dark poet who just needs to be recognized.

I don't know if this is the proper method to really "live life to the fullest", but it is kind of cool to say that I've created my own little fantasy world. I've created a fantasy world not only in my music, but in my job as well, so to say the least, I'm living a few different lives.

Am I living a lie? I wouldn't describe it as that, because somewhere deep in my heart, and in my music, there's the real me, trying to get out. And I know that people can see that. At least, I certainly hope that they can see that. There's nothing wrong with living a lie, as long as you know where the line is between fantasy and reality. That's definitely a line that I personally believe every artist enjoys fucking with. If we didn't mess with that line, then we wouldn't be artists, now would we? I think that it's a distinction that needs to be fucked with every once in awhile, wouldn't you agree?

Songwriter of the day:

David Bowie!

Live Your Art

The greatness of life is not in what you accomplish, but how you get there. Such is a statement that not only applies to life, but to songwriting as well. So, have fun with it!

Anyone can lie in a song, but it comes out with more feeling, and emotion if you have lived it. Find what triggers you. There are just certain things, that will motivate you to pick up your guitar, or sit down at the piano, every time, without fail. Those are the sort of things you should write about. Even if your lyrics are vague. I've actually found for me, that vague lyrics help, as the listener can interpret them in any manner that they choose. This may not be true for some songwriters, but the main thing is, that you learn to love failure.

For instance, I've been working on this blog for at least a year, and have had less than 100 people even look at it. My goal when I started, was to make at least a little extra money per month with adsense ads, and needless to say, I have not quite excelled at this goal. I would love to say that my original plan is officially a huge failure. But I can't say that, and you know why? Because I still like to write. It's an ongoing project. I like to say that I am happily failing.

There is nothing wrong with failing, as long as you try something a little different every time. I've changed the format of this blog a million times, and even tried to advertise it in craigslist a few times. That made me about $2.00 in adsense, but there is so much more that I haven't tried.

This is the approach that I believe everyone should take. Trial and error. It's hard work, but it's the only way to accomplish your goals. As a songwriter, and someone who loves life, it may be a tough approach, but sometimes it's best to step outside of your comfort zone. Do something different every once in awhile, and you will surely be suprised at how much that you learn.

Songwriter of the day:

Glen Danzig!

Create A Beat.

In all my time as someone who writes about songwriting, I've skipped over one of the essential elements of great songwriting. The Beat! Usually, if you're in a band, the drummer, or percussionist starts out, and the guitar or bass follows suit.

I've started to notice, in my own songs, that I use the same rhythm for pretty much all of them. So, the last song that I wrote, I decided to break out of the pattern, and the song that I ended up writing was really good. I really surprised myself with that one. Sometimes, since I don't have a drummer, I'll sit back with my keyboard, and play the crappy pre-programed beats that are installed, and come up with a pretty cool guitar part to go with it. Then maybe I'll come up with a lyric or two to match the guitar part.

Sometimes, you can keep the beat flowing, and do like a riff and response kind of song. There are quite a few songs I hear on the radio that you can just tell are written this way. If you're working with other musicians, you can collaborate so that a whole song is written in response to what another person plays. Check out "Voodoo" By Godsmack, for a perfect example of this. Now that's what I call team work!

Some songs, are pretty much all drums, and chanting goes along very well if you happen to have a natural rhythm. Basically the whole genre of Rap is based on beats, and rhythm. Lyrical emphasis usually helps songs in this genre gain popularity, but for the most part, it's the beat. Beat, and lyrical genious. Most Rap artists don't play instruments, they have more of a poetic talent, and a natural sense of how to create a beat.

Hank Williams III

Tell a Story

In the days of yore, towns folk would use songs to pass down information, like learning your ABCs. (Men also wrote songs on an instrument called a Lyre, in order to win a girls heart, hence the term lyrics, but that's for a whole nother article.) It's really alot better than writing a letter, and personally, I think we should've kept the system, but that's just me.

The coolest songs, even nowadays, are the ones that tell the most engaging, and entertaining stories. I could name hundreds of story-telling songs right off the top of my head, and I know there's many more that I still haven't heard. Story telling is simply put "another aspect of a song that's highly overlooked."

Kurt Cobain!

Visualize Your Inspiration

Inspiration can come from anywhere! For me right now, it's my friends on facebook urging me on, but as far as songwriting goes, to write a good song, it's a good idea to begin with the end in mind. If you were a carpenter, you wouldn't begin building a house without blueprints, or at least some kind of floor plans, would you? Think of your song as a house. All the elements of harmony, melody, verses, chorus, etc. are all bricks, or whatever material you want to build your house out of. That's the great thing about songs, is their diversity. Just like houses, there's so many different kinds, and you're audience is going to evaluate your song on so many levels. Just like if you were to marvel at a house, you could say that one is sturdy, but isn't so good for looks, or some houses are gorgeous, but probably won't last too long.

Visualize what aspects you wan't people to look at in your song once it's finally finished. Do you want people to say "That song is very catchy, but has very little lyrical content."? That's kinda what I think when I hear "I kissed a girl" by Katy Perry. Her Hook, and melody are excellent, way above average. However, just like most songs by Lady Gaga, or Pink, and alot of other pop artists, the lyrical content, and meaning, just isn't there. That's why, metaphorically speaking, they're the houses that are great to look at, but only last like maybe a few years, due to poor all around structure, or possibly built on a bad foundation. Not that it's a bad thing. I like to look at pretty "houses" just as much as everyone else, but sadly, most just don't last. That's why modern pop artists have to continually work hard at what they do, and make more songs, 'cause if their song goes out of style, they're done forever.

Some songs however are the exact opposite. Take Bob Dylan's music for example. His lyrics, and song structures are some of the greatest ever written, but let's be honest, his songs aren't the catchiest. Fellow musicians like myself are big fans of Bob Dylan, because it's just mind blowing that anyone can write such well crafted songs, lyrically, and structure wise, he changed the rules of songwriting. Not something that you can say about alot of musicians except maybe The Beatles. However, he wasn't the best singer in the world, which kind of made alot of his melodys sub par. It's not the melodys that make Bob Dylan so great, it's his lyrical content, and structure, that'll make his songs last forever. If his songs were houses, they wouldn't be so pretty to look at, but they would be pretty darn nice to live in. Definitely built on a good foundation.

There are so many aspects of an individual song, that I could go on forever, but it's good to know that when you write, you should know, not only what message you want to convey, but how you want to send it out into the world. Whether you want your song to last for years, and be valued by your audience, or just be really catchy, and be a fun tune for people to sing for a few years. There's nothing wrong with either style.

Also, be sure to know the audience you're writing for. You don't want to write a children's song about satan. Children tend to not like that sort of thing. Visualize who it's going to be for, before you write, that way you won't mix up your lyrical content with your musical style, and completely alienate your audience. Although, I guess you could, but you simply wouldn't have alot of fans. See you next post!!!

Maynard James Keenan! (The guy from Tool)