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OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: OpenG ()
Date: December 5, 2018 18:55

I am no musician just have been writing songs on acoustic as a hobby. Thought I would share since the song will never see the light of day. Thought it would be fun to share lyrics, ideas and frustrations of writing, playing instruments or just how music effects you in your daily life from beginners to professionals.

I find songwriting to be very difficult at times and for me completing the lyric very hard.

My first lyric I wrote is still not done I can not find a chorus or bridge to complete the song. I went on to write other tunes as a hobby.

Searching For Answers:

As I look up into the sky seeing the trees and birds and flys flying free wish it was me no it can,t be.

Instead I am down here living in hell trying to tell people whats going on all they do is hang around not listening to any of my sounds.


As I grow older my thoughts are dying and I see the same faces I once saw maybe they were right and maybe I was wrong you just can,t say anything in one damm song.

When Im buried and lying dead maybe some people will get a clear head and see the things I once saw and think about it so much more.

IM sitting here in a state of fear thinking about what lies ahead but keeping the thoughts locked in my head.

In the year 2001( that's when I tried to write the song) will man still be alive I guess we will have to for the judgement day and wait for John to come down and say life will be okay give peace and life a chance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-12-06 18:01 by bv.

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Chris Fountain ()
Date: December 5, 2018 19:07

As I look up into the sky seeing the trees and birds and flys flying free wish it was me no it can,t be.

Above are trees whispering from breeze and birds flying and singing freely wishing it were me


sorta rappy but it may work or give you other ideas

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Bungo ()
Date: December 5, 2018 19:21

I've found that the best songs and lyrics come when you stay up very late, to the point of exhaustion, and are a little drunk (or stoned). The good stuff just spills out when you're in that dream-like state. Trying to write songs straight and in the daytime is fruitless. Just sayin'. AND you've got waaaaaay too many words in there. You easily could cut out half of them and the song would be much better. You're not Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-12-05 19:24 by Bungo.

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Elmo Lewis ()
Date: December 5, 2018 19:31

I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you cannot change.....

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: schillid ()
Date: December 5, 2018 21:47

OP... Suggest editing first post to add a <SPACE> between : and S to avoid confused smiley

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Tate ()
Date: December 6, 2018 03:29

I’ve had lengthy writer’s blocks before, but found if I just relax and stop worrying about the end product, I get stuff written down. I like to have a guitar in hand, but really, sometimes it’s just a poem. If it’s shit in the end, I put it in a folder labeled,”shit.” Then I’ve got all these songs in the ‘shit’folder I can raid for bits and pieces of ideas.

Re: OTconfused smileyongwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: josepi ()
Date: December 6, 2018 05:43

Write about something you know. Some experience. I'm no pro, but have had a couple of songs do pretty well on Jango, had a Christmas novelty song played twice on REAL radio, and had some publisher interest in a song called "Moose in the Backyard" until one of her partners ridiculed me on an webinar!!

Here's an example....When I was 12, I owned a duck. Got him as a baby for Easter. Had him for a year or so before mom cooked it up and fed it to me unknowingly. At the time, she claimed she gave it to a farmer because the neighbors were complaining about the 6am wake-up quacks. She didn't tell me that she fed him to me until 2014 when I was 60 years old! He was my best friend and was the most popular pet on the block. (we lived in the city). Everybody loved that duck.

Here's a song a wrote about him. It's a heavy blues song, naturally.

When I was but a little boy
I did not own a toy
I owned a duck

He waddled round the neighborhood
Boy did it feel good
To own a duck

Quacked when he was happy
Quacked when he was mad
Everybody loved him except mom
And dad

I took my duck to school
The teacher said I was a fool
To own a duck

I showed him to the girls and boys
They threw away their toys
And all bought ducks

Everyone was quacking
It's a duck parade
All the kids were happy
And our ducks...
They had it made

And then one day I looked around
But did not hear the sound
Of any duck

I looked around and found
It was a quiet, lonely town
without the ducks

Mothers cooked us dinners
Dads had cash to spend
Life went on for me, but for my duck
It was the end

Life went on for me, but for the ducks
It was the end



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-12-06 05:44 by josepi.

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Elmo Lewis ()
Date: December 6, 2018 19:22

Usually when I write (yes, I write songs - occasionally a decent one), it occurs while strumming a chord change, then working up some lyrics that fit/work/are the general theme.

Sometimes, I get a line or melody in my head and have to find it on the guitar and/or piano. This is sometimes easy to do, sometimes not. Sometimes I never find it.

Of course, I will take a chord change from another song and write different lyrics. Often a 12 bar blues or standard country pattern. Recently, I took the change from the chorus of The Smithereeens "Baby Be Good" I III IV V and wrote a song to that. It sound similar to the Monkees/Raiders "Stepping Stone".

Like Keith says, one's radar can be up and searching when suddenly - incoming.

I haven't dreamed a "Satisfaction" or "Yesterday" yet.

Hope this helps.

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Elmo Lewis ()
Date: December 6, 2018 19:23

Bridges give me trouble too.

Bridge over troubled waters? LOL

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Elmo Lewis ()
Date: December 6, 2018 19:25

Re: Chord change from another song

I wrote an obscene song about a friends girlfriend to "She's So Cold". Funny song, but I can't play it around them.

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: OpenG ()
Date: December 6, 2018 20:32

Thanks all for your ideas - seems like for the most part if you have the courage to start a meaningful thread it just dies quickly - I have a lot of those shitty songs waiting to be revisited .


I have this writings default of images of searching for the sky, without a trace without a place garbage trapped in my own little universe of ideas and space - writers block 101

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: hopkins ()
Date: December 6, 2018 20:34

can't block a good kicker.
very rare.
then he'll get you the next snap anyway

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Elmo Lewis ()
Date: December 6, 2018 20:37

Keep working!

It takes a while to improve (like anything worthwhile).

The early J/R efforts weren't exactly "Wild Horses" or GS.

Likewise, Paul's "I Lost My Little Girl" is no "Long and Winding Road".

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: angee ()
Date: December 6, 2018 23:18

Josepi,
I enjoyed the duck song.

~"Love is Strong"~

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: OpenG ()
Date: December 6, 2018 23:31

Yes the duck song perfect for the blues - you can use any lyric for the blues format and make it work.

easier to come up with the chord structure, the melody and lyrics are the killer and always difficult to complete.

I try and stay away from making the rhythm parts the same for the verses and chorus.

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: OpenG ()
Date: December 6, 2018 23:37

Always good to have a few real quick chord changes makes you feel alive.LOLcool smiley

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: Natlanta ()
Date: December 7, 2018 00:23

you don’t need a bridge

just pick a phrase you already have and at the end just repeat it as an outro/chorus ... make that the title(?)...

When I’m buried and lying dead
When I’m buried and lying dead
etc...

Or pick a phrase you like better

Re: OT: Songwriting Block - Beginners To Professionals
Posted by: keithglimmer ()
Date: December 7, 2018 02:29

I always kept paper and pencils and a tape recorder (a la Keef) next to my bed during my years in a band. I would often wake up with a completed song going through my mind, having just dreamt it (again a la Keef). After waking I had a very short time to attempt recording it in some manner before it would be gone. Often I had a mere phrase or a rough idea of a riff but would use them in songwriting sessions with my writing partner.(yeah, again a la Keef).



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