Songwriting ...

Ha ha ... that's a pretty presumptuous heading for a blog entry but for lack of a better title, let's leave it. Ok here goes ... first the disclaimer! Everything you read here is my personal opinion and in no way am I making any reference to persons dead or alive or their methods. If by chance that happens, it really is purely coincidental. Ha ha ... seriously though, here's my take on what I think songwriting is, and also how I go about doing it. I have written quite a few songs over the years and I get people asking me all the time if there is some secret formula to doing it. Well no ... but over the years I have developed sort of a system for songwriting. I don't think of it as a formula or such, and it's definitely no secret ... in fact I don't think of it at all! I just write when I feel like it. Let's see if I can break it down cohesively so that anyone reading this can have some understanding of what I'm trying to say. Difficult to do really, when there are so many things going on all at once in my 'noggin' ... but I shall try.


Firstly let's define songwriting, remember we're not just talking about lyrics here (that would be a 'lyricist') but also melody. I would consider someone who comes up with both the lyrics and melody, a songwriter! Yes, I think that's a reasonable description. Now in order to be one, you would need to have a reasonable grasp of language and at least a working knowledge of melody. Most people have a great grasp of language but not everyone has a knack for melody and some don't, even after years of musical training. Which brings me to this little theory I have about why there still is such a thing as a badly written song. It was probably done by someone who in my books, does not have a knack for melody and lyrics (but hasn't realized it yet). Having said that though, I also think that music is very subjective ... so 'one man's meat may be another man's poison'! I'm pretty sure you would not like everything I like, but isn't that the beauty of music? It's like poetry but with the added dimension of sound, and the best way to appreciate it is to derive your own meaning from it. As long as it works for you and gives you that effect you're craving for ... then it's all good!



I wrote my first tune ages ago! I had limited chord knowledge and grasp of language then, so what I wrote reflected how much I knew. Ha ha ... looking at that song now, I have to say that it wasn't bad for a lad of 11. No, I will not post that song here!!! Over the years I've learnt so much more about music and so I went from writing in one style to another and so on. I've also been asked this next question quite frequently. Does the instrument you play define the way you write? Yes, I would have to say that the kind of intrument you play would definitely influence the material you come up with and also a person who's a musician would write differently from one who's not! Remember that I am a musician (a guitar player) so how I write is defined quite a bit by the guitar. I've also learnt to play some keyboards over the years and so when I write with the keyboard, I actually do tend to write differently. All instruments have their own sound/tone and the whole approach to playing them is also technically very different. The music is only one of the elements that binds all these instruments together but they are still harmonically different. It's like having completely different individuals from different parts of the world speak a common language (eg. English) but in their very own accents!



It's the same thing with lyrics, your increasing grasp of language would change the way you write. I find that in general, one would start by writing love songs of maybe 4 or 5 chords. After which you would move on to another love song but with a few more chords thrown in (besides the regular ones you use). Eventually you would get to a stage where your lyrics would get a little verbose and poetic then finally after you've experimented with that, you actually do get back to a stage where you would think, 'less is best'. I believe that is a natural progression for most songwriters before they find their centers and settle down into their own distinctive styles! Still ... I believe that songwriters should try and 'think out of the box' every now and again. It's always refreshing to be able to expand one's musical horizons. Music has evolved over the years because of the few who have thrown caution to the wind and pushed its limits and boundaries and Mr. Donald Fagen is one of them. All I can say is, his songwriting is pure genius!!! 'The Royal Scam' by Steely Dan is one of the best albums I've ever heard ... ever! Mr. Billy Joel is another one of my favourite songwriters. Songs like 'She's always A Woman', 'Piano Man', 'Just The Way You Are' and 'You May Be Right' have excellent chord structure and the words are simply beautiful. He's also always experimenting with different genres of music. I rate him as one of the best songwriters of all time! He does have one of the best marriages of lyrics and melody ever.



So how would I write a song? Well ... I really don't know how to explain that! Most of the time I come up with the melody and some key sentences at the same time. Sometimes I write the melody first and worry about the lyrics later and I very seldom do it the other way around. I find it easier to write lyrics to a melody than to make a melody fit words that are already written. Why? It's simple really, music has its own set of rules, and sometimes when you're just writing words it may not make sense musically! What I mean is, you may end with a line that has one too many syllables for the melody you are about to compose. So when you look for an alternate word or line to replace the original, you may find that it doesn't quite fit (rhyme) with the rest of the song. So I find it's always better to have a melody in the back of your mind when you're writing the words. Like I said ... I'm a musician who writes, so I tend to think about the music a lot when I'm writing songs! Always remember though, that you do have 'poetic license' and we've also established the fact that music is subjective ... so write as you feel. It is after all a form of expression but remember, the real challenge comes when you're actually writing to get a point across ... musically and lyrically! So as it is with everything else in life ... a good balance between the two key elements (words and melody) is tantamount to a great song!



It's funny but I've also noticed that most of the time, songwriters will be asked how they came up with lyrics to a certain song. Ha ha ... no one ever really bothers to ask how the music/melody developed! I know because I've also been asked that same question many times. Well ... to be honest, most times I just write because I need to and want to very badly but sometimes things happen that really affect me in a way that I just have to write about it. I've always been expresive that way, always had an opinion and the urge to voice it ... as 'artistically' as I can most of the time. Playing with words has always fascinated me and I've found that the best ways to indulge myself is thru' poetry and song but alas I'm no poet! So with regards to the subject at hand, this brings me to another point. I guess in general people are actually a lot more interested in what you have to say 'lyrically', rather than what you can do 'musically'. I think that is a good thing for me because I've always considered myself a songwriter first as opposed to a singer or musician, but I also firmly believe that that's the beauty of a great melody! One that's written so well it just sits behind the lyrics, not very noticeable but it's right there to support and help push the words of the song to the forefront. Sensibility, that's what it is! If people are not going to listen to the words, why put them there in the first place? Ha ha, write an instrumental then... that makes more sense, doesn't it? Mr. James Taylor is definitely another one of my heroes because the music to his songs is so well written, it gives you a lot of room to appreciate his lovely lyrics.



At the end of the day, it all boils down to you. Like prose or poetry, music is also a form of expression. So please write to express yourself and/or if you have something you desperately want to say. Write anyway you want ... you are allowed (in most cultures)!!! Just remember that even though music may be a lot more complex than it's made out to be, at the same time it's simple too! Complex because to create it, you need to have some understanding of, or feel for its mechanics. It's simple because the finished product can actually be appreciated by anyone, regardless of what language it's written in. I'm sure we all have songs we love in some language we don't understand. That's the beauty and power of music ... it really is a language all on its own! So for those of you who are starting out as songwriters, my advice to you would be to develop your own style and not worry too much about 'what's in' because these days everyone strives to do it differently! So when you next write a song, don't worry so much about the rules ... make your own! Like fashion ... individuality and originality go a long way in this business.



Gerard Singh