Hello, everyone!
I thought, as a new blogger in the area of music, a recent interview about my thoughts regarding the songwriting process might be a great way to "break the ice," as it were. Even though I've been writing songs since I was 15 years old (I'm 62 now), was in a band in the late '70's, and only had one song "published," almost recorded by the (now defunct?) group Hanson, I'm really a true amateur songwriter, interested in getting better, and learning as much as I can. Perhaps I'll get some songs sold before my biological "timer" runs out (lol, sheesh!). My writing partner and fellow musician, Joseph V. McMullen (he is a top-notch drummer, and I am a multi-instrumentalist, meaning I own a lot of guitars, and I can play them all... I can play bass as well. So, without further adieu, here we go!
Recently,
a friend of mine had a few questions about how I write a song. He is a musician as well, and in college
majoring in music. He was curious, so he
asked me a few questions. I recorded the
questions and answers, and if you’re interested, here is the songwriting
process for me.
By
Michael Austin Melton
How do you write a song,
Michael?
Well most of the time, the words
arrive first. I say arrive because they
are sent from somewhere; Heaven, another realm in another dimension, likely the
subconscious I guess, or both! After I
scribble out the lyrics in “raw form,” I write the words in my computer using Microsoft
Word. I’m a somewhat slow typist, so as
I am typing, I will likely substitute a word or two, sometimes a whole phrase,
to make it flow better. Now, floating
around in my head, as I’m writing the words, that flow, tempo or melodic rhythm
starts playing in my head. When the
words are successfully entered, I will get my guitar (either my Fender or Godin
electric) and attempt to structure a melody and chord progression that follows
the flow and tempo of the words. This
process is repeated over and over sometimes as many as five or six times (more
if necessary). Over time, development
continues, because as I am learning the structure of the song and integrating
all the parts that come together I will still edit words and chord structure
until I feel it is completed.
Occasionally, this process is repeated over several years (not on a
continuous basis, however.).
When the chords or melody comes to
me first, it’s usually when I am noodling around on my guitar. A certain combination of chords sparks an
emotion or a feeling, and then, words begin falling into place. It’s so much faster this way, but my muse
insists on sending me words first. He –
or she – always makes it a challenge. In
my view, that’s how a good song is born, or discovered.
What about chord
progressions or melody. How does that
work its way to a final product?
Well, I don’t feel a song is ever a “final
product.” Artists and song stylists who want to sing and play a song I’ve
written for their audiences might interpret it a different way than I do. I think that applies to any song, independent
of author. A song is always in
flux.
Figuring out chords and melody, I usually start
with the simplest chords, usually open chords, or Barre chords and work my way
into more complex structures as the song presents itself. As a songwriter I feel the song is already
written. It comes from, as I said
earlier, from another level of reality or the subconscious; it might even be in
our DNA, which likely has something to do with how we interpret the song in raw
data form, if you will. I find it
interesting how this songwriting process differs from one songwriter to the
next. I believe, however, the song is in
existence there, readily planted, waiting to come to the writer/composer as the
need or opportunity arises. Perhaps
every song that has been or will ever be written are in the Akashic records
somewhere. I’ll stop there. I don’t want to sound outrageous.
Do you write
instrumentals at all? Most songwriters
are usually pairing their melodies with words.
How about you?
Oh, I love to write Avant Garde
compositions, usually spacey music, and I mean “space music!” I use Sony Acid version 6.0. I also own about 10,000 of those license-free
loops. For fun, I will sit and work a
number of those loops into an airy or heavy composition. I just completed one album of space
music. It is called “Rebecca’s Journey,”
and it is about a young girl’s wanderings through “inner space,” as she learns
about reality in different ways and places.
Don’t ask me any more about it, because I don’t want to ruin it for
listeners by planting any pre-conceived ideas.
It must belong in an intimate way to the listener. That’s the only way you will learn to love
any song; only if it has a deep and intimate meaning for you. You listen and if you feel – in your heart
and soul, a vibe, then the song becomes part of you for the rest of your
life. There are some songs by other
artists that can bring tears to my eyes, and for no particular reason. They might be happy or sad, angry or lonely,
even desperate tears. It becomes part of one’s DNA.
Well, there ya have it. Stay tuned for more. I am verbose, and have a lot to talk about!
