Moderators Lee Knight Posted April 12, 2013 Moderators Share Posted April 12, 2013 First you stop and think, "Hmmm... what music did have an impact on me, to make me think I could ever write a decent song? Hmmm." Then you find it on youtube. Then you post it here. And then you say something about it. It can also be something that struck your fancy as recent as an hour ago. But nothing within the past hour. No wait, you can include that too. ____________ Simple melody. And that simple melody is allowed to be shaded differently by different chords. Chords of a very basic and diatonic nature. I'm not saying it's the only way. But it is what stopped me in my tracks as a kid. It is what I miss most about a lot of new music. It is what I love to try and do with my music. Here are some examples of what I'm talking about. Not the arrangements. Not the groove, not the haircut, the era, the singer or any of the trappings. Take any one of the songs below and learn to play the melody in either C or Am. Hello? Use a capo. Then play the chords and try to play the melody at the same time. All 1st position/Kumbaya chords. All the little suspensions of your chord to somehow get that melody note along with your fingered chord work. C Dm Em F G Am... C. This is what I did as a kid. I still do it all the time. And it lets me see and internalize the effect a note can have under the influence of different chords from the basic series. And in what order. And how do they build and add tension then release then fake out a release then build then... make you feel sad, then angry, then in a hurry, or lazy... Just the melody and chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhino55 Posted April 12, 2013 Members Share Posted April 12, 2013 I played a guilty pleasures hoot night last weekend. The idea is you were supposed to perform songs that were supposed to perform songs that people wouldn't normally hear you do because you have too much artistic integrity or some bs. Here is what I did... I should add these were both sort of countryfied I also did Rodeo penned by Larry Bastian and made famous by Garth Brooks. I did not see a youtube video for it. There are a bunch of covers and even some folks claiming to be Brooks, but I didn't come across the real thing. It was a fun project and a neat experience to break down some R&B/hip hop-ish songs I grew up with and build them back up in a way I could actually perform them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted April 12, 2013 Author Moderators Share Posted April 12, 2013 rhino55 wrote: I played a guilty pleasures hoot night last weekend. The idea is you were supposed to perform songs that were supposed to perform songs that people wouldn't normally hear you do because you have too much artistic integrity or some bs. Here is what I did... I should add these were both sort of countryfied I also did Rodeo penned by Larry Bastian and made famous by Garth Brooks. I did not see a youtube video for it. There are a bunch of covers and even some folks claiming to be Brooks, but I didn't come across the real thing. It was a fun project and a neat experience to break down some R&B/hip hop-ish songs I grew up with and build them back up in a way I could actually perform them. That's ^^^ awesome. I gotta say that I don't consider the Blackstreet tune as a guilty pleasure. Dre's work on that is outstanding. I remember loving that whole album. I would've loved to hear your version! And I'm sure you know this, but that Dre sample is from the Wither's tune of him tapping his foot on his hollow box he brought to the studio and him on guitar and vocal. Just listen to the opening few bars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Oswlek Posted April 12, 2013 Members Share Posted April 12, 2013 I had a blast the past couple weeks going through my 70's early 80's archives, feeling out mixing styles and just enjoying a little music nostalgia. an early favorite and THE early favorite. This is the earliest favorite tune I had, way back when I though people were signing the synth parts - maybe 5 years old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LCK Posted April 12, 2013 Members Share Posted April 12, 2013 Lee Knight wrote: First you stop and think, "Hmmm... what music did have an impact on me, to make me think I could ever write a decent song? Hmmm." Then you find it on youtube. Then you post it here. And then you say something about it. I was very young when I first heard "Tammy." My grandma took me to see the movie (or one of them--there were 4 in all). I was just a six or seven-year-old kid, what business did I have trying to follow the stupid plot of that stupid movie? But I thought the song was wonderful and carried it around in my head for days..I don't care for it much now, but I do admire the simplicity of the melody, something I try emulate in my own songs, if I can. (The verses in my song "Henri Matisse" are a good example of me trying to do that.)Meanwhile, Percy Mayfield wrote some really good songs with simple tunes. Mayfield's a cappella demo for "Hit the Road, Jack." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bee3 Posted April 16, 2013 Members Share Posted April 16, 2013 I bought tickets to see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted April 16, 2013 Author Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2013 bee3 wrote: I bought tickets to see them. I'll be getting mine Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.