Song writing

[junkyard bennie]

Does it touch your heart when you write?

 

 

 

I really didn't know this in a way, but I'd like to put it this way;

 

I think music is the feelings of our relationship of our internal self

[LeonardScaper]

 

Does it touch your heart when you write?

 

 

If it doesn't I keep at it until it does.

[junkyard bennie]

 

If it doesn't I keep at it until it does.

 

 

I agree with you on what you said.

I just can't continue to write a song unless it touches the heart

[Chicken Monkey]

Not always. Touching the heart is only one of the functions a song can serve.

[blue2blue]

I've written a few songs by intellect alone and it's an uphill struggle for every element of the song... the intuition that would guide me and the emotions that would normally drive the effort were obvious in their absence. I don't think any of my best or favorite songs (two different things) were written that way. I'm best when I'm driven by emotion and intuition. A lot of times, probably most, that gives out before I have all the elements in place -- and sometimes quite early on, but if there's not that spark in the first place, it's often a bit of an empty effort.

 

Still, there have been times when I sat down to write a song and was able to hook up with enough fleeting elements of motivation to get a good one... and I try to finish them all, I figure it's good practice, since I often have to use a fair share of brainpower to finish up, even when the song starts with a strong emotional or other inspiration.

[The Monobandits]

 

Does it touch your heart when you write?

 

 

Everyones different and it depends on what you're writing, but for me the answer is almost 100% NO!

 

Writing a song is 98% mechanical, 1% emotional and 1% (the spark) hopefully something magical from who knows where. It's just a song - nothing to do with the inner self. nothing that precious - just vibrations and using words that rhyme.

[blue2blue]

Everyones different and it depends on what you're writing, but for me the answer is almost 100% NO! Writing a song is 98% mechanical, 1% emotional and 1% (the spark) hopefully something magical from who knows where. It's just a song - nothing to do with the inner self. nothing that precious - just vibrations and using words that rhyme.

That's interesting... I just got done hearing the song you posted in the December Showcase thread and I wouldn't have guessed... Reading the lyrics, yes, I can see a certain dispassionate, even schematic approach... but the music has a a lot of loose and agreeable character.

[Cliftonb]

Whenever I consciously try to write a song I fail at it. If I try to achieve a certain sound, emotion or expound on a preconceived concept, I'll fail horribly. Consistently.

 

Some of the most profound and moving moments in the stuff that I've come up with have been things that have surprised even me. I'm all "how the !@%$ did that happen?!? That's awsome! I won't be able to do that ever again!"

 

Sometimes it seems like I'm getting phased out of my own creative process.

 

Gray areas gettin even more grayerer.

[Marshal]

Yes, it does many times. But it's not just a single AHA inspiration moment. It's more like many little "ahas" as it comes together. Building upon building. Until, when its finally done, sometimes I just sit back in awe and ponder the whole thing. It's almost as though it were a separate entity all to itself, and I was just a midwife to it's coming into being.

 

I've even said a prayer of thanks for letting a song pass through me.

[The Monobandits]

 

That's interesting... I just got done hearing the song you posted in the December Showcase thread and I wouldn't have guessed... Reading the lyrics, yes, I can see a certain dispassionate, even schematic approach... but the music has a a lot of loose and agreeable character.

 

 

Well, it's just that it seems to me a song is acting, pretending - it's all a bit false. Actors speak lines they don't necessarily believe - the lines come from a script, not the heart - it's about making it sound as if it comes from the heart - it doesn't actually have to - IMHO, naturally.

[Cliftonb]

I agree that there are songs that have been assembled by arranging series and combinations of tones of varying pitch and duration into quasi-robotesque entities unworthy of the gift of human emotion; but there are many songs that are ripped from the core of an artist's very being.

 

As a music fan, I can't listen to songs that don't resonate with me on some sort of emotional level. I mean, sure there is music that is primarily academic, to be certain - but that requires a totally different skill set as a listener.

 

What was I talking about again?

 

Yeah - music should do, like, emotion stuff...to people. Or not, like when it's experimenting with computer - generated metaharmonies or using elaborate machines that use punchcards to randomly produce curious sounds. So not emotional all the time, but most...of the time. I think...

 

Aw @!#$ it. Harmony Central Forums, I've failed you again!

[blue2blue]

Well, it's just that it seems to me a song is acting, pretending - it's all a bit false. Actors speak lines they don't necessarily believe - the lines come from a script, not the heart - it's about making it sound as if it comes from the heart - it doesn't actually have to - IMHO, naturally.

Ah... we have a substantially different view of acting and of songwriting.

 

I haven't done much acting (except, of course, real life but that's different... kinda) but I think the actor has to find the truth of the emotions he's acting out or ultimately, taken as a whole, his performance will not ring true and will fail.

 

I've dealt with sociopaths and so-called borderline personality types and some of them get pretty good at acting -- but of course there's often a lot riding on the portrayal for socially functioning sociopaths. And for the audience/potential mark/victim, too -- sussing out the falsity of the portrayal becomes critical at dealing with these cold-hearted but sometimes quite convincing strangers -- you can get pretty good at it. Sociopath radar, so to speak.

 

It's in the little things, often as not, that an emotionally disconnected portrayal falls down, reveals itself as a clever fake.

 

 

I make up stuff in songs all the time. But it's typically for the sake of trying to suggest some deeper truth. Uh... you should pardon the rusty cliche.

[LeonardScaper]

 

- the lines come from a script, not the heart - it's about making it sound as if it comes from the heart - it doesn't actually have to

 

 

Wow.

 

OK.....I can see the point there if you happen to be writing as a third party and are crafting songs for someone else to sing. But even in that case it would seem as though you would want to get some true emotion in there for them to tap in to during their performance.

[SteviePeavey]

I dont particularly gravitate to heartfelt stuff... For example, "Pride" by U2 just seems overwrought to me. I loke humor, power, stickiness, and hooks.

 

...for the most part.

[The Monobandits]

 

Wow. OK.....I can see the point there if you happen to be writing as a third party and are crafting songs for someone else to sing. But even in that case it would seem as though you would want to get some true emotion in there for them to tap in to during their performance.

 

 

I think theres a distinction to be made between writing and performing - it's up to the performer to get the 'from the heart' feel - the songwriter has to give the performer the material that has the potential for it. Just like scriptwriting and acting.

 

Someone said songwriting was 2% inspiration and 98% perspiration. Call me a cynic, but I believe that even the best singer/songwriters leave the 'from the heart' stuff for the performance - theres more 'head' than 'heart' in the writing. But what do I know? My songs are pretty crap!

[LeonardScaper]

 

Call me a cynic, but I believe that even the best singer/songwriters leave the 'from the heart' stuff for the performance - theres more 'head' than 'heart' in the writing.

 

 

That's a good point for more discussion.

 

For me the two need to be pretty much happening together as I do most of my writing in the studio where the first few performances of a song become the song and get tracked. When I'm in that mode I can't keep it if is doesn't have 'heart'.

 

If I succeed in capturing an emotionally satisfying performance I may then sit down with pencil and paper and get my 'head' into tuning up the lyrics.

[Lee Knight]

Interesting.

 

I see writing something like I see "going out for a spin". Sometimes you have a clear destination. Sometimes you just want to get away and joyride. Sometimes you want to drive to the beach where she told you she was leaving you. Sometimes you just want to go to 7/11 for a sixer. Sometime you might be driving to a friend's funeral. You don't want to go but you have to. For you.

 

And where we steer our vehicles is our choice. As a driver. As a writer. Sometimes we tap into the heart and spill it out on the page, and sometimes we "write a little ditty".

 

Both and all in between are fine by me.