Members scubyfan Posted August 11, 2002 Members Share Posted August 11, 2002 hello there, people. i am in dire need of some help here! i can play almost every instrument, but i can't write songs! i can make awesome arrangements with other people's lyrics, but mine suck! all my songs end up being direct, as in, "when i saw you there, you shone like a brilliant diamond." it's crap! altho that wasn't a real song i've written, most end up sounding that way. how can i make my songs better? like floyd or vnv nation? the song can be about longing and sadness, yet be sung about a tempest or a druggie. i can't make the metaphors and stuff, which further ruins me! in what ways can i be a better songwriter? i have listened to and still listed almost every kind of music. i analyze the lyrics and such, just cant make my own! please help me, and if you can, tell me how you go about doing it so maybe i can change my techniques, etc. thanks a million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted August 11, 2002 Members Share Posted August 11, 2002 If you are talking about lyrics, then I'd suggest reading some good literature. Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, etc. And then try to emulate what they do. You can't really do much more than 'monkey see monkey do'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mojowilder Posted August 11, 2002 Members Share Posted August 11, 2002 check out the "fighting songwriting" thread, and yeah, just read A LOT. but read QUALITY stuff--I recommend Rimbaud. also, listening to Bob Dylan is just about as good as reading--the guy is amazing. who else? Townes Van Zandt, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members glennhalldorson Posted August 11, 2002 Members Share Posted August 11, 2002 I would even go as far as to suggest reading some books on the subject of lyric writing. A thesauras and a rhyming dictionary may also help spark some fresh ideas. I have struggled the same as you being a good arranger but bad lyricist and these 2 books have given me hope. The first is "The business and craft of song writing" and the second is "writing better lyrics". I don't have the authors names handy but I think the titles are correct. Sometimes it helps to write out the lyrics of a song you really like and not just read them. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted August 12, 2002 Author Members Share Posted August 12, 2002 thanks guys! ill check those books out, and ill definately start reading some more shakespeare, milton, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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