songwriting

i’ve finally done it…

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i’ve labeled myself. for months, the space labeled “Genre:” on facebook remained blank. it’s a bit strange, i feel like i’ve declared my college major, and that if i’ve picked wrong i’ll end up on a miserable path to reinvent myself. however, i do realize that “declaring” a genre in no way defines all my music–there’s always room for deviation. plus, not everyone defines genres in the same way. 

so, without further pretense, i’ve decided to label myself as….singer/songwriter. i know there is plenty of back-and-forth coursing through the interwebs about whether or not singer/songwriter actually exists as a genre, or if it should exist in that way–some argue it’s just a job description–but i say, why isn’t it a genre? giving a genre to an artist is just a way to evoke a certain feeling, or set of beliefs that cause the consumer to quickly determine if they like their music or not, and of course, everyone isn’t going to like everything. 

the reason

i chose singer/songwriter because it evokes the feelings i want associated with my music. i’m a mostly acoustic artist with storyteller lyrics, heavily driven by the guitar and generally chill vocals. i also associate this intimate stillness with the genre, even during upbeat songs. i think of coffee shops, live music, music that’s about something–that causes a reflection of some sort, whether that reflection be about a cloud or the inter-workings of a heart. i think singer/songwriter is deliberate; it’s real life. 

i aspire every day to live deliberately and in the now, and i need my music to be that way too. 

so whether you agree with singer/songwriter being a legitimate music genre, or not–or if my music should be labeled as such–i only want you to know that i make music borne out of my insides, that seeks intimacy with yours.

to cover, or to original?

I posed a question some months ago asking if it was easier to cover a song or to sing your own song. To answer my own question:

In general, it’s easier for me to sing my own songs. Why? Because, I know all of the nuances of my own work, I can change it however I want without it being compared to the “original,” or anyone else who’s sang ti. It’ll also be written in a key I’m comfortable in and won’t have to change or work through. 

With that said, I’m working on some original stuff right now. I have so much to sift through and edit, and I can’t wait to share it!

more on songwriting

When I’m writing a song, if I don’t finish it all in one sitting, I like to at least have a chorus written—whether it’s a verse and a chorus, or a chorus with no verse(s), or a chorus and a bridge. I believe the chorus, or some type of refrain (repeated words, phrases, etc.) is the main factor in setting the tone of the song. Repetition in song, or anything for that matter, is usually there to guide the audience to the heart of the work, even if meaning is not explicit. A song’s verses can say one thing, and the chorus can say another—seemingly. But, usually, the unifying factor is there if we listen close enough.

http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/139110600/stream?client_id=3cQaPshpEeLqMsNFAUw1Q?plead=please-dont-download-this-or-our-lawyers-wont-let-us-host-audio

Today I was going through my old composition books and recordings and found this gem, written in the eighth grade, recorded a year or two later. I was surprised to see how many songs I had written. Going through my first composition book, I discovered that 95% of what I wrote when I first started was song lyrics; I’d always thought it was mainly poetry. 

I wrote this song to a friend who helped me through many a struggle, we’re not as close now, but she’s still a very nice person. 

So, what do y’all think? Have I improved?

Working With Broken Chains

In December I created a project for myself; for six months, I was going to write at least two poems and one song per week until June. This is still my goal. In addition to my spur of the moment writings, and things I had already written, I will have 50+ new poems and 25+ new songs to edit and record. It’s my plan to have a small manuscript of poetry to submit or possibly self publish, and to upgrade my music production equipment, which is next to nil right now. (I currently have a condenser mic, a cheap Behringer interface, and my DAW is Audacity). I took an electronic music class last year and fell in love with Pro Tools, so I’m going to try to get that, along with a new audio interface, and use it in conjunction with Ignite. I have a lot of plans for the year, one of which includes finishing school in June and graduating in August. Once all of that is over it’ll be time to really get down to business, and go elbow deep into my musical ventures (and hopefully find a job). Attached is my make-shift calendar, and as you can see, the chain is broken in a few places, but that’s all the more reason I need to ‘git r done’ (haha). I pray that God blesses all the plans I have and cancels those that conflict with His will for my life, only to replace them with ones that are even better.

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