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Hello Songwriters!
Choices are a songwriter's best friend. Learning how different elements work, and then focusing on the important choices you have to make can help you write even better songs.
Phrasing (0:02:08) ~ Quick Tip!
Steve Seskin
Which word gets the juice? Probably, the "the" never gets the juice, but you might want to put down your first version, and the try different versions to see what works best for you. Exercise your ability to choose!
Phrasing, Part 2: Strong-Bar, Weak-Bar (0:27:32)
Pat Pattison
Choosing where to place your lyrics with respect to the downbeat and with respect to strong and weak bars can have a powerful effect on your songs.
Can you hear when a lyric starts on the downbeat of a weak bar? What does it mean if all of a song's lyrics start on the downbeat of a weak bar -- except for "Oh, Jacki," and just one other line? Find out in Pat's detailed examination of the continuous, flying sensation created by The Cars in "Heartbeat City."
Chords As Adjectives: Part 1 (0:36:40)
Steve Leslie
Listen as Steve Leslie solves the mystery of the "Second Wind Chord!" If the melody and lyric are like the noun in a sentence, and rhythm is like the verb, then harmony is like the adjective.
You can make sure your chords match the meaning you are expressing in your lyrics. A chord can support the adjective, or a chord can supply the adjective.
To show how powerful this effect can be, Steve plays the same melody and rhythm with three different harmonic lines and you can hear the astounding changes that result.
Enjoy! Warm regards, Diana P.S. You can read past newsletters and check out other video recommendations on our newsletter archive page. -- Diana Korpi Member Services |
