Lyric Writing – A Simplified Approach
Oct3
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2009
Location: The Yellow House, next to The Swallow At The Hollow in Roswell, GA
Time: Begins at 2:00pm
Cost: $5.00 for GMIA members, $10.00 for non-members
RSVP: squattlebaum@gmia.org
This is the first part of the course I taught at Kennesaw State University. My students were songwriters of all skill levels and styles, and this approach helped each of them learn something new.
As many of you know, I am primarily a musician. I struggled with lyric writing in my early years as a songwriter. The principles I am sharing in this presentation are the results of years of observation and practice, and have become my personal method of approaching lyrics.
As a producer/engineer at Reveal Audio Services, I work one-on-one with many songwriters and songwriting artists. Any time time a client is experiencing a problem in the lyric of a song, I can usually relate one of these principles to him/her and in the space of the session they usually find a way to work it out.
I feel that there are no rules to songwriting – there are only expectations. The approach I give has only a minimum of guidelines; and by following them, I believe the work of lyric writing will be easier for you and your songs will better connect with your listeners.
Please RSVP to Shelia Quattlebaum at the link at the top of the page if you plan to attend. I hope to see you there!
David
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12:29 pm on March 27th, 2010
I’d probably pay $10 for an audio recording of this affair. I don’t need video unless there’s a lot of whiteboard or pretty girls.
9:10 pm on April 2nd, 2010
I was just wondering if you had written your lyric writing advice into a booklet or report form so that folks like me could purchase it. Jason Blume has written a book that NSAI hawks incessantly (every time I get a song evaluated their advice is “buy Jason’s book!!” – I guess I MUST need it) But maybe you can explain things in a way that Jason doesn’t.
Robert Rhoades
P.S. I love your web site, news page!
8:49 pm on May 12th, 2010
I was thinking about how to do it. I’ve been giving talks at NSAI and GMIA meetings here in Atlanta to get the presentation down. Thing is, I can use current examples when I’m presenting to the small groups. If I publish something as a book, there would be copyright issues to deal with and the method would lose some fluidity (the examples would become dated). Really, a video would make the best presentation if I can work around the copyright issues.
I guess in the end, Jason has his method that works for him and he shares it. Some people will identify with it and be able to adopt it to good use. I’ve got mine, and I’m testing it to see if it’s really as simple and easy as I think it is. So far, whenever there’s been a problem with a song that has come in the studio, I can bring up one point in my method to address it, and the writer can easily see what needs to be changed.
FWIW, I think Sheila Davis filled writers’ heads with so many rules that it’s a wonder anyone could be creative after reading her book.