songs

Subject: songs
From: rob in hull
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:19 PM

Does anyone write music to lyrics as I have a collection of lyris but cannot write music. Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: songs
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:21 PM

I have to write both at the same time. I have a bucketful of melodies I can't put words to, and a slough of words I can't fit melodies to. The only way I can write songs is doing them both together. Good luck though!

Alex

Subject: RE: songs
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:30 PM

rob, I usually write both together, but I have written songs with lyrics first or with music first.
I would be more than happy to give it a shot if you would like to try some collaboration on an experimental basis.

Alex, I would not mind trying to put some lyrics to your melodies, either.

I can write melodies with no particular inspiration, and lyrics come pretty easy to me if I have something to say. Without a story to tell or a point to make, I draw a blank on lyrics. If someone tells me in prose what they want said, I can write and often have put their thoughts into lyric or poem form.

You can email me at
[e-mail]
if you want to talk to me about this.

BTW, rob and alex,
I sometimes have a similar problem as yours --not that I can't write music, but that my various song melodies have too much of a common style. Sometimes someone else's melodic input helps me break out of my own mold.

Subject: RE: songs
From: LynnSnyder
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:53 PM

I too have a dream of finding a composer to work with my lyrics.

However, while I wait for such a person, I have learned some tricks for getting a passable and original tune, if not always inspired.

I pick a melody that belongs to a song I already know with the same emotional content as the song I am developing. Then I start changing it until the melody is something new.

Here are some of the ways you can change it:

* Go up where the melody goes down or vice versa

* Throw some random note, interval or chord in an unexpected place in the melody.

* Change the length of a phrase by adding or subtracting something.

* Modulate to another key for a line or two.

Remember also that in folk music it is a time honored custom to put new words to an old melody, sometimes as a parody and sometimes as a wholy new song. Woody Guthrie did it all the time.

Subject: RE: songs
From: 53
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:36 PM

we always write our songs together with the music and the words coming at the same time BOB

Subject: RE: songs
From: mousethief
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 05:58 PM

Genie, let me look for the MIDI file I made of one melody, and I'll ship it off to you. Maybe you can do something with it.

Alex

Subject: RE: songs
From: Deckman
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 08:16 PM

Sure ... give me a try. I'm often inspired by the poetry. Why don't you mail me off the board, send a poem or three, and let's see what I come up with. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: songs
From: Bert
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 08:01 PM

Post 'em one at a time on Mudcat and ask for someone to write a tune for you.

Subject: RE: songs
From: Bert
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 08:01 PM

Or choose a well known country tune and tweak it a little.

Subject: RE: songs
From: sophocleese
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 10:23 PM

I can talk easily and at length about any number of subjects, and I have struggled with my music all my life despite loving to sing. However I can come up with tunes without thinking too hard but cannot put words together to form lyrics. It bugs the hell out of me at times. I'd be interested in seeing your lyrics.

Subject: RE: songs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 10:32 PM

Hello Rob, you found Mudcat then! I told you it was a good site.

Subject: RE: songs
From: CapriUni
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 11:47 PM

I've recently (on and off for the last couple of years) tried writing music for my words, and turning them in to songs. I, too, am more verbal than musical in my thinking, and am driven most by the story, or idea I want to get across.

The technique that works best for me is to say the line out loud, as if I were speaking it to someone I care deeply about, or someone I want to convince of something, and listen to the rise and fall of my voice as I say those phrases. Then, I simply "exaggerate" those differences into the varying pitches and rhythms of a melody.

I really recommend a program called Noteworthy Composer -- that lets you set up a staff, stick notes on it, and play it back. If it doesn't sound right, you can tweak it. You can download a free, nearly 100% enabled version for a month of shareware to try it out. You can get to their page by clicking here (and no, I do not get a commission by posting this -- honest!). Even if you never buy it, the thirty days would probably give you enough of a experiment with putting tunes to your words....

Subject: RE: songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 03:41 AM

I, too, recommend Noteworthy Composer.

Do you use an instrument when trying to come up with tunes? I find I cna improv a new tune very easily on the dulcimer, but usually I find words come first, then a tune to fit. I've been spoilt by having a compsoer brother who trained my ear, along with my music teachers.:-)

I think Bert's idea is great, if you want to share them in public; if not I'd lvoe to see them, too.

Alex, I'd love to hear your melody, too, if you don't mind.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: songs
From: mousethief
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 10:27 AM

I have a NWC of it somewhere but I've misplaced the CD-ROM I burned it onto. It took a bit of doing (quite a lot of syncopation) so I'm going to look for the CD rather than try to do it again (too many projects! Augh!).

I also want to put in a plug for NWC. It is limited in the fancy stuff you can do (e.g. trills) But for plain-old, writing down music (even multiple staffs (staves?)), it's a real bargain! Somewhere in the $35 range, compared to other commercial products which have their own idiosyncratic hang-ups and cost over $100. And no, I don't get any kick-back; I'm just a satisfied customer!

Alex

Subject: RE: songs
From: CapriUni
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 01:06 PM

Alex --

Yup, the plural of "staff" is "stave", and the cost of the newest version of NWC is $39. I've just started to play with it, but I'm beginning to think of it as a the musical version of a word processor...

I never learned to read music as a kid, but using this, I think I can start to... Which is useful in itself.

Subject: RE: songs
From: Genie
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 02:02 AM

Alex, you wrote: "Genie, let me look for the MIDI file I made of one melody, and I'll ship it off to you. Maybe you can do something with it."
Yeah, I'd like to take a shot at it.
Mudcat has my email address, or you can leave me a PM and I'll give it to you.
Genie

Subject: RE: songs
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 08:37 AM

I had to wait 15 years till I started singing in public. At that stage the tunes just started rolling. I rationalised I had become a musician and carried the instrument with me at all times so could compose anywhere. Particularly on long boring car journeys.
the other way to state it is that I was now immersed in music.
Is this any help?

Subject: RE: songs
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 09:58 AM

Rob, if you want to PM me a song or two, I'll see what I can do. I'd like to know what sort of melodies you like, though. Minor/major, fast/slow, powerful/gentle, or "like (this song)" - basically a "fuzzy" idea of how you hear the song being sung.

Subject: RE: songs
From: Genie
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 02:28 AM

Rob, just curious -- did you end up collaborating with any Mudcatters or anyone else? I'd be interested in hearing what you came up with.

Genie

Subject: RE: songs
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 04:12 AM

Love the trans-Atlantic differences you spot in Mudcat.Stave is used in the singular in England for the musical lines, much more commonly than staff. Just looked in my trusty dictionary of etymology, which suggests that,as is often the case, American usage actually is older. It says that stave is a modern English back-formation from staves, plural of staff.

Subject: RE: songs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 04:58 AM

i've wrote piles of sets of lyrics & put them to pre-existing tunes. most of my songs are parodies, but there's also some serious ones.

unfortunately, some of the tunes i've used, because of their previous incarnations & associations can be particularly incongruous when sung with my words.

anyone else have these kind of probs.?

Subject: RE: songs
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 05:08 AM

Rob in Hull. Just for the fun of it. Post ONE set of lyrics (perhaps, even describe the tone,mood,color,tempo you associate with it - but that is probably transparent from the word choice) and let several of us have a go at it.

It might be considered ...a "tune challenge"

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: songs
From: Hawker
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 07:10 PM

Rob, For years I believed the same as you that I couldn't write music. I still can't technically - that is put the dots on the paper - I record my tunes by singing them or playing them onto a minidisc. Don't dismiss it as a mad idea, I finally gave it a go 2 years ago, last year I came fifth in the Plymouth Folk Festival songwriting comp and this year I won! Why not have a go yourself, perhaps you'll surprise yourself, like I did!
GOOD LUCK!
Cheers, Lucy