my way of writing
I am a singer songwriter. By that I don't just mean that I sing my own material when I get the opportunity. I also formulate my songs by vocalising my ideas, trying out various rhythmic, melodic and lyrical elements. In other words, I "sing-write" my songs (at least in the early stages of the writing process).
Much of this process takes place while walking to and from the office. This gives me a set time (fifteen to twenty minutes each way) to work on my latest project(s). If I'm tired, I improvise melodies instead.
I rarely record my ideas - on paper or electronically (on dictaphone, keyboard or computer) - at this stage. I did at first, but I seldom had the time to review what I'd recorded, and most of it wasn't very good. These days, I rely on my memory to store my ideas instead. I've found that the good ideas have a way of staying with you between sessions.
At this stage in the writing process, my focus is on a strong melody line, interesting dynamics (word play, rhythmic elements, etc.) and a strong story line, with a clear focus and unique idiom.
I do record my progress from time to time, jotting down my ideas (usually only lyrics) - especially when I'm struggling to finish a project for some reason. Perhaps I'm tied up with something else, or the time isn't ripe yet, due to a lack of skill, experience or inspiration, to fully exploit the material or idea.
Once I've worked out most of the song's dynamics and determined the overall structure and scope of the song, I usually record what I've written to check for consistency and tighten up the song. I prefer to wait till then before I introduce any accompaniment (guitar and/or keyboard). This is the stage when I work out the chords and chord structure, the rhythm and melody line, and critically evaluate the song's musicality.
I might still introduce new elements to the song at this stage, but my main concern is the song's form. I pay particular attention to the relationship of the parts to the whole, so I can detect bad form and eliminate it. For example, in a song with multiple verses I check to see that all the verses scan well, and that the stress falls in the same place in each verse.
I've found my way of working to be both dynamic and productive. I always have something to work on, with projects in various stages of completion, and also a lot of material with all the wrinkles ironed out.
irene bom ~ songwriter © 2022