I *hate* missing a day. Grr.
The good news is I'm not lacking for ideas.
The bad news is I have eighty million song fragments fighting for my attention every minute. I'm completely unsure of what I can bring to fruition in a reasonable amount of time. And I feel a bit like a crazy person. Who sings all the time.
I'm getting to know the full size and shape of my vocal rustiness. Yeesh.
Anyhow, there's the weekend. Time to complete some things. I'm putting this on the table: Four songs by Sunday night.
Yup, I said it.
Showing posts with label songwriting again yippee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label songwriting again yippee. Show all posts
Friday, February 04, 2011
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Fawm. Day 2. Goal Setting.
Another looong work day.
Funny, though, how primed and ready for songwriting I am, even though I haven't written in months. I sit at my desk, listening to guitar bits and scribbling lyrics. My boss caught me deep, deep in songthought today. Hope I didn't sound too irritated when I answered him.
Most years I just write whatever happens, but today I came up with some goals for this FAWM:
1. To simplify. Musically, lyrically, process-wise, all of it. I overthink things, and I need to halt it.
2. Two piano songs. The piano freaks me out. Would like to get over that a bit.
3. To participate in at least two skirmishes, and finish in the allotted time.
4. To write a I - V - vi – IV song.
5. For extra credit, demo the three songs I didn't demo last year.
I have a list of songbits that are screaming for drafts. But, I want to leave my mind open to create completely new things too. In fact, I'd like my first post to be something new and unexpected.
Okay, I'm about to go turn on my stuff, see what still works.
Funny, though, how primed and ready for songwriting I am, even though I haven't written in months. I sit at my desk, listening to guitar bits and scribbling lyrics. My boss caught me deep, deep in songthought today. Hope I didn't sound too irritated when I answered him.
Most years I just write whatever happens, but today I came up with some goals for this FAWM:
1. To simplify. Musically, lyrically, process-wise, all of it. I overthink things, and I need to halt it.
2. Two piano songs. The piano freaks me out. Would like to get over that a bit.
3. To participate in at least two skirmishes, and finish in the allotted time.
4. To write a I - V - vi – IV song.
5. For extra credit, demo the three songs I didn't demo last year.
I have a list of songbits that are screaming for drafts. But, I want to leave my mind open to create completely new things too. In fact, I'd like my first post to be something new and unexpected.
Okay, I'm about to go turn on my stuff, see what still works.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
FAWM. Day 6.
Missed yesterday. Hate that.
But, I did get four songs in something of a state for my producer. Got a great reaction from each of them. The thing I was sure, sure, sure was a cheesy-wanna-be-Tegan-and-Sara song he though was the one of the most straight-ahead rock songs I've ever written.
Hm.
Four is probably a reasonable amount of songs for a week's work.
I'm all set up for another four next week.
Wanna try to get a few FAWM songs done this weekend as well. But it's second priority, really.
j.
But, I did get four songs in something of a state for my producer. Got a great reaction from each of them. The thing I was sure, sure, sure was a cheesy-wanna-be-Tegan-and-Sara song he though was the one of the most straight-ahead rock songs I've ever written.
Hm.
Four is probably a reasonable amount of songs for a week's work.
I'm all set up for another four next week.
Wanna try to get a few FAWM songs done this weekend as well. But it's second priority, really.
j.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
FAWM. Day 3.
Oh god. I am way down in it.
Way.
Down.
I've basically been in the same position all day, on an inverted piano stool, using a dresser as a desk. I've got a guitar to one side of me, loop CDs playing from the computer, About 18 word files full of lyrics open at once. My cat is desperately trying to find a (nonexistent) comfortable position on my lap, trying to get in on this action.
As soon as I'm done typing this sentence, I will have to grab her and place her elsewhere.
I am schizophrenic loon today, mentally hopping from song to song to song to song to song. I mapped out a potential FAWM menu, which will include a few repurposed lyrics. The time for trying new things, for listening through loops, is over, I think. Now I have to execute.
In the midst of it all, I'm trying to get 6 songs together for my producer on Friday. In my left-brainedness I created a list for that, too. And I am going down it, in order. Part of my mind wants to jump around, complete the close-to-done songs first.
If I do that, I will jump around forever, and ever. No. Go down the list in order.
Two verses and two choruses is enough. Go back and finish later. Just do a map, a rough sketch.
Erm. That was me, to myself.
I haven't really been able to listen much to people's songs. I'm feeling a bit removed from the community this year, I think. Although I did spend some of last night blathering on Charlie's radio show when he had technical difficulties. I don't have Charlie's cool radio show guy demeanor. I'm sure it sounded wrong.
Anyhow.
I'm shaping up song #3 for my producer. I barely have anything for it. I'm trying to come up with some words that won't make me wretch, and it's really difficult. I'm just filling lines at the moment. Sometimes, though, that causes me to hit on something good. So I'm just trying to trust in process right now.
Trust the process. John Taylor (from Duran Duran) has a good song about that. Called Trust the Process.
Hm.
j.
Way.
Down.
I've basically been in the same position all day, on an inverted piano stool, using a dresser as a desk. I've got a guitar to one side of me, loop CDs playing from the computer, About 18 word files full of lyrics open at once. My cat is desperately trying to find a (nonexistent) comfortable position on my lap, trying to get in on this action.
As soon as I'm done typing this sentence, I will have to grab her and place her elsewhere.
I am schizophrenic loon today, mentally hopping from song to song to song to song to song. I mapped out a potential FAWM menu, which will include a few repurposed lyrics. The time for trying new things, for listening through loops, is over, I think. Now I have to execute.
In the midst of it all, I'm trying to get 6 songs together for my producer on Friday. In my left-brainedness I created a list for that, too. And I am going down it, in order. Part of my mind wants to jump around, complete the close-to-done songs first.
If I do that, I will jump around forever, and ever. No. Go down the list in order.
Two verses and two choruses is enough. Go back and finish later. Just do a map, a rough sketch.
Erm. That was me, to myself.
I haven't really been able to listen much to people's songs. I'm feeling a bit removed from the community this year, I think. Although I did spend some of last night blathering on Charlie's radio show when he had technical difficulties. I don't have Charlie's cool radio show guy demeanor. I'm sure it sounded wrong.
Anyhow.
I'm shaping up song #3 for my producer. I barely have anything for it. I'm trying to come up with some words that won't make me wretch, and it's really difficult. I'm just filling lines at the moment. Sometimes, though, that causes me to hit on something good. So I'm just trying to trust in process right now.
Trust the process. John Taylor (from Duran Duran) has a good song about that. Called Trust the Process.
Hm.
j.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Notes from a Rainy Saturday.
It's been raining cats and dogs all morning.
And, a garbage bag full of cat litter broke open as I was trying to take it down six flights of stairs.
Still, I am giddy-giddy-happy today, I am a bouncy MoonGirl tripping along the floor of Atlantis, taking in all the sights.
Went to the Whitney last night with a buddy, and wow. Jenny Holzer's Protect Protect was about nine kinds of amazing. I won't tell you anything about it, except to go witness, if at all possible:
http://whitney.org/www/holzer/index.jsp
The Whitney felt like a celebratory exercise after finally getting my taxes filed yesterday.
I almost never have the occasion to go up to Spanish Harlem; usually my accountant is in his office at Grand Central. Yesterday, though, I went uptown. This is an area not yet colonized by Starbucks and The Gap. Delicious food smells from small, non-chain family restaurants basically carried me down the street. The look of the neigborhood is still a bit unpolished, but I whispered a silent *thanks* that there are areas of New York that are a bit rough around the edges still.
I found my accountant's office. Was there about half an hour; the most painful part of my visit was the shockingly bad episode of CSI (or one of those other cop shows with annoying actors and bad dialogue) I had to sit through while waiting. Had a few laughs with him, he gave me what I considered great news, and I bounced out of his office.
God bless e-filing.
Ticked a few items off the to do list this week! Have to re-jig the list tomorrow and get down to it. I'm thinking of going through all my email accounts and getting rid of extraneous messages.
This is not a small task.
I should be making more (any?) music, but I'm not going to push it. I have been notebooking all week, picking out lines of conversation to scribble down right away.
That makes me feel like I'm doing my job.
j.
And, a garbage bag full of cat litter broke open as I was trying to take it down six flights of stairs.
Still, I am giddy-giddy-happy today, I am a bouncy MoonGirl tripping along the floor of Atlantis, taking in all the sights.
Went to the Whitney last night with a buddy, and wow. Jenny Holzer's Protect Protect was about nine kinds of amazing. I won't tell you anything about it, except to go witness, if at all possible:
http://whitney.org/www/holzer/index.jsp
The Whitney felt like a celebratory exercise after finally getting my taxes filed yesterday.
I almost never have the occasion to go up to Spanish Harlem; usually my accountant is in his office at Grand Central. Yesterday, though, I went uptown. This is an area not yet colonized by Starbucks and The Gap. Delicious food smells from small, non-chain family restaurants basically carried me down the street. The look of the neigborhood is still a bit unpolished, but I whispered a silent *thanks* that there are areas of New York that are a bit rough around the edges still.
I found my accountant's office. Was there about half an hour; the most painful part of my visit was the shockingly bad episode of CSI (or one of those other cop shows with annoying actors and bad dialogue) I had to sit through while waiting. Had a few laughs with him, he gave me what I considered great news, and I bounced out of his office.
God bless e-filing.
Ticked a few items off the to do list this week! Have to re-jig the list tomorrow and get down to it. I'm thinking of going through all my email accounts and getting rid of extraneous messages.
This is not a small task.
I should be making more (any?) music, but I'm not going to push it. I have been notebooking all week, picking out lines of conversation to scribble down right away.
That makes me feel like I'm doing my job.
j.
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