Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Songwriting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Noel96 Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Back in January 2012, with Pat Pattison's permission, I put together a web-forum for a small number of local friends and me to work through Pat's then newly-released book, "Songwriting Without Boundaries".

The book contains 56 days of exercises that are designed to help lyricists: (a) enhance their lyric writing; (b) find their unique lyric voice.

All up there are four challenges and each one takes 14 days to work through. These challenges are...


  • Challenge 1 (days 1 - 14): Object writing practice from the perspectives of WHAT, WHO, WHERE and WHEN
  • Challenge 2 (days 15 - 28): Creating metaphors from semantic collisions between adjectives, nouns and verbs
  • Challenge 3 (days 29 - 42): Developing more advanced word skills with metaphors and extended metaphors
  • Challenge 4 (days 43 - 56): Writing in rhythm and rhyme


The website from 5 years ago still exists and in around a week's time, I'm going to begin once more working through these tasks of Pat's. Even though they require significant commitment, I know from experience that the gain from doing them is substantial.

It's not necessary to own Pat's book to be involved. While having it will definitely help, the web site does contain sufficient instructional information.

So.... If you are interested in joining the journey, please send me a private message and I'll forward the necessary information.

All the best,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
Songwriting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
R
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
R
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Noel,

This is a great offer. I nearly signed up, but then I remembered my promise to myself to actually get an album released and I'm about 75% through with the effort, so I have to stay focused - but I am very tempted.

-Scott

Songwriting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,254
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,254
Noel, that looks to be a FANTASTIC offer! Like Scott I am tempted but I REALLY need to stay focused on what I all have going on...and it's a bit much already. I just don't feel I could be as accountable to it as I would need to be.

Don't TOTALLY count me out yet. I am going to look and see if it's at all possible...basically, what I would have to give up to do it. My instinct says I can't, but I want to KNOW either way.

Great share!


Chad (Hope that makes it easier)

TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
Songwriting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Noel96 Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Originally Posted By: rockstar_not
Noel,

This is a great offer. I nearly signed up, but then I remembered my promise to myself to actually get an album released and I'm about 75% through with the effort, so I have to stay focused - but I am very tempted.

-Scott

Hi Scott,

Thanks for being interested. I know you're a Pattison fan. I'll definitely be running through it again in the future. I'll keep you in mind.

In the meantime, you might be interested in a small book by Andrea Stolpe (if you don't have it already). Andrea is a past student of Pat's who now lectures at Berklee. She devised a way to take Pat's concept of object writing and to use it to create lyrics. It's an incredibly productive approach. I use it regularly. Her book is concise (around 150 pages) and well written.

The text is called 10 Steps To Effective Storytelling (link) and it's well worth having on the shelf. Without exception, it is my first 'go-to' book and I regularly re-read it to keep the ideas fresh in my mind.

I have also put together a 6 week program that works through Andrea's book. I wouldn't mind doing that some time in the near future, either.

As mentioned, I'll keep you in mind.

Regards,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
Songwriting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Noel96 Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Caaron,

I appreciate your interest. Thanks for that. It's definitely better to work through Pat's book as a small group. I've found that it makes the process more enjoyable.

If it's any help, you'd be able to get through the exercises if you could find 30 minutes for (say) 5 days a week.

Even though Pat suggests running through each set of 14 days consecutively, I found that, for me, it's much more productive to work on a 5-day week... like a work week. This means that if the unexpected happens, which it inevitably does, I have two days to catch up and get on top of the process.

For this reason, I'll be approaching a set of exercises over three weeks. The following plan is one that I will most likely adopt. If I can get more done in a week, great, but if not then below is what I'll aim for. (I've used Challenge 1 as an example.)

Quote:
Challenge 1

  • Week 1: Mon - Fri = days 1 - 5
  • Week 2: Mon - Fri = days 6 - 10
  • Week 3: Mon - Thur = days 11 - 14


I'll then probably have the next few days off and start Challenge 2 on the upcoming Monday.

The exercises are entirely self-paced so the design of how to do them is up to the individual. Also, if you miss out doing an exercise here and there, it's OK. This is especially true of Challenge 1 (which is probably the most intense of the challenges).

Hope these extra thoughts help.

Regards,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!

If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.

A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."

"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."

"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."

Happy Easter! Holiday Hours...

2024 is well underway - it's already Easter Weekend!

Our Customer Service hours this weekend are:

Friday, March 29: 8-4
Saturday, March 30: 8-4
Sunday, March 31: closed

Regular hours resume Monday, April 1st - no joke!

Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!

The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!

There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.

If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.

We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

Video: Volume Automation in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created a video to help you learn more about the Volume Automation options in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Volume Automation

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#volume-automation

Video: Audio Input Monitoring with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created this short video to explain Audio Input Monitoring within Band-in-a-Box® 2024, and included some tips & troubleshooting details too!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Audio Input Monitoring

3:17: Tips
5:10: Troubleshooting

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#audio-input-monitoring

Video: Enhanced Melodists in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®!

We've enhanced the Melodists feature included in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows!

Access the Melodist feature by pressing F7 in the program to open the new MultiPicker Library and locate the [Melodist] tab.

You can now generate a melody on any track in the program - very handy! Plus, you select how much of the melody you want generated - specify a range, or apply it to the whole track.

See the Melodist in action with our video, Band-in-a-Box® 2024: The Melodist Window.

Learn even more about the enhancements to the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024upgrade/chapter3.htm#enhanced-melodist

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,399
Posts732,550
Members38,442
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
danielsk, Mark Morgan, zagrajbarke, Ernest J, Izzy
38,442 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 199
Al-David 133
DC Ron 115
rsdean 85
dcuny 83
Today's Birthdays
(charlie), WobblyGstring
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5