Found this while recovering files from an old drive. It took me longer to type them up than to think them up, so don't take these as anything but a bit of entertainment. I posted this on another forum a long time ago, back before PGMusic invented drums.
Tangmo's 10+ Rules for Songwriting.
1. Don't be boring. If you ARE boring, then, for the sake of the song, pretend that you are somebody who isn't boring.
2. Don't use cliches...unless you have to in order to obey Rule #1
3. Remember the axiom: Write what you know. Then after you remember it, find the person who said it and shove it up his or her axiom! George Lucas didn't know anything about galaxies a long time ago and far away. He didn't in the 70's, and he still doesn't. Write whatever you want., as long as you don't break Rule #1.
4. Remember it's a song and make it 'song-sized'. You can't change the world anyway, so don't try to do it in a song. Think of lyrical subjects as water. Every song has essentially the same amount of water. You have two choices--small and deep, or broad and shallow. Go with small and deep and save everybody the trench-foot.
5. Don't write about your feelings. Nobody cares about your damn feelings! OK...maybe a few people kinda care, but even they don't care as much as you do, so don't burden them. Some of them have feelings of their own.
6. Hold a seat for your listener in the song. 90% of the time, you'll be saying something they WISH they could say. If they could say it and set it to music, THEY'D be writing the damn song. Save them the trouble and do it for them. We don't need more songwriters.
7. Never write about 'wearing smiles or frowns'. It was kinda cute the first time, but it sucks now--especially if its a clown. In fact, don't write about clowns at all. Nobody really likes them, and a significant portion of the populace is frightened by them. It's OK if your clown is 'evil', I guess...just remember rule #1.
8. Dana Carvey wrote 'Chopping Broccoli'.* Don't imitate him.
9. If it 'sings' good, it is good. Nothing else matters. Nothing.
10. A song is always sung. If it can't be sung, it's not a song, so don't call it one. Mozart would kick your [*****] if you called one of his symphonies a 'song'. Got it?
11. Don't follow anybody's rules for song-writing--not even mine. I have enough problems writing my own damn songs. I don't need the aggravation of enforcing rules. OK?
Rules? there are no rules. There are however, suggestions.
Ones I like to follow on occasion....
1. Keep intros as short as possible .... not to exceed 13 seconds 2. Get to the chorus in under 1 minute. 3. Don't repeat key words. 4. Don't use cliches ever. Well, almost ever. 5. Be done or really close to it in 3:30 minutes. Less is more. 6. It's OK to totally disregard rules 1 thru 5 now and then.
That's a start for me.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 04/03/2002:57 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos are here on our website.
Hahaha. Expert advice, TangMo. I saw the subject of the post, and my first reaction was like what Herb said. There ARE no rules, (except maybe...). But it was you posting, so I had to see what you said. Great entertainment! And I couldn't agree more ---or less!
I don't usually write boring songs, but sometimes they start a wildfire.
My personal rules:
1. Write BOLDLY!!! 2. Be courageous and don't let anyone bully you. 3. Write true to yourself. 4. Don't write too many sappy love songs or sad songs, unless you can put a unique spin on them. They are like cliches, been way overdone. 5. Don't let others discourage you. 6. Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. 7. Realize we are all different and not everyone is going to like what you write. 8. Who cares? Be persistent anyway, because more people will like you than those who don't. People will admire your courage to attempt something that others wouldn't.
Originally Posted by: Tangmo Found this while recovering files from an old drive. It took me longer to type them up than to think them up, so don't take these as anything but a bit of entertainment. I posted this on another forum a long time ago, back before PGMusic invented drums.
Quote:
Yes, There ARE Rules for Songwriting by Benjamin Samama Professionals are craftsmen; songwriters are not artists. Most of these hit tunes are written by proficient lyricists: skilled ones who know the proessays songwriting principles back to front. Notwithstanding the styles, a great text follows a specific arrangement of rules that ensures its intrigue to a bigger crowd.
That list was a good mood-lifter for me My personal rule: I always move when I write. I can't sit still, I just need either to walk around the room or do some exercises (a weird thing: only for the legs though). Maybe, the reason for it is that I studied kinesiology and psychology of movement at college and it's just one of the habits I have now:)
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(OK, maybe I'll slice it instead)
My personal rule: I always move when I write. I can't sit still, I just need either to walk around the room or do some exercises (a weird thing: only for the legs though). Maybe, the reason for it is that I studied kinesiology and psychology of movement at college and it's just one of the habits I have now:) 
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