Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
Interesting article Herb. The writer is certainly explaining the technique that has brought him success.

I typically feel an automatic resistance to any "rules" for creativity, however. His insistence that lyrics should be easily understood, for example... that may be desirable in some songs, but I have found that obscure lyrics are more inclined to draw me in and get me invested in my own interpretation. It doesn't matter if my interpretation is correct, it only matters that I'm sucked into the song enough to like it and hopefully buy it.

Even regarding the use of cliches.... generally speaking I agree its a bad idea, but I've heard songs where the cliche was part of the hook. If your goal is to throw your audience a curve, cliche is a great way to set their expectations very predictably. Then once you have them thinking you are going to point A... you go to point B instead.

In conclusion, I'm not disagreeing with the article as much as I am saying that creativity is best served without boundaries. Adherence to black and white rules can keep an artist from exploring idea mines where there may still be veins of gold left

<lurk mode ON>





Ya gotta follow The Rules, man. grin