Originally Posted By: Hugh2
Thanks Dga
Thats very helpful adjusting the syllables.
Is it easier if your a good singer to adjust the lyrics?or does that make no difference.I was thinking it might be a good idea to hum or la la la the melody but i havent tried it yet.For me its about keeping the melody and adjusting the lyrics at the moment and keeping the same song message.If it were easy to do it probably wouldnt be as satisfying lol thanks


When I write lyrics, I find myself adding long phrases like "its a real good time" 5 syllables for example. This can be changed with some creativity to "good times" 2 syllables, or "really good times" 3 or 4 syllables depending how you sing really, "some good times" 3 syllables.

In reverse "so sure" can be changed to "I'm not so sure" "But, I'm not so sure", "I can't be that sure"

I'm not saying these are good lyrics, I'm just illustrating how to add or subtract syllables to make the words fit the note values in the melody.

La,la,la,la, and humming the melody may lock the melody into your head. So if you are searching for a word that fits in and you have 5 words.

You may sing Beatles tune "I want to la la Ha Ha Hand" they may have been thinking "I want to kiss your ugly hand" But, lucky for them they landed on "I want to hold your Ha A and"

Which brings us to a great issue. Sticking in some extra syllables. Stretching out a word to fit the melody.

Yes, and when all else fails use oooh, oooh, la,la,la or do do do do do. Mrs Robinson for example, Paul Simon went around for a couple of weeks singing the verse melody, with just do do do do do do do do's........Finally Art says Paul either write a song or stop singing that. Within a day Simon wrote Mrs Robinson. And he kept in the inspiration for the song those infamous do do do do's....

"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"