About Daniel Johnson Expertise I can answer questions on verse and chorus construction.
I can answer questions on lyric and melody writing.
I can suggest ways to overcome writers block and to spark a creative flow.
I can`t answer advanced questions about notation or music theory.
I can`t answer questions about composing classical music or eastern music.
Experience I am an active songwriter and have been writing off and on for over 35 years. I have written and performed in a wide variety of styles, including folk, rock, pop, bluegrass, country, old school R&B and soul. Over the years I've performed my original songs in a variety of bands, duos and solo in the USA, Canada, Europe and Central America.
Publications I co-author a songwriting newsletter, the Songwriter's Tip Jar and I started an online songwriter forum also called Songwriter's Tip Jar.
Education/Credentials I studied classical music at Penn State University as well as guitar, jazz and theory with several excellent private teachers.
Question Hey Dan,
Hehe, for a minute I thought you might be the other songwriter Daniel Johnson, but his kind of subjective, looney genius probably wouldn't be able to answer my question.
I'm a young writer and musician who religiously listens to those like Zappa, Beatles, Phish, the Dead, etc... I notice that there is a big difference between the style they seem to have (which I think is more like colorful short-stories), and the way that most other musicians seem to play (fiddling with dry experiments to see if it works for a while). Is this just an issue of taste in style?
The reason I bring this up is that listening to these favorites influenced me to write some catchy songs of my own, in my own style. But for the past few years, some distractions have diffused a lot of that inspiration. Bob Dylan says he doesn't pick up the guitar or write without feeling a reason to, and I similarly feel that unless I have the inspiration to write a sweet song, there's no reason to fiddle around with hollow attempts.
Is this how it works? I know it's a deep question, but in your experience or to your knowledge, do good songs come from luck after long and hard work, or should the hard work go into only realizing visions?
Many thanks!
--Sean
Answer Sean,
Here's my answer and it's only my personal opinion. I suspect every songwriter you ask will give you a different answer.
In my opinion, well-written songs most often come from someone who has been working at it awhile and who writes regularly (I suggest daily). Sometimes it takes writing a lot of mediocre songs before a good one pops out.
And most (not all) well-written songs are the result of writing AND editing - by that I mean, the first draft is not the same as the final draft. For some people editing takes place over weeks and months; others edit over a shorter time period. For sometimes it may take 22 drafts to get it just right.
It doesn't matter how many drafts it takes you, it doesn't matter how much time transpires. When you have a song you are happy with, that's what matters. Of course, there are the exception, Bob Dylan, for example.
And among us mortal songwriters, there are the rare occasions when a song is written, start to finish, in a very short time. Sometimes it doesn't even need a lot of editing.
However, I wouldn't want to wait around for those moments. Or, to put it another way, while I'm waiting for that once in a lifetime flash of inspiration, I'll keep working on writing songs (to learn the craft and hone my skills), so that when the a good idea hits, I'll be ready for it.
I hope this answers your question. To see more opinions on this topic and other songwriting issues, visit my blog: http://songwriterstipjar.wordpress.com
