So today I went to a special song writing class they had just for today. I had to ask all my work duty helpers to have the day off, so yesterday I bought them all ice coffees as an apology thing (used the gift card I got from the talent show ^^). But I had people from the International House of Prayer teach us which was really awesome xD.
I wrote down 12 different things, so I'll share them with you all (probably nothing that amazing, but its all good):
1) Have something to say (dont just try to force words when you have nothing to say). If you really have nothing to say, you can pray for something to say if you're desperate haha. But it's best to write something you're passionate about.
2) The prayers we pray in the winter turn into our songs in the Summer. A lot of times our struggles may turn into songs of rejoicing later on in our lives.
3) Humility is the doorway for anything to happen. Be open when you ask people of their opinions on your songs, but remember that all your songs aren't going to be as amazing as you think they are. Listen to people's advice, but remember that you're the song writer, not them, so it's up to you to change or keep certain things in your songs.
4) If you're writing for corporate worship (songs to sing in church) instead of for Jesus (missing the focus), you'll be turning to the Bible just for lyrics instead of life, and it'll lead to a shallow and empty life. Maybe you'll get famous for a few months, but then people will start to realize that there's nothing past the songs, no real passion in your life.
5) Really great melodies have repetition and then variation on that repetition.
6) If you leave your guitar in your case, 90% less chance of writing a song. Buy a guitar stand and put it where you spend most of your time.
7) For half written songs, don't force it (force a completion), but force yourself to keep going back to it. It may take years to finish one song.
8) Find someone better to help you become better. If the only person you see is yourself, you won't get very far or won't be as creative as you could be.
9) The spirit of fear wants to keep songwriters down, the spirit of isolation wants to keep you from expressing your talents/thoughts, and the spirit of comparison wants to keep you from sharing your songs with others.
10) The tip of the spear is YWAM' all here for a reason.
11) The trail winds blow, but it's up to you to catch it. Everyone's sails are different and not everyone will sail in the same way. A new season of creativity is here.
12) This is what the teachers told me when they prayed over me:
-That my words seemed tangled in my heart, and that it's hard for me to express them, but he prayed that God will release that and stir up the words in my heart. Also said that it seems like I'll write songs in a very poetic but different way.
-Another leader said that she felt I won't only write songs in English, but also another language (probably Korean).
Well that's everything I wrote down, so if you're thinking of writing any songs, hope it somehow helps, if not, thanks for reading? haha.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Nice! Those are awesome tips!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I try to remember is something I heard from a Hillsong Song Writing seminar was that you should never lie in your songs.
Like for example, it is very like that you'll actually go the ends of the earth to search for God. It's a good line, but still very unlikely..
Haha ya, wouldn't wanna be hypocritical, but funny how one of their songs is "To the ends of the earth" haha.
ReplyDeleteI've written a few songs here already, but haven't put a melody or words to them as usual x.x; Just got some cool, weird chorded rhythms down haha
You had a couple those when you were here :P haha
ReplyDeleteBut strong rythm is always good.. Just don't make a melody before your lyrics like last time -_-;; It's so hard to write lyrics for a specific melody.. Always easier the other way around..
Haha, ya so true, I just totally suck at writing with a passion. Gah, I need to read poetry or something or...like a dictionary cuz my vocab and writing style totally suck haha. I realized my vocabulary is less than a FOB's hahah.
ReplyDeleteEven though that class is about praise song writing, no matter what kind of lyrics you sing the simplest rule is to find inspiration in your own life.
ReplyDeleteThat's to say, don't try and THINK hard about it, or don't try and imagine what would sound cool, just let your experiences and feelings influence the lyrics you write, those are the truly original and most often than not beautiful lyrics.