Years and years ago, well okay, 1994, I had only an acoustic guitar and my voice to make music with. Guess what. I wrote so many songs. Good ones, damn it, great ones.

With these songs and my guitar I would dream of the days when I would have all the other neccessary gear to play and record every little thing I could think of.

Well guess what. I'm at a point now when I can play and record anything I want...but there are no songs anymore.

So often I sit in my studio and start creating a beat or a riff or loop which may or may not become a solid groove. If it does become a good groove, I usually don't have the time to do anything with it right then so I save everything and promise myself to do something with it later. Well the next time I sit down, I'm already thinking of some new thing I concocted on my drive home from work or whatever and nothing ever gets finished or grows.

I need to write some songs like the old days with only my guitar. That's when the song gets recorded and great production work on it, you know? Inside yourself. You know how it starts developing, and you start adding all the instruments and voices, and then that one breakdown or sudden crescendo and it just becomes something wonderful?

That's when I should go into the studio. When the song is done. When my head and heart are bursting, not when I just feel the need to make some music.

Can U relate?

.
[This message was edited Mon Aug 4 21:26:35 PDT 2003 by feltbluish]

yeah i can relate!

I have up to 100 songs i only made with vocals, some with just a mouth beat box beat, or pounding on a box and singin at the same time. Damn. In 1995 i was really really out of it making little broadway show tunes, and pop songs in differnet voices (that were very sexual and gay in the same time...hard 2 explain). Even made albums out of them.


I knind of abandoned all that stuff and stick 2 my real sruff now. I cant make songs like that no more because i have grown alot, and the "real" songs started comin out.

I may post some of those old stuff on my mp3 site tho.

thnx 4 the memory..and "Sweet Little Girl" is bangin man!

Yes, I can totally relate. Limits can be everything. Sometimes it feels overwhelming to have too many choices are distractions. And a lot of times, that's what a producer or band is for. You come in with the heart and soul of a song, and direct them on how to embellish it into something complete and detailed. I've had the same trouble. When I first got my 8track studio, I had ideas constantly. And some of them turned into fully formed songs. But then I got bogged down in sound and detail instead of singing and playing and recording and that's when the creativity stopped. It sucks.

feltbluish said:

I have this all the time, I guess I have like 200 unfinished grooves recorded. Seldom I find the time (AND INTEREST!) to do "The Work" and turn them into fullfledged songs. I love creating grooves but arranging a song is like work to me, it takes a lot of time and is very boring to me.

Fortunately, when I work with Ingmar (my 2funkE partner) we get to finish songs. He is very experienced and his MPC2000 is very easy for arranging a song. But when I work alone I seldom get to finish a song...

You had it right the first time, FeltBluish. Write THE SONG first, and then build the loops and grooves and jams around it. if you just sit at the table with the doodads gizmos and machines, most of the time you're just producing random grooves.

But with just an acoustic guitar, or a piano, or even just a pen and paper, your write the blueprint for the song FIRST... and then build all that other stuff around it.

At least, I finally realized THAT was how it worked for ME. If I walk into the studio (uhh, go to the basement) and say "I'm gonna write a jam" and start playing with the toys, I write a jam that goes no where, even if I add changes, bridges, etc... it just has no direction.

BUT if I sit with a guitar and work out a song, away from the studio, then when I come to the studio with THAT in hand, the song sounds 100% better.

Okay, maybe 84.5% better.

This issue was another thing that could be on my "feel like your forcing it thread".

It's also what I've been experiencing and I've decided to step away from the recording for a bit. I'll use drum loops but just playing through the speakers to play along with.

For me, the work of building a good song has never been work until recently. I think everyone here is all on the same page as far as why.

The musicians here are not only good musicians but good people. I feel lucky to be able to have these discussions.

Thanks

yeah guys, i agree with all of u. Sometimes random jams can be a good workout for an idea to create a real song. But if the jam turn out 2 be sum bullshit, then it may affect how u do something next time cuz i b thinkin "oh this one is gonna be bad 2"


Maybe u need some1 like JD 2 say "Make a DAMN SONG! AND CALL IT THIS!!" that's how i got started on "Sensuality" and then "Denials" came up, someone tellin me. That's what i needed. i guess like a sargent or sumthin.

I feel you cats! I've got lots of unfinished instrumentals or grooves recorded, but then you have to try to force your lyrics to conform to those grooves, which can be stifling. Most of my songs that came out decent at least had a chorus worked out before I started recording the music. (By the way, I have new songs on MP3.com for you guys to comment on - Otan? Cloud? PP4?) But, sometimes when I'm working on another song I get a riff or progression that I don't want to lose so I hurry up and record it or I'll forget it. I went through my recordings about a month ago and couldn't remember laying down some of this stuff - or how I even played it!

Thanks folks. I actually feel a sense of relief, realizing that this is not only my problem.

Otan, what you said, I think is right on.

I should probably put all my focus into recording all those great songs I did write before all the gadgetry. Its hard though, to turn off the creative juices when it comes to new ideas, sounds and hooks etc...

If I can just redirect the energy into the gold I know exists in the old stuff, I'll probably be happier and more satisfied.

Also Funkaholic and Tron mentioned a producer or at least a musical "partner in crime". I yearn for this. Alas, at this point in my life when I am most ready, there isn't one I can connect with.

I need to find someone who believes and is willing to do the work with me. I can guarantee magic and success.

Thank you guys.

When I find the time to get some stuff done, I'll make sure to have it available for you all to hear. It would mean so much to hear your feedback.

Much love,

Dan (feltbluish, wadadli)

btw..if you login to my briefcase at Yahoo, you can check out a recent pic of me onstage at a festival doing some dancehall with the band I work with.
username = fabulousreeds
password = tummysun824
[This message was edited Tue Aug 5 20:37:56 PDT 2003 by feltbluish]

feltbluish said:

Consider writing a song in 7/8 time... How about a 12-tone improvised exploration? Who needs structure anyway? Writing a song should never be a forced experience. If your muse isn't paying you visits like she used to then maybe you should take a break... take a year off in Bali or, or somewhere, and chill... dood.

I write down ideas all day. I usually take 2 or 3 line statements and turn the concepts of those statements into songs. Sometimes, I make the music first, sometimes I have the lyrics or idea first. The only thing that ever blocks me is when I get those few lines of verse then I can't think of enough material to go with them. At that point, those few lines of verse usually become hooks or little phrases I throw in other songs.

I understand where you are coming from in a way, but I really never had the equipment to do what I really want to do. If I did, I would be a very happy man!

Peace,
JD