I have a lecturer who is teaching me many aspects of Songwriting. Of all the lecturers I have met on my journey towards a Music Degree, he has been the most influential and the most challenging. Because of his honesty, knowledge and talent I am becoming a much better songwriter who really communicates what I want to say. Another lecturer I had said to the class when you write a successful song it is because you have communicated something to the listener that they can relate to and adopt as their own story. The song is for them not me. Although I understood this in my head adopting it in my song writing was proving difficult. Working out the nuts and bolts of a concept is the most important practice a person can do. To simply understand something and not be able to reproduce it is about as useful as a chocolate mug in a coffee shop. The lecturer I have now has worked through the nuts and bolts of the concept so that I can create my own songs better for the listener.
Most of my songs, he would say, are written internally. This means I write from my perspective only, telling the listener what I think about a topic. There is no room for them to relate it to themselves and get involved in the story of the song. So my challenge is write songs that are external to me but still give the message I want to say. If my songs are external to me then there is room for the listener to interpret the songs in relation to their own situations and experiences. The songs can then become part of their story as well. This has always been my desire but I have not had the tools and knowledge to communicate this way. I feel like a light bulb moment has happened and it is my hope that songs flow from me that touch other people’s hearts and lives.
Watch this space as I journey further.
All Things Musical. 