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Thread: Songwriting

  1. #1

    Default Songwriting

    Are there any good resources for songwriting on the mandolin?

  2. #2
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Songwriting

    What kind of resources were you thinking of? And would they be different from songwriting on another instrument?
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  3. #3

    Default Re: Songwriting

    Are you asking about how to get musical ideas that will sound good on the mandolin? Or asking about how to write them down so others can play them?

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    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: Songwriting

    Are you asking about melody writing? Try recording your noodling to listen to "later". This will allow you to accumulate ideas. Lyrics writing is an entirely different skill set. When you have an idea write it down or record it immediately , phone , tablet, hard copy whatever. Good ideas strike often when your mind is otherwise occupied but resurface rarely. Luck.... R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  6. #5

    Default Re: Songwriting

    Quote Originally Posted by UsuallyPickin View Post
    Are you asking about melody writing? Try recording your noodling to listen to "later". This will allow you to accumulate ideas. Lyrics writing is an entirely different skill set. When you have an idea write it down or record it immediately , phone , tablet, hard copy whatever. Good ideas strike often when your mind is otherwise occupied but resurface rarely. Luck.... R/
    How to create melodies specifically for the mandolin e.g. blues, country etc

  7. #6
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Songwriting

    Good resource? Yes, MandolinCafe!
    I was going to say switch the radio on, but well there is internet radio. Anyway I’d start by listening to popular songs and not necessarily ones you even like. How are they are put together? Strip away the superficial texture of the sounds, play it as double stops or with a guitar.
    Check acoustic covers on YouTube
    Use the mando to immediately work out the key of the song, then the main riffs, and how they repeat.
    Try to think of songs as I,V,VI,IV for example. How would the lyrics move with this pattern, knowing the VI is minor and the IV doesn’t want to go home?
    Special attention every time you hear any phrases that have a lot of power, a build up, then relief, notice if this is part of a pattern, which chords or riffs are associated.
    IMPORTANT, notice how simple a lot of the songs are.
    Remember that a lot of songs may sound good because they repeat or mimic sounds or lyrics in other recent songs. They’re like the continuation of a story.
    Write indirectly about what you yourself feel using some external event or thing, a motif I think it’s called, eg. ‘it’s raining again’ -meaning? but keep it simple.
    Stick to things that average people think about, and can easily understand, let the juxtaposition of these ideas get people to think about the deeper meanings of your song, for them.
    It must seem simple until you think about it.
    Never just listen to a song. If you love a song, work out why, ask others why they like it.
    Remember that other people often have strong ideas about a song but can’t verbalise them. Ask more questions, or try to remember the different comments on a similar subject. Try not to take one position. Write universally.
    Never, ever, under estimate the power of three or four notes that reply to the singer at the end of a phrase -three or four notes played on the mandolin.
    Wow, that’s a lot of sentences! Thanks for the motivation.


    My 10 cents worth. Good luck.
    Last edited by Simon DS; Oct-09-2019 at 4:41pm.

  8. #7
    Registered User mmuussiiccaall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Songwriting

    Pick a key and focus on a number as home base in order to get different modes for a melody. If you need chords to fit what you come up with I have a chart for that, I got a million of 'em!

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Mandolin Intervals Master.pdf 
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  10. #8
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    Default Re: Songwriting

    If you go to page 2 of this forum you will see a thread call 'Songwriters' - there is some good general tip/information on there . . . .

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