The Wonderful Noise

15 Responses to “Songwriting”

1. 1 Wisdom Jan 7th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

   I’ve been writing songs probably since jr. high. One book I’ve found helpful that I read just a few months ago is God Songs by Paul Baloche and Jimmy & Carol Owens. It’s a really good book on how to craft worship songs.

2. 2 portorikan Jan 7th, 2008 at 6:32 pm

   Do it man. Just write and sing. In terms of learning, I’ve been checking out this book by Pat Pattision called Writing Better Lyrics. That one is what I’m going through now and I feel it’s helped, but the thing that has helped me the most is actually sitting down and doing it. Amazing how that works.
   

3. 3 Rich Kirkpatrick Jan 8th, 2008 at 12:08 am

   Go for it! Worship leadership is enriched by a leader who can journal his/her journey and speak the voice of their unique church. So, just do it–the only way to get good is to do and redo.

4. 4 John Braheny Jan 8th, 2008 at 10:16 am

   For a great (and easy) beginning, I suggest you read my book (over 70,000 copies sold), “The Craft and Business of Songwriting.” You can find it on Amazon.com or at most Barnes & Noble or Border’s bookstores. Be sure to ask for the 3rd edition (2007 copyright). Good luck!
   John Braheny, Los Angeles

5. 5 MrsTostada Jan 8th, 2008 at 8:52 pm

   Well to put in my two cents.. I just say let the Spirit and the Word of God lead You.. I know that if You seek Him, He will give You all that you need. I know that was such a cliche answer.. but true.. Go for and and let Jesus lead you

6. 6 Eric Beeman Jan 8th, 2008 at 11:53 pm

   Just go for it… oh wait, I think someone might have said that already.

   Seriously though, write and re-write and re-write. Don’t be afraid to start an idea and leave it undone. One of my favorite songs from Charlie Hall is a song that took him over 3 years to complete.

   I’ve found that writing is like anything else, it takes discipline. Set aside a time each week to do it. I have a little black book with blank pages that I write in. The key is to just write and write and write and write. It’s always good to carry an mp3 recorder with you so that you can lay down an idea when it comes and then refer back to it. I like to try different methods and different locations for writing. I’ve written songs in my office, at retreats, at the beach, on the phone, etc. I even wrote a song while waiting for my Pastor to stop rambling at the end of a service once. It’s called “Still”. Hilarious!

   Also, some of my songs have come out of necesity. I’ll be putting together a set list for a certain message and be like, “man, I need a song that says this…” The next thing you know I’m writing it. But I have to say that my best songs have come out of my personal experiences. “On my knees again” is probably one of my most popular songs. It came out of the time my wife told me that she might have breast cancer (long story). People really connect with that one.

   Anyway, I’d say don’t be afraid to write a bad lyric.
   And even more important, don’t be afraid to scrap it…

   Wow, I can’t believe how much I just wrote… I need to go write a song!

   Thanks for the inspiration.

7. 7 Beck's Mom Jan 9th, 2008 at 11:58 am

   The year-end update we snail-mailed to you bounced back. Can you get your current mailing address to us, PLEASE???

8. 8 Paul J. Jan 9th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

   I remember talking to Bill and Gloria Gaither years ago…they said they started writing because they needed songs that said certain things that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Total necessity. My best songs have come out of the life and needs of our church. As worship leaders and writers, we have the wonderful gift of giving voice to the people in our flock. They don’t know the words they want to say to God. We get to help them with that. What a blast.
   Keep a notebook, write whatever comes to mind. Set aside time every week or every day, whatever you can afford, even if nothing comes out. It’s a discipline, just like lifting weights or learning a new instrument. You get better at it.
   And don’t fear the rewrite.

9. 9 Victor Estrada Jan 9th, 2008 at 9:54 pm

   Hey Everyone, thanks for all the feedback on this… I love hearing from you all. Thanks.

10. 10 Matt Jan 10th, 2008 at 7:51 am

    I’ve been wanting to write more as well. All the songs I have written were done on my own…but I’ve been wanting to build some relationships where I’d be able to co-write stuff. My thought is that there’s a lot of value in songs written in community like that. Haven’t done it yet…so don’t listen to me.

11. 11 mandy Jan 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am

    i’d say write as often as you have time… this will keep you fresh and will give you lots of brainstorming juice that flows well!

    and don’t make it a science… the songs come when they come. sometimes just a melody. sometimes just words….

    keep it all - record it/write it down as quickly as you can.

12. 12 Krista D Jan 11th, 2008 at 6:08 am

    I have been feeling the same way, but have had a hard time setting time aside to do it! either way, I don’t think you should be nervous about it. Writing a song is kind of like praying. You are expressing your heart to God. It doesn’t really even have to be that complicated. However, if it is one that you want to share with your congregation, you will need to go over it a few times and get some input. I hear that half the songs that bands write to put on CD’s get scrapped by producers.

    Do you still speak spanish? I don’t remember. My fave worship leader is Marco Barrientos and he does some awesome spontaneous songs on their cd’s. They aren’t that complicated, but they really touch people. He gives me inspiration.

13. 13 Chris Jan 11th, 2008 at 9:47 am

    I’ve found co-writing to be really valuable for me this year. I’ve started a songwriters group at my church and I’ve also been writing with some friends - we get together every few months with the intent of writing together.

    “God Songs” is definitely a book I’d recommend.

14. 14 Alastair Jan 16th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    Hi Victor,

    I’ve been feeling the tug now too for ages. I need to start writing songs again. I know exactly what you mean when you say your nervous. It’s nearly like you’re afraid someone will stumble across one of your unfinished songs in a notebook and laugh their heads off… (or is this just my personal fears!!??)

    Anyway, hope you pick up the pen soon and I look forward to hearing some original material on your blog.

    Alastair

15. 15 Jeff Thompson Jan 28th, 2008 at 4:43 am

    The first thing I’d recommend is only taking advice from people whose song writing ability you respect! Just like you wouldn’t take guitar advice from someone who can only play a 70% accurate G-chord, don’t take advice from anybody who hasn’t actually written a good song. Sorry if that offends anyone but it seems like common sense to me…

    Somebody already mentioned it but the Paul Baloche song writing book really is great. I also recommend having someone to bounce the songs off of. My wife has been trained (by me) to me pretty brutally honest! She’s not musical at all but that’s the beauty of it - she’s the average congregation member, so she’s great at letting me know if a melody is too complex to sing along to or if the syncopation and lyrics are confusing.

    The best advice I could give is that worship song writing is radically different to any other form of song writing. The melodies need to be easy to pick up, the chorus needs to have a “hook” that’s catchy, it needs to avoid cliche-d rhyming schemes (e.g. “cross” with “lost”) and it needs to not suck. Writing a creative song within those constraints is the great challenge of worship song writing.

    I’d listen to some great worship songs and try to figure out what characteristics make the song good.

    Don’t judge your songs right away. Come back to it a week later because in the moment, every songwriter thinks the song they’ve just written is the greatest thing ever. There’s no rush - let the songs sit for a while before you share them with the congregation and make sure that God’s “in” the song.

    If it’s obvious which song in your worship set is an original, it’s probably not at the quality level it needs to be. All original worship material blesses the Lord but it needs to be at a certain quality level in order to bless the congregation (can I get an “amen”?)!

    The best advice I ever received was “There’s no such thing as good song writing - only good song re-writing”. If you’re serious about writing, it really comes down to how well you can “work it” when the inspiration of the moment runs out.

    Go for it and keep us posted!

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