tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post9139769772595410608..comments2023-03-11T06:03:26.748-08:00Comments on Tunesmith Tales: Have You Found Your Key???Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398785433006908603noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post-53706241668012455012015-03-11T05:25:08.675-07:002015-03-11T05:25:08.675-07:00After leading songwriter's workshops for many ...After leading songwriter's workshops for many years, I realize there are almost as many ways of writing songs as there are songwriters. I've written major portions of songs in my sleep (and I am NOT taking my guitar to bed,) and many, many songs driving my car. It's just the way I write, and a result of the way I live. It's also a result of not usually setting out to write a song.<br /><br />Back in the early sixties, when I first got serious (as serious as I ever get,) about writing songs, my friend Tom Paxton encouraged me to write a song every day. Worked for him, wouldn't work for me.<br /><br />I'd guess that more than fifty percent of the songs I've written were almost finished, before I picked up an instrument. That said, I agree 100% that each key on a guitar suggests its own rhythms and melodies to me. The key of E has a ringing bass line, and drives a song, for me. The key of G has a fullness to it, especially moving the F chord formation up and down the neck. It also lends itself to sliding into notes more, for some reason. I don't write a lot of songs on banjo, but the ones I've written sound so different than if I'd written them on guitar, that I can't successfully transplant them to a guitar arrangement.<br /><br />As a singer, I don't have a favorite key. When I joined a Male Chorus at a black Baptist church many years ago, the director tried to find "my" key. I sing songs in A, B (A capo'd,) C, D, E, F, and G. :-) It depends on the range of the melody.<br /><br />I REALLY like your advice, Brink. And by the way, although a lot of people have recorded songs of mine, no one ever made any money to speak of, doing it. :-) Razzgospelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07123303181737709507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post-55925914533940540632015-03-07T13:33:42.024-08:002015-03-07T13:33:42.024-08:00Great idea - I need to do this :D Great idea - I need to do this :D Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04590726138624712936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post-81104162707611152932015-03-01T16:40:41.598-08:002015-03-01T16:40:41.598-08:00Thanks for reading my blog Ron and Matt :) I appr...Thanks for reading my blog Ron and Matt :) I appreciate the comments!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02398785433006908603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post-26489057693329596742015-02-28T19:04:27.302-08:002015-02-28T19:04:27.302-08:00Brink : Great blog posts, Ive written songs > m...Brink : Great blog posts, Ive written songs > mostly instrumentals, but here's my keys so far, : G ( G - Whiz ) , Am ( The Macabees' ( Isralei - theme " see " folk dancers ),<br />D ( American River Bike Trail 2014 : Americana not bluegrass ), a few others... have you been to Walnut Creek Festival , KS ? It is my dream to go there some day ...<br /> Matt From CAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07172505270332098020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7243109016888667060.post-64056295151085288462015-02-28T07:19:31.950-08:002015-02-28T07:19:31.950-08:00This is a great suggestion. When I started writing...This is a great suggestion. When I started writing the songs all tended to sound the same. The change for me came when I let the band listen to the lyrics. The changes in keys, chords and timing started rolling and the music and songs improved significantly. I just started reading your blog and look forward to it. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520842271212925393noreply@blogger.com