Music Or Lyrics First?

By Mike Wilkinson

Co-Writer: Some head named Mark Grove

This is an old repost and I'm not sure on the year. That's about right for me. But this article with Mike Wilkinson,he gives you the skinny on whether you should be writing the lyrics first or writing and creating the music first.

Lets see what Mike says...

I gave Mike one of our regular writers on songwriting a tough question on song writing that even stymied the likes of the Berklee grad. I didn't let Mike off the hook though, and I made it tough so Mike and writers and musicians challenge themselves. Songwriting is a tough part of the musicians creative process you need not just to have material for an upcoming album, but to learn both the lyric and music writing and composing aspects of being a musician.



Some will be strong in both elements of writing, and some will be strong at just one. If your writing strength is lyrics and you have a band, then ask your band members to write and compose the music. Even get someone to teach you what you're not good at. But don't try to do something if you continue to flounder in one part of songwriting.



That's why you should delegate other band members not just to write but to feel more part of the process and to learn and eventually feel better about taking a cut of CD sales,Online sales and any points on music publishing income. I like to write music how to articles that are long not just for the sake of having lots of words, but to teach musicians and be able to take them further in their songwriting and music careers.


Are you better at one part of songwriting than another?


Mike Wilkinson:


This is a much easier question for me to answer. I know that when I started, I started writing music first, because I was already a piano player.


I think the best way to determine what they should learn to do first is to find out where their strengths lie. Do they already play an instrument or are they better at putting a pen to paper and coming up with a story. That should help determine what they should learn to do first.

I know when I went to classes, I did both the lyric writing and music writing together. I know that when I write a song,I usually start with the lyrics or the music as separate entities and then change one to fit the other. Then if they don't work at all,I usually leave them as separate entities and send them out separately. But I usually try and have them fit together.


Mark Grove:

In ending, songwriting is an important part of the process and learning to write your own original material can take both the lyric and music ends of writing to another level. You'll also learn to write and play music your way, not copy others.

All musicians and creative artists steal to some degree. You can't get around that. Some of you will say you never steal a word,guitar lick or any aspect of someone's song. Yeah, right. Don't try and fool the readers of Canadian Guitar Player.

That's why you learn to write your own way and keep it original. Learn to write not just the genre of music you're involved in, but include other types of music to challenge your writing even further.

For more info on songwriting contact Mike Wilkinson at: mikesmusic@shaw.ca

Peace,

Mark

Songwriting Basics By Mike Wilkinson

Songwriting: The Art of a Thousand Words


By Michael Wilkinson


Introduction by Mark Grove


Michael Wilkinson is a piano player who started at a young age and grew up in a music filled family. Michael has evolved both as a writer of music and lyrics. Michael is currently a Berklee student, not just trying to become an accomplished Piano player, but wants to learn all aspects of songwriting, music business and the the technological side of the music biz. Songwriting is the most important part of the whole process for Michael.


Mr.Wilkinson is a native of Calgary, Canada and has the drive and determination to succeed as a musician and song writer. For more info On Michael Wilkinson, go to http://go.berkleemusic.com/music4ever . Mike also has music files of his solo piano work you can listen to.You can email Michael at: mikesmusic@shaw.ca .

Writing music/lyrics or both has many different functions to a person's and ultimately a society's life. Songwriting affects us as a society more than we might think.Think of the last time you heard a song.Where were you? Chances are you were in your car, on a plane, in a restaurant or in a movie.Music is everywhere we go in society today.There is someone who is writing the music that you hear.There is always room for more music to be written.As we grow, we change and our likes and dislikes change.This is evident in the ever-changing popularity of certain types of music.

Songwriting is something that, for many people, comes naturally. It seems to flow from them like wine flows at a dinner party. Don’t be fooled though. Many people take years and years to refine and give voice to their craft. It isn’t very often that people are an over night success. Even when it comes to a proclaimed “over night success”, many times the artists have been working towards that goal for years prior to the success’ arrival.


Songwriting, like anything in life, takes practice and persistence. Writing music and lyrics that people can relate to isn’t as easy as some people may think. There are so many ways a songwriter can say something that a person would never say in the ‘real’ world. Writing songs is a way for the songwriter to express themselves and their emotions to the world, so the world will listen. If a person was to say something about love over and over again, the effects of what they said would eventually wear off and you would get sick of hearing it. However, when you listen to an album of songs, there might be 8 or 10 songs that are “love” songs, but they all seem different and unique in their own way.

It is amazing how music brings people together and allows a person to express how they really feel, but maybe in a more subtle and indirect way. There are so many more ways in a song that a person can say something, than in a normal everyday conversation. In Michael’s next article I will include notings on his style of piano, and the type of piano he plays with.

Michael Wilkinson

Mark Grove --CGP