Songwriting

Greetings,

Welcome to a thread about songwriting. I’m so thankful that the LORD is a musician: “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV). Also, Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn after the Passover meal not long before his betrayal (Matthew 26:30).

As a result of the many Psalms attributed to him in the Bible, most Christians are aware of King David’s prolific musical output. They might not be as aware of his son Solomon’s songwriting skills, though, composing a whopping 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32).

Those familiar with the book of Psalms will likely recall the directive to sing a new song to the LORD, as for instance in Psalm 33:3. As such, this thread is dedicated to the art and craft of songwriting. There are so many ways for us to help each other write new songs, from sharing song facts to discussing songwriting techniques.

Please share your thoughts on songwriting here, musician and non-musician alike. Music is truly an inexhaustible blessing.

Musically,

Eternal Fire

Awesome thread Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas.

I love music, songs, and singers. Choirs, acoustics, shofars, strings, drums, harps, even accapella.
My late uncle was a barber shop singer, harmony style in Canada. In the olden days (70’s) they were really good. No instruments, just their different ranges of vocals that created harmonious melodies, a bit like the group Naturally 7 but those guys do sound effects too, the good kind of sound effects.



I’d love to learn music, it’s on my bucket list to learn how to read music, and possibly write... not sure if I’d be any good though. An elder in a Church I went to a few years back spoke over me during prayer that I’m a songwriter.. so if I could learn music, I’d love to put music to my writings. I have some ideas but they’re in swaddling for now They range from despair, lamenting, to Praising, to asking for help & guidance. To declaring Truth, Promises, and His glory & glorious works.

Really love the score writers like James Newton Howard, Hans Zimmer, Rachel (can’t remember her last name) Thomas Newman, James what’s his last name? Horner.. !! Yet I’ve often wondered what that style of music would be like to songs like we might write on our journeys..

I read today in my study Bible about the different types of Psalms, and how our own songwriting could possibly reflect our own personal journeys in light of the types of Psalms there are, like Lamenting, Rejoicing, songs of ascent, seeking wisdom and Praising the Creator and King of glory.



There may be more though..


I didn’t know Jesus sang songs with His disciples, that’s so nice, after sharing a meal together to have a singalong. That’s so cool. Also didn’t know that Solomon wrote so many songs, wow.. that’s a lot!
I guess Solomon had a lot to share about from his life.

God bless your melodies!

Hey everyone! So glad that the thread was able to get started! What type of songs do you primarily write? In addition, what is your favorite instrument? Maybe we can help each other if we find some commonalities. Personally, I am good at writing lyrics but the melodies are difficult for me to put together.

I don't write anymore, but when i was writing lyrics i just wrote whatever hit me. It started out being topical, but over time it transitioned to more personal/venting.
There wasn't a lot to it, put some music on reflecting the tone i was interested in writing and go. I wrote anywhere from a few times a week to a few times a day, depending. By the time i quit i must've had a 100 pages. This was from 14-21 years old. I've tried writing here and there since, but find it harder to invest in it how i used to.

You're welcome, Deror. You mentioned some great music. A Cappella music is awesome. Naturally 7 reminds me of Take 6. "Come Unto Me" is one of my favorite songs by the group.


A beginning course in the fundamentals of music theory may be beneficial for your quest to learn how to read music. There are also many books and online resources that are helpful. Learning the basics of playing the piano is also helpful for understanding music theory.

It sounds like that elder is right. They make songwriting journals, so perhaps you can acquire one to write down those ideas.

I'm a fan of film music, too. You mentioned some great film composers. John Williams and Howard Shore are two of my favorites.

That's so cool about your Bible study today. Thanks for posting the picture. Those subject matters are great starting places.

Thank you for your kind words,
Eternal Fire

Hi IA-Mermaid,

Great questions. I primarily write Pop music in the vein of The Beatles. By this I mean, songs with catchy melodies and instrumental hooks.

I don't have a favorite instrument. There are just too many to love. I can competently play the drums, bass, piano, and guitar. I sing as well, but I am more of a background vocalist than a lead vocalist.

I find lyric writing very therapeutic. Finding the right melody for a lyric can be tough. There's a great series called The Songwriter's Workshop by Berklee Press. Melody is the focus of one of the books in the series. Check it out: http://berkleepress.com/songwriting/the-songwriters-workshop-melody/

I can definitely relate to venting via writing lyrics. It's neat that you put on music to set the mood for the lyrics to come forth. It seems like I had more time to write during that period of my life, too.

Song development, is painful, personal, perpetually drawing from the depths of heart mind and soul.
a look in the mirror, a glance to the side, a consistent
struggle with self, ending in tears and a cry for respite,
I am thankful to God who have me such a gift.

e
My favorite instruments to play are piano and bass guitar. I want to learn how to play acoustic.

I would like to start writing music but I’m not totally sure where to start. Most of the placeholder lyrics I think of tend to be goofy or gross. I play guitar and mostly blues.

Maybe I should write down some goody songs to get it out of my system.

Awesome combination. Who are some of your main influences? Are you working on any pieces in particular at present?

Acoustic guitar fascinates me. This site has helped me grow in my acoustic guitar playing (I'm not trying to sell you on resources that I post. I just want to pass along credible options). Guitareo is the name, and they have an upcoming online course for those who want to learn the acoustic guitar. Check it out: https://www.guitareo.com/acoustic-guitar-made-easy

That sounds like a good place to start. Music for kids comes to mind. I love some of the songs used in Veggie Tales.

Beautiful description. I love the song development process!

Writing takes practice and even if you think it is goofy, it is practice. I would encourage you to write them down!

I was working on a praise song and then stopped. I tend to write instrumental paint pieces too but I just have not had much time. I want to be able to play acoustic because it is very helpful in the songwriting process and a guitar is easier to carry around than a piano. I'm not sure who my main influences are entirely. I like Michael W. Smith's instrumental music. But I really enjoy Hillsong, Bethel Music, etc for praise songs.

Are you working on anything at the moment? Are there any song lyrics that you would like to share?

Not if you have help...

Those are some great influences. Michael W. Smith has many awesome songs.

Praise songs are so important. Were you using any scriptures for the lyrics?

One thing I’ve really been pondering lately is the biblical context of the scriptures that I’m using in my lyrics. Check out these videos by a bible scholar named Dr. Craig Keener. I think he’s making some truly valuable points.

Awesome replies, need more time to respond properly.
Thanks Eternal Fire for starting this thread Its a blessing.
God Bless everyone

Thank you, Deror. I’m glad you’re enjoying it