JoeHempel wrote:Okay, last question I swear LOL.
Is going from say a G Chord to a G Barred Chord okay?
Ummmmm......I'll have to have a long deep serious ponder about that one.
Ummmmm......yeah, OK. I think changing from a G chord to a G chord qualifies as ONE chord.....but always remember, there are no rules - just guidelines. I don't actually care if you use one chord with several variations, or if you use, say an open tuning and use several chords in that key - you can call 'em 11ths, add 9ths, m7ths(#5) or whatever - THE POINT IS, and it's the ONLY point of this forum, to get you thinking about subjects you might not normally think about. Or writing in a different style to your normal style. Stick to the "rules," bend the "rules," break the "rules" (good old Status Quo song there - notice how I sneaked the Quo in again? Oh well never mind....) - it doesn't really matter. The assignment's just a suggestion to get your brain cells (cell, in my case...in the singular. Very much so.) going - if you get an idea for a song that DOESN'T fit the assignment, fine. Write the darn song anyway!
G - G6 - G5 - G7 - Gsus4 - Gadd9 - Gmaj7 - Gmin7 - G dim - Gaug - they're all variations on the same basic chord. Just stretch yourself - try and write something you wouldn't normally write.
Experiment - find a chord you've never used before. Use it in a new song.
Experiment - with different genres of music. If, like me you grew up with rock'n'roll and the Beatles - try something different.Jazz, rockabilly, blues....whatever.
Like I said, the whole point of this forum is to get you thinking outside the box - instead of writing songs from personal experience (ie writing about YOU!) write about someone or something else - no one ever said your SSG submissions had to be perfect. They're not, for the most part - but in my (very humble) opinion, most of them show a lot of promise. They show you want to write - you just need something to focus on. They show you CAN write - you've all got the gist of how to tell a story or sell a mood. They show that all most of you need is a subject to write about - that's my job. Find an interesting subject, and put it to you all in a way that makes you want to write. Half of that job's already done for me - you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to write your own songs, right?
But it's all down to YOU - you have to want to write. If you do, well, I'll try and give you an interesting subject to write about. And that's about it really. My qualifications for being able to separate the wheat from the chaff? None whatsoever - like you all, I'm just a struggling hack (well, OK not like ALL of you - you're not ALL struggling!) trying to write a decent lyric that won't be laughed at if I play it to, say, my mates in the pub after a few pints.....
All I can offer is a subject to write about, and my honest opinions, for what they're worth - and of course, opinions are subjective. But so far this year, I really didn't think it would be this easy - great response virtually every week, and some really good songs. I've enjoyed reading each and every one of them - I've tried to post a comment on every song, but I missed out on week 10 - that was a busy week for me.
All I can say to each and every one of you is, keep on doing what you're doing - it's working so far!
Thank you all so much for your participation, and keep 'em coming. PLEASE - keep those songs coming! Make me feel useful.....make me feel like I've got a purpose in life.....
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
