Unless you’re living under a rock you’ll know that almost everyone these days is rapping their own tunes.
There are no shortage of ways to record your own songs. You should try to write lyrics. The musical expression you create will open many doors for you.
Tapping Into Your Musical Side – Writing Song Lyrics
Have you ever thought about writing a song? Do you love music? We all know that a song is so much more than the musical background you hear throughout. No, the whole song comes together with the lyrics. The lyrics make the song it makes the music. Typically, the lyrics are written before the melody and music are added. The lyrics and the idea behind the lyrics lay the ground for the music to come afterwards.
Think about your favorite songs. Why are they your favorite? For many people, the words within the song grab their attention. For me personally, my favorite songs are those that have meaning. Rather, it evokes a particular feeling within me or it tells about a specific time in my life. The lyrics tell a story. They can tell any story, rather it be about love gone bad, an ever-lasting love, a person, a group of people, or a time in ones life. You are telling a story to the listeners and hoping they can relate to that story in some way.
Getting Lyrical Ideas
Most lyrics you hear in song come from the everyday life of the lyricist. It’s a good idea, if you are serious about writing song lyrics, to get yourself a journal and keep it with you throughout the day, jotting down your ideas. You never know when a lyrical idea will come to you. Be watchful and mindful of your interactions throughout the day. Some areas that may bring you ideas for lyrics may include:
. General conversation – While speaking to anyone throughout the day, such as friends, family, or colleagues, you may find that something they have to say gives you an idea.
. Happenings in your surroundings – Your environment can tell as story as well. While you’re in the cab, while walking down the street, on the subway, or anywhere you might be. Something might occur, even the slightest thing, which could jog a lyrical idea.
. Newspaper – Current events, articles, or even advertisements.
. Magazines – Real life stories, fashion, and other events could spark an idea.
It is important to keep in mind that your lyrics should have meaning to you. They should flow in a seamless way. You see, as mentioned earlier, lyrics tell a story. Therefore, treat your lyrics as a story first. Write your story, then you can begin to break them up in to song lyrics with rhyming other important aspects after your story is finished.
Lyrical Tools
Throughout the years, lyricists have relied mostly on the trusty old pen and paper to write lyrics. To many, they will not use anything but pen and paper to write their lyrics. However, in the computerized world of today, more and more lyricists are turning to the computer to write songs.
There are a variety of tools available to any songwriter on the computer and off. For example, rhyming dictionaries are great when you are having troubles coming up with rhymes to specific words. On the computer, rhyming and replacing words is extremely easy, and most often performed with a simple click of the mouse. Many programs such as Microsoft Word and other specific songwriting software programs offer an integrated thesaurus that is perfect for coming up with alternative words and phrases to increase the impact of your lyrics.
However, the most important tools are your own thoughts and ideas. You can choose the pen and paper method or the computerized method; however, your ideas are what make the lyrics to begin with.
Crafting Your Ideas Into Song Lyrics
You have your ideas; you’ve chosen your method of writing, now what? Now it is time to start forming your lyrics. This is likely the hardest part of writing the song, much harder than coming up with ideas. Now you have to work verses and choruses to form your songs. Rhyming is ultimately important. This is where your rhyming dictionary comes in handing.
Typically, the end of the second line rhymes with the end of the first. However, in some cases, the end of the third line will rhyme with the first.
For example:
As we grow older,
The world gets colder,
Because the love is gone
Though we keep going on
And keep our love in a song.
Don’t forget your chorus; this is what brings the song together. You decide where your versus go and where the chorus comes in and repeats. Writing lyrics to a song is a wonderful way to express yourself. It tells a story in the way you see it and feel it.
KevinSinclair is the publisher and editor of MusicianHome.com, a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development.
Musicians who focus on writing clever lyrics are often the targets of scrutiny. There is a price for being clever in music.
The Survival Of The Record Store
It is a hard time to own an independent record store. Although real music lovers romanticize about the record store, finding and downloading music on the internet makes everything so easy. Small record stores stay alive due to a small group of music fans who want to experience something more. For any vinyl store to survive today, they cannot just sell records. Many stores will hold free concerts and events as well as sell additional items. For brick and mortar shops to compete against the digital field, they have to become more focused.
The first six months of the year saw an increase in vinyl music sales, which is an increase from 2010. These numbers don’t necessarily mean a good thing for shop owners. After chains like Virgin and Tower Records closed, many small record stores began to shut down as well. Although independent record stores have been on the decline since 2008, there are still small shops continually being opened by hardcore music lovers. Neighborhood record store owners are not usually in it for the money. They do it for the love that music brings to people. They love selling tangible items to fellow music lovers.
The increase in album sales probably wont make a dramatic change to the industry. Vinyl only makes up a tiny percentage of the market. Selling antique and collector vinyl records might be your best bet. Real collectors are willing to fork over almost anything for a hard to find vintage album. Something like a Beatles vinyl can sell for thousands of dollars. Trading and collecting are a good idea for small record stores. People who are avid collectors are usually willing to pay more.
Discovering a niche tends to be the smartest road to success for small shops. Location is also just as valuable. Great locations are generally in major cities or near universities. A successful store will know what kind of merchandise will do best. You can locate many new bands on both digital and vinyl formats. Stocking new releases can be a wonderful way to bring in new customers. By selling an independent release, you will bring in a certain type of customer who knows they can always get what they are looking for at your store.
Owners are using a variety of tactics like Record Store Day to find new business. Record store owners will always find customers in music fans who want more of an experience.
SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of vinyl records online. And you don’t want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have record albums in every genre for example, Beatles vinyl and in a variety of formats available ready to be shipped at your doorstep.
Stores that sell music are rare these days. They used to be meeting places where people would go and discuss the lyrics of songs and the album artwork. Now we have tiny little graphics and really don’t talk much about the art of musicianship.
Oh and itunes is moving over for Google Music.
Google Music Store Officially Launches
Google has recently launched the Google Music Service. This allows users to find and purchase new music, share it with friends on their Google+ account. They can also upload their current music to the “cloud” absolutely free. The upload is up to 20,000 tracks! Users on Google Music can then stream uploaded and bought tracks from the web or any device (phone, tablet, etc…).
How to Get Your Own Music in the Google Music Store
If you’re a CDBaby member, getting your music in the Google Music is quite simple. CDBaby will handle the distribution of your music to the Android Market for free! There’s no added on fees when delivering your music to a new digital partner through CDBaby. If CDBaby is your choice for digital distribution, you don’t have to do anything. They’ll deliver it to Google automatically. If you are a control freak and want to do the account management and the process of signing up yourself, you pay a $25 fee to Google. Then you create your store to sell your music in the Android Market. If you decided to create your page/store yourself then you can also opt-into CDBaby distribution at a later date, but you don’t get a refund for the $25.
Explanation of Google Music
The new store has some cool features along with users being able to buy and instantly stream music from the “cloud”. All the tracks will have a 90-second preview for your fans to listen to. Also whoever purchases music through the Android Market is able to share a free play with their friends on Google+. These are called “Social Recommendations”. Being able to upload and share creates a chance for artist to get new fans & more sales through their page. There’s also a free track per day giveaway through the Android Market.
If you’re an artist and not yet a member of CDBaby, you should look into it because it takes out a lot of the work that you normally would do. CDBaby is one of the few launch partners that is confirmed for Google Music. As a result CDBaby is working with Google engineers directly so they can deliver their music catalog to them through a direct feed. Once the feed is good to go, the music will start going to Google. One of the benefits of being a CDBaby member is that you will save money on the fee. There is no charge for existing CD Baby artists. If you want to pay the $25 fee then you can. It depends if you want to do the work or not. To set up your own account and profile with Google Music go to’. You’ll be asked to customize your page, upload your songs and sign off on the Google’s Terms & Conditions.
Emilio Basa is an independent singer songwriter from Detroit, MI. His unique style is a blend of folk, pop and soul. To download a free mp3 of his latest single, Poor Boy, click HERE.
More on music cds tape and recording. The sound of music is feeling groovy.
Hey upload and share the music you create!
