Can you learn how to write lyrics? July 8, 2008
Posted by Andy Roberts in : creativity, theory, Music , 5comments
Learn how to write lyrics?
The story goes like this: I was reading Friendfeed and came across a link to a site about How to write Lyrics and thought to myself “Well that’s a bit presumptuous isn’t it?” On visiting the site I found advice which seemed to recommend ‘tuning in to the music of the spheres’. Bah humbug said the little critic sitting on my shoulder, so I left a terse drive-by comment and moved on thinking no more of it. Then the original author read it and called me out, so good for him. We’ve had a good chat since during which I realised that I’ve never written down my own story about getting to grips with the songwriting process, so here it is as promised.
My problem with writing lyrics
I picked up a guitar and learned to play when I was about fourteen, mostly devising my own versions of favourite songs by ear. Songs by people like Loudon Wainwright who is possibly the greatest lyric writer of all time, are 
usually pretty simple in terms of the chord structure and I’d always loved to sing. Very soon I wanted to write my own songs because that’s what any musical artist seemed to need to do in those days, and it’s still the case today, if not more so. I found that the music came pretty easily, just out of experimenting with the sound of new chords and progressions, jamming with myself for hours on end so to speak. The lyrics, on the other hand, were problematic. I kept a notebook with two ends. At one end I wrote down rough drafts and odd verses, full of crossings out and rewrites. Then when I thought I had a finished song together with music I’d copy it to the pristine end and feel pleased with myself for having completed one. The trouble happened within a few days or weeks when I’d try to play the new song again and decide that it’s rubbish. Often the crossings out and rewrites had made it worse, or the original material was based on a really bad concept in the first place. Part of the problem was that I hadn’t fully understood that song lyrics are not poetry, and many of the most sucessful songs look pretty awful if you try just reading them as cold print. And teenagers are always very self conscious, so amongst all of this, just a handful of songs emerged which stood the test of time. “Hold on Below” is one of those from my early teenage period, together with Puddles and The Show Carries On.
The theory of idealism
Because I didn’t understand why sometimes, rarely, I was able to write lyrics that I was happy with, while at most other times nothing good would come out, I began to entertain the theory that the inspiration was coming from somewhere “out there” rather than from within. That fits with a philosophy of idealism which is common enough in our society, and prevalent amongst artists but which I now view as particularly unhelpful. I could go for months and even years at a time with writing a single song, waiting for the right conditions in which the muse would arrive. I even wrote one about that very idea which contained the line “I’m just the man who held the pen that wrote it down” which is very similar to the concept at the How to write Lyrics site where it says “I don’t write music, music writes through me”.
My new approach to songwriting
If you have ever read published authors advising hopeful writers on how to write a novel, the advice usually comes in the form “Sit down at a desk and start writing. Then continue writing every day for at least eight hours until you have written the first draft”. They have to treat it as any other job, otherwise it will never get done. So I decided a few years ago to try the same approach to songwriting. I knew I had a song which I wanted to write, a ballad about a journey I had made. I planned myself a day to write it, and decided that I would spend the day on a river boat cruising up and down the Thames, making good use of the all-day ticket.
I took with me paper and pencils, and maps to remind me of the journey. There was a convenient table on the boat so I installed myself there and got eveything out, knowing I had all day to get the song lyrics written. I love being on boats so this had been a great idea, and within a couple of hours I had about eight or nine verses written so I could afford to take an enjoyable lunch break. That song remains unchanged (well, apart from the pronunciation of Ugijar) as “Winter in Andalucia” for which I get requests from time to time, and it’s a nice one to play if I ever feel like quietly fingerpicking and can remember all the lyrics.
Intentionally writing song lyrics
So this was nothing short of a revelation. If I set out deliberately to write a lyric, I could do it!
Songwriting trip
A few years later, I was badly let down by a companion with whom I’d planned a holiday. I decided to go anyway, as the flight and car were all booked up, but instead of trying to have a holiday by myself I would treat it as work and do lots of writing. I said I would write a CD, which meant writing enough songs so that maybe ten or twelve of them would be worth keeping. Eight would do it at a pinch, and I had a week, so one song a day seemed reasonable.
I started writing the day before, and made good use of the time on the plane. After a day or two on the road I didn’t restrict myself to writing sat at a desk. In fact I often started composing a first verse or so while walking.
Creative Walking
Zoom back a few years and during a sparse phase for songwriting there was one song which emerged from out of a camping trip. Filling two large water containers then tramping back downhill, the rhythm of my gait started me off humming and then I shut myself away for half an hour and wrote some lyrics to the new tune. That’s Mondura Dam.
So during my deliberate CD writing trip I fell back on the creative walking technique once or twice, and then made sure I memorised the verse or two composed in my head, so I could write them down and elaborate after I got back to the hotel. Incidentally I don’t think I could do that with a companion.
How to Write Twenty Three Lyrics
By the end of that trip I had no less than twenty three new lyrics which I’m still using as base material. Gernika, Cormorants and The Wreckers Prayer all came from then, and there are a few more which may also represent some of my best work. So I’m definitely convinced now on the question of how to write lyrics, that the deliberate method is the best one for me. The same philosophy probably stands for other forms of writing and creativity as well, like this blog post for example, which I planned yesterday and then got out of bed this morning with the deliberate intention of getting it written and published.
- Links
- Andy Roberts Music page at DARnet
- Free Download Andy Roberts songs from last.fm
- How to Write Lyrics lens at squidoo
- How to write lyrics lesson two
Hold on below April 12, 2008
Posted by Andy Roberts in : Music , 2comments
( ambient avatar by chinposin )
Linda got me talking about the old days last night as we compared memories of the early 1970s and this song “Hold on below” was mentioned, it’s so old. I would guess from 1972 or possibly 1971, I think I was fourteen when I first picked up a guitar and churned out a schoolbook full of songs within a few months, only a handful of which have survived the passing of time like I think this one does. The recording was made in Dover in 1980-1 around the time that John Lennon was shot, and I think I must have recently bought a new set of strings for the old twelve string guitar because it sounds quite bright compared to other recordings.
Lyrics are kind of bleak and nihilist with a streak of rebellion, which is perfectly fitting for a teenager and I ‘ve really no idea where the nautical analogy came from, canal boating possibly.
The embedded mp3 player is from Last.fm and applied to the WordPress blog using the excellent “embedit” plugin which I’m delighted to have discovered because it overcomes the theme breaking problems associated with embedded scripts, and keeps the code well out of reach of any wysiwyg editor.
Below is just an image link to the Last.fm page for the song:
Marilyn and Ella at Theatre Royal Stratford February 16, 2008
Posted by Andy Roberts in : theatre, Music, London , 4comments
I’m really looking forward to going to the theatre tonight. We’re not going to the West End though, but to the Theatre Royal in Stratford. That’s Stratford, East London, home of the 2012 Olympics; nothing to do with Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. The show is called “Marilyn and Ella” and it’s about a famous meeting between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe at a time of continuing racial segregation in the USA. Yes, it’s set in 1955, just a few years before I was born and when American society was run under a system similar to apartheid. So it’s a small, two woman production I think, but with a big subject plot and some big songs. The premiere was last night, so tonight, Saturday should be a big night too.
Theatre Royal
I suppose Theatre Royal, Stratford East is my local theatre, but I haven’t been for a few years. There used to be a series of excellent productions once a year which sometimes moved on to the West End such as “The Invisible Man” and “Zorro” but I think the moving force behind these died, and the raison d’etre for local theatre has moved more towards serving the perceived needs of the local community, a community which arguably doesn’t really exist except from a political or funding point of view. But the playwright is Bonnie Greer, an accomplished writer and whose performance on TV the other night in Question Time I think it was, well she just outshone everyone else on the panel.
Bonnie Greer
For the Sunday Herald in August 2006 Bonnie Greer said “I wrote this basically because the information has been suppressed, and if you don’t control the information, it controls you. That’s certainly true in the case of Marilyn Monroe, who was a victim of information control even after her death. She was the biggest movie star in the world and she made this kind of stand for Ella Fitzgerald. People at the time didn’t understand it, so they glossed over it, and now not many even know about it. Which means that it has never really been celebrated.”
Interestingly, this musical stage play began life on Radio 4 as “Marilyn And Ella Backstage At The Mocambo” and then at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2006 as “Ella Meet Marilyn.” The play has been competely re-written for the 2008 production, and if it has been crafted skillfuly for Theatre Royal Stratford then there’s every chance of a West End transfer in due course.
Celebrity
So part of my anticipation is to see if the question of the emancipation of the excluded black people as a whole class is brought up or glossed over through focussing on forging a pathway for the very few to rise up to become celebrities, leaving the masses behind them. The Marilyn Munroe icon has become a symbol of celebrity itself, so there are some interesting mixed messages inherent in the subject matter. The part of Ella Fitzgerald is played by Nicola Hughes who has been in Porgy and Bess and Chicago and Wendy Morgan from A Street Car Named Desire and The Bill is cast in the role of Marilyn Monroe. So that’s two very brave women to go on stage and play those huge stars.
Songs
I’m also going to enjoy the chance to hear some great songs performed live on stage.
Someone To Watch Over Me; My Funny Valentine; Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Wonderful old classics with which I am familiar not from the Jazz legends themselves but from the great covers sung by Mari Wilson in the nineteen eighties.
They Can’t Take That Away From Me - Lady Is a Tramp - Bewitched. Bothered and Bewildered - Every time We Say Goodbye - Just Two Little Girls From Little Rock - The Man That Got Away - Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend
Also some new songs by musical director Warren Wills.
http://theatreroyallondon.com/
Mariza - Portuguese Fado singer January 18, 2008
Posted by Andy Roberts in : Music, video , 22comments
Paul Velho sent me this you tube video within facebook and I just had to embed it here in memory of Amalia Rodrigues.
“The Pride of Portuguese Passion. For those who are Portuguese, you’ll shed a tear. For those who are not, you’ll wish you were born here.”
Christmas day 2007 December 31, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : wildlife, Music , 3commentsIt was a bit special this year, as the morning began with a clear blue sky, empty beach and calm sea. A walk around the rocky side of the little bay, then a short trip into town to sit on the cafe terrace in the square, drink a cold beer in the sunshine and watch the world go by.
We ate our dinner on the little jetty, watching the jellyfish below and flocks of cormorants above. An aged Rioja and Galician pie.
By late afternoon a breeze had started up and waves were breaking on the previously calm shoreline, leaving thousands of jellyfish washed up at the high tide mark as the sun sank magnificently between the twin peaks.
Asturian cider, Iberico ham and Manchego cheese.
In the evening, Mars was again the brightest object in the sky after the just past full moon, and Orion was clearly distinguishable, with the Plough curiously absent.
Song: Winter in Andalucia
More pics : lindah
Social media and musicians wiki December 6, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : Music, Wiki , add a commentIs there a connection between those who like social media and music?
http://socialmediamusicians.wikispaces.com/
Gernika Reviews on Garageband November 4, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : Music , 1 comment so farI’ve not much time for music making at present, but just a little for writing about it, so four years ago I travelled in the Basque country. I stopped in Gernika ( which is known in Castillian Spanish as Guernica) and wrote some lyrics for a song about an experience there and the history. Then last winter I made it into a song and recorded a demo version at home, getting feedback from some Stormcock members along the way. Some people really like it, others not. Since then I’ve released it as a free download in various places, but not managed to make a live performance recording, which is how I kind of envisaged it. One of the places I tried out is an online service called Garageband - nothing to do with the excellent Apple Mac sound recording software of the same name, which is what I used to mix it by the way. The Garageband website encourages member reviews, including comparative ratings, of each others songs and then compiles some charts. The mechanism uses a form of encouragement based on earning points and credits, including an interesting method whereby you can only unlock reviews which have been written after having provided a certain number of ratings of teh usefulness of other reviews. You don’t need to listen to the song being reviewed to rate the review - the criteria are not about opinions or accuracy, just whether the writer has actually mentioned a few specific aspects of the song or not. So they are using humans to detect cut and paste gaming of the system, although I’m not sure exactly what is at stake that people would go to such lengths, but I’m guessing this was introduced after experience. After months of almost no activity on the site, I suddenly received a whole bunch of reviews for some reason, possibly out of a queuing system or something, and I really don’t know what to make of the range of comments so I thought I’d record them underneath here:
Gernika ![[play]](http://www.garageband.com/images/butt/playmini.gif "Gernika Reviews On Garageband Pic"){kind=small}
Band: Andy Roberts
Genre: Folk
Effects Not Needed
My first reaction is that the effects are not necessary and are distracting rather than complimentary to the song. The second thing that hits me are the harmonies, sometimes off, sometimes right on.
The chord structure is very classical folk, as is the beat, rhythm and melody. I sense a touch of Donovan or early Beatles (portions of you’ve got to hide your love away). The lyrics are political and flow with the music as they should.
All in all, this is a folk song in rough form with good potential to be interesting.
- BobandDeb from Watkinsville, Georgia on 27Nov2007
BAILED OUT AT 4:50
simmon and garfunk.the song is a little long for me to stay with it.Im 3 min.s into but sorry ive got to bail out.CHEERS
- millskeith from Houston, Texas on 23Nov2007
Theres a really nice chord progression in the song, the chords really compliment each other. I really liked the vocals especially the accent that they had . I like how your not sure where the song is going its not predictable and therefore interesting to listen to . Theres a nice relaxed mood and the song ends in a nice way reminding and taking the listener back to the beginning of the song.
- rilokilee from Unspecified on 22Nov2007
Dingy space folk
Lovely dirty folk sound. I really like the story teller style. Awesome atherial key sounds in the background. Nicely done. A bit long maybe, unless some other element is introduced somewhere in the 4-6 minute range.
- Tubesponge from Seattle, Washington on 20Nov2007
Beatles influence?
I’m not sure if it’s an effect, but the guitars sound out of tune with each other. The voices are pretty far back in the mix, and I can’t understand the lyrics at all. For a song over eight minutes, I feel like the lyrics must be important. I’m now at 3:50, and I don’t understand where the song is going. It definitely needs a bridge or something to hold the listener’s attention. The melody of the song is great. I’ve heard the lyrics mention John Lennon, and there’s an obvious Beatles influence here. The song just needs some polishing in terms of its production and arrangement.
- KelcyDW from New Orleans, Louisiana on 20Nov2007
Excited to listen to this.
Lyrics are great. Hisorically accurate i hope. The backup vocals, or the double, are quite annoying. I like the music, the chord structure that us. Some cool effects on the vocal that if tightened up would be very interesting. can’t give it 8 minutes.
- benjaminamettt from Oakland Park, Florida on 18Nov2007
Storytelling
Yet another classical sounding piece with a hint of the Beatles.
Sounds like drop tuning but still keeps a nice tuning with fair ground melody hiding at the back.
- renolio from Drogheda, Ireland on 18Nov2007
Two Old Blues Guitarists
Sounds a lot like what Syd Barrett was headed for, only what Roger Waters could finish. Great use of layering multiple guitar tones.
- DHawks from Portland, Oregon on 17Nov2007
Lennon�s image
The guitar sound is nice, with an experimental touch, great performance.
Great lyrics and vocals nice and with style, i could feel and hear that this is a great production, nice record and mix work!.
This song has a 60�s taste, i enjoy listening to this song.
- YorkO from Mexico City, Edo.Mx, Mexico on 17Nov2007
Nostalgic
Awesome lyrics, tell a great story! The guitar chords complimented the singer’s voice well. Reminds me vaguely og Donovan.
- BadCats from Bridgetown, Barbados on 17Nov2007
The day after.
Fine ringing guitar intro …and I like the historical aspects of this song “Gurnica” (excuse the spelling) ….gosh, you just pipped me …it’s on my list of songs to write (I’d seen some vintage artwork on it’s distruction). I’ll check my notes …but the artist was arrested by the Nazis and was asked “Did you do this” no said the artist “You did”!
Guess you sound like Lennon? Well wot do you know …one second after typing “Lennon” you mention him! Actually I’ve written a song on Bomber Harris ….there you go again as soon as I type you mention Dresden!!!! Ah, but we have a youtube up on Pearl Harbor ….I’m waiting for you to mention it too!!! Anyway thanks for doing this song …a real contribution to real music. And did I say …brilliant on all counts!
PS. Youtube under INDIE KLINE gets you to “PEARL”, the song vid ….if you’re interested.
Cheers and good fortune with your music …I’ll join you fan club before you start charging!
- HarperJohn from Cobourg & Brighton, Ontario, Canada on 14Nov2007
Gernika (sp?)
You sound very 60’s; circa The Incredible String Band era. Chord structure is fine. It doesn’t jump out at me as overally unusual or exceptional - it just works for you. For war lyrics, it’s a little different than the usual fare. I like the spooky guitar sounds but at 6:51 with almost another 2 minutes to go, it’s dragging a bit. I appreciate the stories you’re telling but my mind is wandering at this point. Good song for a documentary and I’m sure you’re not intending to be at the top of the pops with it. But maybe a little editing could be considered. Then again, maybe I should get over my adhd.
- steveroth from Nashville, Tennessee on 13Nov2007
Huh?
I think this song would have a narrow audience base. It is very long and dare I say quite boring. It’s about a very dire subject but is delivered with a somewhat sing-song melody. Is it supposed to be a modern day Irish fighting song?
the effects are well placed and definitely add interest. You could maybe leave out quite a few verses esp the lines about bodyparts strewn all over the place. I think there’s a better way of expressing that more fitting for a song. But leave in the verse about singing “Imagine” And try to focus on one massacre. I think it might be easier to listen to that way.
- alderete74 from Steilacoom, Washington on 12Nov2007
well done
a little long winded, but i think it works. i like whatever the siren effect is…i think it’s well done. i always enjoy music about something…
- ericmire from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 10Nov2007
guernica
Well, this is certainly an interesting piece. I really like the lyrics, and I think its laudable to write a piece that teaches as well as entertains. Writing about epic historical events, however, has been done before. Iron Maiden filled their catalogue with these songs, for example. But, since you guys aren’t overly bombastic hair metal junkies (or at least I don’[t think you are), your approach seems more interesting.
I would say that an abridged version of this song might be more appropriate for your typical listener. The harmonies are nice, as is the chord structure, but since there aren’t really strong catchy choruses, I don’t sense any momentum in the piece. For me, although it was interesting, it didn’t grab me as a great piece of music.
- rockin1208 from Cambridge, Massachusetts on 10Nov2007
not my taste
guitar effects suck and detract. don’t like the tune very much in the verse; chorus is better but harmonies should be a little tighter- they are a bit muffled in some parts- other parts are better.
- shannonsmith from Fairfax, Virginia on 7Nov2007
Folk review
Very interesting and unique sound.
Lyrics are very nice and the chord structure is well done.
Vocals are good, and I like the harmory.
- GraciePike from Atlanta, Georgia on 3Nov2007
folk song
Original,interesting lyrics.competent musicianship and well sung but it does feel that it drags on a bit .Can’t think of anyone it sounds like though,probably yourselves which is always a good thing.
- merry_dale2001 from Beverly, Yorkshire, United Kingdom on 3Nov2007
Good effort
liked most things about this one apart from the lyrics - its fine to use unpoetic expressions sparingly. Admittedly the subject is almost impossible!
- robeyley from United Kingdom on 29Oct2007
Etherial
Lovely haunting strings and string vocals. Very traditional in many ways but with a twist. Reminds me of fairport. Chord structure is interesting and sometimes unexpected. Like it a lot
- soliloquise from United Kingdom on 28Oct2007
Interesting…..
Instrumentally and structurally, this song is very interesting (particularly the raid alarm noises) the build up in the middle section also. The (almost tinny?) sound of the guitar gives it a very original feel. The subject matter of the song is very good, I’m all up for music with actual matter in it! Lyrically I’m not so sure the poetics of the song ( what I mean by that is the superficial sound of the language)is fairly bland - the song is straightforward and quite to the point, which has negatives and positives in itself. I can hear a lot of “Beetles” influence? that sort of musical period, particularly because of the strong english accent in the singing! All in all good work guys and goodluck!
- i_is_steph from United Kingdom on 28Oct2007
Accoustic Gisms filled with thought provoking..
THis one remninded me of the Irish rovers with the sweet harmonies. It is quite a simple production but definetly carries itself well.
- DanHartal from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 25Oct2007
not bad
it was ok reminded me of a david bowie tune, might sound better with a better recording…good luck….
- Hughes from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada on 25Oct2007
Something Picasso Said
Shane McGowan wrote a very good song about the Spanish Civil War and this song covers similar territory. I like the sirens and bells and other sound effects. Very strong lyrics here. You don’t hear many thoughful historical ballads and this is certainly one. It sounds like a demo — it could benefit from more expensive production. And, with all due respect, 8 minutes is a bit long. But it’s a good thoughful song that connects the past with the present.
- drybone1 from Queensbury, New York on 23Oct2007
I respect the ideas..
But I fear that some of the effects added to this song take away from the lyrics at times. I think a lot of the effects are very cool, and after a couple of listens the really story really started to shine.
The performance is very good.. Vocals and everything are done well.. Maybe just taking the effects down a little in the mix..
maybe its just me!?
- Stonewhite28 from Fort Smith, Arkansas on 22Oct2007
A lesson in War
Well, thats what it sounds like. Like the vibe though, but the recording is very wet and not great. Good singing, songwriting and all the things that make a nice folk song.
Would like to hear a better recording, or even see it live.
The chord structure is active, and moving, as often folk is, but not in a “trying to be clever”-way, which is refreshing. It keeps the key, so no surprises there.
- danienel from South Africa on 18Oct2007
wow
nice construction of a song. great use of chords. i’m not sure what instrument is making that squealing cat sound but it fits nice. the bells are a nice inclusion. defiately a song about war/state building? this song reminds me of a simongarfunkel piece. i like it very much but the vocals need to be turned up some. keep writing this kind of stuff, very subtle but very scathing at the same time. damn the politicians, dam their wars, dam the fascists, and dam the whole screwed up mess. the innocent die at from the mechnization of humans ability to be in human. i only hope the result of this forlorn attempt at our leaders to divide and destroy leads to a revolution of the innocent against the evil passion of power mongers.
- BushDickey from Taylor, Nebraska on 17Oct2007
folk
Lyrics solid. Chord structure worked well but the melody was a bit repetitious but possibly due to the length of the song. I think the melody was light-hearted. Some nicely embedded sarcasm. Sorry, can’t determine who you sound like. Nice work - may want to consider a shorter version.
- dbmurd from Apopka, Florida on 16Oct2007
Reverb!
From the strat you know this is going to be a story which is perfect for a folk song. First time i’ve heard a folk song about WW2! I like how you have made the air raid siren noises. A lot of effects on the guitars slightly draw away from the vocals, i think maybe thinning this out a bit would improve the way they work together. Vocals are good, nice and soft but still cutting through strongly. The use of samples works well in this. The guitars could maybe create a bit more rhythm as it gets a bit samey after a while esp[ecially as the song is so long.
- MichaelButlin from Unspecified on 16Oct2007
Yeah Donovan?
chord structure:nice very donovan
folky and interesting minor turnarounds
lyrics: good, political and interesting, engaging
Soundlike: Donovan, or early brit folk band
Overall: Great Stuff!!!
- nellis556321 from Ossining, New York on 15Oct2007
Protest?
This band has an early Bowie, early Pink Floyd sound and vibe to it.The electric guitar helps paint the story the singer is telling with siren like sounds punctating the lyrics.The guitars and production makes you feel you are listening to a 60’s English folk band but the lyrics make you aware that you are in fact listening to a modern song with the lyrics mentioning Baghdad and Sarajevo.The chord structure purpose seems to supprort the lyrics.At 8 minutes 36 seconds this song is a bit long winded seems like this band didn’t learn much from John Lennon when it comes to song structure even if though this singer claims to have sung Imagine.
- sheltmusic from Taylor, Michigan on 15Oct2007
Epic
The structure of the song is good. The chord progression is interesting. The vocals and performance is sincere. And the mood created suits the lyrics. My only suggestion, which I am sure you have had, make two versions of this song, one (8:36) and another (3:30). I value lyrics, and you clearly do, and this suggestion may seem sacrilegious, but I think more people will listen to it.
- thewildfrontier from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 14Oct2007
very dark intro
the production could be better, but i like the lyrics, and the singers voice. its very folk-story-teller. (which is a good quality in my opinion) i dont particularly like the sirens in the background.. they become more of a distraction, as does the phase effect. the song is pretty good though. i would be curious to hear more.
- solesmojo from Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 14Oct2007
nice
It’s a good song. Sounds like the Wiggles covering the Beatles covering Pink floyd. It’s definately interesting. The guitar work is good.
- fotithefish from Berea, Kentucky on 14Oct2007
8:36
Seldom can such a lengthy track sustain my attention and interest, particularly in the form of a lazy folk song. Lyrically, the song flows well but secondary to a poor mix, some of the words are difficult to discern. The chord structure is good for a simple folk tune, but again, the length will cause a real problem for most listeners. There isn’t enough variation in the arrangement. I can’t draw any solid comparisons for who this band sounds like, but I could liken this song to a bad Simon & Garfunkel. Overall, there’s a hint of good folk in here, but too many drawbacks to bring me in for another listen to this duo.
- joel_ascher from Toledo, Ohio on 9Aug2007
The Folk Kinks meet Billy Bragg
I looked at the 8 minutes and went to put the kettle on.
Started very nicely - somewhere between British and Irish folk, and Paul MacCartney.
The chords were pretty standard for folk, so nothing bad but nothing particularly stunning either.
As the lyrics flowed, I was reminded a little of the legendary Billy Bragg in the melody and bending of that to the lyrics.
guitar were clean, vocal strong and harmonies tidy. What more do u want from a folk song? Good lyrics - well u got em.
Great effort, even if I couldn’t make it to 8 minutes.
- Akibakei from Tokyo, Japan on 31Jul2007
Great lyrics
This song really told a story, and I enjoyed that. The effects on the guitars were a little distracting, but the structure of the song was interesting and seemed to flow well.
- Quiksilvr from Cambridge, Maryland on 8Jul2007
The guitar sounds out of tune
Reminds of 60’s folk rock. It’s not bad, I like the siren sound. Too many effects on the guitars in the beginning. I don’t think I can listen for 8-plus minutes though. Very Pink Floyd.
- robb29 from Kankakee, Illinois on 4Jul2007
Are You Tuning?
Although I LOVE military history, I’m not sure that the subject matter is the most appropriate for a compelling folk song. The length of the song is MUCH too looooong. You lost me several verses into the song. Make a point quickly and make it a good one.
- BobMarshall from Ortonville, Michigan on 2Jul2007
Too long and same throughout
Lyrics seem alright for a “story song” but I don’t know what your singing about.
Chord Structure is fine.
I hope you sound unique. Do you want to sound like someone else?
I would say make this song about 3 1/2 minuets and say all you have to say in that time. This song is much too long and is the same all the way through. ZZZZZZ snoozeville.
I like the sound effects parts though.
- jibes from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 2Jul2007
London Bridge Animoto September 7, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : animoto, Music, video, London , 2commentsAnother Animoto movie, this time about London Bridge for the song “Cormorants“. After the one I captured from Animoto and converted for youTube recently, it was nice to get a comment from Tom Clifton of Animoto with a promise that we’ll be able to dowload high res versions “within a few weeks…?” That’s great Tom, I’m looking forward to being able to do that. Meanwhile here’s the embedded version of my latest short video, as served directly from Animoto’s own site.
The full version of the song “Cormorants” ( or should it be called London Bridge?) can be played, downloaded, scrobbled and embedded from it’s place on the Andy Roberts label at Last.fm
Convert Animoto to youTube August 27, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : animoto, Music, video, edublog , 2commentsIs it possible to convert an Animoto video for uploading to youTube?
At first it would appear not, through conventional means. But I found a way to do it. Saving directly from the browser doesn’t work, not even with the Firefox video download extension so I came up a lateral way of getting there. Here’s a 30 second Animoto video which I made using my own digital photographs and an MP3 of my own performance of a song to which I own full copyright because it’s mine.
Once the Animoto production process was complete, I then cued the video to play and booted up my screencast software, which in this case is Snapz Pro but it could be any screencasting package. At this point I could have added a narrative voice over, using a microphone connected to my computer as in normal educational screencasting, but since this is a music video I didn’t. I saved the resulting quicktime movie in format mpeg4 and uploaded that file to youTube. Thats all there is to it, here’s the embedded youTube:
Music business models for internet artists July 15, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts in : social objects, Flickr, Long Tail, Music , add a comment
Samantha Murphy asks on Facebook MyQuestions how can a musician earn a living in the digital age, in conjunction with having just decided that “Free is the way to go” and making all the tracks on her album available for free download.
I’m trying to synthesise this situation facing musical artists with the ideas from Jyri Engestrom back in June. He noticed a change in successful website businesses towards charging the publishers, not the spectators. Photos on Flickr for example, are consumed free of charge by a readership far wider than the photographers. The photographers themselves pay a small premium in order to be allowed to upload a larger number of pictures and organise them. Back to music, last.fm currently charges consumers for full access to their own personalised radio station but in some sense they are also publishing their playlists. The movement there is towards encouraging artists and labels to provide free downloads and then perhaps pay to gain higher exposure on the system. Applied to the digital music industry then, the model would appear to be to “charge the uploaders, not the downloaders”.
Vanity publishing
So life would appear to be tough for the artists. Perhaps there is a surfeit of aspiring musicians and it is audience attention which is in short supply? All a bit like the vanity publishing industry for amateur novel writers. Or is it?
Free Prince album
By coincidence, news has just broken that the artist now known again as Prince has struck a deal whereby his new album is given away with a newspaper. This is said to be an arrangement more lucrative than his previous album sold conventionally through the record shops. That doesn’t seem very repeatable, but it’s seen by the music publishing industry as a betrayal. They managed to convince most celebrity artists that defending intellectual property rights is the only way to ensure they can get paid for being creative. In truth, it’s the only way to ensure the intermediates get a disproportionate slice of it, and that is what’s being lamented.
Singer songwriter
Nearly all musical artists who work solo call themselves singer-songwriters these days, and nearly all bands perform their own material. This is probably a distortion caused by the writers royalties being a major factor when choosing material to perform. Probably there are a lot of great singers, many potential songwriters and a few who are great singer songwriters. There could be opportunities for musicians who have mastered the art of digital studio recording to offer to turn songwriters’ material into published tracks for them. Alternatively singers may commission writers to provide materal especially for their performance style. The opportunities for cross covers, remote collaboration, duets and derivative mixes are bursting out of the old model, and who knows where it may lead in the long tail of diverse taste and the needs of so many people to find an outlet for their creativity.
Quote
A spokesman for the singer told The Mail on Sunday: “Prince’s only aim is to get music direct to those who want to hear it.
“Prince feels that charts are just music industry constructions and have little or no relevance to fans or even artists today.”
is an online professional who initiated DARnet 
