Songwriter forums?

Though this forum may have the very best and most knowledgable members on the entire internet, (cough) I was wondering if anyone has a good recommendation for any songwriting forums. Seems most out there only have a few, intermittent posters, (unlike LTG, which is obviously actively monitored on a 24x7 basis.)
You DO write, don't you?

Has been known - but rarely inflicted on the unsuspecting public :roll:

Hey Russ have you looked at Guitar Noise?

They have song writing forums and it's a very well attended site.

Nope, that one is new to me, thanks! Certainly worth reading thru a few posts and learning a few things. I'm not as good with meter and style as I am the words; this is tough stuff. Thanks again for the lead.

I'm trying to write a song for the wife, should be worth a few Guilds. :wink:

It's not an easy thing at all.

West wrote a song for his lovely bride and Steel has written his own stuff too I think.

I tried the songwriting thing for a while and realized I needed to be a better player before I started concentrating on writing.

However, for a year I was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), which has forums which are members only. Therefore, the only people you will interact with are ACTIVE songwriters. It is not dedicated to Country music although it is strongly biased that way.

Here is the URL to their "Membership Benefits" page. I will rejoin one day when I am more ready to write regularly.

http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/news.php?viewStory=98

Check out Harmony Central's songwriting board... it appears to be fairly active:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/for ... y.php?f=37


I began learning how to play guitar, write, sing and home record almost simultaneously all during the past 3.5 years. This is all without any formal musical training. I don't know if this is a good thing or bad, but the fruits of my labor will see the light of day by late this year or early 2008 in the form of a compact disc (in spite of that format's dwindling popularity). I was working with a co-writer and much better musician until he got sidetracked with his own stuff. So, now it's up to me. I've begged and borrowed some other (also much better) musicians that will hopefully be able to help out as needed.

Songwriting is extremely challenging, but being such a simpleton player has probably made it easier for me. It's also a heckuva lot of fun. I'm very much into the "keep it simple, stupid" mantra. I have tons of lyrics written (including one called "DV52"), but not nearly as much music. I file away lyrics and song ideas all the time, and I've gone back to several of them when new music that might be fitting comes my way. I also try to record any memorable strumming/chord patterns or decent musical ideas before I lose them. This has been very helpful also. Sometimes things don't come together quickly, and in those cases I try to move on & go back to the ones worth keeping later.

Some people have a strict process for either coming up with lyrics or the music first, but I've done it both ways with equal amounts of success and failure. Only thing I could suggest at this point is don't limit yourself to any particular way of doing things at least until you get a little more comfortable with the process.

Good luck & enjoy!

Now you guys think about it for a minute. I mean, some of the songs that have made millions........"Elvira, Elvira, my hearts on fira, Elvira"..........."Come Together Right Now, Over Me", what the hell is Toe jam football anyway....spinal cracker....he shoot Coca-Cola? And I'm a major Beetles fan.

Obviously, you CAN write a song about ANYTHING! It doesn't have to make sense, doesn't have to rhyme, doesn't even have to have nice music, rap for instance....if you can call that music.

Grahamster, it seems like the harder I try, the more the words escape me. They seem to come when I'm not really trying.

West

Here's one for you:

My Song about Anna Nicole Smith

She was the girl that everybody talked about.

She was the girl that made you turn your head.

She was the girl who everybody loved and loved.

Where’ll they bury you now that you are dead?


Anna, O Anna, My Anna

Poster girl for a million teens.

Anna, O Anna, My Anna Nicole Smith

How much was real and how much was just a dream?


Got a billion cold reasons to love you.
A billion and one if I count your mansion too.
Add a couple more for your silicone treasure chest.
Babe you could lock me up inside your zoo.

-chorus-

Helicopters, lawyers and methadone,
Hotel rooms all start to feel the same.
My wife and Zsa Zsa Gabor cannot condone,
All the men just drooling at your name.

-chorus-

You were bigger than Playboy magazine
Bigger than Super Wal-Mart, too
You were the biggest star streaking cross the Lone Star State
You were all that and Krispy Fried Chicken, too! *

Appreciate all the info and links, guys. You know, the words and the music actually come pretty easily; I'm pretty sure it's my elitest snob attitude that's the real issue. What I want to create is simple: All the lyrics must be as moving as Stan Rogers' words and the tune should hummed days after anyone hears it. The older lady in the front row should laugh as she wipes away tears and her husband should have to glance away to hide his glistening eyes... and they should be humming in harmony on the walk to the car, holding hands for the first time in a long while... Music should do that, right?

Or maybe they'll settle for a cover tune.

Sounds like you're trying to write a major hit Russ.

That changes things completely.

You need to get into the headlines first by doing something moronic, are you a blonde? Try getting out of you car for a few weeks without wearing any underwear, crash your porsche into a porch and have 4 kilos of cocaine with handwritten labels saying stuff like "for Britney", "going to Paris", etc.

Move to a trailer park then leave your wife for the "girl" next door and move into that trailer. Become a real big jerk and then when we're all talking about you, release your music.

Couldn't hurt. :shock: