Music can be magical, but it doesn’t always feel very magical when you are struggling at your guitar or keyboard trying to hammer out some chord changes or find the perfect lyric. Learning to write songs can be a long process with a lot of challenges on the way. If you are an aspiring songwriter that has faced difficulties, don’t worry! This is perfectly normal. In the book, 101 Songwriting Wrongs and How to Right Them, the authors state that “Songwriting is like flying a plane. Pilots don’t just stick the plain in the air, point it in the right direction, and sit back while it flies in a straight line to its destination. Their instruments constantly feed back information, and the pilots constantly correct the course.” So, songwriting is not about always knowing the next note or the lyric to write, it is about learning from our mistakes and constantly improving our craft.
101 Songwriting Wrongs and How to Right Them is a 2007 edition of the book 88 Songwriting Wrongs . . . that was published in 1992. Aside from obvious (having 13 more “wrongs” to “right”), the authors also had 15 more years of experience to embellish on the original 88. I found this book to be very thorough and with each of the 101 points only being 2-4 pages in length, it is also easily digestible for the reader. The 101 points are separated into 10 parts based on general categories.
Part 1, entitled, “In the Beginning”, begins by describing what a songwriter should do before even beginning to write a song. This includes tips on organizing song notes and being prepared to capture ideas by being equipped with a notebook, audio recorder, or computer. It also goes into detail on what makes a strong foundation for a song. It strongly advocates for songwriters to write from their own passions rather than simply to impress others, but also encourages them to write songs that others will want to sing. Although these two things may seem contradictory, this book paints a very realistic picture of the line that songwriters must walk in order to satisfy one’s own passion while also appealing to others.
Parts 2 and 3 deal with lyrics and music respectively. It was refreshing to see an approach to songwriting that included a more technical and structural approach and not only a passionate artistic approach. Part 2 was particularly concerned with grammatical and poetic structure, warning against mixing pronouns, avoiding an inappropriate mix of conversational tones, proper use of assonance and consonance, and avoiding inconsistent rhyme schemes to name a few. Similarly, part 3 deals with such structural aspects as selecting an appropriate vocal range, choosing chords of appropriate complexity, and varying musical elements between the verse and chorus. The authors also do a good job of tying the music and lyrics together, particularly in regards to the musical/lyrical “hook” of the song, particularly when this emphasizes the title words of the song.
Once the song has been written, the process is not necessarily finished. Therefore, in part 4, the authors discuss when you might want to rewrite a song. This begins with learning to accept criticism in a positive manner. Once you have done this, you can use other people’s perspectives to help you make your song as clear as possible. Although the authors encourage songwriters to be willing to rewrite, they also have tips on when it is time to stop rewriting.
Although some songwriters independently write music and lyrics, part 5 assures songwriters that they don’t necessarily need to fly solo. With this in mind, collaboration can be a very challenging process with the possibility of a lot of disagreements. The authors heavily emphasize the importance of open communication with a collaborator and learning how and when to compromise when there is a disagreement. Although there are many pitfalls to avoid when collaborating, there are also many rewards. After all, two heads are better than one.
Parts 6, 7, and 8 deal with recording demos, pitching a demo, and finding effective ways to get your songs heard. These three parts contain a lot of very helpful advice on producing and pitching one’s songs in a cost-effective, efficient, and professional manner. The authors paint a very clear picture of what type of demo is most effective and worthwhile. First and foremost this includes recording songs that make the artist sound good, therefore such technical aspects as putting the song in a good vocal range for the singer are very important. It is also important that the mix in a demo recording is not cluttered – the vocals should be at the front of the mix in a demo recording. After making the recording, the authors go into great detail on how to properly package a demo and, of course, where to send the package.
Once a songwriter has achieved some success, then one must know what to do afterwards. Part 9 goes into greater detail with what to do with the final product in terms of publishing, keeping track of contracts, and knowing how to collect royalties. The authors do stress throughout part 9 that one should not count on a record deal or a lucky break to lead to a pot of gold. They encourage songwriters to write out of a love for the craft, since money is not a guarantee.
Finally, a subject that most songwriting books have not previously addressed, part 10 warns of “Internet Entanglements” that songwriters should beware. Websites that are “looking for hit songs”, advertising songwriting contests, and claim that they can “make you a star” should be thoroughly investigated before sending them any of your songs or money. With all of the propaganda littering the Internet, I would advise younger songwriters to read part 10 first!
Regardless of whether you are aspiring to be the next rock legend or you just want to set a few of your poems to music to share at the local coffee house, this book will cover most of what you need to know. The rest will come from your own personal experience; however, it is much better to learn from other people’s mistakes than to repeat history by making the same mistakes yourself, so songwriters with any ambition, big or small, will benefit from reading 101 Songwriting Wrongs and How to Right Them.
Samuel Stokes is a freelance composer, arranger, lyricist, and playwright living in Blue Springs, Mo. He has a B.M. in Jazz-Commercial Music and an M.A. in Music Composition from the University of Central Missouri and an M.M. in Music Theory from Florida State University. Visit his website online at www.geocities.com/samuelstokes.
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