Songwriting
January 18th, 2009 by Lior ShamirWhen I first arrived in Boston back in 1996 to begin my studies at Berklee College of Music, I had preconceived notions about the process of songwriting. Like many ‘natural’ songwriters, I felt that songwriting came from within; free from form, rules, or a specific discipline. I decided to major in songwriting and began to study its craft in the commercial sphere. During the span of my four year degree, I picked up specific songwriting tools and strategies to make songwriting as much a professional discipline as an intuitive recreation. Songwriting is as methodical as it is artistic. Or, rather, ‘professional’ songwriting (i.e. songwriting for recording artists, radio jingles, television etc.) is as much a professional craft as a vocational talent. For fledgling songwriters, I highly recommend an in-depth revision of ‘successful’ songs from the last two or three decades. Whether it’s “Yesterday” by The Beatles or “Yellow” by Coldplay, I am confident that you will find patterns – tried and tested songwriting principles – that will guide you when you craft your songs. Once you have a number of songs you feel good about, go out and get as much professional feedback as you can. Try entering a song competition too (if the organizers provide an assessment service). Remember: the record industry is founded on superb songwriting because that’s where the money’s at!