JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback Lyric Feedback Forum 2 Rant about lyrics

9ne,

Do you actually think that the little guy/gal who is attending an NSAI meeting and following a format by the numbers really has a chance to out "commericalize" the hoards of writers in Nashville alone simply by focusing on writing in a commercial format? I don't. I think that when an outsider makes it, they are generally doing something outside of what the commercial experts in Nashville are doing and that freshness raises eyebrows and makes folks who are jaded interested. This assumes of course that the person writing the song has knowledge of (whether they use it or not) the fundamental rules for writing songs, just as someone needs to know how to spell and write sentences before they can write a book.

I see thousands of writers out across the US each year they will not likely have any significant commercial success. It seems a shame for someone to avoid writing what they want and feel so they can chase a format that even if they achieve it, will not likely lead to any actual interest or success in what they are doing. If writing in a focused commercial format doesn't push your artistic buttons, you're wasting your time, life and creativity trying to force it. Now, some people are very comfortable writing in a rigid radio format. Many of them live in Nashville and focus 100% of their energy in that pursuit. For those who aren't interested in that life, I say learn the mechanics of songwriting, and then build your monsters and let it loose on the world. That approach is no less likely to find an audience than someone forcing themselves to write what they don't really feel.

Brian

PS: Your example of a young kid writing a bad song doesn't really apply. I prefaced my comments above with the fact that it's always beneficial to learn the basics and understand why those tips help make a song easier to consume by a listener. Take the basics into consideration and make the process your own. If you vary from standard operating procedures, that's fine as long as you do it from a position of knowledge and choice and not ignorance of what your choices mean and will result in.