JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Critiques...what have you learned from them?

Brian,

I could not agree with you more! Since I've actually started trying to critique a song/lyric things that I've been told and said to others have began to sink in better. Its one thing when you hear someone tell you something but it really hits home when you find yourself saying it! That and it's also a LOT easier to see what's wrong when you're not the writer. I used to be too attached to my work to want to change it but after a while that changed and now I look back and see that most of what I wrote was junk! I still write a lot of junk but I'm beginning to see it for what it is and I don't post as much junk as I did (I still post some) just not as much.

Today I like to critique a song or lyric. Sometimes I feel terrible for saying what I really think and NEVER used to say what I really thought (unless I loved it). I was afraid I would hurt someone’s feelings but I know that I want to hear the truth and I'm sure everyone else does too.

I've sent an awful lot of songs and lyrics in for critique at Songu and they've taught me how to critique a song. I'm not saying I'm a good writer but I think I've become a lot better at critiquing. I'm trying to apply what I've been told and told others to my writing.

I loved the mentor critique that you did here last year, are you going to be doing that again?

Dottie

I think our music judging criteria is really the best, and simplest, and most honest way of judging music.

Does the music move you?

If you want to expand on it:

Does the music move you? If yes, how and why? If no, why not?

It plants no criteria into the equation except what the listener likes or dislikes and why that is. Just like someone riding in a car and having it come onto the radio... they simply react to how it makes them feel, good or bad.

Brian

brian's words made me laugh "You only recognize bad writing when someone else is doing it" but....damn truth ;-)

I'll tell you a little story. Many years ago, I had a conversation with a guy named Len Chandler, one of the founders of the Los Angeles Songwriter's showcase. This was back when there were no demo recording studios that songwriters could afford so if you didn't have a 45 or a cassette, you were allowed to go to the place and they recorded on you reel to reel.

Len told me he heard a demo of a song that went on later to become a big hit with the commodores, 'three times a lady'. He told of his critique of that song, and he thought were was a lot of things wrong with it. Well, they didn't change a thing and look where the song went. The point is, everyone has an opinion, so, with that, feel free to seek them, but just keep that in mind.

Chris Wallin wrote a tune that was critiqued by a pro who called it klutzy and otherwise a big turd that would go nowhere.

The tune was called "Don't Blink" and was a number 1 hit for Kenny Chesney.