Comments on: Work On Your Songs AND Your Skills

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:37:33 +0000

In reply to Joyce Rogers. Great, Joyce! TC

By: Joyce Rogers

Joyce Rogers — Wed, 27 May 2015 13:22:31 +0000

The 25 song writing challenge is inspiring to try new ideas. I am beginning lesson 4!

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Tue, 19 May 2015 02:05:23 +0000

In reply to Dewey Longuski.

Todd,
Thanks for the informative and not-too-lengthy post.
Dewey, below are some previous posts that might be helpful to you.
Best wishes,
Tony
http://tonyconniff.com/quality-control-taking-a-song-apart-and-putting-it-back-together/
http://tonyconniff.com/let-the-words-change-the-melody-sometimes/
http://tonyconniff.com/with-melodies-uneven-is-usually-better/

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Mon, 18 May 2015 01:14:48 +0000

In reply to Sophia.

That’s it, Sophia! Thanks for ‘getting it’… and for letting me know you did.
Best wishes,
Tony

By: Tony Conniff

Tony Conniff — Mon, 18 May 2015 01:13:29 +0000

In reply to Dewey Longuski.

Thanks for writing, Dewey. I appreciate your understanding of what I’m writing about, as well as the good additional points you make.
Best wishes,
Tony

By: Sophia

Sophia — Fri, 15 May 2015 21:54:02 +0000

I like the way you put it – every song having its own DNA. The focus shifts to the song and creates that clarity needed to cut out or wade beyond my comfort zone to voice what THAT song wants to express. Another aha moment from your blog. Again thank you for continuing to write such helpful tips.

By: Dewey Longuski

Dewey Longuski — Fri, 15 May 2015 20:35:08 +0000

In reply to Todd Bird.

Mr. Bird,

I envy you to be able to adjust the melody that’s in your head for a new song. Once I find a melody path it rarely changes. For jingle writing it’s a blessing but for song writing it seems to be a curse. What tips do you have for re-wiring your brain to override a melody you’ve already associated with your lyrics?

By: Dewey Longuski

Dewey Longuski — Fri, 15 May 2015 20:31:57 +0000

I just recently found your songwriting blog and am enjoying what you have to say. These past two years or so I’ve been trying harder to go outside of my comfort zone to give my music a different feel by changing up things as you suggest (e.g., uneven lines, chord changes, rhyming schemes, etc). I’ve also found it helpful to use compose with different instruments while writing. For instances, typically I play guitar when hashing out the melody I have in my head, but my melody and, subsequently, my lyrics seem to take a more unique path (relative to myself) when composing with a keyboard. As you state, though, it’s always fun, challenging and inspiring to trying to be fresh. Lastly, one can learn a lot from hanging with and co-writing with, other songwriters.

By: Todd Bird

Todd Bird — Thu, 14 May 2015 23:50:20 +0000

Hey Tony.

Nice posting as always. For me, if I can’t introduce something new in this song that I have never done before, then it is just another song and I usually put it aside and move onto the next one. Nothing brings me more joy than crafting a new song that is better than I have ever written. It gives me confidence to keep writing, because I know that I have the ability to improve. Lately, I find myself being challenged to not settle for the first two or three melodies that seem to fit in a song, cause that usually means it sounds familiar, which usually means it sounds far too close to a song or songs I have heard before. Sorry for the super lengthy comment.