Have you ever composed a song?

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 1:43 am

I had this idea to compose a song for my husband. We've been through hell and back and I feel like sharing with him my feelings in a love song.
I've never composed a song. I don't have professional writing abilities. But I do love to sing. It's a dream I want to make happen.
Anyone ever do something like this?
Any tips? Any ideas?

amother

DarkPurple

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 1:57 am

That's a really special idea OP!
Maybe try posting this under the writing club forum. https://www.imamother.com/foru.....f=234

Imamother writers are really helpful and helped me with my poems from start to finish many times!

Choirmistress

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 2:02 am

I have composed many songs, but only a handful of people know any of them. Fewer than 20 each in four categories: New tunes to old words; new words to old tunes; original music & lyrics; and secular (including instrumentals). However, I have also done over 80 singable translations of existing songs.
So I can by all means offer a few tips, but I would need to personalize them first:

Write down your top five to ten ideas, not in single words but phrases. These will be the starting point for composing the lyrics and then making them rhyme.
Then choose:
mood (relaxed/celebratory/joyous/wistful/sentimental/poignant/etc.);
rhythm (I work best by limiting myself to either 3/4 or 4/4);
pace (leibedig vs. moderate vs. slow);
do you have instrumental accompaniment in your head already?
Once you have the above determined, feel free to PM me and I can give you further tips.

amother

Peru

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 2:08 am

I have written lyrics for many songs, for productions and for parents.

Usually the first step is to choose a tune and decide what you want the song to say, as descriptively as possible. A writer can then take that and make it into moving lyrics for your chosen tune.

amother

Beige

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 2:16 am

I write loads of songs. Camps, schools, individuals etc. If the song is about a certain topic or theme, many times I’ll research that theme first and read articles or essays about that topic and only then start to write.

amother

Darkblue

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 2:29 am

Yes and no...

I make up songs all the time, but I seem to do that how I cook---with some general idea of a recipe but really off the cuff...

The result is something really good, but not likely to be exactly repeated lol.

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:16 am

daagahminayin wrote:

Here’s an episode of This American Life I once listened to that’s about writing a song - perhaps it can help you:

https://www.thisamericanlife.o.....ne-14

Thanks this was interesting. Can definitely be helpful in understanding the behinds the scenes

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:17 am

amother [ DarkPurple ] wrote:

Excellent idea. Thank you!

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:18 am

amother [ Darkblue ] wrote:

LOL. This is cute..
If we compare song writing to cooking I would be the one following directions because I want it perfect. 😉

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:19 am

amother [ Beige ] wrote:

OK. That's a direction I will check into more. Thank you for your input

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:21 am

amother [ Peru ] wrote:

Yes. I've thought about using an already composed tune.. But something feels a bit off. Also I can't for the life of me remember what his favorite song is. I really wish I did at this moment🤔

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:23 am

Choirmistress wrote:

Thanks for this!
I already have an idea of how I want the song to go - like which direction... But alot of it I need to get out on paper. So this is helpful for me to sit down and jot down some words with my feelings and try to get some rhythm or rhyme in it. Solid start. Thank u!

imasinger

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:28 am

Choirmistress had an excellent post.

When I compose a song, I usually start with an idea of lyrics, tempo, and whether it will be in major or minor.

Often, I'll write a refrain or a first verse, get the tune and sound for that much settled, then add from there.

Feel free to PM for further help and collaboration, if you like.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 8:47 am

I've composed a song (tune) with lyrics that I didn't write (in the Jewish genre, along the lines of tehillim/maamrei chazal, etc) though I did add on some English to impart a little bit of what I was trying to express when I wanted to make this song.

More generally I'll take an existing tune and write my own lyrics though for personal use (or color war in high school 😉 )

It's much easier in my experience to do the latter if it's for personal use. You already have a tempo, a rhythm, a feel of how you want the words to flow and it helps keep them coming...

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 9:12 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Yes. I know it's easier to take a song and change the lyrics.. I'm just trying to see if I can even actually compose the tune because I have so much feeling in what I want to write that I want to feel like it's all mine.
But last resort I will go towards that.
Thanks for your input!

amother

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 9:14 am

amother [ Red ] wrote:

I’ve written a bunch. I play piano and they always started by messing around with melodies on the piano.

I'm jealous. I've always wanted to play piano. But I've never given myself the opportunity to learn it. It's one of my dreams.
Maybe someday. I feel like it would get out so much of my feelings

amother

Vanilla

Tue, Dec 28 2021, 9:23 am

I wrote a song for my husband's big birthday. I recorded it with our kids, kept it a surprise. He was completely stunned! Touched to his core. I never saw him so emotional in our many years of marriage! Just let your thoughts flow onto paper, coming straight from your heart.
Some good tunes for slow meaningful songs are:

Forever one
Come with me neshomole
Aibester
Small piece of heaven
Tatty my king

Hatzlacha!! Your hard work will pay off!