4 simple steps to writing a song | Ralph Covert | TEDxNaperville

Summary

The video features a songwriting workshop where participants are guided through the creative process. The instructor emphasizes the concept of a 'songwriter compass,' which helps make choices while writing. He explains that songwriting consists of three stages: starting, finishing, and making choices in between. Four key elements—music, lyrics, rhythm, and emotional center—are explored, with examples like rhythm in everyday life and creating emotional connections in songs. Participants are encouraged to embrace creativity, make bold choices, and break conventional rules as they co-create a fun, light-hearted song together.

Takeaways

• 🎤 The most important tool for songwriting is your 'songwriter compass'—an internal guide that helps you make decisions on what you like or don't like.
• 🎶 Songwriting is a process of continuous choice-making. You decide on melodies, chords, and lyrics based on your intuition and preferences.
• 🛠️ The songwriting process involves three major steps: starting the song, working through the middle (making choices), and finishing it when you like the entire song.
• 🎧 Emotional center is crucial. It's the feeling or emotion a song evokes, and songwriters have control over it, regardless of their current emotional state.
• 💓 Everyone has a natural sense of rhythm—your heartbeat and breath are examples of how rhythm is inherent in human movement and language.
• 🎵 You don't need formal training to write music; having listened to thousands of hours of music gives you a 'music brain' that knows what sounds good.
• 🎸 Music theory isn't as complicated as it seems. Scales and chords are built on simple structures, and there are only seven notes and chords in a scale.
• ✍️ Words and language follow natural rhythms, and songwriting often draws from everyday language, which already contains rhythm and rhyme.
• 🗣️ Songwriting is an extension of ancient oral traditions—humans have always used rhythm and rhyme to tell stories and pass down knowledge.
• 🎤 The audience is encouraged to participate in the songwriting process, as seen in the interactive creation of a song during the session, highlighting how collective input can shape a song.

Q & A

What is the primary tool needed to be a songwriter, according to the speaker?

The primary tool needed to be a songwriter is what the speaker calls the 'songwriter compass,' which is an internal voice that tells you whether you like something or not.

What are the three major stages in songwriting, as described in the script?

The three major stages in songwriting are starting the song, finishing the song, and everything in between, which mostly involves making choices.

What does the speaker mean by 'jumping off point' in songwriting?

The 'jumping off point' refers to making any initial choice, such as a word, chord, or lyric, to start the songwriting process. From there, you either keep it if you like it or make another choice if you don’t.

How does the speaker define 'emotional center' in a song?

The 'emotional center' is the feeling that a song evokes in the listener. It doesn't require the songwriter to be in that emotional state, but the song should still effectively convey that emotion.

What example does the speaker use to explain emotional center?

The speaker uses the example of Paul McCartney's song 'Helter Skelter,' explaining that even though McCartney was not psychotic, the song’s intense emotional center led Charles Manson and his followers to believe it was written about them.

How does the speaker explain the importance of rhythm in songwriting?

The speaker emphasizes that rhythm is inherent in everyone, as it’s tied to the natural rhythms of the heart, breath, and movement. Language and daily activities also have a natural rhythm that can be applied to songwriting.

How does the speaker dispel the myth that only trained musicians can write music?

The speaker argues that because most people have listened to thousands of hours of music, their brains are naturally equipped to make musical choices, just like trained musicians. Everyone has an internal 'songwriter compass' to guide them.

What is the 'note scale' and 'chord scale' mentioned in the script?

The 'note scale' refers to a sequence of musical notes (like the Do-Re-Mi scale), and the 'chord scale' is derived from the note scale by taking every other note to create corresponding chords. The speaker demonstrates that these scales are harmonically compatible.

What does the speaker say about the use of random choices in songwriting?

The speaker encourages the use of random choices, citing how David Bowie and Brian Eno used random melodies and chords to create songs. This can inspire creativity and help break conventional songwriting rules.

Why does the speaker believe that songwriting is 'hardwired' into humans?

The speaker argues that the tools for songwriting—rhythm, rhyme, emotional expression, and storytelling—are deeply rooted in human evolution. These elements were essential for oral traditions and communication long before written language.