problem with songwriting

hello guys!!
i'm currently writing a song, and it's just dawned on me that the same thing happens every time i do this. i get really into a song for a few minutes but then the more i work on it the more boring it becomes to me. i start to feel like the melody im singing is too similar to the chords and a bit repetitive and droney and that people will just drift off and get bored.
do other people have this problem and how can i overcome it?

here is an example of a song of mine. my problem with this is that i think i tried too hard to make it un-boring that it's now a bit too random.....

let me know!!

thank you xxx

ashkelelee said:

here is an example of a song of mine. my problem with this is that i think i tried too hard to make it un-boring that it's now a bit too random.....

let me know!!

thank you xxx

Click to expand...

I think it sounds great and you have great voice to go with it. I think the problem as far as your own opinion of it is concerned, is that you just haven't played it enough yet. Since it's a brand new song you might consider getting super well practiced at it...sort of 'in the pocket'. Once that happens you'll be able to relay it and its randomness much better...if that makes any sense.

Just my opinion, I've never actually written a song but I have mad respect for people that do.

Great song, I like it! Maybe try leaving out the second part till later and then only play it once, it has a nice building effect but I felt I wanted more time to get the groove in the beginning before it changed to that build up. Maybe you could bridge the first part with a short repeated instrumental 'first part' but only with humming or 'doo doo doo's, or a friend comes in with a viola or another uku playing a sparse double stop melody line. Then stop, tap the top (love that) do another verse (first part) kick in the second part which builds up and goes back to the groovy hook at the end, and go out on some more humming or doo doo's
Just remember, its your song so there's no wrong way to do it

Ashkelelee - I like your song and felt your heart come through in the singing and playing. There's enough variety that I stayed interested and your strumming/taps timing kept it that way. When a beginning songwriter (like most of us here on UU) listens to their own work it is no wonder that we think it could be better. We are usually comparing our work with what we hear on the radio or listen to on our players - big bucks productions from people who are professional musicians who also started like us and have kept at it for years. Many of the best have had years of music and voice lessons. If this is your first music video, wait till you do a few more and listen to this one again. You will get better. And even better, you will be able to do this same song and make the "production" better. Saying all this, I love your song and think you have done an outstanding job. Keep up your writing, singing and playing.

Great job Ashkelelee, some good points above, dont be to hard on your self, i loved it to and your voice was great as well.give yourself a big pat on the back. I find i can write lyrics, but have terrible trouble trying to come up wit a original tune, i find it so frustrating lol.
I read somewhere but i cant remember which way round it goes, that abba used to have trouble song writing and i think he used to take lyrics from songs and try to put them to new music, or it might be the other way round.
But hey you are doing a great job, keep on plugging away and look forward to more posts of your original songs, im so jealous of you in a good way. the closest i have got so far is re writing the words to when im cleaning windows, to when im morris dancing, it sounds more like a parody song the two ronnies used to do i want to be ble to write from the heart, hopefully someday.anyway thanks for sharing and dont be to critical on yourself

Ashkelelee, you wrote a nice song and performed it quite well!

when I think a song is too repetitive is to make the song shorter, change the rhythm to a ska/reggae type feel for a verse, play chords that ring longer, fingerpick, etc. anything that breaks things up a little. just experiment with different things and see what works, the song will let you know.

most importantly, I wouldn't be too hard on myself. the writing process is a work in progress, always evolving. lots of people struggle with various aspects of it from time to time. write songs that appeal to you at that particular time and don't apologize for them. some will be better than others and some will get filtered out, but just keep writing and you will be more comfortable at it.

good luck!

-ramone

I think you have yourself a very desirable problem. I don't even know where to begin as far as songwriting.
I would guess that if you play it 100 more times and you will get to know it better and know if there are sections to drop or repeat or change. Probably if you play it in public you'll feel what (if anything) needs to change more acutely.
There are plenty of songwriters / groups that use very simple repetitive structures, and others that use crazy herky-jerky change-ups. You just need to believe in it to make it work. I think. You have a great voice and something to say. Keep up the good work.

Sounds great, Ashlee!

Trying to make a song "un-boring" can be a trap. You chose wonderful songs for Six Seasons of the Ukulele (and you played them very well). How many of those great songs were complicated?

Just keep playing what comes naturally and singing from your heart. No one will find that boring in the least.

I wouldnt worry if other people get bored while listening to your song. Write for yourself and write honestly. If it feels right to you, that's what its supposed to be. As long as you dont get bored singing your own song, youre good.

thanks guys, some wonderful advice and comments.
if i have time later i'll work on the song some more and use some of your suggestions.
xxx

I would have to agree with TheOnlyUkeThatMatters, be careful about trying to make a song interesting. Nearly all very popular songs have a flow to them that sounds natural because music seems to be more pleasant that way, to most people.

I have written songs for over 30 years and used to try to make my songs not sound boring, then I got into Hank Williams. I stopped writing altogether for about 3 years and didn't mind at all. Last year I started writing again and I very quickly realised that Hank had had a profound effect on my songwriting. I also watched a documentary about Ray Davis and he made an interesting statement, something like, 'If it sounds familiar, you're onto a winner'. It struck home to me because for all my previous years of writing I had ditched songs if they sounded familiar, now I welcome it. My songs are now more emotional and not head trips trying to be clever.

ashkelelee, you have the potential to write some great songs, you are way ahead of me at your age. Let the music flow.

I also think you've got a great voice and the song has great potential. But I agree that you have tried too hard to stop it getting "boring". Repetition is, in fact, essential for most people to get into a song, to be able to appreciate it and see/hear where it's going. I thought your key change(s) came far too soon for the popular taste. You didn't give the new listener enough of a chance to get comfortable with the melody before taking it off elsewhere. Try keeping at least the first two verses in the same key, before adding an "umph" by using an "unexpected" key change. Songs that use key changes generally use them sparingly and near the end and there is a good reason for that.

I don't know whether you could bring yourself to listen to the early Beatles, but if you can, then listen to how they used key changes at key points in a song.

It's funny, but I think that a new listener is probably more likely to get bored (or even annoyed) by a song constantly switching key than by one carefully chosen key change. You may have played a song a hundred times, but the new listener has never heard it before and needs to be able to get a handle on it before the variations come in. Or at least that's a general rule for most "popular" music.

My main advice would be keep at it! The more you write the better you are going to get. I always think it's better to write 20 songs in a hectic week that produces three brilliant ones than to spend six months honing a single song.

i want to start off first by saying, i love your accent haha, next i would like to say that you should be very confident in your skill because by the sound of it you have a lot of it.lyrics were good the playing was good. good job! lol

i just listened and really enjoyed it!
and just subscribed to you, so when i come across with problems with my songs, im coming straight to you


where abouts in the uk are you from?

I agree with both benjoeuke and Barbablanca, and would only add that you have a great voice and are a really charming performer!