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  #16  
Old 08-16-2019, 02:08 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Originally Posted by Pitar View Post
To answer the OP's question succinctly, all of it. Without exaggeration, writing is 100% in the ear. An argument will be made for theory and the technical aspects of music construction but it isn't one that can be championed. The ear dictates what goes on paper.
^^^^ This is what I have learned in my experience as a singer songwriter. I have developed a much better ear over the past few years but it takes focused attention and learning by listening and repetition. Learning how to listen is an art in itself. I have a great teacher and that really has made a difference in speeding up my learning curve.

What differentiates a song lyric from prose or poetry is that it moves in the air and is captured by the ear, not lying on a page and seen with the eyes. So, developing a good ear matters for the lyric, the melody and the rhythm.

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  #17  
Old 08-17-2019, 12:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
^^^^ This is what I have learned in my experience as a singer songwriter. I have developed a much better ear over the past few years but it takes focused attention and learning by listening and repetition. Learning how to listen is an art in itself. I have a great teacher and that really has made a difference in speeding up my learning curve.

What differentiates a song lyric from prose or poetry is that it moves in the air and is captured by the ear, not lying on a page and seen with the eyes. So, developing a good ear matters for the lyric, the melody and the rhythm.

Best,
Jayne
These are excellent thoughts and I agree! I'm not from the song lyrics side of things, but do compose a lot of instrumentals and feel I use my "ear" to help guide me 100% of the time.
I come from the era where you put the needle on the LP and tried to duplicate what you heard......then again.....and again! Wore out a lot of needles that way! LOL!
I didn't realize at the time how this helped me develop and certainly didn't know how I'd apply it 30 and 40 years later!

One tune I'm composing now, for example, has struggled to come together. I'm 3/4 finished, but there is a part I've been searching toward the end.....how do I finish off and stitch things together......does it replicate part A? Go with an altered Part A at the end to add familiarity but not duplicate? Work in some parts of part B in there? All this moving through my head and taking time to let it all make musical sense and sound best to my ear. A LOT of listening intently and assessing where that will finally go and taking advantage of different evenings of mood and playing to mix things up and find the right combo.
So, yes, the old ear gets the assignment.....and the workout!! LOL!
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  #18  
Old 08-17-2019, 01:51 PM
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Having a good ear is part of it. So is having and using good taste as well as having some knowledge about how
tunes and songs are usually constructed (in the categories of music you want to compose in).
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Old 08-18-2019, 02:48 PM
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Old 08-19-2019, 03:32 PM
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Average songwriters 'borrow'. Great songwriters STEAL!

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  #21  
Old 08-22-2019, 04:34 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeBmusic View Post
Unless you are literally 'tone deaf' (which I doubt, or you would not be able to do what you already do), you can learn to have a good ear. But I do agree that without it, you cannot tell a note doesn't fit, so would make songwriting challenging, to say the least.

My thoughts exactly. You *do* need a good ear. But that can be trained. It can be trained deliberately, or, as in my case, non-deliberately just by listening to music, breaking it down, looking at how the pieces fit together. Without even knowing why I'm doing it. I remember when the I - IV- V, hit me like a hammer; I'd probably been playing guitar for around 3 years when it occurred to me. If I'd had a teacher that would have been made clearer a lot earlier.

It later becomes an unconscious function. You realise for example that a D7 will normally lead to a G if it needs to resolve. That a C often drops to an A minor. Etc etc.

I should study harder.
Harder? I'll rephrase.

I should study. The more you learn, the more you realise there is to learn.
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  #22  
Old 08-22-2019, 08:03 PM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
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How much of songwriting is based on having a good ear?

I think good songwriting is all about having a good ear.

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