Scenes from Songwriting Sessions

Melodies Over Analyzed:

In songwriting exploits, I have, of course, made up melodies completely off the top of my head, but today I continued my learning process with an over analysis of top 40 type melodies. Not that I am dieing to be a top 40 artist and feel that this is the mark of a truly amazing song, but I wouldn’t complain, and I was curious. So I began my journey through K.C. Kasem’s hits by playing the chrouses of some of my own personal top 40 hits by ear. … I did so on my makeshift garage band piano, mega points for virtual piano on laptops while in transit. Much to my surprise, they are neither opuses or great Oscar winning compositions. Some of my all time favorite chorus melodies were literally composed of only 5 different notes. No wonder they’re so catchy, they’re easy. I can do this … !


Like really, I was figuring out the melodies by ear and found myself thinking is it f sharp? really? No.. not again… No way! OMG IT”S F SHARP

I also remember that when I was studying piano and voice when I was younger, I always said that my favorite note was the A above middle C. For whatever reason, it really appealed to me as a child. I would just hold it down and listen to how it changed as I held down the piano key and then let it fade. Boy was I cool. Maybe I should predominantly use this A in my songs. They will be so simple that it just might work…

The first song I ever wrote: Age….10? Let’s pretend that it was much younger…

“I Hate Waiting” (in the key of C Major)

I hate waiting (EECC)
I hate waiting (EECC)
It’s so boring (GFED)
I’ll be snoring (CDEF)
I hate waiting (GGEE)
I hate waiting (GGEE)
Monday Tuesday Wesnesday Thursday (CDEFGFED)
Three chords (That apparently involved an E, then a D, then again, shocker, an E)

This is, obviously, copyrighted, so stay away fools. Winner right there. So simple. So perfect. This is so going to be remixed and added to the EP/Album. What up

Sometimes it drives me crazy how songs and restricting the number of syllables in a line makes me use improper grammar. Again, I admit that I am Not the grammar queen , but I wanted to use “in which” instead of “that” and it pained me that we couldn’t. Hurt me so…