Have you thought about your lyric phrase lengths? The Golden rule- Keep things EVEN. Ninety percent of mainstream commercial pop music is written with four beats to each bar (4/4) time, meaning the music is divisible by 4. This needs to be considered when writing commercial pop lyrics. If you write consistent song sections-verses, chorus, bridges, etc, that are grouped into 4 or 8 lines, you are on the right track. If you write lyrics with sections containing odd phrase lengths, e.g., 3 lines, 5 lines, 7 lines, or phrases with notable uneven syllable lengths, etc, they will not work well rhythmically, and will almost always be overlooked by composers looking for lyrics. Here is a great article on this very subject >>
What makes a good lyric? Buy Lyrics at Songbay? ‘What makes a good lyric’? Do you want to buy lyrics? Do you want to sell lyrics? If so, ‘you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of them, all of the time’ – as the saying goes. This applies when selling and buying lyrics at Songbay. What do you want your lyrics to do? Are you trying to appeal to everyone or a Continue Reading…
Lyric Writing – How to write catchy lyrics Buy lyrics at Songbay Memorable lyrics. One of the most frequent requests we receive at Songbay is for ‘catchy’ or memorable lyrics. What is a catchy lyric? and how to make one? Its simple! Use Alliteration Alliteration (When two or more words in a sentence begin with the same letter or sound) is a great technique to use in songs, particularly in choruses. It makes them instantly memorable. Here’s a good example: Double Essay(S.S.A) Continue Reading…
Special Guest Writer to Songbay Gary Ewer This month we are honored to receive a a fantastic article written for us by Gary Ewer, a true Songwriting Advice expert. Gary is a former senior instructor in the Dalhousie University Dept. of Music, Halifax, Canada. He is a composer, arranger, conductor and music clinician and regarded as one of the foremost authorities on the art of modern songwriting. He is the author of “Beating Songwriter’s Block: Jump-Start Your Words and Music”, as well Continue Reading…
Feautured Songbay Artist: Amanda Palasciano Another brilliant lyricist finds Songbay This week, we talk to Amanda Palasciano, a Professional subscriber to Songbay. Already an established writer and lyricist, she is now busy in Nashville! “How did you get in to songwriting/lyric writing?” My grandfather—who I never met—was a “crooner” in New York. He had an album out, or ’45’ as it was known in the day (I just snagged that album on Ebay!) My Dad also sang, he Continue Reading…
Feautured Songbay Artist: ‘My Write’ (Brian Sluga) A professional subscriber to Songbay, another brilliant lyricist and poet. “I really started while on a work assignment in the UK three years ago. I was listening to a UK radio station and heard Jess Glynne and Ed Sheeran. It really made me thinking of writing my own tunes. I have written poetry for years and had thought I would give it a try. Songwriting is much like writing poetry which I’ve Continue Reading…
