Jan 2016 Round up

​I’ve been reading that naming the title or the nut, hook of the song in the first 60 seconds of a song is important to capture the imagination of the listener.  I have also been looking at how to invite the listener in. In Jan the Moshville times gave a great review of the king lots performance at the FM gigs and one thing struck a chord with me, Pardon the pun…
 
The site can be quoted as saying “the bands have a knack of writing very catchy tracks with a hook section that is easy to sing along with.”
 
This made me feel the songs I wrote and vision I had for the album have paid off. I was so amazed by one persons comment. One of my close friends said to me at headline gig we done a few months ago “how does it feel to know that everyone in this room is here because of a few songs you wrote. I never ever thought of it like that and it has only fueled me to follow what I believe is right and what I want to do. Ive been so lucky over the last few years to have the support of friends who helped make the album, by playing on it, promoting it and coming to see it been played live. All very cool guys.
 
You can catch the full review at the following address.
 
http://www.moshville.co.uk/gig-review/2016/01/fm-the-king-lot-edinburgh-liquid-rooms-24th-jan-2016/
 
So as I ramble on and on I find that the hook and melody and familiarity is important in inviting the listener into what you’re trying to say. I’m not living by these rules but its nice to learn the craft of many established writers.

• hit the title within 60 seconds.
• Invite the listener in with melody.
• Change the chord when you have something else to say..

 
Awww there is so many.
 
Towards the end of Jan I played a function gig. With reading about all this knowledge i questioned the fact that I didnt know how many times iv played the same songs over and over. Something that struck me was same forms they all adopt as i paid more attention to it all in this one gig.
 
The songs we play in the function band tend to be well known songs that people will dance to. However if you look close enough and sit with the lyrics they all follow the same forms.
 
Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus
or
Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge/Chorus
or
Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus
 
There is the exception of a few songs that are different with solos or breakdowns but popular music seems to follow a formula.  Ralph Murphy the songwriter explains there is a difference between a hit songwriter and artists. He discusses in many of his interviews that song writing is a marriage between art and craft. He and other top guys state you should learn your craft but also let you creativity guide you through.