Many songwriters have found inspiration and ideas by working with someone else. They will bounce ideas off each other and through a "brainstorming exercise" there will be a natural uncovering of concepts, ideas and creativity that can produce great results.
However, you definitely need to pick your partner carefully! We all know the horror stories of successful bands breaking up, often acrimoniously and at the height of their careers. KT Tunstall believes in the value of working with others: "Even though nothing might come of it, you'll learn a lot from seeing other people in action."
There have been some brilliant songwriting partnerships over the years: Paul McCartney and John Lennon, who became famous after the rapid rise of the Beatles in the 60's. Their music still lives today and sells by the truckload! They started to gain recognition performing at the Cavern Club in Liverpool and went on to achieve international fame and fortune. Their songs are known for the memorable 'hook lines and riffs' which grabbed the attention of a generation of teenagers. Who could ever forget classics like, "She Loves You", "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Tick To Ride"?
If you can write songs that people can't get out of their heads, you may be on to a winner. Unless the song is annoying of course! Every good song ever written will have a 'hook line' - a memorable phrase that repeats through the song, often in the refrain or chorus, and this gives the song it's unique character. You will also find that 'musical hooks' can grab attention and make a song memorable, like a guitar or keyboard solo.
Working with other songwriters can enable you to open your creative well and discover 'hooks' that are not predictable and annoying, but rather build a storyline in the song that captures the heart and the imagination.
Most song writing partnerships compliment each other. so one will write the music and the other the lyrics. but it doesn't have to be that way. A 'live' Jam Session can do the trick just as well. I have found that just sitting down with my guitar or keyboard and playing around with a few chords and musical ideas, a song starts to jump out quite naturally.
Of course, we all have our own way of writing.
Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, better known for their band name of Steely Dan, have gained wide respect in the music business for penning such classics as 'Reelin In The Years' and 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number.' And there are many other successful songwriting teams like Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller who wrote some of rock 'n roll classics such as, 'Hound Dog', 'Poison Ivy', 'Stand By Me', 'Love Potion No.9' and 'Jailhouse Rock.'
If you find a songwriting partner you relate to well, you could find a winning combination. But any partnership needs to be based on good relationships and that takes time to build.
On a practical note. Make sure you work out copyright details before your song is published. Nothing can destroy a good songwriting partnership more than misunderstandings about 'who owns what!' In the UK the Publishing Rights Society have some good advice on their website and in the USA, the Government Copyright Office have a lot of useful material.
The value of writing with someone else is that new ideas can be shared, bounced, examined, grown, discarded or developed through the chemistry of mutual creative energy. We are all different. So each individual's contribution can enhance the whole.
Give it a try.
Author Resource:-
Steve Flashman has written over 150 songs and recorded 90 of them on 9 albums. He has performed in the Royal Albert Hall, the Marquee Club and the Streets of Calcutta. He is an author, broadcaster, writer and vicar!
Songwriters On A Mission
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