Advanced Songwriting Tips- Voice And Instrument For Maximum Effect
In this installment of advanced songwriting tips, I’ll show you how some songs can sound absolutely phenomenal with just a voice and an accompanying instrumentsuch as guitar or piano. Some songs can come through perfectly with merely arpeggiated chords played straightforward with a simple vocal arrangement, but these are rare, and most songs end up needing that extra special ingredient to make them stand out as worthy songs.
There are many flavorful ingredients you can add to your songs once you have the basic chords and melody in place. So dust off your songwriting spice rack, add the following flavors, and watch your listeners start to drool with hungry anticipation and delight during your next open mike night as you cook up the place with these tips:
1. Start your song with a “hooky” melodic intro for a few bars before you get to the first verse. This will make people grip the underside of their chairs as they smell the unmistakable aroma of an interesting song and hold on for what they believe will be a magical ride!
You can use the same underlying instrumental part you use in the verse, chorus, any other section, or you can pick out a totally different chord-structured prelude that takes the audience on a musical journey before arriving at the first verse.
To illustrate one step further, if you play the guitar, hold chord shapes while you fingerpick or flatpick a distinctive melody, or with piano, let your left hand hold chord shapes while you play motifs with your right hand. Try to make chord transitions as smoothly as possible. This can take lots of practice and rehearsal but it’s well worth the payoff when you see the crowd appreciate your one man band that sounds like there are two players.
2. You’ve got to strike people in the chest with the first line of your verse or they’ll turn away, make an excuse to go potty, or worse yet, shout from the top of the bar, “That’s brutal.” Man, what a tough crowd!
If you’re singing a ballad, play the intro with much feeling and when you hit the first verse, let the song breathe by varying the vocal and instrument dynamics. Then intensify your song as it reaches the first chorus and seal the deal by almost letting it all hang out when the chorus appears. Try not to go totally overboard during your first chorus.
You want to save even a little more intensity for the second and third chorus, so you can take your listeners on a mountain climbing journey where they can dream about what awaits them on the other side when you reach the top! Also note that using intensity doesn’t have to mean you have to sing at the top of your lungs. It can come in the form of vocal inflection, the meaning of lyrics in certain parts, or the instruments to name a few.
If the song is midtempo or uptempo, play and sing the verses softer than the chorus if your song calls for it so you can take advantage of contrast, which will help hold the listeners attention.
3. During the verses, try using an interesting melodic line with your instrument underneath the vocal instead of merely arpeggiating your chord shapes. By repeating a certain motif while you sing, you can add a wonderful liqueur flavor to your song that’ll have them begging to taste more of your songs and the bar owner will be jumping for joy in his office behind the one-way mirror!
When you get to the chorus, change up the motif by playing a different line, perhaps in quicker fashion.
4. If you’re using a prechorus in your song, make sure you arrange your song so that everyone feels the prechorus’s intensity rising.
You can achieve this by adding more chords, by varying the percussive feel, by singing quicker phrases, etc.
5. Your chorus can shine if you make use of repetition in certain parts, through louder dynamics, a different harmony and/or rhythm, and by different chord structure. The chorus must stand out like a big T-bone steak sizzling to perfection in the chef’s kitchen, and you’ve got one chance to really spice it up with your favorite condiments, so don’t waste that chance!
Finally, take the time to work out an arrangement for every one of your songs. This is the mark of a true professional, or, if you’re an amateur or hobbyist, it’s the mark of a dedicated one.
There’s nothing that impresses most record label executives than a singer-songwriter who can dazzle an audience with nothing but an instrument such as a guitar or piano, and an expressive voice!
Stay tuned for more advanced songwriting tips!
