Songwriting

Q. So when do you get the bug to start songwriting?

There is that initial stage where you are just so delighted to play a single chord, that is fingered correctly and where the strings are not buzzing and there are no dull thuds (where the string hasn't been held down hard enough), and your fingers no longer sting. After that comes the challenge of changing to another, equally successfully held chord and then back to the original one, or... onto a new another one!

The tutor books will show the chord name or a chord box detailing the fingering and with this information you expand your knowledge. Then you hit a song with 'F' or 'Eb' in it and have to rethink this whole song playing idea.

But with perseverance and some swearing you get through this steep learning curve and plateau out to be able to get through a whole song without too much scrambling about. You may have even started to change songs into a more playable key (avoiding 'F' and 'Eb')!

My first sheet music was for songs by T-Rex, Sweet, Moody Blues and Alice Cooper. I really didn't understand the dots, but could manage the chord/chord boxes. Looking back, they are the songs I would just busk along with now, intuitively knowing where the chords would be going. But how did I learn this? I suppose it was just with trial and error.


So, going back to the songwriting question, it had to be once I got my first guitar and started to string chords together.

The big question is... What was my first song? Now this is where it gets a little complicated. Is that a completed song, with lyrics and everything, or the first attempt at writing an original tune? My first tune was called 'Cascade'. I am not sure why it was given that name, and all evidence of it is long gone. I must have written it in 1973 or 1974. My first song with original tune and lyrics was 'Waiting on the Station'. Some of this does exist. I have a couple of verses (lyrics) with the chords and can vaguely remember how it went. One day I will record a bit of it as a record of how far I have come in the past 40 years!

 

Recording (old school)

After school finished I continued playing music and started on the flute. I purchased a new red strat copy (which I only passed on recently - 2013) and a few effects pedals.

In the late 1970's I purchased a Teac A108 tape cassette machine. It allowed the right track to be recorded and then played back while you added the left track. then you could play and mix them back while adding another track and recording to a second machine.

In 1983 I purchased my first Fostex 4 track recorder. It was a simple machine and was totally portable.

I recorded many demo's on this. From this I progressed to other 4-track machines:

It was great using multi-track machines. The ability to put down a drum and bass track and then add guitars and vocals opened up a really creative world for me.

One thing I did notice, while I was listening to the recordings, was how much higher my voice was in those days!

Being the odd one out - We had a band at school (1970's)

It was a weird experience being the first to go through the comprehensive system, into what was originally a high school. All I really enjoyed was learning and playing music and maths. The maths was fine and I did well in this, but the music was harder. The actual music wasn't hard, it was the difficulty in being allowed to actually study it as a school lesson.
Apparently, you can only do music if you are in the top stream. You can only learn a musical instrument if it is one that can be played in an orchestra.
I was a guitarist and in the second stream, so I was totally stuffed by the system! No, you can't do music 'O' level and you can't play in the orchestra.
So, I decided to carry on playing in the band and getting into as many of the school concerts as possible. This meant towing the line regarding what we could play. Yes, you can play songs by the Carpenters and John Denver. No, you can't play songs by Alice Cooper!
We did get to play some gigs that were arranged for us by a very accommodating English teacher, who supported us.

Left to right: Nic, Me, Paul and Steve. This was taken at the Broadway park hotel in Sandown at a NSPCC charity event. I make no apologies for the lilac shirt and matching tie - it was the 70's!

I got through the three years at high school, but did manage to send a passing shot to the establishment at the last 'leaving' concert for parents. We went along and played the usual 'safe' songs and then were told we had to set up in front of the curtain on stage, as they wanted us to 'fill in' and couldn't afford us the time to set up properly. So two guitarists and a bass player along with amps, etc. and a drum kit were moved into place, in full view of the audience. Then we started playing... not the agreed set, but a much heavier one including the already banned Alice Cooper number! It was out last performance and we were not going to be asked back, so it seemed a fitting exit.

Other than a few more gigs during the 70's, once I left school I didn't play in the band as we all went our own way. I did carry on writing and playing.

I have had the time to look up these old photos while I have recuperating after an operation for prostate cancer in December.

My first electric guitar

While I was at Middle School I got my first electric guitar. It was quite a spontaneous act. I was 12 and on holiday with my parents in Bournemouth and was passing a music shop. I originally went in to buy some sheet music, but on the wall was a Tele-type Japanese copy in glorious sunburst. It played like a dream. It was new and cost £23. This was 1972. A great guitar, but one slight problem... I didn't have an amplifier! The solution was a 15watt, second hand, valve amp with tremolo. It was very portable and had an integrated 10" speaker. So for just under £50, I had a fairly decent electric guitar and amplifier. The guitar survived until the early 1990's when it was sold at a car boot sale. The amp was given away to a friend when I purchased a Yamaha JX40 amp in the early 1980's - a decision I have resented ever since. It had an amazing tone. I really didn't appreciate how lucky I was.

It was at this point I realised that you could also make up songs. Ok, I know that this seems a little obvious, but up to then I played the songs that I had heard on Top of the Pops or the Old Grey Whistle Test. So, with a guitar, pen and paper I started scribbling tunes and words down. The main problem was a lack of musical knowledge (I had played recorder for a few years so could read music, a little). I could string three or four chords together, but didn't realise why a certain chord went with another. The theory would have to wait. I was going to High School.

But soon I would form a band...

Windsor Arms

Firstly, thanks to Trudie and the Windsor Arms for a lovely open mic (Saturday, 25th).

So, what else has been happening?

The North Devon Publishing Project appears to be gaining momentum. Also, there should be an initial meeting of the North Devon Songwriters very soon. For more information on this look at the blog.

Songwriting Workshop

29th April 2013 - Song Writing Workshop

My thanks to Tom and Barbara at the Shammick Music Club (Combe Martin) for arranging an amazing song writing workshop, hosted by Mike Silver (http://mikesilver.jigsy.com/gig-guide). It covered why write songs, where do we get inspiration from and song structure and performance. There was a lot of conversation between the attendees too. A real treat was to meet Dave Goulder (songwriter and performer), writer of one of my favourite songs that June Tabor sings. The Easter Tree.

Playing in public for the first time

After mastering three or four chords and being able to put them together, I was ready to take on the world! I was in possession of a classical guitar and for my birthday I was fortunate to receive a 12 string guitar (I did choose it). I would have liked an EKO 12 string but these were way beyond my birthday budget. I had this 12 string for many years, and in that time it served me well. It was resprayed several times and had a pickup added, as well as being use as a 6 string on several occasions.

Just as I obtained this new instrument, the guitar group was asked to play a couple of songs in a concert at the school. This would have been in 1972. I can't remember the actual repertoire we performed, other than it included 'My Sweet Lord', by George Harrision. Ok, I know that he ripped it off from 'He's So Fine', but that is another story. To this day I cannot listen to this song without remembering the event and the chords! A minor to D, then G ro E minor. As we were all pretty shy nobody would get up and sing the lyrics, so three of us played the main rhythm and Steve, who happened to own a 'Galaxie' electric guitar, played the lead part. It went well and most of the time we were playing the correct chords in time with each other.

It would not be until high school that I would take to the stage again.

After the minor success of this performance, I was keen to learn more songs and expand my playing ability. I carried on having guitar lessons at school, but realised that I needed to play and study more at home. At this time I also got into playing drums. I was fortunate to have a basic drum set, purchased by my parents, to encourage me, consisting of  a bass drum, snare, hi-hat, tom-tom and cymbal). The practicing must have really annoyed my parents. One thing I can tell you is that I am definately not a kit drummer. Hand drums yes, but kits, no.

 

So back to the nylon string and 12 string guitars. Even to this day I love the sound of a 12 string and a few years ago purchased a Vintage one. First thing I played... yes My Sweet Lord, then the opening to Hotel California. A bit of a cliche, but that sound!