Do you have song writing skills?
JANUARY is usually the month when a lot of musicians take a break from showbiz. In the Northern Hemisphere, especially in America, many people celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. on the 3rd Monday in January. It is also in the Northern Hemisphere that we have the coldest days of the year. However, in the Southern Hemisphere this is the period when we have the warmest days of the year.
Many musicians in the Southern Hemisphere, like Zimbabwe, believe it is the time to go on holiday. Some use this time to relax and visit relatives. However, the more serious ones take advantage of this month to write new songs which they hope will resonate with their audiences throughout the year. Many of them plan to write catchy songs which will empower them economically.
Have you ever wondered how musicians come up with catchy tunes that many people sing along to?
Well, there is no prescribed formula. One can start off by humming a tune, put words to it, then add some musical instruments to it, then bang, goes the smash hit. Alternatively, someone can come up with a poem which a musician decides to turn into a tune using what are known as riddims. In Jamaican Dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the riddim plus the voicing (vocal part) sung by a D.J. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens — or even hundreds — of songs, not only in recordings, but also in live performances. Musicians, therefore, need not worry about recording with a band if they cannot afford it. They just use what has been recorded before and put words to those riddims.
Since the 1970s, riddims have accompanied reggae music and through the 1980s, more widely known as dancehall. As seen in dancehall music, there is a voicing part — sung by the DJ — over some riddim that has probably been widely used in many other songs. There is a unique establishment in the combination of riddims and voicing. This was done mainly for economic reasons as many artistes in Jamaica who had the talent could not afford recording studio fees.
Another way in which musicians come up with songs is like this: one hears a tune from elsewhere, likes it, and then decides to make it his own tune by simply changing the lyrics.
I have come across many musicians in the latter category who claim that those tunes are their own compositions. The bottom line is that anyone who has a voice can be a music composer. One doesn’t have to go to college to learn how to write a song. This explains why many musicians in Zimbabwe are not collegetrained. They just use self-taught skills or band together with others to become musicians. Some of them become very good at it.
Depending on their skills some will write great songs while others who are inexperienced in songwriting skills will come up with tunes which do not convey any meaningful messages. There are kids who think that writing a song is about finding words which rhyme without caring much about the meaning bethrough hind each stanza.
Imagine the thinking behind this songwriter’s lyrics:
Amai va Leopodo Vakatora poto Ndokunanga kwa Mutoko Kwatingagare se mutoto.
I failed to make sense of this tune, but it became viral on our radio stations. I am still bemused by the thinking behind that ‘song’.
First of all, the tune’s melody was copied from popular Haitian singer Wyclef Jean’s song entitled Perfect Gentleman and sung using meaningless Shona lyrics.
Do we call the person who came up with these lyrics a songwriter? This is one example of poor songwriting skills.
Lyricism is the expression of feelings and thoughts through song. It often makes sense to the listener. Like in poetry, one can deduce the meanings behind the words the poet has chosen. Shona lyricist such as Chirikure Chirikure has attracted big audiences through his recited lyrics. Equally competent are poets such as Musaemura Zimunya, Memory Chirere and, Elizabeth Dakwa Samakande who have all taken their time to think through the themes they try to portray.
Poetry is the ability to tell a story in a structured and rhythmic pattern. Songwriters can use these skills to write songs that convey emotions while following a particular form. Poetry can expose one to various rhythmic styles and patterns, which can help in writing songs with different tempos and beats. One can also take poetry classes to improve lyricism.
Poetry can also help a songwriter to structure songs in order to incorporate a flow that conveys a message while demonstrating lyricism.
Songwriter skills and requirements are the talents and attributes that allow songwriters to compose music. These include singing, playing an instrument, writing lyrics, composing and recording. They can be natural talents or those they develop with practice. It’s also possible to develop such skills by attending classes or studying for a related music programme.
Songwriters may have natural vocal talent or receive training from a vocal coach. Singing and playing instruments can allow individuals to create music and hear it. An aptitude for playing several instruments can enable songwriters to write music for members of a musical group. For example, playing the guitar, mbira, violin, cello or piano can allow them to create melodies and harmonies using these instruments. Songwriters can also record samples of their music and send them to recruiters to showcase their talents.
It is important for a songwriter to be creative. They can use their creativity to find inspiration from various sources. As a songwriter, you can improve this by exposing yourself to different musical styles such as jazz, hip-hop, sungura, kwela, reggae, dancehall and trying to incorporate them into your work. Creativity can also help songwriters compose versatile music that can expand their musical portfolio.
Anyone can write a song and a lot of our musicians in Zimbabwe compose music by simply thinking of the song and humming the tune without the use of professional instruments. Professionalism only comes if the song has to be transported to other people. One can use such skills to network with other musicians, exposing you to songwriting opportunities.
When I taught song composition at the Zimbabwe College of Music, I emphasised on how to write musical scores for a band.
A musical score or sheet is a written form of music. It contains written melodies for solo artistes or groups. Songwriters can use musical notation software to write musical scores for one or more group members, such as a band or an orchestra. This way, musicians who have been trained to read music staff notation, can easily interpret a song which they may have never heard before.
Most musicians find professional work through practising, playing and learning on their own. However, completing musical degree programmes provides musicians with advanced training, such as fine-tuning techniques, reading, writing and understanding the nuances of musical theory and composition.
I was approached by gospel musician, Charles Charamba in 2008. He had just returned from a tour of the United States where he had gone to give performances with his group, The Fishers of Men. While there, his audiences were impressed by his music and they wanted music scores or sheet music of his songs. He was completely at sea regarding what they wanted. When he came to talk to me, I told him that there was the need for formal training of reading and writing music in order for him to deal with the request of these Americans who wanted his compositions as sheet music. Charles Charamba subsequently spent two years of study at the Zimbabwe College of Music to earn a degree in Jazz which included reading and writing music, music theory and composition. Today, with his degree in music, he is in a better position to deal with these requests as he has a deeper understanding of the theory of music.
If you are a musician, or an aspiring songwriter, you can research different musical styles and cultures and incorporate them into your songwriting skills. This can challenge you to diversify your composition. For example, if you’re conversant with writing jazz music, research other styles such as sungura, reggae, soul, classical and country music. You may discover new influences that boost your creativity, allowing you to expand your musical portfolio.
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