Canadian Musician Songwriting Article #2

I enjoyed the Songwriting article in the latest issue of Canadian Musician magazine. It was written by Emm Gryner, a Canadian songwriter, musician, producer and label owner.

While admitting that everyone wants to write a "hit", a popular song that "people love", she also points out:
"But to write primarily with feeling, with your senses alive, and your heart in the right place means something very different than to write with your head in overdrive, thinking, 'How can I get this to sound like Maroon 5 in 20 minutes or less?'..."

Ms. Gryner goes on to describe a typical day of writing for her (not necessarily what any other songwriter should do) and points out:

1. The need to sit at her piano (where she writes) first thing every morning, without distractions.
2. She goes where she can be completely alone and where her instrument sounds best.
3. She jots down melody ideas as musical notes next to lyrics she's written so she can remember those melody ideas that go with certain words. This can also be done by singing into her telephone and leaving herself a message.
4. She goes with her superstitions - same tape of paper, same pen. AND she writes the alphabet on the top of the page to help her with her rhyming.
5. She knows she's done when she gets a "good feeling" about her song.
6. "Write what you love, not what is trendy."

She's very wise... ci vedimes...