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July 21, 2005
How an NSAI Group “Critiques” a Song
An important part of our monthly NSAI meetings is when we engage in critiquing each other’s songs. The process may be valuable, but sometimes it ain’t easy!
Here’s How It Works:
Each songwriter who is presenting a song (and we usually have about 5 or 6 per meeting) passes out lyric sheets to each group member, and then a CD of the song is played. We have had some members play their song live for the group, but playing a CD is usually easier for the writer, since they don’t have to worry about giving a good performance.
Comments Must be Constructive
After the song is heard in its entirety, the group members are free to make any comments they wish. However, the comments must be constructive! They can’t just say, “Boy, that song really makes me gag!”
Group members can offer suggestions as to how the song might be improved. For example, a comment might be made concerning the lyric: “This line sounds like a cliché. Maybe that could be avoided by wording it this way.” Or, “The melody seems to have an awkward phrase here. What if you phrased it like this?” So sometimes the observations may center on the lyrics of the song, and at other times on the music.
What About the Songwriter?
So if you’re the songwriter whose song is up for comment and critique, what is your role in this process? Well, to put it succinctly, your role is to shut up and listen. This is not the time to defend your reasons for writing a line certain way, or for using that strange chord in the chorus. You, the writer, take in all that is said, and then decide on your own whether to re-write the song.
Always keep in mind that it is extremely rare (in fact, it’s never happened as far as I can remember…) for any song presented in a group meeting to be absolutely perfect first time out. Just about every song needs to be re-written, sometimes several times, in order for it to be the best song possible.
There’s a lot more I can say about re-writing, but I’ll save that for another time.
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Posted by leon at July 21, 2005 12:11 PM