SONGWRITING
FUTURE-PROOFING YOUR SONGWRITING | Kevin MacDougall
The future comes when we make it. And if you working on—maybe it’s a song that feels stuck, with its own atmosphere, so changing just a
don’t want to get left in the past, the best thing or one that you’ve been struggling to finish, or couple chords in a verse or chorus of your song
you can do is to broaden your approach. New especially a song you feel is a bit boring and can bring on entirely new dimensions to what
tools—and a willingness to try them—can go a needs help. Play the chorus, or whatever part you’re writing. (SEE: Video links for how David
long way. But make no mistake. It’s like Bob Dylan you have. Play through the progression and sing Crowder reimagined his song “Open Skies,”
said decades ago: The times, they are a-changin’. the melody as you know it. Find a place where utilizing reharmonization as part of a remix.)
the note (or run of notes) in your melody could
Relax, songwriter. Breathe. Breathe into the benefit from something more interesting in the I’ve been able to dust off some ideas I couldn’t
moment. Slow your pulse—your sense of “how progression. What chord are you playing when complete and get them finished because of this
writing is done” and what it “should” look like. Peer that note is sung? Now, try replacing the chord tool. And they end up with a more interesting
out, beyond the veil of the moment, to see a future you’re playing at that moment with a different chord progression than they began with in
brimming with new and exciting possibilities… chord, even though your melody hasn’t changed. the process.
especially for those who aren’t too dependent on a You’re likely singing a note that’s in the chord, single method or pattern for writing songs. so try other chords which also feature the note BEING IMPRACTICAL
you’re singing. Or ones that don’t. Melodies are This next idea is guitar-specific. Something you
very fluid things. don’t see a lot of in worship and congregational
Surrender to the rhythms of life, Grooves become
ruts and movements become monuments. Be
music is the use of alternate tunings, but they are
ready to disrupt, and deconstruct and you might You might just hear something ‘click’ and sound powerful tools just the same! There’s something
be on the cusp of something. special. Fresh. Suddenly, a million possibilities about a good open tuning that erases everything
arise, because every chord in your song you think you know in the best way. As you
Because the future comes when we make it. And provides an opportunity for you to try this sort of play, you feel more rooted in the guitar’s basic
the future might be a little weirder. But that’s okay. substitution. You can subvert your own default sound, and then everything you do becomes
instincts and yield much more interesting results an extension of that, as you find new voicings,
DOING THE SAME THING… BUT DIFFERENTLY in what you write this way. And often it will unlock transitions, inversions, bass and lead lines (etc.)
First, a practical suggestion. Try this exercise: a parallel universe that your song wanted to be within the movement of chords.
in all along. Entire chord progressions—and, Sure, it’s impractical. But it seems to me that it’s
Grab a guitar or sit down at the keys (whatever it is along with them, the “feel” of entire songs— time to get more impractical. Practicality can rob
you do to write). Now, play an E chord and sing an E can be reimagined this way even if a melody creativity, limiting options and setting too many
note together. Next, do that again, only change the stays intact. rules before we’ve even left the starting line. But
chord while keeping the note the same. Sing that E
open tunings have a unique ability to sound more
note over C#m. Or A major. Or E minor. Or C major. What I’m describing is called reharmonization, grounded, dense, meditational, even ancient and
All of these chords prominently feature an E in them. and it refers to when you take a melody and futuristic at the same time. Isn’t this what we’re
Pause between each and let your ears empty of change the harmony that accompanies it. In this going for?
the sound you’ve made. Observe with every case, your chord progression. That note you’re change how that note you’re singing feels different singing? It’s in a lot of different chords, and it A great many of us have two or more guitars.
each time. means something different in each context. As in It really doesn’t hurt to keep one of them out
the example above with singing an E note over of standard tuning, and switching up during a
different chords, each chord surrounds that note service isn’t difficult when you plan for it. At the
Now you can take this idea to any song you’re
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April 2020
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