Approach to first song?
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@odilongreen Jan 2022
It's only Monday here, but I'm deep in thought about what to do for my first song for this FAWM.
Something quick and sloppy and easy and "free standing," just to get on the board?
Or dive immediately into my overarching concept album and spend more time and effort crafting the opening track, which means it might be a few days until I post?
I'm inclined to the former -- maybe do one of the challenges I'm interested in participating in -- but the dilemma is real! -
@zecoop Jan 2022
My typical starter song each year is a surf rock song, mostly because it is just a lot of fun to do. But it is also less complicated… in theory… most of the time… remember that time that I started off with a 5/4 surf song? LOL
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@whispermouse Jan 2022
Generally the song I start first isn't the first song I finish. I'll start on some lyrics tonight after midnight local time, but I won't be able to stay awake long enough to finish it (not to mention the reaction I'd get to banging on a guitar at 1am). Then tomorrow, I'll probably do a skirmish or something to break the ice, and that first song will take a while to come into being.
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@tinear Jan 2022
The intention is always to do something simple...
..in reality, a few hours down the line I'll probably be arranging some string section accompaniment, and deciding four part vocal harmonies are just what this song needs -
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@dragondreams Jan 2022
I've been thinking about this today.
In the past, my first track has always been on the edge of over-produced, simply because that's the I work. I want to go for the simpler approach this year.
I'm also debating whether to start writing as soon as I wake and have coffee or wait until the site unlocks for us UK residents at 12 noon. -
@yam655 Jan 2022
This year, I have an album-a-day itch I'm scratching for my D1 project. I'll post the first song as my #FirstFruits and the rest will hang out on my Bandcamp page... until they are picked up for collaboration, then the collaboration alone will be the way the others show up. That should help keep my numbers down. (I certainly don't need to inflate them.)
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@standup Jan 2022
My very first FAWM I sprang (well, flopped) out of bed and wrote and recorded something called “I Dream in Color”.
Recent years sometimes it takes me a day or two to get the first one done. Last year I think I had kind of a cool guitar thing, but lyrics were nonsense. Don’t remember if posted on day one or not. -
@cblack Jan 2022
Wrote some lyrics at 1am because I woke up. If I was doing music too, I'd probably take an entire day to do it.
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@sheslin Jan 2022
@zecoop I am all in to hear a 5/4 surf song - that is really going to fire up the musical brain!
@whispermouse I love the idea of a skirmish to break the musical ice! -
@reinderd Jan 2022
I'm traveling without access to my guitars, so my first song will probably something really simple recorded with a MIDI keyboard and virtual instruments.
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@mosley Jan 2022
I’ve found the first song always gets the most plays and comments, so it’s always a bit tempting to overwork the first song, but in the years when I’ve done that I’ve fallen behind and not made it to 14…so this year I’m going for simple on the first song, and I’ll let the complicated ones happen over the course of the month.
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@daveyboy103 Jan 2022
Mine will be an instrumental. Warm up. I normally enjoy working with lyricists even though I can write words myself.
The music comes easy, words are harder, especially when I don't have anything specific I want to say at that time. -
@gm7 Jan 2022
My first song is usually a single track acoustic guitar instrumental. I watched a NOVA docu. about butterflies last week... so a song about a peaceful summer image during the cold days of FAWM is in order...at least in my area of the woods..Eastern Canada.
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@zecoop Jan 2022
@daveyboy103 - Yep. Another reason I go with surf is because it is an instrumental song and music comes easily. I don't write lyrics and a lot of my music gets finished by collaborators for lyrics/vocals, so I always make something that is intentionally instrumental for the first song. :)
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@majormajormajormajor Jan 2022
Every time I've won or come close I've introduced a structure for myself ahead of time. Often this will be a short story - it really doesn't matter how spare it is in terms of plot or how much or in what way I abstract from it. More than just a prompt, it's a starting point and more than that, it's a series of obstructions(see The Five Obstructions, what works in filmmaking translates to us well). It's specific to me, but paradoxically I am more adventurous and take more risks when I'm bounded. So I set it up that way. And short stories rarely provide enough material for 14 tunes so there's still room for games, but it gets me kicked off well. This year will be The Lady of the House of Love by Angela Carter. She writes such gorgeous prose... anyway, it'll be my first vampire story ever so, um, woohoo!
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@daveyboy103 Jan 2022
@zecoop I look forward to hearing it
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@andygetch Jan 2022
I'll find out tomorrow
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@willyviste Jan 2022
I have done some more complex stuff the last two years. This year, I wanna make an intro-song of some sort, just calm and ambient. We'll see though what really happens:)
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@celineellis Jan 2022
I’m going guitar and vocal and using a voice memo idea I have saved from ages ago. Getting something done and on the board will inspire me for sure
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@postcardhelicopters Jan 2022
@tinear - I'm right there with ya on that... hoo boy!
The plan is *always* to start off simple, but...
However, this year I've been warming up by working on some song bits over the last couple of days to get myself in the flow of things. So when midnight hits, I won't have any (...uh... fewer...) roadblocks in the way.
And then perhaps *actually* start of with something simple and satisfying? That'd be swell.
...and then if I could just short circuit the habit of falling so in love with that first song that it's too hard to start a second one? Well, that'll be a nice goal to achieve. -
@candle Jan 2022
I have some scraps left over from an idea I never fully explored that are slated to become my first song. But, I often just plug in my guitar, press record in Buzz & start playing. I give in to the Muse right from the get go. It keeps her happy - which mean she keeps creating stuff. Happy Muse, Happy FAWM ;-D
See You In The Shadows… -
@lowhum Jan 2022
Just let it come, babe! Yeah, it's your first song! You can do it! Anything goes! Embrace whatever is it in and out there - pick an instrument or scribble some words - you can't get it wrong! Enjoy the excitement of creation!
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@gubna Jan 2022
I decided to take it easy this FAWM due to some health issues. Just gonna do ambient and modular instrumentals.
I'll probably write some lyrics too, but I need to not stress at all. -
@klaus Jan 2022
The first song is really really important just like the first song on an album. It has to be perfect even if it takes more time. I can do the fillers later on week three when it gets quiet.
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@siebass Jan 2022
Skirmish is always a fun way to rip off the band-aid, but this year I think I have one idea I want to roll with first. We'll see once the wagon gets rolling though.
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@hurongrand Jan 2022
Last year, I started off with a goofy, simple song. I had never recorded myself, despite years of writing music, so I was really nervous and wanted to start by recording a song that wasn't too important to me.
This year, I'm not sure if I'll write a silly song or not, but I do want to start with a simple "warm-up" before I dive into anything too complicated. -
@wobbiewobbit Jan 2022
i like to do a quick hello of sorts to get on the board, still don't know what yet though
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@gubna Jan 2022
@bachelorb for the modular synth, it's like ok, plug in a bunch of cables. how does it sound? Good? Bad? Ok? Keep plugging in cables until it sounds cool then hit record for a bit. Save it.
Then, remove all the cables and start over - with different modules. I don;t know if I can come up with 14 different ones, but I think I'll do some ambient stuff with other synths.
I've had plans to do a whole bunch of stuff, but the other day coming back on my walk, I just felt that I would do the fun stuff and not worry about it. (I've got a problem with my eye right now, so I want to avoid extra time on the computer/daw this year). I may be using my tascam DP008EX to record. Will it be a dawless year for me? I don't know yet.
EDIT: of course all that goes out the window when my new guitar just arrived minutes ago! -
@kenmattsson Jan 2022
Planning on doing a "song of the season" for Day 1, and then something to celebrate International Ukulele Day on Day 2 to get ahead of myself and have something on the boards to keep the motivation going.
Last year I did an "I'm back" song for Day 1.
Granted, I might wake up tomorrow morning and have completely different plans. -
@whispermouse Jan 2022
Oh, good call @kenmattsson - gotta do a uke song on the 2nd. Two songs by day two is way ahead of schedule!
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@theresaj Jan 2022
My birthday is February 1st so typically I try to write a birthday-type song. Something reflective, usually. I feel once I get the first song done then I can do this.
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@lastnightilie Jan 2022
I love doing a simple, low-quality song on a frivolous topic to start with. I tend not to write outside of FAWM and 50/90 these days, so my skills get rusty and my brain gets out of the songwriting mindset. I like to have a low-pressure way to ease myself back in.
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@guatecoop Jan 2022
I tend to have a lot of pent up energy and it often comes through clearly on the first song. Just saying that spooks me, as now my thinking is that it will be a dirge tomorrow!! I hope not.
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@bitshred Jan 2022
Every year I have the intention of using an idea from my voice memos just to jump start things. But once I wake up on Feb 1st, I end up writing something totally fresh.
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@standup Jan 2022
Since this afternoon I'm writing down related words and googling concepts here and there. I have a topic for my first song, but not lyrics per se. Wikipedia should get a collab credit.
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@timfatchen Jan 2022
I don't KNOW what I'm doing. For once I won't run a mundane neoclassical piano because I can do that standing on my head, and a spark is needed to generate something other than tinkle. So O think I'll wander into my forest of synths and chill out with soothing ambient electronica, can't be beat...(!)
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@sheilerk Jan 2022
I pretty much never know where the first one will come from. Usually I'm starting later into the month, but I'm not this year, so the possibilities are endless.
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@plumptunes Jan 2022
I have a bunch of song seeds that I should really use FAWM to elaborate on, but I'd like to make something totally new to get rolling.
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@artie Jan 2022
I've noticed that the excitement and buoyancy of last week has now given way to the pressure of that darn first song! My mind has gone on vacation.
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@apolez3 Jan 2022
I feel last year my first song set the pace, vibes and/or quality for my former ones. Quality vs. Quantity... I vote for Quantity of Quality :P And if you can't do that,,, I'd for sure pick Quality- though a demo take (first take even of a finished thought out and tried concept before the full final first take idea is manifested in your abilities... is what i'm more/less basically thinking)
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@kawautv Jan 2022
No idea, for the first time here so as a FAWMling I will take, whatever comes to my mind.
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@spikedirection Jan 2022
I tend to use up something that's been sitting in my head lately, half written, so i have a blank state. Though this year i did that 2/3 weeks ago when i was self-isolating, so i dunno
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@odilongreen Jan 2022
OK, I've decided what I'm doing for my first song. It is indeed a one-off, somewhat silly track, in fulfillment of the #cowcore challenge. Now that I know what I'm doing, I'm really eager to get started!
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@davi3blu3 Jan 2022
The more I plan or over produce, the less likely I am to finish, most of the time :D I can always come back and polish later!
Hoping to rip the first one out pretty quickly and get started with a little momentum. Cued up a guitar tone that makes me excited to play, and have a couple of rough ideas swirling, and that's it. Excited to start -
@mishykatz Jan 2022
For the past few years I have been starting with a gratitude song. Seems to be a good way to inspire something anything.
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@tseaver Jan 2022
I had a plan for the First Song(TM) this year, but I can feel another one, rowdy and unruly, shoving its way to the front of the line.
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@sheamiejay Jan 2022
Great idea @mishykatz. I might do that. Im pretty focused on the writing aspect vs production, so acoustic guitar and maybe some harmonica.
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@philkmills Jan 2022
I use software called Scrivener to write lyrics. I like it because it also lets me manage the many, many (MANY!) one line or one paragraph descriptions I have of songs I might write one day.
I'm currently torn between reviewing those until something appeals vs. picking a book off a shelf and using it as a prompt. In past years I've done one or the other of those things...or just gone with whatever came to mind.
Yeah, I'm really methodical. :) -
@mishykatz Jan 2022
@sheamiejay same re: production although I have been working on it and have gotten a much faster work flow, I tend to post very rough demos here. Thinking I will focus on music first this year, bass-ackwards from my usual
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@timfatchen Jan 2022
I have just proved to myself, once again, that the Muse, or Karma, or the Hubris Angel will always intervene to wholly subvert whatever I might intend to do. So I'm going to attempt a traditional ballad as sufficiently out of kilter with my normal dipole operation for them no to notice.
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@mishykatz Jan 2022
@sheamiejay and anyone else interested, check the "First Fruits" thread for the whole gratitude thing
