What's your approach to writing specifically for FAWM?
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@actualjulian Feb 2022
I've changed my approach this year and I thought I'd open up a conversation about how we approach this tall task of writing and sharing 14 songs in 28 days.
It's different than just "how do you write music?" because that process usually doesn't exist on such an outrageously short deadline. I noodle with a progression sometimes for months and years before it attracts lyrics. And some poems sit in the notebook for a long time before they ask to be set to sound.
Last year I got really stressed out if I "fell behind" and wasn't uploading a new song every second day throughout the month. I had just gone through a knee surgery the last week of January and had decided to push myself to make more full arrangements and to actually mix each song before sharing. This led to long days of work. And I had time for it because I couldn't bend my leg, the world was still shut down. I couldn't even go downstairs in my house very easily. So I gladly added the hours to making a greater effort.
This year I'm healthy. I've just moved to NYC, I'm working as a recording engineer and a wellness and creativity coach and I'm working two part time jobs and maintaining a live-in romantic relationship! It's so much! But I don't want to "step backwards" in what I make in this space. It's a magnificent challenge that really stokes and shapes my creativity.
So this year I'm gonna try to work smarter, not harder. My approach is to front-load the month with writing. I'm spending most of the hours I schedule for FAWM time to be creating concepts, lyrics and progressions. I'm trying to get the songs built without any arrangement or production whatsoever, first. Then I'm going to sit down with the demos and scratch recordings and spend the back half of the month just working on production. This way I write a song a day (about) for 14 days and then I mix and share a song a day (about) for another 14, in that order, rather than alternating between wearing each hat every other day. What's yours? -
@actualjulian Feb 2022
I should add that whenever I hit a block in the writing I'm spending some time mixing (or running out the house screaming) one of my favorites to let my brain breathe. So I'll definitely be posting songs along the way before the 14th comes. Mostly I'm curious if others have an approach they've decided on before they started, or maybe if some veterans have found an approach that works really well for them after many tries?
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@tafkavince Feb 2022
I sit and write the song. Then a do a quick demo. Usually use garage band and record the guitar. then do a vocal track. a couple tries until it is good enough. maybe fix anything glaringly bad. Then I'm done. I look at this as a month to write not for production. After the month then I can decide if the songs need editing or rewriting and which I will consider for my band or solos records or will leave behind. That is always my approach with writing songs expect for FAWM I really force my self to write many more days in a short period of time.
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@radioovermoscow Feb 2022
I have a collection of riffs and snippets I pull from if I'm in the mood to write, but nothing brand new is coming out. Sometimes I'll just sit down and start playing anything, putting it down, mangling it until it's a song.
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@mse Feb 2022
It's my first year and my first two FAWM songs, but so far, I write on day 1 and record on day 2. If there's lyrics I'm not happy with on day 2 then I may fiddle with them, but the main goal is to get it recorded before I go to bed on day 2, even if it isn't finished. Following this thread :)
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@smileymn Feb 2022
More than anything it’s generating pieces quickly. I don’t spend that much time EQ-ing the mixes or getting perfect takes, I’m more interested in getting rough demos out and capturing ideas and gestures.
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@paulroe Feb 2022
First year participating. Am an innate ultra lofi type, so never a worry about over producing from this end! The main thing that prompts retakes is if the vocal emotive is off: If it doesnt capture sentiment, in my estimate, it's scrapped. Usually not redone. Just swept aside :-)
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@christmascard Feb 2022
I do a mumble track on my iPhone, start with a melody and mumble out some words. My Melodie’s always come first.
Then I just out the guitar and try and put it together. For FAWM it’s fast, often writing each verse whilst recording it (lots of stopping and starting!) -
@wylddandelyon Feb 2022
One thing is I just let myself go in whatever direction I start with, unless I hate it, especially in skirmishes. There's no time to second-guess myself. Besides, I figure a skirmish is just a doodle, right? It is a thing to learn from, maybe a rough draft.
Well, all right, occasionally it comes out as a lot more than that. But it's OK if it doesn't. I can learn from both what works and what doesn't. -
@andygriff Feb 2022
I sit and write the song and then try to record a legible take into my phone. One of the great things about FAWM is that instead of thinking "oh that might make a song someday" I'm making myself try and sit and write it there and then. Obviously this is even more the case in the skirmishes.
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@kendrakinsey Feb 2022
For FAWM in the past, I've spent the early days just singing every little idea into my phone and going back over old notes. I've realized that if I'm driving and not allowing myself to listen to music or an audiobook, my brain will just amuse itself and I record those little things bad or good
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@theodamus Feb 2022
I’ve learned that if I can’t finish *writing* a song before I move onto the next one, that song doesn’t get done (especially in FAWM but also in general for me).
So I try to get the bones of it down in one go, like a draft stage - chord structure and/or melody, at least the lyrics for one set of each different part (eg one verse, one chorus) so I know where it’s going, then the MOST IMPORTANT bit is to do at least one of these things, preferably both: 1) mumble it badly into my phone and 2) WRITE THE CHORDS DOWN. I have been bitten so many times by a beautiful little page of lyrics sitting there, knowing that I *knew how it it went* but never being able to find the melody i had again because my head is full of another tune now.
If I complete that much I can come back and fill out the rest of the lyrics, explore the music more and get a more complete recording, but if I skip any of the above the song just haunts me half remembered forever.
Then for FAWM specifically because I’m going for volume rather than just taking my time with one idea, there’s the idea generation part before the “draft stage” - I have a Google doc on my phone where I throw every snippet of lyrics or ideas in passing so I can pull a line out or combine some when I have time to play around, and I do random voice memos for tunes or musical snippets when I’m out walking.
I try and do an hour of the “draft stage” process every day so I have a whole lot of little songs sketched lining up and I can take the ones that go somewhere (not all do, and that’s ok!) through to a more complete place. -
@winchperry Feb 2022
This is so interesting to see different approaches. This is my 3rd year and this year what's new for me is that I now know how to use electronic recording software (DAW). It's exciting for me to be able to do different tracks and I'm even playing around with arranging instrumentation and rhythms. So besides being inspired to write, I'm being inspired to arrange and record. I may find as I go along that I don't have time for doing as much arranging as I've done so far, On the 2 songs I've posted, but we'll see.
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@elliottlawrence Feb 2022
One thing I'm finding is that I need to change up my process in some way every so often, otherwise I just hit massive writer's block. Whether it's using a different instrument, trying improv vs. writing each song note for note, or writing in a different genre, I think finding a way to keep things fresh helps so much to keep the creativity flowing.
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@dragondreams Feb 2022
Hmm... I made a conscious decision this year to try to stay out of my comfort zone of over-produced, heavy guitar, funk rock fusion. I made a (rash) promise that I would focus more on my recorder playing and see where that would take me. And, so far, it really has changed my approach and sound.
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@seemanski Feb 2022
The thing that is working well for me is to write ten verbs that you associate with something e.g. a spy you could have assassinate then list ten things in your field of vision then mix them up to form phrases.
Learnt this amongst many others from Jeff Tweedy's latest book. Check out Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. You can hear the technique being used in the verses. -
@tawny249 Feb 2022
I used to try to come up with a theme and ideas to fit that theme prior to February and then try to do all of them. But that honestly was kind of restricting, and I found I write things much more easily when I take a different approach.
My advice is this: DO CHALLENGES. Out the wazoo. Practically all of my songs have been from prompts in the Games and Challenges forum section for the last three years. And it works. I got to 14 songs for the first time ever in 2020. Going to try and get it a second time this year, but really, I'll just take it one song at a time and then move to the next challenge. It keeps your brain agile. -
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@sailingmagpie Feb 2022
I create a new folder for each idea on my laptop during FAWM. Some of them don't get further than an 8 bar loop of drums and bass but it gives you something to go back to later in the month, if you're low on inspiration. I often find stuff I earlier abandoned ends up being much better than I remember.
@actualjulian I've considered doing the half writing/half recording technique before. Be warned though, you'll get significantly less comments and feedback, as everyone is working to get to 14 songs towards the end of the month. -
@hellowhirled Feb 2022
I just finished an album so I'm contemplating re-visiting some older songs for FAWM instead. I don't know if that's kosher though.
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@improvyssey Feb 2022
My project is a deliberately improvised album, which I realise isn't everyone's cup of tea. It's just sort of my usual approach to music. I've been improvising a piece and sticking it online every day for the last 920 days, but I change it up a bit for FAWM, treating the month as an opportunity to put together a more coherent story instead of the kind of musical diary I generally produce. For the second year in a row, I'm creating a 28-chapter improvised musical novel. However, in keeping with the improv spirit, I'm improvising (or, as we say in the writing world, "pantsing") the story as well as the music. It's coming out as I go. I'm used to working with novels and long-form comics, so I always find it interesting to apply the same principles to music. Despite the fact that everything is improvised, I do tend to develop a series of leitmotifs that pop up, sometimes unexpectedly, throughout the various pieces.
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@debrandio Feb 2022
I say the best therapy is to listen to something as different from whatever you do as possible and find motivation in it.
And you know what? It is already here waiting for you on this very website. -
@mrblitz000 Feb 2022
in renosie, quick prototyping is doable. i can slam in 14 skeleton demos within a couple of hours; maybe 5-15 minutes per song, depending upon the progression(s). basic kick, snare, and bass line. maybe some additional instrumentation.
then i can jam all of the guitar parts, maybe playing through the songs a bit to get a feel for the progressions, and any 'cue points' where i want to be as alert as possible to what is going on during the actual take.
after that, mock up a bunch of lyrics in another session; usally a quick write and then record vocals; also on the fly.
as i'm going through the lyrics and vocals in particular, many of the songs have a 'this definitely needs to be changed' later on. sometimes though, it all comes together.
after recording vocals, then its's a mixing session; adding details to the drums (hats, fills, etc), and to the bass line and other sequenced parts.
make sure the levels are all pretty good, and mix and post.
this all starts from renoise template, where most of the instrumentation settings are already in place, along with the 'DSPs' (inherent to renoise) and VSTs are ready to go.
that's where my process is at; at this moment in time. it's been been different in the past, and will probably change again in the future.
one of the keys to rapid demos is going through a similar task all at once, for all songs; such as recording all guitar tracks in one session, multiple vocal lyrics/vocals in a session, etc. imo. ymmv
in 5090, sometimes this process is broken up in 'chunks' of 5 or 10 songs at a time. one year (2011) i did 50 songs from scratch in 5 days. it helps being on vacation or unemployed. -
@candle Feb 2022
Improvisation is my goto. Just plug in my guitar, hit record in my Jeskola Buzz "live" project (my DAW) & follow the input from my Muse. On the other hand, I often dabble in more actual composing on my lunch hour at work & often I will even scratch out lyrics on scrap pieces of paper while I'm at work. Whatever the methodology, the basis is simply allow my Muse the freedom to express herself in whatever way she pleases without my Logical side wanting to edit everything.
When I first started FAWMing over 10 years ago, I would plan out a concept album which would give me a path to follow. But I've found simply letting my Muse have free reign has produced far more results & some of my favourite songs. The problem I have found with improvising, however, is that my Muse seems enamoured with certain progressions & tonalities that I have to find creative ways of circumventing. Oh well, nobody's perfect…
See You In The Shadows… -
@spingo Feb 2022
For FAWM I hork a voice-and-guitar demo into my phone, usually with one verse and one chorus unless more show up immediately, and call it done and move to the next one. I save the audio files and a text file of the chords and lyrics into a FAWM folder.
These may get "real" versions later, who knows. But for now, the point is to make the clay, as I call it. If you have a verse and chorus, then adding a bridge, intro, more verses and choruses, etc. is pretty straightforward. One verse and chorus is enough for me to extrapolate the rest from. -
@pianoonthepatio Feb 2022
ah I understand! hope this helps
1) @radioovermoscow @christmascard I also have a backlog of snippets in the form of random voice memos. I pull one out from there if no inspiration strikes that night and tinker around until it becomes a song. Taking it a step further - I always try to connect it with a story. So I have a 'Swipe File' idea taken from 'Steal Like An Artist- Austin Kleon' where I hoard all kinds of scenes from TV shows, conversations with strangers, books I read, poetry, etc. Pick a Voice Memo to work on and something interesting from my Swipe File.. voila. The song usually starts to write itself at that point.
2) Same as @theodamus. Start with the chords first. My main instrument is piano, so that's usually my base before I change it to any other instrument. Based on my idea from my Swipe File, I start thinking about the vibe/instruments/ feel I want. It helps to have a reference track. I like to identify all the instruments I hear from it and list them out to use for the song I want. If you can't think of anything, just decide on a genre and research what typical instruments / vibe it usually has.
3) You can also use songwriting tools like random wiki page & random english word generator, epic orchestra, the muse, etc. @tawny249 suggested doing a challenge. Trying one rn
4) if none of the above works then it's time to approach someone whose music you admire on FAWM and offer them your music skills lol. Collaborating gives you inspiration. You can approach them to collaborate on something from scratch.
5) Like @smileymn , I don't spend much time mixing. As long as you can hear the melody and it has expression. I give myself a timeline to not get stuck on a song for more than 2 days unless it's a collab, but only because they need back and forth communication and that half of our collaborators live on the other side of the world! My FAWM songs have A LOT of liner notes. So I will be able to pick it right back up from where I left after February -
@boyatheart Feb 2022
My writing approach doesn't change for FAWM. In years past I'd upload unfinished, or roughly mixed demos to reach 14. Then it was clear it would take forever, if ever to get round to properly finishing those songs.
So since 2020 I post what I finish and it really is finished, except for the occasional tweak of a mix. -
@eargoggle Feb 2022
Really interesting to see everyone's process here. Honestly, what helps me the most is to stop caring about whether I reach 14 songs or not. I always have here, but if I don't- and maybe I won't this year- it doesn't really matter to me. If I end up with one song that I wouldn't have finished otherwise, I feel like it's a win. So that takes some of the pressure off when I'm trying to write, and I think allows me to try different processes. This year I'm experimenting with writing a short story for each song, just a way to see if I can make the lyrics more considered, make the world behind each song make more sense, but it takes longer obviously so I'm "behind" at this stage. But, I don't care.
If you really care about reaching 14, then skirmishes are the way to go, get an idea, quickly get something out. Otherwise, I have a very "it'll be done when it's done" attitude about it. -
@manoptic Feb 2022
We (@aeye) basically write music to a story -- much like a soundtrack. But to make things go faster, we write the whole story for that year's FAWM project long ahead of time, usually starting around November or so of the previous year. Each track/chapter gets a name and a story line. When February comes around, we generally find that these titles and descriptions spur a lot of ideas. And that becomes a springboard for creating the tracks quickly. It also helps that the projects we've been working on for the past 6 years have all been part of the same series. So, we have themes developed for earlier installments that we can then easily reuse.
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@fantasywriter42 Feb 2022
@manoptic that sounds like a really spiffy way to go about this. ^_^
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@aeye Feb 2022
@fantasywriter42 its pretty amazing how it works (other half of a.eye here, DJ Kenneth A). I’ve even gone so far as to adopt that style into my normal album
work. Having a story planned out is amazing with how much it influences things like sound/style/etc. I totally recommend it. -
@gubna Feb 2022
I've tried to use it for experimentation, but also being focused for the month on creating music helps me actually do it, whereas during the rest of the year, I will do things, but not fully complete them. This year however, I have taken a more laid back approach due to a health issue. I haven't written much in the way of lyrics, but I've created a bunch of instrumentals I like. I do have a few lyrical things I'm still working on.
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@midy0 Feb 2022
It's my first year doing FAWM so I can't prove that it's a perfect method, but if I don't have song ideas organically coming to me I like to dig into the brains of characters from my favourite tv shows/books/stories. Pick a high stakes episode of a TV show and write through someone else's emotions if you can't get much out of your own at the time.
Another idea I always use (when possible) is to physically go somewhere new or different and try to do something there. You don't need to actually write the song in that moment, but putting yourself into a new setting whether it's a restaurant or people watching in a new part of town can refresh your brain and also give you ideas.
As far as more technical aspects go, I agree with @theodamus on chords first, but even just doing things backwards from how you naturally write on purpose. If you make a beat first, write lyrics first. If you can play multiple instruments, try writing on the one you write less with. Given the deadline that continues to rapidly approach I find the more I can reset my brain especially musically the better this type of stuff tends to work. -
@keithcuts Feb 2022
My writing approach in Fawm for the most part is “write a song in an hour”
Usually two verses a hook and a demo
Fawm is for getting good at taking an idea and fleshing it out into a song. If I get lucky and score a keeper or a few during the month that’s gravy.
There’s magic in that hour time frame and thus you’ll see me in or hosting a skirmish almost every day.
I’m aiming for 28
Lesssgoooo -
@theicylakes Feb 2022
I think of a feeling (or it comes to me), a dilemma, a situation, a concept, and then I write simply about it. Like, "I just wanna hug you". I come up with a way to sing that, and I start working backwards from there pretty quickly.
I'm thinking to myself: "How do I feel when I wanna hug you? Why do I wanna hug you? What if I couldn't hug you anymore... oh, I'd be sad! I wanna hug you 'til the day I die!"
I write out some verses, with verse 1 setting the scene, 2 going more into detail, then going into the chorus and the main message of the song. Then, how I feel about the chorus, or maybe more about the why. More chorus. A side-thought for middle-eight or an instrumental perhaps. Last. chorus, and done! -
@carleybaer Feb 2022
@keithcuts nailed it. FAWM is for the exercise, and keepers are an added bonus when they happen. I too am aiming for a double FAWM this year, let’s gooooooo *double high five*
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@hazydave Feb 2022
This is the first FAWM I'm managed to do. I adapted and changed my writing style, but I've apparently been preparing for this for years. I keep an electronic notebook of song ideas in my phone, my PC, everywhere. When I think of a song idea, I stop what I'm doing: stop the car, stop work, get up out of bed, write it down.
My usual and not terribly productive use of this has been, when I really think I nailed one, I bring it up, work through the lyrics and see if I'm really a believer. If so, I start noodling around on guitar, see if the lyrics actually makes sense, work it out and see if I can learn the song. While I'm perfectly able to record and produce, I've been off that for a few years, but had been working all summer to finish a better home studio to make that an easier thing.
Anyway, for FAWM this year I've started by going though my 200+ song ideas and really working on developing them to the next level, even if I'm not entirely sold on the song idea at first. Just this morning before work I came across something that was really two songs.... I found the one good one in that.
I wanted to get at least a respectable set of lyrics before I moved on. I might get something recorded this weekend... -
@dwarvenlover Feb 2022
Morning coffee, Guitar, mumbling, Lunch, Recording
