Place challenge ideas here.

[McAllister]

I would rather have the Songwriter's Challenge be a community thing, rather than just me making up what monthly goal is.

I mean, I can easily come up with a bunch of cool things, but it's better if everyone else has a say, too. To that end I'd like to ask for ideas. You can post them here or PM me, whatever.

I will choose from the submissions (or more likely mash them together).

Cool?

Cool.

M

[Grapestomper]

I read "place challenge..." in the little 'last post' box in the womb front-page, and I thought... "hmm interesting idea".

I had jumped to the conclusion that the challenge was to write a song about a place; like "Caledonia" or "Louisiana", or something.

So there... you kin use that, if'n yer hard up.





Seriously, though; I'm having a much harder time with the January challenge than I did with the December one, partly because perameters were so much looser.
I would never have thought it before we began, but I now totally see your point about structural/lyrical restrictions actually making things easier in a wierd way.

Personally, I have no problem with just having you hand 'em down to us from on high. Of course, that dosn't mean that taking up a collection of suggestions isn't a cool idea too.

see ya 'round the campus,
Mike

[Jason Phair]

Challenge ideas?


How about two contestants standing on towers, say 6 feet apart from each other, and they have to knock each other down into a pit of slime with long poles?


Nah, that'll never sell.

[Jason Phair]

So there... you kin use that, if'n yer hard up.





Dude, I'm hard up and that doesn't help me at all!

[MacGregor]

A little weird idea: choose one song from the billboard top ten
single charts and compose the inverse/opposite song to it, e.g.
if some chick yodels a slow balled about how she'd lost her love
write a dark speed-metal song about how you found hate.
And vice versa.

Ahem, when I think about it...

I need another whisky.

Macdrunk

[Webs]

Mc,

First of all, I like GrapeStomper's idea of writing about a location... think of all the interpretations one might get both stylistically and lyrically if one selects cities with long and rich histories.

Secondly, it seems what we've seen thus far (albeit as only 2 challenges) is a songwriting challenge (write me a morbid surf song with these musical constraints), and what I would suggest is more of an arranging challenge (write me a soft/loud song using a lyrical variant of a catchy life phrase). Both are excellent, but I surmise the more songwriting-constrained challenges may yield more stimuli. (I had to throw in stimuli to leave Jason Phair room for more jokes!).

That said, here are a few ideas:

* GENRE/STYLE FOCUS: write in a specified genre, perhaps with musical or lyrical constraints (aka the December challenge).

* TEMPO FOCUS: write to a specified tempo using pre-assigned lyrics (make it crazy... tongue twisters, etc.), and perhaps require different tempi for different song sections.

* LYRIC FOCUS: write in any genre, any tempo, any key, etc., but must write about 'x' subject matter (whatever you like... fast cars, fast women, my dog done left me, hairy backs, fast women with hairy backs, you name it.) In this approach, the writers end up having to tailor their music to whatever crazy lyrics they write, which could get very entertaining.

* BEAT FOCUS: song must include pre-specified beat somewhere in the song... forcing the writer both stylistically and also requiring development of matching beats on other song sections. Bonus points for engineering their own beats to blend or not blend with the pre-assigned beat.

* HOLIDAY FOCUS: this is really just a genre focus, but I felt it needed its own section. How would the folks here write a Valentine's song? A Saint Patrick's song? An April Fool's song? Pick any holiday... perhaps the more obscure, the more interesting it gets? (Plus they can gift it to their loved one(s), thus saving them from having to make hand-thrown clay ashtrays or crude finger-paintings this year).

* GROUP WRITING FOCUS: this may be a mini version of CAPE, but songwriting-biased... teams of 3-4 where each person is responsible for a song element: beat, progression, lyrics, arrangement, etc. Of course roles could bend/blend as necessary to produce the results.

* NEWS/EVENT FOCUS: write a reaction to a prominent news event (specified or open). This could work instrumentally or lyrically.

* WRITE TO PICTURE: post an audio-free quicktime clip and have folks either interpret to it or write to a specific mood, theme, etc. in it. I'm not suggesting SMPTE synching at this stage, just using an image or a movie clip as inspiration.

* WRITE TO AUDIO: similar to "write to picture," but this time, folks write their reactions/takes/etc. to something they're asked to listen to.

More later, perhaps...

[sqkychair]

How about make it sound like a specific person or band wrote it?

Like a long lost Beatles or Stones song.

Or somebody more obscure.:Twisted:

[Molly's Lips]

Most of you are giving rather general criteria, so I will offer something very specific, albeit, strange:



-Instrumentation must be based upon/inspired by music from an old video game (atari, 8-bit nintendo, etc.)

-At least one verse in a language other than your native tongue.

-The chorus must not be actual words (la's, na-na's, shooby-doo's, etc.)

-Must have a bridge with only stomp/clapping and whistling.


There you go.

[McAllister]

Thanks everybody (both on this thread and by PM).
Keep 'em coming, though I think I have enough for the next 6 months or so.

This is gonna get good.

M

[mingus]

This is gonna get good.

M

. . . . . . . . as his maniacal laughter echoes through the building and gently fades away . . . . . . . .:Twisted:


Other constraints to consider could include:

A specific chord progression

A chord "palate" from which all the chords must come (or at least referred to by the II and a Vm7 etc. so that the key can be matched to the vocalist)

Unusual lyrical topics/themes/words such as: propellers, wing nuts, pollen, burrito, etc.

Write a song for an artist from a specific era as mentioned by Webs



What's up for February?

[Grapestomper]

What's up for February?

Yeah, wazzup wi dat?

We got two less days to work with as it is...

:grin:
M

[Webs]

Thanks Mingus,

As much as I'd like to take credit for the soundalike concept, I believe it was sqkychair who suggested that one.

In fact, I specifically avoided that one because, while it does acclimate a writer to a particular artist's style, it doesn't have to, but often becomes, more an engineering solution over a writer solution (how do I make the guitar sound like...how do I make the drums sound like...). I'm definitely not knocking it. It is commonly used at Berklee for development as well. I would suggest that it benefits the developments in engineering more significantly.

This small area of the forum appears to be more songwriting oriented, so I was suggesting more songwriting 'constraints,' that is, things that make us think as songwriters.

Crazy example: pretend you're Tommy Lee writing about experiences from the video with Pamela... this dictates a tone and a constrained lyrical message, but, the songwriter gets to mess with key, the lyrics and messages themselves, the tempo (and I'd suggest here, there might be some fluctuations), mix, and instrumentation (no pun intended). Had we said: write something that sounds like Motley Crue, the writer may not have had as much leeway in their craft. I suppose I'm more supporting the elemental of what I surmise this part of the forum to embody, and, this is all debatable.


P.s> Pollen and burrito are great lyrical constraints for new songs! How about adding crayon or bath towel?

[Muzzleflash]

Most of you are giving rather general criteria, so I will offer something very specific, albeit, strange:



-Instrumentation must be based upon/inspired by music from an old video game (atari, 8-bit nintendo, etc.)

-At least one verse in a language other than your native tongue.

-The chorus must not be actual words (la's, na-na's, shooby-doo's, etc.)

-Must have a bridge with only stomp/clapping and whistling.


There you go.

This sounds like a cool idea, i am already hearing clap-filled bridges in my head:very happy:

[Muzzleflash]

Hey guys...

This is also a very general idea, but what if the challange was to write a song for a specific artist? Like Britney Spears or whatever.

[Webs]

Interesting idea. Should we pick a specific song? A specific approach? A specific progression?

If Britney... which song?
(I know Nickel Creek does a killer cover of a certain song.)

Perhaps we agree to cover her song in the opposite (minor versus major)?

You be the judge.

[Muzzleflash]

Interesting idea. Should we pick a specific song? A specific approach? A specific progression?

If Britney... which song?
(I know Nickel Creek does a killer cover of a certain song.)

Perhaps we agree to cover her song in the opposite (minor versus major)?

You be the judge.


My thought was actually not to make a cover song but to write an original song for the artist. I noticed that this allready had been done in the Elvis challenge but maybe we could do it again with different artist:)

[Webs]

Webs: note to self... webs, read people's posts more carefully. Doh! :lol:

[Muzzleflash]

Hahaha....Webs, I do the same thing over and over and I never seem to learn:)

[weedywet]

how about:

write something memorable that is in no way reminiscent of anything else already written or anyone else's style.

[McAllister]

WW - good idea, but nah - isn't that too easy?

M

[MacGregor]

how about:

write something memorable that is in no way reminiscent of anything else already written or anyone else's style.

Quote from the Grammy awards 2010:

Q: So, Mr. weedywet, you're the producer of 7 of this year's winners.
Rumor is that YOU invented their new Spacebanjo style. How did you do that?

A: Well, I told them in what styles NOT to write.

Hehehe...


But anyway, I think it's a cool idea to try something completely
new, even at the risk that it's probably, ahem, not quite as
enjoyable as some good old (and save) rock'n'roll.

Mac

[Muzzleflash]

Hey guys

I'm starting to feel that I'm spamming this thread but I had another idea...

What if we could find some sort of short trailer (for a movie, videogame etc) and write the soundtrack to it?

[sqkychair]

how about:

write something memorable that is in no way reminiscent of anything else already written or anyone else's style.

And to expand, invent a new genre completely. And make it a hit from that genre, as if it had already existed for ten years or so.

[Webs]

Another idea:

since they appear to comprise a good portion of todays pop song purchasing market, perhaps write a song designed to sell to the typical pre-teen girl?

If you want to make it more challenging, require that the lyrics are playfully subversive, in that they are actually beneficial and subtly encourage doing homework, or learning math, or a foreign language, or to clean up their room, or ... whatever.

[Dave Perry]

Write a song with at least one "achingly sweet" chord/melody hook. Lyrics about anything.

[McAllister]

Nah, too easy.

[Dave Perry]

Nah, too easy.

Maybe, but I'd love to hear 'em if you got 'em. Post them in the Sounding Board.

[Goes211]

I like the movie trailer idea a lot.
Although we may just as well give it to MudCat and be done with it. :lol:

I dabble in that genre a lot (music for tv series) , and it's a totally different mindset, with different conventions. Very very interesting but quite a leap from the pop song world.

How about : write a "crooner" tune as if it was 1940 again. Then record it in that fashion too.

[Carlo]

How about : write a "crooner" tune as if it was 1940 again. Then record it in that fashion too.

Make it so ya have to give it all the artifacts of a 40's record...ya know, the scratches, and warblin'!

But crooner tunes could be a hit.

[mingus]

http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/3754/deccaad.JPG

Well he's a waitin' for an idea . . .
ba da ba bum, ba da ba bum


. . .

[Martini]

The idea could be: to write a song for twin neck guitar and ONLY for twin neck guitar!


Something emotional, perhaps?

[Knastratt]

How about a 30 sec commercial spot for the new, fantastic Absalom Diglectivider™?

[HalfBlood]

Here's a few:

1) Record a stream-of-consciousness album with 10 songs in no more than 20 hours and then mix each song in no more than15 minutes.

2) Record the best song you can using only one hand at a time when you play instruments. The mouse is not considered an instrument.

3) Write a song which describes a journey morphing through a series of landscapes (ie. underwater, mountains, city and so on) with no lyrics.

4) Write a song with lyrics which seem to talk about one thing but hint strongly at another in the melody/tone/interpretation/harmony (probably a bit obvious but fun).

Ok, I've shot my load..

PS. Like the idea for the cartoon/videogame theme soundtrack!

[MacGregor]

Write film music for a porn movie.


Hehehe...

Mac
.

[elborgan]

* WRITE TO PICTURE: post an audio-free quicktime clip and have folks either interpret to it or write to a specific mood, theme, etc. in it. I'm not suggesting SMPTE synching at this stage, just using an image or a movie clip as inspiration.


I like this idea.

I'll even supply a picture for y'all(random picture found online). This is the sort of thing that if I could write lyrics, I would love to get my teeth into. He looks like a 'Terry' to me.....

[bumpy]

I have couple of ideas.

1) Write a song in a genre that you hate. Not a parody either, but do it straight. If you're into deep introspective shit, then write a bubblegum pop song. Don't try to make it deep and introspective, try to make it catchy and hooky.

2) This one involves more of a formula. Pick a song that you love, and write a new chord progression and melody that will accommodate the words. Then write a new set of lyrics that gives your own take on the theme of the original song. In the end you will have a brand new song that will have a secret tribute to a song that you love within it. I'd be happy to post an example of one of these if anyone is interested.

Dan