2014-07-16



Susan asks…

Songs that I can play on the guitar?

I am looking for songs that are not too difficult (but not novice either) that I can play on the guitar. Here’s a list of songs that I already know (not all of them of course)

Rolling in the Deep-Adele

Stairway to Heaven- Led Zeppelin

Who Knew- P!nk

House of the Rising Sun- The Animals

Blackbird- The Beatles

Free Falling- Tom Petty (Easiest song everrrrr)

So that king of song. I’m okay with songs a little easier or a little more difficult as well. Thanks!

NEW songs, please. Not the ones on the list.



CynthiaOVE answers:

I’ve been teaching guitar for a few years now, and here are some of the songs I give my students once there a bit more advanced. They vary in chordal structure and tricky soloing which are all things you could use.

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No it’s not too hard, but to get that solo to sound beautiful and perfectly bend everything and nail some cool vibrato definitely takes practice.

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Crazy train is a great guitar riff to show off. Plus the verse has some cool chord parts you don’t see every day. Don’t let the tricky chords and constant A plucking confuse you. You’ll get it. The solo’s the same way. Just practice hard and slow and you’ll get the hang of it.

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John Mayer is great for tricky chord progressions that’ll definitely give you an acoustic challenge and inspire you if you write your own stuff.

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This song doesn’t have all the tricky chords but that little riff that starts in the middle of the verse is rough to get smooth. Should be a nice challenge.

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Yes it is pretty tough to get down. But overall it is great for mixing single note riffs with neat chord progressions. Plus it’s pretty rockin’ to show off.

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It’s a cool riff with a neat way of getting between chords that’s usually pretty fun as a jam song people seem to like.

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Fall to Pieces takes a little while to get the hang of and it’s not a song you can stop thinking about for too long because it changes and it’s great for kids who want soft songs that give them a challenge.

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Layla is a great song for acoustic because he uses a bunch of barre chords mixed with bluesy styles and it’ll be great for you. Listen to Eric Clapton’s unplugged album and you’ll find some great bluesy songs for acoustic.

Hope I could help a bit Good luck!!

Donald asks…

Song Writers. Help on writing a song?

I am 15 and into singing, i really wanna write a song but i’m not sure how :/ can anyone help?

-i need theme ideas for the song (not love, breakup, or makeup)

-which comes first, lyrics or music?

-any tips on making it great?

Thanks(:

CynthiaOVE answers:

There are no rules for writing songs. Wiki however does have a pretty good list of ingredients http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_structure_%28popular_music%29 Remember now, no rules. So, not all of these ingredients are found in every song. You’re the song writer. Most of the time at the very least you will have verses and a chorus and perhaps an instrumental bridge. But, there are no rules. If you intend to sell your songs, the best advice I can offer is to go and listen to the very best songs ever written and see first hand what ingredients the writers put into those songs http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_songs-500-popular.html Don’t just listen to them. Analyze them. What made those songs great? The most important thing if you intend to sell your song(s) is that you include an incredibly powerful HOOK in each song you write. You know, that portion of the song that just keeps playing over and over again in your head long after you first heard that song. That’s what causes people to run out and buy a CD or download an MP3.

I’m a songwriter and I can tell you that ideas for songs can come from anywhere. I get some of my very best ideas when I’m driving in my car. Usually the melody and the lyrics come to me at the same time. But, since there are no rules, I sometimes start with a chord progression I like, or a riff or a rhythm or a catchy melody and then build a song around that. Sometimes I just have something to say and write down the lyrics and then write music to go with them. Sometimes I just see or hear something that has the potential to be a truly great hook. One that a lot of people will relate to. For instance, have you ever heard someone say, I’m getting bad vibes, or he/she gives me good vibes or I’m getting good vibes about this or that? The Beach Boys made millions of dollars by turning that into a truly great hook. As you listen to this song pay very close attention to the lyrics. They are very picturesque and you can paint a clear picture in your mind to go with the song Here is another good example of a truly great hook but, you will notice that there are very few lyrics in this song and not nearly as picturesque but the hook is just as effective. Http://

One day I got a truly great idea for a song from a conversation I had with my granddaughter. I asked her to tell me the one thing that she and her girlfriends say to each other most often (she’s 14). She smiled and laughingly said “that guy’s hot”. Well, there it was! The perfect hook, title, and chorus for that next hit song that millions of teen aged girls could easily relate to. All I needed was some lyrics and catchy melody to go with it. On the drive home, I came up with a melody and a first verse. I finished the entire song, music and lyrics, in about 20 minutes. The best songs happen just like that! It’s an idea that you get emotional about and before you know it, the song has actually written itself. So, that’s how I do it and you should have some pretty good ideas now for how to get started. Good Luck to you. The world needs more songwriters. Let the song write itself. Let the ideas come to you. Quite your mind and listen for them. Don’t ever try to force out a song. The very best ones will just happen to you. But, there are no rules about that either …

Donna asks…

how can i put chords to my song?

My song got tune that I made and beat but it does not have any chords. how can i put chords that will match the tune of my song? please help!!!

CynthiaOVE answers:

With the bass and chords being the fundamentals of most simple songs it’s important to start with them really. Maybe it would be best to write the chord pattern and refine your melody over it. This would feel a little like starting again but is a much easier way of doing it.

If not simply find someone with a little musical prowess and ask them to work out some chords that fit your melody.

Have a go yourself, play the song and put a chord under each part. If it sounds good then keep it!

Good luck!

(Underneath answer is a very theoretical way of looking at it, there’s nothing wrong with that it’s just I do things in a different way. When I started to compose songs it came from ear and feeling. If i had a melody I would work around it but when I made songs I came up with the basic structures first. I have since learnt music theory to a high level and still make songs the same way in the band I play in now.

And anyone who can say ‘someone who doesn’t know how to construct chords isn’t qualified to write music’ without spitting at their own name is a fool.

What a stupid statement!)

Laura asks…

STRUCTURE OF THE AC DC SONG THUNDERSTRUCK PLEASE HELP?

I really need information such as the structure, duration, pitch and other concepts of music on the song ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC DC. any info about the song would be much appreciated.

CynthiaOVE answers:

Just play three chord power riffs=every single AC DC song ever written.

Maria asks…

Song writing help me pleasee?

Okay I’m dying right now it’s been two years since I wanted to start making songs but guiess what .. I have nothing at all

Pink Floyd is my favorite band and I like their style

I understand that you should not copy some one else’s style and be yourself

I just wanna make similar music but still my own completely different in a way

I love the album the wall and every song on it

I hate not one thifnf their

I want advice to make music

No bs anymore answers lol like just what every the typical answer is

I know some theory play guitar can sing a little and play piano

I am strongest at guitar but could propbly still do enough on the others to write

How do I make good riffs and melodies in a prog rock style

I need some kind of point to start

Love you and sorry if I sound stupid and thanks babe

CynthiaOVE answers:

The first thing you want to do is become familiar with the structure of a pop song. Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_structure_%28popular_music%29 Then take some time an analyze Pink Floyd’s music so that you know what parts of a song are included in the style of music that they write. Each song is probably a little different. Now, once you know that, forget about Pink Floyd. I’m a songwriter and in my humble opinion, no one really writes songs. What a songwriter actually does, is to capture the idea of a song in the form of pure thought energy and then translate that thought energy into sound energy that can be played on one of more musical instruments. Ok, what does that mean exactly. This is what I do. I go for a walk, or a long drive in the car (with the radio off) or I visit with friends and simply listen to them. Or I do anything else without a musical instrument in my hands so that I can concentrate on listening for ideas. The purpose of these exercises is to quiet your mind and listen with your mind for the energy of a song that wants to be written. If you’re with a friend, anything they might say, can trigger the perfect idea for a hit song. Here is an example. I was talking with my granddaughter and I casually asked her what was the one thing that she and her girlfriends say to each other most often? She thought about it for a minute or two and then jokingly replied, “that guys hot”. Well, there it was. The perfect title, hook and chorus for the next hit song that every teenage girl in the world would instantly be able to relate to. On the drive home, I came up with two verses and the chorus and was well on my way to writing that song. I always carry around a Roland R-05 hand held voice recorder with me. So that when I have an idea for new song, I can capture it. When I’m ready to work on that song all I have to do is upload it to the computer and I can start working on the music or the lyrics or both. When the idea for the song is complete, all I have to do is learn the melody on the keyboard and find some harmonies and chords that sound right for that melody. So, you see, I’m really not writing the music at all. The music came to me as an idea and all I really do is to translate that thought energy into sound energy that I can learn to play on the keyboard, the guitar, and the bass. Then, I can record it. It’s just that simple. I can actually come up with one or two new song ideas any day that I try to. You can do that very same thing. Another technique I use that might work well for you, is that I wanted to write a new hard rock/metal song but, I wanted it be structured similar to Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys so that it did not sound so boring like a lot of other metal songs at the time. So, with that idea in mind, I got in the car and went for drive figuring that I would stop for lunch somewhere along they way. I already had the idea for a particular metal chord progression that I wanted to start with and then I planed to change it at least three times and also add an interlude like the Beach Boys did in Good Vibrations. I came up with a totally awesome song with an outstanding hook that I called Echoes of Your Mind. The problem was that I would need a great metal band that could sing like the Back Street Boys and there were no bands like that. So, I’ve been working on an entire album of similar music requiring 4 and 5 part harmony in the chorus. When I’m finished with it, I’m going to audition musicians and put together a band that I can play and sing that music. Songwriting is easy and it’s a lot of fun and if you do it right, you will be learning something new all the time. Good luck to you.

Carol asks…

How Many Chord Progressions Should I Use For 1 Song?

Which ones should i use?

CynthiaOVE answers:

There is no limit nor is there a music theory “rule” about how many. Many song structures use only one progression. Bob mentioned the blues which is usually one progression. The answers which you are getting seem to be confusing “Chord Progressions” with “Chord Changes”. A progression is a pattern of chord changes, such as I-IV-I-V-IV-I for the blues. Some blues songs, such as Nat King Kole’s “Route 66″, have an altered blues progression. Some blues songs have a separate “bridge” section. In fact, the most-used American popular song form is A-A-B-A where “B” is a separate progression bridging the repeated “A” progression. There is no rule as to how many progressions, however, and that is one way your creativity as a writer comes into play. My brother studied jazz composition at 3 universities and he frequently writes songs with a single, though complex and sometimes lengthy, progression. Several of his compositions are my favorites to perform.

Robert asks…

Advice on writing songs?

I want to write a song – I already have all of the lyrics; I’m going to have just a piano and maybe a violin

Do you have any advice on what key it should be in (the lyrics are really emotional, and the climax is at the end, but at the last two lines or so, it needs to be really soft and peaceful)?

Also, what kind of software should you use when writing it? Just pencil or paper or a software on the computer?

And should it be in just chords or broken chords?

CynthiaOVE answers:

Keep your song structure simple and tight for more power.

I dont know what key to suggest for you to use.

For example.

Here is a very basic, yet powerful song structure.

Intro

Verse 1

Bridge

Chorus

Verse 2

Bridge

Chorus

Solo

Verse 3

Bridge

Chorus

End

You can use pencil and paper if you want. There is no such rule you dont have to. When I’m composing songs. I use a cheap wirebound paper book and a pen…that’s it. I do use a comp sometimes. For example. I also print out pre- lined tab sheets too for writing in guitar tabs like this. I print out 6 lines for the strings on the guitar. I print out 4 or 5 sections of these 6 lines for different sections in the song. This is very simple, powerful & yet effective in songwriting. It’s nothing fancy and gets the job done.

_________________________________________

__________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________-

____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

This is how I write all my songs. I can’t stand long and boring songs so I try to keep them around 5 to 6 mintues long max at most because you don’t want to bore your audience. Your job as a singer/ songwriter is to capture your audience with your catchy “hooks”, timeless lyrics and a smooth “flow” in your songs. Good luck

Ruth asks…

How can I make my boring 4 chord song more interesting?

I’m writing a song but at the moment it’s quite boring and it’s just the same four chords (played on electric guitar) through out most of the song. It’s in C and the intro and verse go C-Am-G-F, the chorus brings in a 5th chord, C-G-F-Am-Em and the bridge is just C-G-F-Am. It’s a rock song (kind of an 80s feel to it). How can I spice it up? I’ve been playing around with some sharps and flats but I can’t seem to find anything that works. Any help is very much appreciated. 10 points to the best answer, as well as deep gratitude.

I don’t want you to re-write my chord structure or anything, just to give me some ideas of where I can change it around a bit. Thanks in advance.

Thanks a lot so far, and of course I’ve got other instruments too. I’ve got a vocal part, a drum part and a bass part. The bridge isn’t actually vocal though, the first bridge is a guitar solo and the second bridge is a drum solo. I haven’t actually written the vocal part yet but I’ll do that once I’ve got everything else done.

So to clarify, it goes Intro, verse 1, chorus, guitar solo, verse 2, chorus, drum solo, chorus.

Emiipoo, moving past the somewhat patronizing tone, thanks. Yes, I did know most of that, but I also learnt some new, useful information. Thanks for taking the time to type all that out though…

CynthiaOVE answers:

I don’t think you should change the chords at all because as long as the lyrics and the beat are good the fact that the chords repeat don’t really matter. There are so many hit songs that repeat the same chords over and over again. But if you’re really worried about it after the bridge or something you could go up a scale, you know how Beyonce does in ‘Love On Top’. Good luck on your song

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