The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers

SONGWRITING COLLABORATION - As many lyric songwriters find it difficult to write melodies, and many melody songwriters find it difficult to write lyrics, they often seek to collaborate, setting up a songwriting collaboration, lyricist with composer, composer with lyricist, therefore, setting up a collaboration songwriting and composing partnership. It is in this way that success has been achieved by songwriting collaborations at all levels. Remember - Lennon and McCartney, Rogers and Hammerstein, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, David and Bacharach, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards etc, these are just a few examples of successful songwriting collaborations. As a lyicist songwriter you may have to try many songwriting collaboration partners before you decide upon someone with whom you can collaborate and work with comfortably but you will soon know when you have found a suitable songwriting collaborator partner. Many lyricists and composers have to go through several songwriting collaborators to find one or more suitable songwriting collaboration partners with whom they can eventually produce worthwhile songs.

Every lyricist should try to write a melody, many lyricists may have an idea of a tune in their mind but cannot express it in audible terms or write it onto manuscript. It is, therefore, advisable to try to sing, whistle or hum the basic tune onto tape so as not to forget the melody. It does not matter what the song sounds like at this early stage, as the tape/cassette recorder is only a notebook for ideas.

Lyricists should also try to expand their song and tune to try and complete a song with lyrics and melody, using the tape/cassette recorder to listen to their efforts and then improve upon their idea. It is amazing how quickly songwriting ideas will come when using a tape/cassette recorder to help. When the song can be basically demonstrated-by singing, whistling, humming or whatever-then The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers members free Assessment Service can be used to analyse and help with the songwriting progression.

Every composer songwriter should also try and write lyrics. Many composers have an idea of a story or lyrical theme but find it difficult to express it in terms of their melody writing and compositional arrangements. Songwriting collaboration is a good means of exapanding you ideas with other songwriters.

If, in the end, you as a songwriter, lyricist or composer decide to collaborate, which may generally be a good idea, then try to find someone in your local area so that you can meet personally. However, there is nothing wrong with having a songwriting collaborator hundreds or even thousands of miles away, as any songwriting partnership can give you that enthusiasm and inspiration that you may require. Technology, internet download facilities also gives songwriters, composers and performers the ability now to communicate quickly over any distance, so collaboration with songwriters and composers in every territory of the world is no obstacle

Lyricists should try to meet songwriter/composer/musicians as many songwriter/composer/musicians lack the ability to write lyrics and here would be the good basis for a songwriting collaboration.

Composers should try to meet songwriter/lyricists as many songwriter/lyricists lack the ability to write melodies and, again, here would be the good basis for a songwriting collaboration.

Writing your own melody to your own lyrics, or your own lyrics to your own melody, or even collaborating to produce complete songs, is an exciting, creative experience.

The Guild advises lyric writers never to pay to have somebody write a melody for you. Music to lyrics/melody services will not get you a hit song (if they were any good then they would be writing their own hit songs anyway), so we advise you not to part with any money to any person offering a melody to lyrics service.

Again, The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers advises composers never to pay to have somebody write lyrics for you. Lyric to melody services will never get you a hit song (if they were any good then they would be writing their own hit songs anyway), so we advise you not to part with any money to any person offering a lyric to melody service.

The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers also draws your attention to what is known as “vanity publishing and recording”. A reputable music publisher or record company would not ask a songwriter, composer, lyricist or performing songwriter to pay for music publishing, recording, production and promotion of his or her own works, or to contribute to the cost in any way. (The only possible exception to this may be where the work is of a specialised nature with a very limited market.) However, if a song is worth publishing, sooner or later a music publisher will be prepared to publish the song at his/her own expense and pay you money(royalties) as an advance against future royalties. But if you, as a songwriter, composer, lyricist or performing songwriter cannot resist the temptation to hear your song on CD or tape, even though you may have to pay a substantial sum of money to do so, you should first discover just how much-or how little-the music publisher, record company or production company will undertake and will do in return for the payment he/she/they demand.

Therefore, we repeat:
Never pay anymusic publisher for publication of songs, lyrics, music, poetry or books.

2. Lyricists should never pay to have a demo recording made that includes a “free” melody service or pay for a music to lyrics service. Never pay to have melodies written for you.

3. Composers should never pay to have a demo recording made that includes a “free” lyric service or pay for a lyric to melody service. Never pay to have lyrics written for you.

All songwriters and composers who have had songwriting and/or composing success know that a really good song will always sell itself to the listener and be taken up for music publishing and recording. Songwriters and composers are also aware that they have had to write many run-of-the mill songs before they were able to write a really good song/hit song. As a songwriter do not ever be discouraged. Analyse your songs, pull them apart, try different structures, different arrangements, giver yourself options and a direction and never abandon a song, always finish it and try to remember to make each song better than the one before.

As a member of The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers you will have access to the Guild's register of songwriter composer collaborators, which appear in the Guild’s Songwriting & Composing Magazine, which is issued to all members within their annual subscriptions

Songwriting collaboration is a good means of exapanding and progressing your songwriting ideas with other songwriters and composers.

SONGWRITING COLLABORATION

The Guild of International Songwriters & Composers
Publishers of Songwriting & Composing Magazine since 1986