One of the vital widespread questions I get is “How a lot furnishings does my tune want?” What the author means, is “How many nouns and adjectives ought to my tune have?”

For example, if I discuss my rusty blue Ford truck, I’ve painted you an image. If I simply point out my truck with no particulars, you then won’t image my truck as precisely. You is likely to be imagining a model new Dodge Ram with chrome in all places. However my descriptive phrases “rusty”, “blue” and “Ford” provide you with a extra actual picture of my beat up previous truck. You possibly can SEE my lyric, like a film.

I want I might inform you that you might want to embody 10 nouns in every tune and 47 adjectives or descriptors. That may make it simple. Nevertheless, the one absolute in songwriting is that there are not any absolutes.

However, I can provide you some tips that can assist you perceive the precept and make the choice for every of your songs about how a lot furnishings to incorporate, in different phrases, what number of nouns and adjectives it’s best to have.

One good basic approach to consider furnishings in songs is similar approach you concentrate on it in your own home. How a lot furnishings do you want in your den? You’d ask your self, “How many individuals can we often have sitting on this room? You probably have a household of 5, you then’ll need spots for not less than that many individuals to sit down and perhaps some additional room for friends. Household of two? Possibly you simply want two comfortable La-Z-Boy chairs. However, what you DON’T do is cram as a lot furnishings as potential into the room.

Having 5 couches might be overkill for nearly any household. You need sufficient furnishings to be comfy and sensible. You don’t wish to land your self a function on the hoarding TV present. Usually, I see tune furnishings hoarders after I give suggestions on songs. They’ve purchased into the concept that packing a tune with furnishings is the important thing to success as a author. Not so!

Considered one of my favourite opening strains ever in a tune is from a Diamond Rio tune known as “Two Pump Texaco”, written by Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher. The opening strains are:

He was wiping motor oil off her dipstick
She was pullin’ on the hair that acquired caught in her lipstick
And with the scent of her fragrance he forgot the scent of gasoline
As he was toppin’ off her tank, she stated “How far to Abilene”

The nouns and adjectives within the tune create a mini film enjoying in your head as you hear.

You possibly can see all of it. This tune is a narrative tune. Story songs want LOTS of element and photos, since you are actually writing a three minute film script. The listener wants to have the ability to image the story going by. You need them to SEE the locations you’re taking them, hear what’s occurring, scent the smells (like fragrance and gasoline). You additionally need them to have a picture of their head of your characters.

In his tune, “The Gospel In accordance To Luke”, Skip Ewing begins off:

He was an previous hand at residing and making his approach
He smelled like previous whiskey and he wanted a shave

We immediately KNOW this character. Because of the adjectives, we’ve seen him strolling the streets of our city. Later, Skip writes:

Luke carried his Bible in a Crown Royal bag
He wiped off his forehead with an previous soiled rag

The tune unfolds similar to a film. We see, scent and hear the tune.

Nevertheless, there may be one other sort of tune that wants far much less furnishings.

And it’s a way more widespread sort of tune. We’ll name story songs “film” songs and this type of tune a “message” tune. Hottest songs are message songs. They’re speaking one thing from the singer to a different particular person (perhaps a lover) or to the viewers.

Message songs don’t want as many adjectives and nouns as a result of the MESSAGE is the necessary half, not the setting or location. For example, in one in every of my favourite songs of all time, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Allen Shamblin and Mike Reid, they begin the tune:

Flip down the lights
Flip down the mattress
Flip down these voices
Inside my head

You may have nouns, like “lights” and “mattress”, however no descriptors. It doesn’t matter on this tune what kind of mattress it’s, the colour of the sheets, and so on. The writers simply wanted the naked bones of furnishings. Distinction that to John Denver’s story tune “Grandma’s Feather Mattress” by which the whole refrain describes the mattress. The refrain begins:

It was 9 ft excessive and six ft extensive, and comfortable as a downy chick
It was constituted of the feathers of forty ‘leven geese
Took a complete bolt of fabric for the tick

In “I Can’t Make You Love Me”, the nouns and adjectives of the tune want to remain out of the best way of the message.

So, the writers simply use a lot of the lyric to speak this heart-wrenching message about unrequited love. The singer is begging her lover, who doesn’t love her again, for yet one more evening to faux that he does take care of her.

My tune “Should Be Doin’ Somethin’ Proper” is similar approach. The tune is about an intimate second between the singer and his lover. We didn’t even inform you the place they have been. You must think about that for your self, as a result of our tune was in regards to the EMOTION between the singer and his lover, not about the place they’re.

So, if you find yourself writing your subsequent tune, ask your self “Am I writing a ‘film’ or ‘message’ tune?” Answering that query will get you heading in the right direction and assist you understand how many nouns and adjectives so as to add to the tune.

Completely satisfied writing!

~ Marty