The first idea me and Ben came to was writing an album with no specific genre theme, we wanted it to be loads of different style and genres in one album. We planned to compose twice a week together and then separately play around with new ideas and get them up to scratch to be altered and improved into near enough a full song. For some genres like rock and distorted music we would like to use Jacob and his guitar as his mind and writing preference as it bends towards rock and cool solos. I know if we want to pull it off we need to make sure we have a good understanding on theory to put chords together and for lead parts we need to make sure we are confident with a series of different scales to fit whatever we may write, we will need consistency and regular arranged work time in and out of college. I believe this is possible because I have written a few songs, I have written lyrics so I have a little experience writing as a whole. I have collaborated with other musicians before ranging from bands as big as 7 members to as little 2.
The second thought was to do what every one does every year and arrange a cover gig for Bradford underground consisting of like a 5 song setlist of different genres like indie rock, funk, jazz and others to have a nice diverse setlist like the album idea. We can do this as it has become easy to arrange a gig in the Underground, we have performed there plenty of times in the past and getting people to come shouldn’t be a problem because as long as I promote it right I know A LOT of people and a lot of people who would be interested in a live musical performance. We have the basic performance skills and enough musical ability to play a nice range of cover songs for an audience so I would say this would be the easiest out of all my ideas.
The third idea was to make a EP similar idea the first proposal with diverse styles and genres instead of sticking to a theme. after recording and preferably releasing the EP then we would perform the EP in the Underground or some other local venue. We would need similar if not the same skills as my first Idea. I believe this is possible because I have written a few songs, I have written lyrics so I have a little experience writing as a whole. I have collaborated with other musicians before ranging from bands as big as 7 members to as little 2, I have also done solo performances.
For rehearsals on any of the ideas we practice and rehearse as often as college lets us and every day on Sunday
- I wouldn’t mind writing a song based on buildings, significant places of upbringing in Bradford/Buttershaw like childhood chill spots The Beacon (old pub that got torn down a long time ago), the ressi, abandoned houses and local friends.
- I would like to write a song that relates to where I am from and the upbringing I had without it being cringy and unrelatable like most of the other attempts of this idea I have seen from numerous other artists successful or small.
- A great inspiration for a song like this would be Bastard Landlord by The Pogues, the lyrics in this song are powerful, meaningful and relatable for many as it talks of rising costs which can be related to on so many aspects as every thing costs and the prices never stop growing and also talks of the landlord which again can be thought of or interpreted in many different ways as its not only people like a landlord that offer false deals or deals with rising conditions. ” Size of his guts and his housing value” basically saying he is wealthy enough for his belly to be as big as his prices and housing values. showing the contrast between buyer and seller.
Inspirations:
Thomas Dolby – blinded by science
- digital drums, bright sounding, 80s snare, reverbed
- unserious feel, quirky lyrics, groovy backing vocals, experimental synth leads/parts, strings, instrumental melody matching with vocals in some parts,
The Style Council – It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands
- vocal harmony, lyrical imagery, very splat guitar/ sharp very present sounding hits of the guitar to bring out rythym where drums lack
The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows
- psychadelic, experimental, unconventional, different, it’s connecting to roots, it’s a powerful yet hidden message – the drums are being played in time, but everything else is flowing around it, so there’s a centre, the drums are the centre, and everything else orbits around it. almost like you are on a trip and spinning providing the phycodelic/revolving feeling.
- backwards playing/sounding guitar
- the Beatles tended to hard pan their music, that can be something to consider when creating our music
Prince – when doves cry
- unfamiliar drum beats/patterns, reoccurring through verse chorus a catchy but simple light motif, new adlibs, referencing title words not only in chorus but verse, keeping a theme, it’s a theme of love, which references to doves, white doves, symbolising love.
Songwriting structural/ building ideas.
- moral of the song, what is the song about? what’s the story, what is the information you want to make known
- after that, build a story based on that, like a perspective, third person, first person,
- you make it simple, lyrics just to bring the point across
- then you turn it into imagery
- build the melody and chords over the feel of the story. e.g if its a happy story make bright hopeful sounding music or the oppisite to make sure to bring out the right emotion not only through story but through song
- the song needs strong structure e.g beginning middle climax and end.
song idea. hard panning left to to right on something like a high-hat to resemble ticking to reference time passing or impending doom, ageing
use chorus effects on vocals to thicken them, telephone effects on vocals or not vocals just to bring out an emotional intro or outro
Interview on The Making of All Mod Cons
why have i chose this video and what can I take from it to apply to my own album writing.
Name/Graphics and Promotion
Our band is called The Outcels. It was made from the word incel which means involuntary celibacy so the name is a made up word but the meaning can be found with a tiny little research.
1st song Ideas
Brad, Ben
- Emaj7, Dmaj7, F#7 intro, verse, outro
- Bminor, Emajor, Dmaj7 bridge/pre-chorus section
Gradual change, positive vibrant start for first verse and chorus, as song progresses the mood comes down slowly changing into a more negative accepting feeling. Jackson 5 melodic rhythm = when I had u to my self. It would be good to add nice high note embellishments whilst playing the chords on the higher strings
lyrics
I know you and I know that u know me too
I know we’ll get by if we try
You can drive knowing all your life
youve been doing it right but your wrong
Chorus
It dosent matter if you cant find you way yet
We just gotta let it go how its gonna go
You cant jump in water and not get wet
Time will show
2nd verse
I think we should spend a little less time
Trying to find the lost pieces of our mind
Meaning
For me I think this song is about a young couple going through normal every day problems like not knowing if your putting your money into the right things or spending your time in what feels like the only way you can and it still feel like your doing something wrong. Being very busy with work and contributing to the house needs and seeing that the only time you get to spend with each other is the night but thats taken by sleep
Same Song Different Lyrics and Melody
I think we
should spend a little more time
Trying to find
The lost pieces of our minds
What people want us to see
What people want us to be
Its different from what we need
Responsibility
2nd Song Ideas
Brad, Ben
Amin, G augmented barre, Bminor7, Eminor7, verese
- Soft, Lovey, emotional
3rd Song Ideas
Brad, Jacob, Lewis
Emaj, Dmaj, Amaj, Bmaj, intro, verse
power chords, G, B, D, E x2. Cmaj, Dmaj, Bmaj, G, F#, E x3, pre-chorus/chorus
- Awesome intro solo
- driving powerful rock song like Zeplin/Peppers
- Far out from what has already been written for the album