Here's how to get a good score from me as a judge:
1. Use metaphors. Being too literal is gross.
2. Use imagery. I want to see what you see in the song
3. METER!!!!!! make your song flow or it's a no
Of course I will use SOME metaphors
What does meter mean? I didn't think I've ever had a problem with this but I wanna understand what it is to make sure.
I've just been reading old songs I wrote in 2011, and lord I was kinda a mess.
I have a song that rips off Electric Chapel, and another song that sounds like Marry The Night (which is, unfortunately, a personal favorite amongst my early writing), and I think I have at least two or three very much in the vein of Born This Way. I became very obsessed with spoken / rapped bridges after that song.
Also found a Katy Perry diss track written from the perspective of Lady Gaga. So much more brutal than Bad Blood. KT would not have been breathing after it dropped.
For reference, here's the intro to my album I just finished writing in June called "The Acid Reign". The intro summarizes the whole album because it's about coming of age, growing up, losing your religion, and coming out, which is all encompassed in this intro. Of course you don't have to write your other songs around your intro but it's a cool idea, so I'd suggest it.
Everyone's going, everyone's going insane
Can't handle the shame, so they give me all of the blame
I need to run, gotta get out of this place
Cause everyone's going, everyone's going insane
ooh, ohh
I'm surrounded by demons painting their skeletons white
Blind as the night, telling me follow the light
But I'm just a pawn, just a small piece of the game
Cause everyone's going, everyone's going insane
I'll make the great escape
Live in a world where all of my sins are OK
This haze will fade away
Skies will be clear, be free of this acid reign
It's short, clear, and complete, everything I think an intro should be
the whole album because it's about coming of age, growing up, losing your religion, and coming out, which is all encompassed in this intro
A lot of my early writings fit this. A lot of my early writings suck.
These days, I'm more focused on coming out + getting over my depression, and I think I've written some pretty great songs about that. Maybe I'll try writing an intro to go along with it.
What does meter mean? I didn't think I've ever had a problem with this but I wanna understand what it is to make sure.
It means have a pattern with your number of syllables per line. It doesn't have to be perfect, but keep it pretty close to your pattern and the song will flow well.
For example, a verse could have a meter of 7, 7, 7, 7 meaning each line has 7 syllables. Or it could have a meter like 10, 12, 10, 12, or 8, 9, 9, 8. But PLEASE don't do something like 14, 2, 7, 382 or I WILL drag you.
ALSO
4. don't use cliches for the love of god, unless you're flipping them and making them original like ausdaniel did in his S6 bop "You're Gonna Have To Get Through Me"
A lot of my early writings fit this. A lot of my early writings suck.
These days, I'm more focused on coming out + getting over my depression, and I think I've written some pretty great songs about that. Maybe I'll try writing an intro to go along with it.
My songs at that time were all really good. It sucks because I can't replicate how good some of my songs were last fall it seems. I am getting back into a good writing groove though so I'm optimistic. Life is good now so I'm trying to write more optimistically but it's hard.
It means have a pattern with your number of syllables per line. It doesn't have to be perfect, but keep it pretty close to your pattern and the song will flow well.
For example, a verse could have a meter of 7, 7, 7, 7 meaning each line has 7 syllables. Or it could have a meter like 10, 12, 10, 12, or 8, 9, 9, 8. But PLEASE don't do something like 14, 2, 7, 382 or I WILL drag you.
ALSO
4. don't use cliches for the love of god, unless you're flipping them and making them original like ausdaniel did in his S6 bop "You're Gonna Have To Get Through Me"
