Songwriters Circle Challenge DAY 8 - Scrambled Eggs
Channel: Andy Roberts
Date: 2011-01-07

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Songwriters Circle January Challenge DAY EIGHT - Scrambled Eggs

Today's task involves composing a new tune, using nonsense words as the scaffolding.

Paul McCartney famously composed his big hit ballad "Yesterday" with the words "Scrambled eggs" as a placeholder, and then wrote the eventual lyrics later. So today we are going to try the same method, and if we stick to using appropriate breakfast items we can't go wrong can we?

Beans on toast....

Sunny side up....

Muesli and yoghurt..

Black coffee and a croissant..
STEP 1 Choose your breakfast items

Whatever you choose, use it to set the phrasing to start off your new melody. You could just sing it or hum it, as long as you can repeat the same tune once it has settled down. Or use an instrument to pick out the melody, while keeping the breakfast phrase in mind.

Now there are two approaches I can think of for composing tunes. One is to start with part of a chord sequence, and riff along on the vocals until something solidifies, and the other is to pick out a melody on its own, one note at a time.

STEP 2 Make up a Tune for it

If you normally use the first approach, then try the second for this exercise. So if you are going to use a guitar for the tune, just pick out a tune on one or two strings, one note at a time. Likewise on a keyboard instrument, this is a one finger exercise. Ideally use a single note instrument such as a tin whistle, recorder, ocarina something like that. In fact why not try writing the tune using something that's unusual for you. You can go back to your usual instrument later to work out the chords and so on, but using the tune that was created in a fresh way.

Keep playing the new tune over and over again, so you can remember it and reproduce it in the short term, and make sure you can sing the words to the same tune. Then you need to record it somehow, to make sure it doesn't get lost.

STEP 3 Get it down on Tape or Video or Bits or Notation - Record your tune

If you have been educated in classical musical notation, you will be able to write the tune down as crotchets and quavers on a five bar stave, then read it back again whenever you like.

For the rest of us, we can rely on memory (not good) or make a recording of ourselves humming or picking, it only needs to be just good enough to remind ourselves of the melody. Use any means you can to get your new tune recorded so it doesn't get forgotten before you've found time to write the lyrics for it.

That's all for today. Tomorrow's lesson involves going outdoors so I hope the weather is kind wherever you are, and if you check in early, you should have the whole weekend to do it.

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