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Song Writing
My friend and I write songs. She sings and I play the piano.
Our style is sort of like the song How To Save A Life by The Fray or Coldplay or the song Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.
If I were to make up a simple riff on the piano, how would I know what notes my friend would sing... or the key... or what rhythm? If can't figure this out.
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Maybe give some free advice about: Music?
You could...write it down.
You need to know pretty basic music thory in order to do this.
Here: I'll teach you.
Clap your hands at a walking pace. (Clap *beat* clap *beat* etc.)
These are quarter notes. In common time, these each get one beat. Here is what they look like: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location). Say "ta" each time you clap.
Now, we'll say a half note. Hold the "ta" for two claps. A half note looks like this: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
Hold the "ta" for three beats, and you get a dotted half note. The dot means that the note is held for its regular value, plus half. Here is what a dotted half note loks like: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
Here's the last easy one. Hold the "ta" for four claps, and you get a whole note.[Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
Your hands might hurt from all of this clapping. If they do, take a break, then come back. If not, read on.
These are a little bit harder. Okay, clap again, same speed. By the way, the speed is called the tempo. As you clap, subdivide each beat. For example, each time you clap, you should have time to say any two syllable word. Let's use "bagel". Clap and say bagel each time you clap, remembering that bagel has two syllables. These are eighth notes. They look like this: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location), and when there are two of them together, they look like this: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
Last one that we'll talk about, and the last one that you will need. A sixteenth note is an eighth note divided in half (it's 1/4 of a quarter note). As you clap, say "tic-a-tic-a" all in one beat. you have just said sixteenth notes. Here is waht they look like:[Link](Mouse over link to see full location). Since four of them make a beat, they are usually written this way.
Now, there are also ways to write silence. These are called rests. Here is a chart that shows how the rests relate to the notes. You might want to print this out: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
Next topic: the musical staff. The treble staff ( [Link](Mouse over link to see full location) ) has 5 lines and 4 spaces. Here is a diagram of all of the notes as they relate to the piano: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location).
To write music, you put the note (discussed earlier-this tells how long to hold it for, aka the rhythm) on the line or space that matches the pitch that you play(ed) on the piano/keyboard. You just have to make sure that all of the beats add up to four. You can have any combination of notes, on any pitches, as long as they add up to four.
Finding the key (or writing in a key) of the piece can be really, really hard. I suggest writing in the key of C natural if at all possible (don't play the black keys at all). It is easiest. However, life isn't always easy. Look at this piano: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location). The key is determined by which black keys are played (or not played). For example, play a G scale (all of the white notes starting with G). Do you notice that the F key is flat? Of course you do! You need to raise the pitch, or play the black key to the right of the F (the first black key in a group of 3), thus making it an F sharp, and completing your scale. A sharp sign is a pound sign. A flat sign is a lower case b. To write these on the staff, you put them next to the treble clef on the line or space equivalent to the note that you want sharped or flatted.
When writing the flats, they go in order. BEAD GCF. So, if there is only one flat, it will be a B flat (it has to be. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, kiddo). If there are two, it will be a B flat and an E flat. Etcetera. When there are a bunch of flats written in a piece, to find the key, look at the second flat from the right. Whatever note it is on is the key signature. If there is only one, it is the key of F. You kind of have to know that one.
Sharps go in the opposite order. FCG DEAB. Again, if there is only one sharp, it will be an F sharp, making it the key of G. Etcetera. To find the key of a piece with any sharps, you look at the last flat and count up one half step (to the next line or space), and whatever that is is the key. If it already has a sharp on it, then it is the letter sharp. For example, G sharp.
She would need to be able to read music in order to read what you have written.
Good luck, and feel free to ask more questions to my inbox or to me on AIM. My AIM screen neme is the same as my name on the site: Igotamonopoly.
Happy singing!
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Well this will take effort on both sides. First decide the key signature. Will it be 2/4 4/4 3/4 6/8 etc. Decide that first to first get your rhythm. Then work on the notes and how to fit it in there and make sure it's not too high/low for you friend to sing it. There is not certain way other than to work together to come up with your own unique tune so have fun and good luck
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