Fifty Two is my songwriting journal - based on the exercise to write a song each and every week, fifty-two times a year. Follow the blog to note the ups and downs I encounter along the way.

Some details about the exercise:

  • the purpose and general direction for every record must be written down before I actually start working on the record in earnest. Previous ideas are fine to use.
  • I must turn a new song in every Sunday evening and as such, I must start a new song every Monday morning.
  • there are 5 stories to complete each week. Stories are essentially thin, end-to-end slices. If at anytime I have to stop working on a record or hand it over, it should be a deliverable state. Each story must provide something of end-to-end value.

The four stories:

  • analysis: each week, I must analyze and mildly mimic some existing, popular song. This part of the exercise keeps me looking at and learning from other people.
  • core: each week, I must finish a core idea. Typically, this will include a melody and either a bassline or a progression. The core idea must span 3 sections (verse, lift, chorus) and possibly a 4th (bridge). And yes, I am intentionally being very prescriptive. I want to get a producing good material on demand. You will see that I give myself some leeway in this regard - this is just a template from which to begin. I know, not all great song have said parts. That’s beside the point in my case.
  • arrangement: after find a core, I must put meat on the bones. I have eto fill it out. It typically sounds very strict and robotic at this point - but that’s just because I’m new to this … and the fact that I explicitly address this in the last deliverable.
  • lyric: in with and under the previous steps the lyrics have been brewing. At this point, I need to get them down and commit to something.
  • production: and finally, I take a listen and try to mix the record. I try to add transitions. I try to make the record flow from end to end.

I’m sure there are more steps I could work on but this is it for now. At some point, these activities will all blend together but for the time being, I’m using this exercise to explicitly separate them out and work on them individually. Heh, what do I know. I don’t write song professionally … yet.

And yes, if you didn’t already notice it, I’m applying an Agile development process to songwriting - complete with a Kanban board even.

-Luther