12 - Lyrics & Vocals #

Oh fuck directly off. This is poetry:

    They thought there be seven

   and they're right. There is

seven sins without I

I come from a place that many do find

Heroes and villains find me inside

When they do what they do for family

       Regardless of who dies

Blood is my name
l
o  Many families have cried
o       r
d       i
        e
        n
        d
   once so dear
                  tossed aside

Blood is my name, the sin of
o
n
d
s undeserved

I'm a sin that lurks unheard

Religious and Righteous often mistaken

 Use my name as if it is not forsaken

Do not think that blood is a bond

to never be broken

I find my way to bring many to do

things that should never be spoken

How should that be sung, pray tell? How long should each syllable be stressed? How long should each vowel be held? What about pitch? Should it be sung sweetly or with anger?

Poetry is not lyrics.

When you write lyrics, you need to keep in mind all of these things and more.

How do the words sound. The word “Silent” has an ’eye’ in it that cuts. “Canoe” is a kind of dopey word. “Blaze” can be spoken soothingly, as can “Devils”. “Rock”, like the object, is hard in the start. Longer words, “Forgotten” “iridescent” “lightning” - they can ask the vocalist to bend the pitch in certain ways naturally, intrinsic to how the words are spoken - unless of course they’re delivered in a chant.

Lyrics are not poetry.

Rhymes don’t have to be perfect. The length of a line doesn’t matter - the amount of time it takes to deliver and difficulty in hearing the correct words does.

Lyrics are not poetry.

You can convey some things words do not say well. A laugh. A line delivered with a crazed tone, or a somber longing.

Lyrics are not poetry.

Poetry is an art form, delivering it another. Writing lyrics is an art form, delivering it is another.

Singing and vocal presentantion is not something that can be easily be written on a page. You may hear what you want in your head as you write, the subtle vibrato here, the long belted performance-finishing pride there, vocal fry to add texture, a word sung with sexual desire in it - you can’t possibly write it all down.

So how do I get better at writing lyrics? How do I get better at singing?

Fucking 👏 Practice 👏

Full loop. Write lyrics. Sing. 
Modify lyrics. 
Write.            Sing some more.                           Write.
             Sing.                                  Sing it again. 
                          Read poety. 
                          Read some books.
                          Draw what you're singing about. 
Go for a run. Sing. 
                          Drink some water. 
                                       Sing. 
                                       Try singing with effects. 
Write about how to use those effects in the Lyrics.
                                    See what your voice can do. 
     Watch vocal training lessons on YouTube. 
                                    Maybe pay for a vocal coach.
Try using a vocaloid / synth voice program to write. 
Sing aginst drum beats.
                                               Sing agaisnt guitar.
Sing for others to hear and let them critique you.
Try vocal processing. 
                                           Try no processing.
Sing.
    Write.
        Sing.
             Write.
Sing.