Welcome to the Songwriter's Round Table! We'd like this to be a place for songwriter's to share their thoughts, challenges, offer tools for songwriting... whatever. If you'd like to post anything, please email us with whatever you'd like to add, and we will post it.*
Other Tools for Songwriters:
Copyrights - If you are writing original material, it is best to register it with the Copyright office. Click below for the forms or go to www.copyright.gov/forms. You must include a written copy of the lyrics, as well as a recording of the song, even if it is just singing into a tape recorder, and the $30 fee. You may include more than one song per form. For the song itself you may use Form PA, or to copyright an actual recording use Form SR.
Another option, which I sometimes use for short-term copyrighting (until I can get around to filing it officially) is called the "poor man's copyright." Like mentioned above, record the song and write out the lyrics, put them all in an envelope and mail them to yourself. DO NOT OPEN THE ENVELOPE when you receive it. Since it is a sealed package, stamped with a date by the post office, which is part of the US gov't, it can hold up in court to prove your ownership of the material as of the date printed on the envelope.
Recommended reading on songwriting:
"God Songs" by Paul Baloche - This is an excellent book for the worship songwriter, covering both technical and spiritual aspects of writing, specifically for congregational singing. Paul is the writer of such worship greats as "Open the Eyes of my Heart," "Above All," "Revival Fire Fall"...
"Songwriter's on Songwriting" by Paul Zollo - This is a very cool book of interviews with a wide-range of songwriters, mostly secular, featuring Paul Simon, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Brian Wilson ... to name a few, including quite a few blues and jazz writers. Discussing both their techniques for writing (wait for the inspiration, keep a journal...) and their thoughts behind specific songs.
"Writing Better Lyrics" by Pattison - This is an excellent source for working out your technical aspects of songwriting. Pattison gets pretty thorough as he goes through rhyme schemes, phrasing, music theory, word choice... avoiding the cliche... And also includes a nice set of examples working through real songs. As well, Pattison includes homework at the end of each chapter to help you practice and learn each technique explained. An excellent resource for any songwriter!
*note: we do reserve the right not to post anything that may be offensive in language or content for whatever reason.
