2 posts tagged “singing”
I was thinking on my drive in to work this morning (after I was done with my morning prayers) about creativity and my song writing, and how I haven't really written any songs in awhile now. Bits and pieces here and there, but no full songs.
I do sing songs that I create 'on the fly' while I'm driving in the car, but by the time I get to a place where I can write down the words, I've almost always forgotten it, or forgotten the tune, or both. I can use my phone to record myself, but even then, by the time I get it set to record, it makes my mind go blank. It sucks. But I digress.
The thought that popped into my head regarding my song wring is this: Negativity breeds creativity. 99% of my songs are 'negative' in some way -- they're about sadness, they're about loss, they're about betrayal, they're about suffering, pain, death, suicide, etc. The 'positive' ones have been far and few between, and much more of a struggle to write. Hence, negativity breeds creativity.
But today, for the first time, when I thought of that phrase, the next thought I had was: bullshit.
Who says it has to be that way? I've made it that way, but it doesn't have to be that way. I can write songs that are positive. I can write songs that are uplifting, that focus on the good and not the bad.
Other people can. Hell, I was listening to Natalie Merchant this morning and thinking of her positive songs, and it's like... what, I'm not as good a songwriter as her? Bull! I can do this.
Really, I've always been drawn to that kind of song, though, the 'negative' ones. Not just since I got into grunge back in the 90s (where depressing is almost synonymous with grunge), but even when I was a kid and listening to 60s music. The Beach Boys are pretty darn positive and upbeat, but I'd focus on songs like 'God Only Knows' and 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and 'Help Me, Rhonda'.
Well, I've lost my train of thought now.
Whew. Choir practice -- our first! -- was rouuuuugh. A grueling, two-hour-and-fifteen minute practice session. It's tough standing on your feet that long, for one, and it was hot up in the choir loft, too. But more than anything, it was mentally taxing. I feel drained and exhausted. It was very challenging, especially since I've never done this kind of thing before, so I was learning (if you want to call it that) on the fly. Making it up as I went, more or less, trying to follow the others' leads.
I think I had some success. But overall, I know I'm by far the weakest link in the choir. Maybe the only weak link, really. But I'll get better. Everyone else (besides Tracey) has been doing choir for years and years now, and they've all sung together.
I've never done any formal singing like this at all. I can read music decently but it's tough following the parts (I'm bass -- that's where she put me) because I'm used to just singing 'normally' (melody).
