Assignment #13
  1. 1
    Borrow a phrase or line from Poetry Foundation’s Poem of the Day.
  2. 2
    Before considering any music, write all of the lyrics, including the borrowed line.
  3. 3
    Include at least one a cappella moment in the song.
  • Due Mar 12, 2023
  • 10 Submissions
  • Created by NCBC

Discussion

  • 9 Comments
nick March 6, 2023 10:10am

Already hit that point where I would have adjusted the lyrics/arrangement because I’m not sure how to support them musically… but it’s nice to know reworking the music is the only option. As @@nurphgun would say #parameterswillsetyoufree. How’s it going @@agasthya?

agasthya March 6, 2023 10:55am

same! I’ve got a bunch of words that *look* nice, now I’m trying to edit by feeling the rhythm of the words themselves to set myself up for the music part. definitely hard to ignore any little melodies that come to mind. I suspect that I’m going to make some lyrical/syllable adjustments once I start writing music.

nick March 6, 2023 11:18am

right, finding the natural rhythm of the words is the way to go… definitely have to avoid loyalty to those knee-jerk melodies. I’m doing my absolute best to keep my sheet untouched, but it is a struggle.

ryan March 6, 2023 11:35am

This assignment has been fascinating. My lifelong obsession with the difference between writing lyrics and poetry has been fully rekindled. I’m leaving my sheet untouched just for the sake of sticking to the parameter—it’s certainly revealed some oddball rhythms.

agasthya March 8, 2023 11:13am

ok in music writing mode now and OOF dis is hard to do. love it!

Ben March 12, 2023 7:07pm (edited)

lyrics are so hard. poetry is hard.

i definitely have a bunch of lines that

are sung like this.

i finish singing some of the phrases in the

next “line” of the lyr-

ics

agasthya February 27, 2023 8:51am

this is gonna be great. lyrics are the toughest part for me so I’m excited for the challenge!

nick February 27, 2023 4:24pm

yeah i think i’ve only ever had lyrics before music once

ryan February 27, 2023 6:08pm

yeah I don’t think I’ve ever pulled it off. kind of horrified, mostly psyched.

Other Assignments

Assignment #16
  1. 1
    Start your song with a chorus.
  2. 2
    Take lyrical inspiration from the Jurassic Period.
  3. 3
    Include some kind of primitive percussion.
Assignment #15
  1. 1
    Introducing them one at a time, create a stack of four equal-length, non-drum loops.
  2. 2
    With the loop stack running, add a fifth element on top—lead line, melody, whatever you please.
  3. 3
    Allow the fifth element to end and remove the loops, avoiding the reverse order in which they were added.
Assignment #14
  1. 1
    Write a theme song for an imaginary TV show.
  2. 2
    The show’s premise is equal parts your real life, and very much not your real life.
  3. 3
    Feature an instrument you have never featured before.