Writing your own jazz tunes...

[jazzjunky]

I don't know about you but I reason I've tried (so flipping hard!) and continued religiously on the guitar, to the point where I don't just play eeeeeeeeverything in the same key, hehehe, is partly due to songwriting!

Songwriting provided a powerful creative outlet for me on the guitar, and helped keep lots of things incredibly interesting! Then I moved over to writing jazzy tunes, which is quite a tall order - blending some fresh lyrics, stunning melody and gorgeous harmony all into one song - gulp!

I'm pretty sure there are die-hard songwriters out there in every shape and form... Or jazz songwriters?

How do you keep your own jazz tunes fresh and still very listenable? What do you recommend as essential ingredients for the perfect or ultimate SONG...?

I'm dead keen to start a big discussion/debate about this! I'm sure there are plenty of great views...

tuneful regards,
jazzjunky

[Stackabones]

I start with melody, and since I sing, and good lyric. Then I find the right chords and feel, both of which are usually suggested by the melody and lyric.

I try to perform the song live at gigs, or at least record it, to get an idea of how it sounds. Live performance is the best option imo to see if it works.

Whether or not it's "fresh and still listenable" are tough to judge. I try to write songs I like. Maybe listenable to some, not to others. It seems that many of the jazz boards frown upon vocals in jazz and vocal jazz (and song components like lyrics) gets ignored and often looked over or just dismissed.


Even though jazz is notoriously difficult to define, I prefer the vocal side of it.

[derek]

I haven't written much, but the tunes I have written are instrumentals at this point. I haven't had much interest in trying to put lyrics to them.

The first tune I wrote I heard in my head a basic progression. After finding that, I worked out a B section. All came pretty easy on that one.

The others have been a process of coming up with a few interesting bars, and marinating on them for a while. I have sandwiched a couple of these together to come up with a whole tune, and on one I play, I keep thinking maybe I will add a C section, or an intro/outro.

I keep them fresh the same way I try to keep other tunes I play fresh. Mixing in basslines, subbing out chords, etc. I don't write too much, but what little I have done has been very rewarding and has found a place in my set list.

[buddha12]

Thanks for starting an interesting thread Jazzjunky. I think the essential ingredient needed in any song is balance. This is to imply that Jazz does not have to be complicated to be good, it merely has to have equality. Simple parts should be balanced with complex parts, tension should be balanced with relief. I also lean towards coherent chord progressions. Some of the best music guides you both harmonically and melodically, allowing the listener to immerse themselves in the music with no effort. The only other thing I think good music needs is BASS. We all love good beats, eh? =P Keep the posts coming guys.