They Say?!?!

They talk about me at their dinner tables... they discuss me in their minds... But never have they met me.. They just choose to hate my kind... I've come up in their discussions nearly every single day, but not one of them would let me know this.. so I guess it's safe to say... The fly on the wall disclosed this... The birds sang your plans... I listened to the wind, and I read the palm of my hands... If they took the time to suffer for their boisterous beliefs... then maybe they would know that my ultimate end is peace... Peace Family

Making a HIT Song!!!

How to make a hit song 101 You’ve listened to them on the radio, watched the videos, and even played them in your car. You know what I’m talking about. That’s right, the hit songs. A hit song is a song that, after the first time you hear it, stimulates emotion and excitement. These songs are few and far between, and are easily recognized when heard. If you’re anything like me, you love music and wonder if you could ever make a hit yourself. Well thank your lucky star (me) because you’re going to learn how. With the following steps, you have the greatest potential to make that hit song you’ve always dreamed of. Things you’ll need: Pen Paper Computer Creative mind Producer, optional Recording equipment (microphone, music in the background) Recording Studio Steps to take: First, find a place that inspires you and helps you think fluently. Some people may want to be in a quiet environment, while others use sights and sounds for motivation. I, personally, like to be in quiet places while I write so that I can think clearly. Ex. Some places that may suit you are: in a quiet room, in an active public place (mall), on a balcony, etc… Now think of a life-changing experience that you had, an important person in your life or simply something that intrigues you. This will be what your song is about. All hit songs play off of the audiences’ emotions. 3. Next, you must think of words that best describes your experience or current emotions. In this step you can use clever words or phrases that are easily recognizable. These words should directly correlate to what your song is about. Ex. If you were writing about a significant other, you can use phrases like: “you and only you,” or “be mine forever” (something to this affect). Once you come up with these words, your creativity must now come in to play. You need to come up with a catchy Hook/Chorus that is easy to follow and gets the crowd singing along. According to Greg Simms Jr., in the music industry it doesn’t matter if you’re a good singer, rapper, or writer, you are just obligated to come up with catchy hooks/choruses that are ready to be made into singles. Simms refers to these money-making songs as “HOT URBAN SONGS.”(Simms) Ex. In Dem Franchise Boys’ hit single “Lean Wit it, Rock Wit it,” they were able to create a hook that was easy to follow and made you dance. This hook, lean wit it, rock wit it, was repeated over and over to captivate their audience. It is sometimes beneficial to use repetitiveness in your to guide your audience through the song (“Lean wit it, Rock wit it”). Once you have a catchy hook, you can now build your lyrics around your chorus. This is often the hardest, and most time-consuming, part of the process. It’s best to use words that rhyme and make sense at the same time. Ex. In rapper Kanye West’s song “Through the Wire,” the chorus reads, Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall For a chance to be with you, I’d gladly risk it all Through the fire, through whatever come what may For a chance at loving you, I’d take it all away Right down through the wire, even through the fire (Through the Wire). A portion of his lyrics reads, How do you console my mom or give her life support When you telling her your sons’ on life support And just imagine how my girl feel On the plane scared as hell that her look Emitt Till She was with me before the deal she been trying to be mine She a delta so she been throwing them Dynasty signs (West). In Kanye West’s lyrics, he is referring to his tragic accident that left him in critical condition. He recorded this song with his wired shut after the accident. In this song, he does a great job of rallying his lyrics around his chorus. He also uses a good rhyme scheme that makes reference to his hook. If you notice, not only does his lyrics rhyme, but they explain his situation at the same time. He does a great job of playing off of the audiences’ emotions, which all hit songs do to some degree. And guess what? It was huge hit. The next step in the process is to think of a song title that is catchy and captivating. This should be something that interests you or says something about your experience. The key is to make your title connect with your chorus and lyrics. Ex. In the above example of Kanye West’s song “Through the Wire,” his title clearly pertains to his lyrics. While having his mouth wired shut as result of his accident, he was still able to triumph over his circumstance and rap Through the Wire (through his trying time). Hence, the title of his song. Once you have your hook and your lyrics, you must now come up with a tune that suits the mood of the song and brings the music full circle. Most people usually go to a producer for this part, but if you love the convenience of making music from home, you can do it yourself (with any version of Steinberg production software). If you don’t know a producer, you can look up studios in your local area and they can connect you to a producer. The beat is also a deciding factor of whether your song can be successful, so you may want an expert to be involved. Once your music is added to your lyrics, you must now “smooth out the rugged edges.” The T & T record label suggests that you wait until you’re at your calmest state to listen to your song. This gives you a better opportunity to master the music and clean up any vague spots (“Making a Hit Song”). Next, you can take your music to a close friend or, if possible, someone in the industry. If you don’t already know someone in the industry, you may need an agent to properly connect yourself with a credible person in the industry. Close friends will also suffice. Usually close friends tend to listen to the same music. Close friends are also the most honest in what they think, which eliminates any biases. Therefore, if someone outside of yourself thinks it’s a hit, then you’re on your way mi amigo. Get this person, whomever it may be, to listen to your music and give you some feedback on what you can do to make your song better. And finally, you can now add the necessary changes that you think will make your song “pop.” Songwriter Tracy Lawerence said it best. Labels mainly allocate their resources to entertainers who have “hit song potential (Lawerence).” If you’ve followed these steps, you now hold the potential for a hit song. If you decide to move some of the steps around, that’s fine as long as complete all of the steps. One way to ensure that you adequately execute all of the steps is to make a checklist of all the tasks that will propel you to your hit song. Even with these steps, there is a chance that your song doesn’t become a hit (maybe due to the market that you target). BUT, if music is your middle name and succeeding is your game, continue to work at it and things will eventually come around. Trust Me. Works Cited Dem Franchize Boyz. “Lean wit it, Rock wit it.” Dem Franchize Boyz. Virgin Records, 2005. Lawerence, Tracy. “In Pictures: How To Make Your Own Hit Record.” Forbes.com. 8 June, 2007. 19 Nov., 2007. . “Making a hit song.” T & T Music Records. 2000-2007. 18 Nov. 2007 . . Simms, Greg. “How to make a hit urban song.” Getsigned.com. 3 June, 2002 . 19 Nov, 2007 . . West, Kanye. “Through the Wire.” College Dropout. Rockefeller Records, 2004