I thought, I tried, now I just don't know

[Patient Dreams]

About 6 years ago I meet a lyricist that loved to write. She would come to my studio/house every night trying to get something down to demo. Her husband sang and she wrote. Some of it actually could of maybe been something. I myself was pushing to get her published and he just wanted to hear his voice. Well long story short, they divorced and now it's just her writing with me trying to sing them on top of my melodies. Through this experience her lyrics have developed a greater depth and meaning. I have never thought of my melodies as nothing more than a presentation tool for her lyrics. Me loving to play and now with a reason just sweeten the deal. I guess the question I have is this. We post on Soundclick and My space. Post up in many forums and been runner up in a couple of song contest, but I still feel I haven't done everything I can to get someone to find her lyrics. I am not much of a singer, and the production gets a little rough, but I always thought the words were getting out. Other than getting someone to sing, is there anything else I can do? Thanks for your time and any replies would probally help. Thanks

[Eric VB]

You're going to have a hard time pitching lyrics as just lyrics. They really need to be set to music. And by that I mean they need to be sung.

 

There are online collaboration sites in which you may be able to find someone who will record vocals for you for free. (Or maybe in exchange for you recording, uh, whatever instrument you play.)

 

You should probably also look into vocal lessons (since you're "not much of a singer"). It wouldn't hurt for the lyricist to take vocal lessons, too. You might be surprised at the singers you didn't know you had in you!

 

Hopefully you're arranging more than just a melody? Doesn't have to be a full arrangement; guitar or piano and vocals usually does the trick.

[Patient Dreams]

Well said, and dually noted. Strong agreement on the lyricist getting more into the mix. When I first met her there was her and a friend that used to sit while the singer and I worked on the songs at hand. They would just sit there typing away, kicking out lyric after lyric while the singer kept trying to make them work. Me I just loved to play anything. The only knowledge any of them had was basically what was read in books and never was really applied seriously to any practical use. Now, 4 years later, she has developed a feel for tempo, words, and overall conception of where she wants to go with a lyric. Throwing on the mic and asking her what the hell she was hearing when she wrote some words taught her more than any book could ever.

Thanks again for the response. I'll check with the collab sites again. Who knows. Music's a funny thing. The more you learn, the less you realize you know.