Steph Jorna is a proficient musician. She is a singer, songwriter and plays various musical instruments. She enjoys teaching songwriting, at Our Lady's, and says that students who desire to become songwriters must develop the ability to be open and honest.
Steph feels that students who actively set out to kindle sufficient self-confidence to be able to put themselves on the line have more chance of success. This vulnerability is necessary so that they can grow as musicians. "Students have to be willing to experiment with different harmonies, instruments, melodies, chords and lyrics to compose their ideal song, knowing and accepting that not everything they try will work or will be accepted and liked by their peers," she said in a November, 2008 interview. Adolescents normally avoid such vulnerabilities, she claims, as they place so much importance on fitting in with the status quo. Either that or they actively tend to rebel against it.
How Do Song Writers Think Up an Idea?
Coming up with an innovative idea is the hardest element of song writing. There is such a thing as songwriters block and Steph was asked if these blocks to learning are a problem in the classroom.
Students will often wonder, "What do I write about?" she replied. Steph says that for girls, it seems that friendships and relationships are "their"subject to write about.
"What is most interesting is that it is rare that they will write about their own friendships or relationships but rather about 'someone they know'. Especially in the younger years, girls are more afraid of exposing their own weaknesses and vulnerabilities, preferring instead to hide behind their friends emotions," she said.
Boys are similar she also remarks. "They are also disinclined to put their emotions out in the open," This is because they don't want their emotions disseminated by their classmates. Because of this boys will often write about generic topics, such as what goes on at the skate boarding park or the perils of school.
What they write about does not really matter much, Steph muses; in the end, it is important for students to feel comfortable enough to perform their song in front of others. They need to develop comfortableness when putting their work out there for their peers to hear and for them to judge their lyrics.
How Does a Student Learn How to Write Accompanying Chords?
There is a trend in popular music to use a common chord progression known as the “ Heart and Soul progression ”: I V vi IV I [Wikipedia "Heart and Soul (song) page modified Nov 9. 2008].
Steph explains that there is an overwhelming number of songs in the current charts for example that use this exact progression or a slight variation of it. "With this in mind I demonstrate to the students a number of current songs that use this progression but sound significantly different due to the melody, tempo, instruments or even the key (for example the minor version creates a totally different mood) used."
Steph explains that when the students hear that their favourite bands use this progression effectively, and when they are submerged in the music and find that it speaks to them, they become keen to use that chord progression. She encourages them and shows them how to manipulate it slightly, so that they can add their personal touches to it.
When asked to elaborate more about writing lyrics and to tell how students learn to write them, she replied with a laugh - "Now That's The Other Story!"
Learning how to write simple songs is a very worthwhile student activity and Steph's generosity in sharing her knowledge and expertise will benefit us all. Thank you Miss Jorna!
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