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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Overall

Over the past year I feel like I've grown in my songwriting and performance techniques as an artist. I've explored a lot more writing styles and I feel like I have the potential to be an even more versatile artist to venture into other genres. I do still have challenges articulating in technical terms what I want in terms of arrangement. Mostly because to me music is a lot about how you feel when you listen to it, so the technical terms don't come as easily. and this is actually pretty hard when you're trying to explain to the band how you want something to sound and all you can come up with is "it needs to sound more swampy" when in actual fact the instruction would be to "ride on the toms a bit more' . So its hard to translate these feelings into instructions sometimes cause as much as we'd all love it, no one can read your mind. Ive been watching a lot of production videos where they dissect songs and describe it in both technical terms and in 'non-literal' ways to help with conveying what I mean during rehearsals or writing sessions. So its an aspect that im working on when it comes to working with other people.

Vocally, im working on being more versatile in my vocal styles among other genres. I don't think ive tapped into that "angsty" rougher tone yet which would be great for songs like "Stay" because of that rock feel.

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Silence

This was the song that I thought had the most potential for arrangement possibilities and is potential the first song that I would put out as a first release and the last song of the set.

I like the use of a lot of irony in songs so despite this song being titled "silence" I wanted it to show the idea that silence was deafening. This song was supposed to encompass the "nervousness" version of the "butterfly" feeling. The flow of the song is that the dynamics keep going up and up and up until the bridge section that settles down to just me and piano to express that vulnerability in that moment before climbing back up to a high dynamic section to end the song.

This was a song that really allowed me to play around with how the music can support and emphasise the lyrics and not the other way around.

[Verse 1]

F# m7. A. E. C# m9.

It was only yesterday

Called you up again to say

“I promise not to hurt you anymore”

[Verse 2]

F# m7. A. D. A/C# B

Now I walk up to your front door and

Lift my hand and hold my breath

But you opened up before I made a noise

In Verse 2 the third chord was different from verse 1 cause the lyric "opened up" allowed the change in chord to emphasise the line more than if I were to have kept the same chords as the first verse.

[Pre-Chorus ]

F# m7. G# m. A. B11. (F# m)

Standing here defenceless thinking bout how I’m such a fool

Wishing you could read my mind and hear that all I wanna do

[Chorus]

Bsus4/E. A/F#. E/C#. Bsus4. A

I wanna tell you that I love you

I wanna tell you that I miss you

I wanna run my fingers through your hair

I wanna hold you just to feel your touch

Kiss you till my lips go numb

But nothing ever seems to come out right

So I just stand there in the silence.

E Bbdim7 A A

[Verse 3]

F# m7. A. C# m9. B. A.

I realised when it was far too late

You gave it all but then I walked away

Terrified that you might be the one who stays

For this section the groove changed to a more straight feel to emphasise the 'self awareness" and the moment of realisation.

[Verse 4]

F# m. A. C# m9(leading). Bbdim7. A B

And I don’t know how it got this far

All the butterflies in your car

Were a warning sign

I could not define

Oh how I wish you could read my mind

For this section when I sing the line "warning sign", the whole band begins a build up to further emphasise the mess going on inside their head so much so that this section might sound like a bridge.

[Chorus]

Cause I wanna tell you that I love you

I wanna tell you that I miss you

I wanna run my fingers through your hair

I wanna hold you just to feel your touch

Kiss you till my lips go numb

But nothing ever seems to come out right

Adim7. Eadd9. Adim7. Eadd9. Adim7

So I just stand there in the silence.

This chords of this last section was written to sort of "hang" there, sort of that moment of two characters in this song just looking at each other not saying a word but there's just a lot of tension.

[Bridge]

C#m. C#m9/Bb. A. G#m. F#. Am

Promise this’ll be the last

Promise that I’ll make for a second chance

Cause it’s hard find one who reads my mind

Then it goes back into the chorus where its just me and the piano for to showcase a vulnerable moment before building up into the chorus again. To climb back into the chorus into a very full ending, I wanted to have a dramatic lead up. Took inspiration from the entrance to the bridge from Harry Styles - Sign Of The Times.

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Still

This song is one of my proudest lyrical compositions that I've written by far. I wanted to try something different from the other songs that I writ which are a literal accounts and descriptions of a scenario.

[Verse 1]

Everytime my head starts to think of you,

I shove it down cause the thought of you makes me hate, myself

Smoke and mirrors kept me there,

But once the fog had cleared I was staring at

A girl, I don’t recognise anymore

What have you done to the girl I loved before?

[Verse 2]

Smashed the mirror on the floor

A million reflections but all I saw were you in them

I can’t fight this battle anymore

[Chorus]

Im tryna find who I am without you

But all roads, all the roads they lead me down to you

Every song I write is a letter to you,

Every word I sing is the same tune,

Try to close my eyes for a different view,

It’s the same old story,

I still love you

[Verse 3]

I close my eyes try to get some sleep

But in the darkness I can see you clear as day

And now I’m pacing back and forth,

Try to shove you out the corners of my mind

But it’s like,

You’ve locked yourself in me,

And somehow you threw away the key

[Verse 4]

You threw it down the rabbit hole,

But I’m not Alice and this ain’t quite a fairy tale.

I can’t fight this battle anymore.

[Chorus]

Im tryna find who I am without you

But all roads, all the roads they lead me down to you

Every song I write is a letter to you,

Every word I sing is the same tune,

Try to close my eyes for a different view,

It’s the same old story,

I still love you

[Refrain]

Everytime my head starts to think of you,

I shove it down cause the thought of you makes me hate, myself

This was a very personal song so I kept the arrangement very simple with the same plucking pattern and the same 4 chords because I wanted the lyrics to intentionally be the main focus since it was a song where the message needed to be heard. I like the first line the most cause it might take you by surprise because you might expect the lyrics to go "makes me hate you" or something along that line. As much as this song may sound like its putting the person this is referring to in a bad light, the point of view of this song is more so a self-reflection, not so much a projection of feelings onto the other person.

This song came very naturally to me and im trying to challenge myself to write in this similar style but maybe im other genres, cause I think i already have the hang of the 'singer-songwriter' thing

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Danger

This song was inspired by the feeling of "oh shit, I think love them"

I sampled the main line of the song from this song by Elli Ingram - Bad Behaviour

But I still wanted the song to have an edge and maybe change the groove to a latin / African groove(which is something I haven't really experimented with much) so I also took inspiration from Olivia Dean's song - Danger (coincidentally the lyrics sort of have a similar meaning to her song) So for this song we make it more drum/percussion.

This was a fun song to write and sing because the storyline was inspired by 2 of my friends but one doesn't want to tell the other how they're feeling because they're scared it'll ruin their friendship so it like they're "in danger".

I was thinking of ways I could spice up my set even more with this song to contrast it with the other songs, and I thought of writing a rap. Now- I don't have a lot of experience writing raps and it was a bit hard to come up with one when my brain wasn't *braining*. So, I put in the scenario into chatgpt to see if it could generate something that I could take inspiration from and get the ball rolling. Honestly it did help a lot because I could take bits and pieces and then adjust it to fit my narrative and ended up coming up with a rap I was pretty happy with. So we took this chance to make it a breakdown section in the song.

For the breakdown/rap, I was going to do a clap along section and we tried clapping both on the *on* and *off* beats and decided on the *off* beats. The *on* beats were made the song feel too laid back and I wanted to have that "anticipation".

[Verse 1]

Oops I think I’ve fallen in love again

How’d you do that?

Tryna make you understand, that

[Pre-Chorus]

I wanna pull you closer

I wanna let you know that

I’ll cross the oceans for ya

Oh I’m in danger

[Chorus]

Ooh, I’m on my bad behaviour

Ooh, I’m in danger

Now I know what I like and it’s you

baby it’s just human nature

Ooh, now I’m in danger

(Whatcha doin to me, boy)

[Verse 2]

Stop. Just give me a sec

Let me figure out if it’s all in my head

Now, how do I comprehend

The way you distract me, heart is under attack

[Pre-Chorus]

And I- I wanna pull you closer

I wanna let you know that

I’ll cross the oceans for ya

[Chorus]

Oh I’m in danger

Ooh, I’m on my bad behaviour

Ooh, I’m in danger

Now I know what I like and it’s you

baby it’s just human nature

Ooh, now I’m in danger

[Rap Breakdown]

Now let me break it down

Feelin like I’m floatin cuz my heads in the clouds

Like, cuz I’m in a haze

Cant escape these feelings that I can’t explain

I’m, caught up in this love I can’t comprehend

Feelin like I’m flyin but I’m scared to descend

All the warnin signs, I should take my time

Why’d you have to be so damn fine?

[Chorus]

Ooh, I’m on my bad behaviour

Ooh, I’m in danger

Now I know what I like and it’s you

baby it’s just human nature

Ooh, now I’m in danger

I’m on my bad behaviour

I’m in danger

Whatcha doin to me, boy)

Ooh, now I’m in danger

#Spotify

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Good Life - Sammy Rae & The Friends Cover

Good Life was included in the setlist actually because I think it allowed for the whole band to shine in their own way so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to introduce everyone during their solo sections. It was also a vocally demanding song with its staccato notes and big note intervals. I was actually most scared for this song because the arrangement was a lot more complicated than any of my songs and rhythmically challenging. For the half recital, initially I had two guitars play the main line because in the recording it was actually two saxophones playing counter melodies and I thought that was the element of the song that needed to be included but in hindsight it still felt like it was missing something that would take it to the next level. So I asked Ridz to switch to percussions and it instantly made the song a lot fuller.

So because the song had so many large intervals and I actually have the tendency to break my voice while singing this song because it really takes a toll on my breathing. to try and counter this in one of the classes with Alemay she suggested tricking the mind with strategic hand positioning. For instance: if you're about to sing a high note you throw your hand toward the ground and vice versa for the opposite. It tricks the mind into thinking you're not anticipating a high note so you don't overcompensate and break your voice. it also means I get to focus on my breathing more instead of trying to hit the right notes. I use this technique in pretty much all my songs now so im making it second nature

The rest of the band didn't really have trouble learning their parts except Xun (drummer) cause it was got a bit messy when the hits weren't sitting in the pocket so we told him to play simpler and he did for the half recital but it was a bit *too* safe so I told him just create a set groove and practice that so don't improvise the sections in the moment and it helped a lot with gelling the band together.

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Stay

Funny context: So the story behind this song was that my dad actually matched me up with his friends son, thinking that we might get along. So he passed a note with his number with small heart next to it for me to call him. But anyway there was back and forth about planning to meet and one day he just stopped replying and my dad actually asked his friends what's his deal and the dude was actually just really shy... and it inspired this song. The "butterfly" feeling I got was nervousness and a bit of anxiety cause he was taking forever to get back to me and the vibe and message is pretty similar to Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend", inspiring the idea of "I'm worth your time"

So naturally the tone of the whole song was a bit angsty and pleading taking on a straighter more pop-rock groove and feel.

Because the song actually starts off with me singing first (and im not perfect pitched) there was the issue of starting the song in the right key. Actually in my esplanade performance I completely didn't account for this situation and ended up starting the song in the wrong key...... BUT instead of keeping going and just sliding back into the right key that everyone was playing in I decided to turn it into a bit and stop the song. I think it actually might have made the section a bit relatable like "yea people mess up sometimes" so I carried on and asked Ridz to play the key for means then went straight back into the song. Alemay has always taught me to pretend as if every mess up was intentional and I asked a bunch of people about what they thought of it and a lot of people actually thought I was doing a bit so I think I recovered quite well. For the final recital ill ask him strum the key while incorporating it into the introduction of the song like:

"it goes something like this"

*plays chord in 8th note for 1 bar*

*sings the first line*

[Verse 1]

I know I say that I don’t care

But every second I’m just thinking bout what

you’re thinking

And if you’re thinking of me

Heart next to you number

Do you remember you gave it to me

[Pre-chorus 1]

Missed messages I left in your phone

Unread all I hear is the dial tone

So I lie in bed and wait

For you to see what I had to say

[Chorus]

Hey baby, don’t you let me down now

Tell me that I’m what you want and more

I know that I’m worth fighting for

Don’t leave me waiting by the door

Tell me to come meet you after dark

Baby I’m saying it’s not that hard

To come my way

Ill make you wanna say

[Verse 2]

That you don’t care

What all your friends are saying bout us when

you go drinking, and that you’ll be thinking of me

We’ll be under the covers

Close to each other, not a second to breathe

[Pre-Chorus 2]

We could be more, could be all that you dreamed of

We could touch, no more distance between

So I’ll stare and wait

For you to see what I have to say

[Chorus]

Hey baby don’t you let me down now

Tell me that I’m what you want and more

I know that I’m worth fighting for

Don’t leave me waiting by the door

Tell me to come meet you after dark

Baby I’m saying it’s not that hard

To come my way

Ill make you wanna stay

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Table 4 2 (continued)

arrangement wise I decided to keep it relatively simple and go for a country-pop vibe. I think it was pretty smart too that the title of the song was numbers instead of "table for two" so it has that double meaning. So the verse 1 begins in the perspective of the person in the restaurant and describing that moment when the other person walked in, and then conversely in the other perspective in verse 2.

[Verse 1]

Sat down in the restaurant,

ready at a table for one.

With your glasses and your jeans,

didn't know it when you smiled back at me.

[Verse 2]

As I walked into the restaurant,

saw this beautiful lady smiling at me.

And my heart starts racing, I don't know why

Hair like waves and ocean eyes

looking back at me (looking back at me) x2

The last line is sung like a 'call and answer' .

The pre-choruses are very similar because its supposed to be the first moment they interacted.

[Pre-Chorus 1]

Then you walked on over with a note in your hand

A question you wrote on a napkin you had

"I saw you sitting across the room

Would you mind, if I made this a table for two."

[Pre-Chorus 2]

I wondered what you thought of me,

so i wrote it down and left my seat.

"I saw you sitting across the room

Would you mind, if I made this a table for two."

The song doesn't really have chorus (its mainly just a few bars of the intro chords) and it actually just has a bridge where the bridge is mainly an instrumental section that is arranged significantly bigger than the rest of the song because it supposed to mimic the "fireworks" that go off between the two people.

And then it resolves just into an acoustic guitar with each of them singing their first two lines, sort of being brought back to reality.

I think this song allowed me to not stress out about complexities of lyrics and just get lost into a storybook romance type of scenario.

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Table 4 2

This song was written as a duet by Ridz Razali and I. We were in a songwriting session and he was just playing around with some chords on the guitar and I started singing some lines over it. The idea was that the song was supposed to describe that "love at first sight" feeling. Its also a fantasy scenario and sort of romanticising that "coffee shop romance" where you spot a stranger strolling into the restaurant and suddenly you feel these "butterflies" in your stomach when you make eye contact. Writing the song as a duet gave me the added potential to showcase both sides of the story, the girl at the table and the guy across the restaurant. The simplicity of the song is what made it really charming to me and honestly I didn't think it needed a very flashy arrangement or complicated lyrics. I was trying to romanticise the idea that love can be simple

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gradjournaljaz · 1 year

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Butterflies For my last recital i compiled a bunch of my originals and realised the recurring theme between most of them was about a feeling that most of us call "butterflies". It could totally honestly be an umbrella description for nerves, uncertainty, infatuation, love, etc. And my style of writing has a very storytelling aspect to it and frequent use of metaphors.

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