Reflections on a Concept…

Hello Troubadourians! On Sunday, December 14^th, the San Diego Troubadour will hold its annual Holiday Party & Fundraiser, which will also serve as a 25^th anniversary celebration of the magazine. This is a FUNDRAISER and they need our help. If you feel inclined to donate, click the link here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=R2UMYAEB6QRTL&ssrt=1764097081761.

I’ve been writing this column since the January 2011 issue, and it has been my honor and pleasure to write for you. The concept of the column began as a platform to inform and instruct performing musicians on the technical part of performing and make it relatable to being musical. As time has passed, I have expanded the scope of the column to include my thoughts and experiences on such things as choosing an instrument, learning new skills and techniques, practice habits, songwriting, recording, getting along with other musicians, and many more things that I have learned over the years. Some things that I’ve written about I had to learn the hard way, so I put them in the column where someone reading about my experience could learn it there first, before they found themselves in the same situation. I will say, though, that sometimes the hard lessons are the most valuable and the manner in which you learn them sticks with you.

It is said that the best way to learn is to teach, and I have learned so much and think about, such as research, and put it into coherent form all of the ideas and information that I’ve shared with you, the readers of the Troubadour. I also learn from the emails and conversations I’ve had with people who reacted to, or was inspired by something I wrote. I’ll never forget the gig where the sound engineer came up to and told me that he became interested in providing sound systems to bands and venues because of a three-part column I wrote very early in the column’s existence, which broke down the technical, electrical, acoustic, and physical aspects of sound creation and related it to the terminology that musicians use and understand. He then showed me a laminated four-page manual that recreated those columns and that he used at every gig. Wow… I was nearly moved to tears. I never expected anything like that might come from something I wrote.

Recently, a friend asked me, “What does a song have to have for you to like it?” I smiled and said, “A cool guitar part.” But I went on to explain that beyond my flippant and self-serving response, there are several things that I look for in a song. Yes, a cool riff or groove will definitely grab my attention, but strong lyrics are right there too. What do I mean by strong lyrics? Well, there are many things; I really like when a lyric doesn’t telegraph the next line. When there is an interesting rhyme-scheme. When the lyrics tell a story and/or make you see what you are hearing. When a lyric uses an interesting word effectively to tell the story, not just to use the word for its own sake. When a lyric avoids clichés or twists them into unexpected meanings. I could quote several instances on each of these but I’d rather that you think about your favorite songs and see how many fit the template above. I think you’ll be surprised. Maybe you hadn’t noticed before, but now you can’t un-notice it. Okay, one example: think about the first verse of “Hotel California” and you’ll see what I mean.

Melody is essential as well. Give me an interesting melody that works well with the chord changes and I’m hooked. And it doesn’t have to be a complicated melody either. It just has to have tension and release and complement the message or emotion of the lyric. I suggest you listen to “Northbound 35” by Jeffrey Foucault and you’ll hear what I mean. And it has some very compelling and emotive chord changes, too. Speaking of chord changes, they don’t have to be complex or complicated (two entirely different things) to be interesting. “Ain’t Livin’ Long Like This” is essentially a blues format, but expanding the form from 12 bars to 32 bars and holding on the V and IV chords twice as long on the turnaround really builds tension so when the I chord hits, it’s like shifting into another gear and makes the pocket deep and wide.

A cool riff is standard issue for so many excellent songs. Sometimes the riff states the rhythm and groove and implies the melody (think “Rock & Roll” by Led Zeppelin), and sometimes the melody floats above or runs counter to the riff (think “Whole Lotta Love,” again by Led Zeppelin), both are awesomely effective at reeling in a listener. Sometimes the riff implies neither the melody nor the rhythm but is nonetheless an essential part of the song. The Carol King/Monkees song “Pleasant Valley Sunday” is a fine example of where a riff instantly defines a song but is completely different from any other part of the song. Another interesting feature of “Pleasant Valley Sunday” is that it changes keys twice, once during the verses, and again during the ride-out section. Each time the key change is seamless and returns to the original key without disruption of the melody or groove. Brilliant!

Another thing I like is when a major chord is substituted in place of a minor chord and vice versa. This move can add an interesting texture to a simple chord change and suggest and support an unexpected melody. A bit of self-service here: “Heal” by the Wild Truth starts with a I, Vm, IV chord change (E, Bm, A). Later, it drops to the III chord (G) for a III, IV, I (G, A, E) change and ends the section with III, IV, V (G, A, B) change before returning to the original chord pattern.

A variation of this is using an IV to IVm change when returning to the I chord. Roy Orbison does this to great effect on “Blue Bayou,” where he plays an F followed by an Fm when returning to the C chord. This is made even more effective because he precedes the change with a I to I7 (C to C7) change which creates internal chord movement that compliments the melody and lyric beautifully. Try it, you’ll like it…

These are just a few of the most obvious things that I listen for in a song, and there are more, but I don’t have space to go into all of them. Besides, this was written to get you to think about what you like in a song and to encourage you listen to—and for—things that you might not have noticed before. If you are a songwriter—or would like to try to become one—maybe these ideas will help you to write with more depth and interest. Or just go listen to some cool songs…

Need to know? Just ask… Charlie (ask.charlie@hotmail.com)

Charlie Loach has played guitar in the San Diego music scene for many years, primarily with the power-house original rock band the Wild Truth and the elegant Americana ensemble Folding Mister Lincoln, performing and recording several CDs with both bands. More recently, he has performed with the vocal trio the Outliers. Charlie is an accomplished session player who is well versed in multiple genres of music from bluegrass to rock to country, and his playing is both smooth and tasteful whether on electric or acoustic guitar.