Carl Hose: I'm a songwriter myself, and as such, highly influenced by
the singer/songwriter genre, particularly in the 70s. I'm sure you're
familiar with the reference. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, I feel
like the real singer/songwriter is disappearing. You seem to me to have
some of those qualities. How important is the craft of songwriting to you?
J.R. Byrd: Actually I think there are more singer-songwriter’s now than
there ever have been. With that said, we do have to change the way we think
about singer-songwriters. A lot of the biggest singer-songwriters could also be
called pop stars, but I think at their core, they are singer-songwriters. I’m
referring to guys like John Mayer, girls like Ingrid Michaelson. I’m not even a
straight up singer-songwriter in the traditional sense. I enjoy dabbling in all
kinds of music genres.
CH: You have a strong musical background from an educational standpoint.
Sometimes excessive training can steal some of the joy of creating, but you
manage to have fun anyway. Do you feel like your musical education has
been helpful to your progression as a songwriter and performer?
J.R.: Well, first of all, I’m a strange case because I got a degree in Jazz,
which is quite different from songwriting. A lot of the music I performed
didn’t use lyrics, so I think that’s what I struggle with the most. As far as
an eduction in whatever it is you do, I’m always for that, whether you get that
from a school or personal study. As far as excessive training goes, I think
that’s imposible because everytime you sit down to play, you are training your
limbs to do something, whether good or bad!
CH: Not sure your age, but you seem to be fairly young. Your
songwriting shows a depth that usually comes with age. What do you attribute
that to?
J.R.: My Dad! I grew up on baby boomer music, from the Beatles to Dan
Fogelberg and everything in between. My dad doesn’t care for much of my generation’s
music, but I think that just goes on into perpetuity. I try to mail him new
music from time to time, in Compact Disc form like he likes it (and I like it
too). I recently just sent him some Shawn Colvin and Sara Bareilles.
CH: I love the lyric choices you make. Varied subject matter, great
structure, super rhyme schemes. Do you work your lyrics first and develop
the music afterward, do you keep a notebook around for lyric ideas, or
does it all pretty much come together at the same time?
J.R.: Now a days I think of lyrical hooks and develop a song from there.
Didn’t always do it that way, but I’ve come to the realization that the lyric
is easier to put melody to than the other way around. I’ve never really kept a
notebook, but I do write notes in my iPhone from time to time. Mostly I just
write when I get the inspiration to do so.
CH: Do you fully notate when you write a song, work from a lead sheet, or
just record your ideas and tweak them until you've completed a tune,
J.R.: Pretty much always start with a lead sheet. Often I’ll use that to write
for strings or horn section later. I find when things have been notated errors
will often look you right in the face.
CH: Is there a particular instrument you write with or does the song idea
dictate your choice? Do you have a preference?
J.R.: I mostly write on the piano, although I have written some songs on
guitar.
CH: How much time do you spend writing? Are you the type that waits
for inspiration or do you sit down and work on the music,
J.R.: I can write a song faster than I can record it so I just write songs
as I need them.
CH: You have a band. Do you write different songs for your band than
you would write for yourself as a solo artist?
J.R : I play the same songs with the band although I play them a bit
differently if I’m solo.
CH: Do you do much co-writing and how do you approach that as opposed to
writing by yourself?
J.R.: The thing about co-writing is you have to give up half the control,
which was hard at first, but I got on board quickly because I realized that I
could come up with different sounding stuff than what I could have come up with
by myself. So many great songs are co-writes by song-writing teams!
CH: How do you rate live performance compared to songwriting? Do you
enjoy one over the other?
J.R.: There is just no thrill like playing a really fun show. Writing is
hard work and it hurts my Byrdbrain.
CH: Any particular writing or recording software you recommend? What
do you use and what is the minimum you recommend for a beginning songwriter who
wants to record a decent demo at home?
J.R.: I use Protools 8 and a Digi003 rack with some decent microphones to
record. It’s way cheaper to get some used gear off of ebay than going into the
studio time after time. To write I just use my iPhone voice memo app and Finale
to inscribe the notes.
CH: What advice do you have for songwriters just starting out?
J.R.: Use all the social media tools at your disposal to grow your brand.
Think like a business. It’s not the fun part for me but I work on it a little
bit everyday.
CH: What do you have coming up we can look forward to?
J.R.: I’m working on a concept album with Bob Paterno that takes place in
the future where sports has become illegal.
Although it is a comedy, it will make you think!
Find J.R. Byrd online
Official website: www.jrbyrd.com
Twitter: @jrbyrddotnet
Personal Facebook: www.facebook.com/jrbyrddotnet
Musician Facebook: www.facebook.com/jrbyrdmusic
Reverbnation: www.revernation.com/jrbyrd
email: jr@jrbyrd.com
