9 WAYS TO SCORE SONGS EFFECTIVELY (Approaching Songs Technically).

INTRODUCTION:

Firstly, everyone who is musically gifted can score music. But not everyone gifted can score effectively. Because scoring songs effectively entails paying attention to all the details in a song. And also not everyone wants to go through the painstaking process of scoring.
For the fact that you are enjoying the music and singing along does not mean you have scored it. Now the Big Question is.

(1) WHAT IS MUSIC SCORE?

(2) PROCESS OF SCORING A SONG.

SCORING A SONG is the act of studying how a song was written, structured, produced and also the ability to interpret same perfectly or taking same to another level

PROCESS OF SCORING A SONG.

The HOW-TO of music scoring entails the above and what am about to write now.

1. LISTEN: Get your phone or mp3 player listen to the song, enjoy the melody. Dont start learning it. Feel the weight and sweetness of the song. Listen as many times as possible.

2. MAP OUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE SONG:
Establish the best key of the song. Then know how it started either from intro to chorus, from chorus to 2nd verse to the Chorus to the bridge to vamp and whatever. This will help you achieve alot at the long run. This is the first stage of scoring a song as this gives you the outline and prediction needed to quick learning.

3. WRITE THE LYRICS: Getting the lyrics down on a notebook/notepad will help you when learning the lyrics. It is good to cross check the lyics, but listen to it if it tallies to what you are hearing. You maybe hearing VISION and seeing MISSION online. So this you don’t master a wrong lyrics as it difficult to unlearn a wrong lyrics.

4. LEARN ALL VOCAL PARTS, BREAKS ETC:
Here, Someone will be say i am an alto singer so l scored only d alto part. But to grow in a choir team you need to learn all the parts. Beside, the Director might change the key which might also affect the part. Also incase add a new arrangement that requires Swaping of part.

Also pay attention to the dynamics that the crescendos, descendos and the other dynamics in the song.

At this stage, App like Music speed change will be needed to loop, even slow the music down for you catchup with the speed of the music.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smp.musicspeed

As you score make sure you are Jotting things down.
Make sure you convert what you are learning to into tonic Solfa notation.

Hence, Training on Transcribing music to tonic Solfa is recommended for everyone in the choir. But incase you can’t do that for now you can record what you’ve score via a recorder for future purpose.

The Dullest pen is better than the Sharpest brain.

5. BE THE LEAD SINGER AND THE BACK UP SINGERS: Try as much as possible to score the lead vocal part and the back up. This help you to grow musically. Learn everything both d ad-libs. As you score other gifted people, you will find your own expression in no time.

6. LEARN THE INSTRUMENTATION SOUND:
Don’t say you dont know how to play, learn d sound. The Pianist may not get the melody or solo part. You can describe what you’ve heard. Scoring the instrumental sound also broadens your music mind. Knowing the sound arrangement will help know how to flow better on the song.

7. SING ALONG: You sing alongside with the music even if you have not or have perfected the song. Try to singing the same thing you hear in the song and scored. I know voice texture differs but try do it with your own voice texture. You might be scoring Tamela Mann Song while your voice texture is like Eben. Do it anyways.

8. TRY TO SING WITHOUT LISTENING OR PLAYING THE SONG: This will expose where you have not perfect while scoring. It will expose the lines you’ve not gotten, melodies you’ve not mastered. Highlight the weakling and go back to the song put those places on the loop till you master’ them.

Time after time at this stage, sing the song more without the music.

9. OWN THE SONG:  As we are a church choir, this exercise is spiritual. Hence, Find atleast 3 scriptures that speak to the theme of the song as you need them to introduce the song and also to express them as you adlip.
Also listen to the songs message and let this trigger prayer in your heart as you spiritually prepare.

Also try to Lead the song abit differently after this in your own way. If you can make the song yours, then you can take it to another level. However, take note of adlips that are important or significant to the song.

While you score please be open to adjustment especially when you are work with a very creative Director. BE OPEN to learn again, unlearn and relearn.

Moreover, You cannot improve on what you have not mastered.

Thank you.