Jeremy Riddle on Song Writing #ASW13

Jeremy Riddle recently gave a brief talk at the Austin Stone Worship Conference where he shared his thoughts on song writing.  Here are my brief notes.

A great worship song is an intricate marriage of personal experience, powerful revelation and a singable melody. - Jeremy Riddle

ADVISE FOR BECOMING A BETTER SONG WRITER

BECOME A THEOLOGIAN

A theologian is someone who studies God

Theology is for the purpose of doxology – JI Packer

If theology is for the purpose of praising God, worship leaders must be theologians. Some worship leaders passionately sing about nothing.

GROW AS A LYRICIST

 To be a great song writer, you need to be a great lyricist.  There aren’t enough great lyric writers.

Be a Disciplined Reader

• Read your Bible extensively. Know the language of the Bible
• Read translations/paraphrases like THE MESSAGE for the sake of finding truth communicated poetically  

Journal Phrases and Images Which are Impactful

Write Lots and Lots of Lyrics

• Strive to say something in a fresh way, but if you find something original have someone check your lyrics to make sure you're not a heretic.
• Use your brain and your spirit
• It’s not just about reciting theological facts. You want to communicate truth in a powerful way which ignites the soul.

CO-WRITE YOUR SONGS

It may not be pleasant but it leads to better songs

His first song critiqued was “Sweetly Broken.” Matt Redman tore it to shreds, butthis led him to write a much better song.