The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Five weeks to FAWM 2016!!

http://fawm.org/

For those who aren't familiar, in FAWM (February Album Writing Month) people all over the world challenge themselves to write fourteen songs during the month of February. I think since 2016 is a leap year the challenge gets expanded to 14.5 songs, though I forget how that half song gets counted. You don't have to record and fully produce the songs, just write them.

Lately BSS + Niveous have participated as "Zinkline" which was originally Zipline + Ken + Niveous I think.

Are you going to give it a shot?

I've done it the past 2 years. I know a couple other SongFighters have...

It's a good learning exercise. The community is like the Smurfs - a lot of positive encouragement. Criticism is tolerated if it's constructive and friendly. Collaboration with others is encouraged - esp putting someone else's lyrics to music. Plan on reviewing 3-5 songs for every one you post.

If you're going for the "win", focus on writing lots of lyrics the first few days. That will get you ahead of the game. Recording is a slower process (for me) and demos of YOUR songs don't add to your count BUT COLLABS DO. So if you're tired of writing lyrics, collab with someone.

They also have sprints, which are like 1 hour SongFights. All in all, ii can be a very fun and productive month.

iVeg wrote:... demos of YOUR songs don't add to your count BUT COLLABS DO.

Ummm, unless I'm misunderstanding, yes they do. Even a song title alone 'counts'.

They also have sprints, which are like 1 hour SongFights. All in all, ii can be a very fun and productive month.

Ummm, I think you mean 'skirmishes' - unless you're being metaphorical...

I've done the last 11 in a row. Not sure I'll manage it this year, so much else going on in my life at the moment, but I am hopeful. It's a leap year this year, which means 14 and a half songs, which i've previously enjoyed coming up with different ways to make 'half a song'.

j$

@J$. Right. You can have an instrumental with a title, and that counts. I tend to start with lyrics, so I didn't think of that.
Skirmish. Yeah, I got the term wrong.

The extra half song for a leap year has to be a collab with somebody else.
I'm planning to participate again but my music making has been very slow lately.
-bill

Actually, Bill, I don't think it has to be - sure, that's the way most people interpret it but I've done it other ways with no penalty. Unless of course this is some new rule i've missed. j$

Might as well continue my annual tradition of saying I am going to do this and failing miserably.

Yes, what Irwin said.

This'll be my ninth year. Every time I gear up to skip it I end up sucked in anyway.

It begins!

And I'm good to go (so far, at least.) [/shameless self-promotion] j$

That's a wrap on FAWM 2016. Zinkline (BSS + Niveous) just tonight wrapped up our last song. Demos here:

http://fawm.org/fawmers/zinkline/

Hope those of you who also participated had fun and met your goals. Glenn Case made a 12 song album, which while not finishing FAWM is pretty awesome.

http://fawm.org/fawmers/glenncase/

I did 15... finished slightly early this year somehow.
http://fawm.org/fawmers/heuristicsinc/
-bill