Write something ‘behind the beat’ | Songwriting Club

Rushing is my worst enemy.

I’m constantly rushing, singing ahead of the beat and moving too fast for the established tempo. Whether I’m super excited about the song or just drank too much coffee, off I go rushing through the melody. It’s become a really important part of my musical practice to take a deep breath, listen to the beat, and relax when I’m recording. I now practice being behind the beat, hitting the notes even the tiniest bit late in order to give the track a groovy, relaxed feel.

On that note, let’s dive into this week’s Songwriting Club prompt: write a song where the melody is playing behind the beat.

Here’s my example:

Although it’s not a requirement, if you used a sound you found on Splice Sounds, let us know! If you want to use Splice Sounds in your song but don’t have an account, get your first month free with the code songwriting.

If you’re feeling proud of your tune or you’re looking for some feedback, upload it to the Splice community, SoundCloud, YouTube, Bandcamp, etc., and toss the link in the comments below. Before you share, just make sure you’re following these guidelines:

  1. Make sure your track aligns with the prompt – it should be something that you’ve specifically written in response to this blog post.
  2. No promotional posts – no links to contests, social media pages, etc.
  3. Comment on at least one other person’s song before you go – even if it seems small to you, your praise or critique can make a transformative impact on someone else’s craft.
  4. Give a quick summary of your goals for your song – asking for feedback on specific aspects (ex. the lyrics, chord progression, etc.) is also recommended!

Check back in for your next prompt on September 4th. We’re looking forward to hearing what you create!

August 21, 2020

Katie Smith Katie is an Artist Marketing Manager at Splice and a singer / songwriter under the moniker Lewis Lane.