[bubblingsoul]

This form is provided as a quick but entirely optional method for critiquing lyrics and/or completed songs. If you'd like more info/directing questions on what some of the categories might explore - please visit this link. (Most are self-explanatory tho.)

For the Critiquer: After each category, provide as much detailed or general comments as you desire. You may even rate on a number scale defined by you if you wish. (You may either get the form here - or, if the lyric/song poster provided an alternate in their post - use that!)

For the Critiquee: Cut and paste this form into your initial lyric or song post - and use "as is" or customize the categories to cover what you'd like potential critiquers to focus regarding your lyric/song.

<------------------------- copy this ------------------------->

[color=blue][B]CRITIQUE:[/B][/color]
				  [B]Emotional impact:[/B]  
				  [B]Strength of hook/title:[/B]  
				  [B]Originality:[/B]  
				  [B]Appeal:[/B]  
				  [B]Focus:[/B]  
				  [B]Phrasing/cadence:[/B]  
				  [B]Form:[/B]  
				  [B]Verbiage:[/B]  
				  -----------------
				  [B]Arrangement:[/B]  
				  [B]Instrumentation:[/B]  
				  [B]Musicianship:[/B]  
				  [B]Strength of Melody/prosody:[/B]  
				  [B]Vocal delivery:[/B]  
				  [B]Backing vox:[/B]  
				  [B]Collaboration effort:[/B]  
				  [B]Recording mix/technical:[/B]  
				  -----------------
				  [B]Other comments/questions:[/B]

The beauty of this form is that it is as completely customizable as you desire!
Here's a quick guide on how to use it:

1. With your cursor, highlight the text in the orange code box above.
2. Copy the text using either File->Copy (in your browser), or CRTL-C (using the quick keys)
3. Paste the text using either File->Paste (in your browser), or CTRL-V (using the quick keys)
4. You may change the category "tags" by simply highlighting and retyping what you'd prefer.

***NOTE: be sure to keep the 'B' and the '/b' as bookends and in their brackets.***
5. You may also delete or add category tags as you wish.
6. Type your brief or detailed comments AFTER each closed tag.

An example on how to use it will be provided below.

~Bubbles

[bubblingsoul]

Here is the sample in how it might be modified and used:

Frame It
Denise Vrana ©2007

Window blinds make stripes on the wall
The early morning sun starts it's vibrant scrawl
Both point to the fact a new day's begun
So, how am I gonna frame it?

No matted intentions
Or complex inventions
Over exposure
But maybe some closure
So now in the darkroom
I cast off my costume
There's no shame in it
It's how I frame it

My feet hit the floor with brisk velocity
No pretense of religiosity
I count my blessings and offer up my thanks
That's how I'm gonna frame it!

Though it's not vogue,
I won't be a rogue


LYRIC CRITIQUE (self):
Emotional impact: Sassy, but encouraging - works for me.
Strength of hook/title: Okay, but will be strengthened further with supporting rythym/music.
Originality:
Appeal: There could be commercial appeal in the right market.
Focus: A little confusing at first, but by the chorus - worked itself out.
Phrasing/cadence: Ahhhhh! This was a bugger. Completely inconsistent cadence from verse one to two.
Form: Follows a traditional form. Might want to label each section in future. The bridge seems a little too short - might want to expand the idea further.
Verbiage: Paints a picture and uses interesting (but not forced or conventional) rhymes, nice job!


Yes. Yes. I'm talking out my ____ on the crit - but it's only posted here as a sample of how the form can be customized. Since it is a lyric only piece, I deleted the categories that don't apply. I also changed the heading at the top to reflect that this is a self-crit.

If you'd like practice cutting and pasting the form, please feel free to try it here. (I will ask that the thread be pruned occasionally - after you've had a chance to try it here before letting loose on a REAL post. )

~Bubbles

[NigeQ]

Bubblingsoul has kindly drawn up this critique form which is purely optional but you may find it useful.

I will leave this thread open for a while in case anyone has any comments or wants to discuss. In the mean time if you want to use this template for either posting your song or your critique please do so.

Cheers

Nige

[jay23]

I don't know. It strikes me as some kind of score card and I'm not sure I like that idea. What's wrong with how folks are commenting now?

Jay

[bubblingsoul]

Hi Jay,

Well, it is optional - and that was stated at the outset. It won't be for everyone, but is provided for those who wish to have some structure - both song poster and critiquer.

This was not dreamt up out of thin air (though it did get lost there for a little while ). It was the result of a discussion and subsequent idea in THIS THREAD. (Read through it if you'd like the full scoop.)

While I do agree, many of us have our own style and method of critiquing - sometimes that doesn't always match what the lyric/songwriter is seeking. And also, we have more than just seasoned lyricist and musicians here . . . we have newbies as well. This is just another tool to support the growth of both the seasoned and newbie in discovering, exploring and developing their craft.

I'm grateful for any comments I get on my stuff, from a simple one-liner of support - to a detailed critique. Folks are sometimes limited on the amount of time they can spend posting crits/songs. This can be used in either circumstance . . . or not! It's really up to you!

The structure of the form aids the critiquer in staying focused - and maybe providing some reminder on what could possibly be commented on. When used consistently, it would also allow the lyricist/songwriter to immediately see how many listeners/viewers had issues with the same portion of their piece. And this, in turn, might help them decide why they perhaps should and how they could fine tune their piece.

It does have benefits all around.

But really - take it or leave it. If it's not for you - that's okay. You won't be hurting my feelings if you don't use it at all!

~Bubbles

[jay23]

Hi Bubbles:
Well, thanks for working on that. But I think I'll take you up on the offer of not using it For myself, I think I would for the most part just be blowing smoke trying to rate some of these catagories, like originality, appeal or emotional impact.

Jay

[bubblingsoul]

Was never a problem, Jay!

~Bubbles

[LTH]

I like the Form as I feel it gives a complete forum of thought to make a good crit.


LTH

[Alistair S]

I think it may be a useful check-list.

However, personally, I don't like it when it's used to give feedback - mostly because I have never learned anything useful from feedback given this way. I'd rather people just said what they thought.

[Salley Gardens]

The beauty of this form is realized for people who have trouble giving a critique. It was never meant to replace or govern critiques given by people who do so comfortably. Even for those happy with their own style, it's helpful to see the myriad of ways to look at a song.

[MysteryMike]

Alistair S, on Jan 8 2009, 04:18 PM, said:

I'd rather people just said what they thought.

Your giraffe is ugly and has high blood pressure....

[Alistair S]

Damn .. that's fighting talk!

... fair comment though!

[rayj]

Hello...I'm a "newbie" so I like the form...at least it is a starting point for those of us who have not done much critiquing...

Ray

[dhess]

I guess I did something wrong. Had some great feedback to help me move forward but my post was deleted. Please help me undewrstand

[yacht rocker]

dhess, on Aug 11 2009, 10:22 PM, said:

I guess I did something wrong. Had some great feedback to help me move forward but my post was deleted. Please help me undewrstand

Just like when working on any document on a computer: Save early and save often!

Ever since the early days of the Web, I have learned this lesson the hard way. I'd be in the middle of some long, complex forum post or email or registration form, and the computer would freeze or I'd lose my dialup connection or my login would time out or the form would "reset" before I finished and ... damn! All that work for nothing.

So now I habitually save everything I'm working on. It's an automatic reflex now.... it's like scratching my butt, I don't even realize I'm doing it.

I make sure to

1) Copy to the clipboard every minute or so. (CTRL + A, then CTRL +C -- very simple).

2) Copy again when the product is finished and ready to send.

That way, if anything goofy happens (the Internet is slow, you got disconnected from your prehistoric dialup connection, your neighbor's Wifi signal just went out again, your login session has timed out unbeknownst to you) and the post doesn't go through, it's saved and you can just

3) regurgitate it with a quick CTRL + V, rather than rack your brains and waste time trying to remember and re-compose it all.

This has saved my sanity countless times.

(And by the way, if you don't already know the basic keyboard shortcuts, by all means learn them. You can find them via "Help" in any Windows program. If you're on Mac, I'd suspect you find the Mac shortcuts the same way.)

Even when writing emails, I am compulsively using the copy-to-clipboard method and/or copying and saving in a Wordpad document. I never rely totally on the "Save Draft" function since I use web-based mail (Hotmail) and there's no guarantee your draft will make it to the server in order to be saved every time. Best save it at home first.

Wordpad saving will also protect you against system lockups, which, if you're using most Windows products, seem to be inevitable -- right along with death and taxes.

Time for me to copy and then send this post ....

[mike@thejottedline]

One more vote for: I like it.

People can say what they want either with this format or without.

I think it will help when you might want to give someone some feedback but might not be sure how to start.