Well it is that time of year again, I cant believe how quickly it has come round. This is my 6th year of doing FAWM, an online challenge and community to write 14 songs in the 28 days of February. Previous blogs have discussed FAWM at length so I shall focus on where I am at this year.
Tim, our guitarist in The Sacred Woods had commented on the large number of songs I have written that seem to be in a minor key, often Em and the lyrics tend to be a little on the…..sad side. So this led me to further refining the challenge for FAWM this year: write songs that are in a major key and are positive.
Now I can usually write a song in about an hour, if it is going to happen that is about the norm. I have been surprised how difficult it is to write a positive song. I have been able to get some elements together really quickly but then when adding vocals it all starts to sound a bit samey.
What I have discovered from years of FAWM is that it is important to soldier on without thinking too much about what you are doing, censorship can be applied in March. For now the best thing is to get on and write and keep writing and things will start to develop. And that is what has happened. My acoustic guitar playing has taken on a new structure and the positive lyrics seem to be coming much easier than before February.
As they are only sketches of songs to come then the recordings can be a little raw, but they do offer a glimpse into the world of the songwriter. I love FAWM and the community from around the world coming together to write and support each other is just fantastic. May it never end.
The sonic journey of Jules Bryant-Funnell 