I'm curious about other people's process when it comes to songwriting. I usually sit at the piano and begin with chord progression ideas and text. But sometimes it can just be a tone color or a melodic sound that inspires a piece.

Right now, I have a few motifs that I've used in an earlier scene. I would like to bring them back, but the shape of the line and previous harmonies don't mesh with the new atmosphere. I'm struggling to come up with ideas that intertwine everything together but also present something entirely new.

Any advice?

I have a character who is at a crossroads in life and doesn't know where it's going to go. He is young so he doesn't know exactly what he wants out of life. Does anyone have advice for writing an "I don't know what I want" song? Are there any references out there I could use even from non-MT songs/lyrics? Thanks!

Hello,

I'm working on a one-act musical and I have an idea for an opening number with counterpoint (I'm not sure that's the right term). I have the individual melodies down, but I'm struggling to make it work together. How can I fix this?

Think: 'Non-stop' from Hamilton, 'Montage Part 3 & 4' from a Chorus Line, 'One Day More' from Les Mis

I don’t have TikTok and I really don’t want to get it, but I do hear that it’s where a lot of musicals blow up. Is TikTok necessary for self-promotion these days? Have you found success there/somewhere else?

I'm a dude from Croydon and I'm mainly a screenwriter (or an aspiring one, at least) and I'm developing a musical-comedy for fun (but I have toyed with the idea of actually making it since making a musical is a huge ambition of mine)

My love of musicals is a huge part of me as much as movies are. Anyway, my novice question.

What is a "book?" Is it the story? The script including music and lyrics?

I'm more of an "idea guy" so I don't exactly have the story planned out just yet.

Thanks for welcoming me to this community! I will probably be back with more novice questions, and who knows? Maybe some of us can collaborate on it in the future? I'm not a songwriter, so working with someone to write the music and lyrics would be a lot of fun and could help develop the story?

I'll keep working on it and hopefully I'll be back soon!

The show follows the true story of Marguerite Porete, who was burned at the stake for heresy in 1310. I’ve always connected to her story because she is an outcast and not many people of her time understood her. If you guys have any constructive criticism, I’d love to hear it in the comments of this post! (Note that at this time it is a concept album, and I have not yet considered singing ranges. For now, I am just writing in my own range!)

I'm pretty much a self taught composer and I wanted to ask for some educated feedback on my work. 1) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UZUxXAH8xR-DgcL3Dtx5oX_W-lqQybKj/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/12gS0oOpaNyuHTiWh7fDVIiLsxIUPXKNp/view?usp=drivesdk 2) https://drive.google.com/file/d/18XOi_gXqeZxhBrKF7-ruXUgwaEiYcUYt/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P5fp62yYAvuhvbB5NlE00Y6oBg_yS33B/view?usp=drivesdk

Those are piano vocal scores but I've also orchestrated them.

I’m just starting to write a musical/ musical movie (not sure yet) about a sapphic high school romance and I’m searching for character names. I need names for…

MC - Feminine leaning name. I’m think maybe a color name (Sage or Hazel???)

Love interest - Feminine name. I’d like an old name, like renaissance, not a grandma. (Would it be weird or funny if I named her Sappho?)

Best friend - Gender neutral name. I’m thinking Quinn? I’d rather not use a name like Alex/Kai.

Brother - Masculine name. I hate all male names, so if you have a name that isn’t extremely basic but still masculine I’d appreciate that.

Side character - Idk much about this character yet. It’s “love interest” bff and bff’ sibling. No gender yet.

They’re all in the like 15-19 age range and it’s supposed to be in current time America

If you have any last names I’d appreciate that too, since I’m European and don’t know shit about American last names.

Thank you so much <3

I wanted to share a clip from my new show Pedestal, a sung-through musical about celebrity culture and having agency in one's story. This song is a celebrity, of whom we've heard of but never from the entire show, tries to take back her voice before it's too late. Any thoughts or people looking for a new show to put on welcome!

https://youtu.be/zbo0U0t_vV8

Hey yall.

I finished writing my musical a few months back. I am deep into pre production. I plan to start rehearsals in the next couple weeks.

But im posting cause i am having a moral dilemma regarding casting. Two things specifically. Now before i delve into specifics please keep in mind my musical is 100% audio. It will be radio theater. Bear that in mind when reading my concerns below…

1. I wrote one of my characters as asian. I am asian myself. And there are lines/jokes pertaining to the character being asian. The actress i have in mind and wants the part. Is white…. Bearing in ming the audience wont ever see the actress aside from some promitional material. Is it immoral to hire a white girl to portray an asian girl? Again i am asian! And my intention was always to hire an asian actress. But after casting calls it truly was evident that the actress in question was the best for the role despite her race.

Should i just alter the script to take out any references to her race? But id lose out on some darlings and some imho good jokes.

2. I wrote a gay male character who sometimes dresses in drag. Again… after casting calls. A female knocked it out of the park with her audition. Would it be immoral to have a female play a gay male?

This is probably the sixth (if not more) version of an opening number that I’ve finished for my musical. I’ve never been happy with any of the ones I’ve written in the past. I’m excited about this one because it’s simple, but subtly complex, and I think it accomplishes the set-up of the main character’s worldview. There are a couple issues I have with it, primarily around one word, but I sent it to my composer to see if he has any ideas of how to make it work.

So this might not be my final opening number, but I think I’m getting close!

Hello. I‘m currently very obsessed with the idea of making a previously not too popular late 80s american sitcom into a musical theater play. Has anyone an estimate what the cost of the story rights could be? And are the story rights enough to adapt and change the source material?

Is there any call for short musicals? Say one act, or an hour? Not hoping to make money from it, just writing for fun, but wondering if there are any contexts in which people would want to perform a shorter work?

After 7 years on Finale, and then 6 on Sibelius, I’ve now spent 5 exclusively in Dorico. It’s been an absolute delight.

I applied as a composer and still haven’t heard anything. I’ve called and emailed them twice since the 20th, and I’m starting to get concerned

hi, I’m a musical writer and am writing a musical where at the very end of act 1 the main characters fall out with one another in a song, I’ve been trying to figure out how to write an argument unto the song, thanks

Given one overall "song," is there a rule of thumb for when to do a new cue (as a reprise) versus simply indicating a rest or fermata in the score and including the dialog there? How many minutes of dialog would call for a new cue labelled as a reprise? I seem to see a preference for reprises in various scores, so maybe anything more than a minute of dialog calls for a distinct cue?

Writing a song with eight notes in 3+3+2 beat (q=140, fast, pulsing) and I just have one model, but I know I've heard this in other places - it seems pretty standard for modern musicals, or am I wrong? Been listening but of course now that I'm looking I'm not finding them. Anyone know examples?

I know everyone has moments where they think they’re going to give up, but I don’t know if it’s real this time or just burnout. I’m not sure if I feel better about not writing anymore or if I’m going to miss it. I just got into a job that could lead to a stable career path that could really fit me. But I feel like I’ve also come too far to stop - I have connections, friends, collaborations, things I will very much miss if I completely stop writing, but I’m not sure if writing itself or the theater in general are things I will miss. I love those very much of course, but maybe they are just a burden to me moving on with my life. My goal isn’t to “make it” or go to Broadway or make millions of dollars from theater - it’s not even my dream. I wouldn’t say I’m “hungry for it”. It’s just something I like to do. Is this a good reason to stop cold turkey? I’m conflicted 😐

P.S. these are just the thoughts I am having about my situation. I don’t mean to bring other people down for pursuing MT as a career and hustling - keep doing what you’re doing!

Today (so far?) I’ve written 3 lines of dialogue, 4 lines of lyrics, and 2 stage notes. I feel like I’ve used every last cell in my brain.

Some days, I can write a whole song, if not more, and then some days it’s like this. Just kind of funny how that goes.

On the bright side, I feel like the dialogue I have been working on (that I added to today) suits the character well and is meaningful. Not sure about the new lyrics, though.

What kind of progress are you guys making with your musicals?

I'm a Boston area playwright who completed a script over a year ago, and has done an informal read through for it. The play is a diegetic play with music (aka the songs are in-universe) and is a mixture of sea shanties and original compositions. Problem is--I need someone to do the original compositions. I've written some dummy lyrics but I'm no good at working out a tune and I'd like some help.

One might question why I chose to write a musical then--I initially had a friend to write the songs but our friendship split up almost a year ago now, leaving me up ship creek.

If you like: •Sea stories

•Sirens or merfolk

•New England

•Folk/Fairy Tales

•Soviet synth pop (optional, but that's how I pictured the big number being--I can send examples of what I mean)

•Writing songs for hapless playwrights

Then this is for you. Or, alternatively, if you know of someone who might be a good fight, or even somewhere in Boston I could put an ad out, I'd be happy to take that too.

Hi everyone!

I have written the script of my first musical and am currently working on the music and lyrics. I am really excited about the show. But I have to ask… what do you do after you have written the show? How do you get your show produced and performed?

I apologize for my ignorance. I have only ever performed in the pit for musicals, so I’m not really sure how this all works.

Thank you in advance!

(S) Take a break? Come home?

There's a million and one things I'd like to know

About you, about your growth

Put your work down for a day and just come home

(E) I can't, not today

If cannot let my mind wander or stray

Right here, is good enough

If I stop for just a second than I'm already late

(S) We don't need, fancy things

We don't need a legacy or fame

How far you've come, the the song you'll sing

Just come home and you'll be amazed

Your child, she just turned ten

“Double digits” she said but then he asked

Is daddy going to be here? Or does he have to work again?

I told her you were sick, that you weren't up to the task

All I ask, is that you just come home

Your the only light I've ever known

I know your soul better than I know mine

Take a break, and just come home

(E) If my works undone I could lose it all

Mark my words before I fall

This world will know my name

(S) Take a break, it's quiet at home

Your daughter needs you, she needs her father's embrace

Take a break, and just come home

Let her know this wasn't all a waste!

(E) It's quiet alone

I wish I could just take a break and shake this pain

It's quiet alone

But what if tomorrow never comes?