Quick Quality Check for Works-in-Progress

Note: These guidelines represent a compilation of criteria from various workshops, songwriting competitions and personal encounters with publishers, critics, producers, writers and other pundits I've had the pleasure/misfortune to confer/bump heads with over the years. Take all opinions and advice (here and elsewhere) witha lotsa salt.

1. Lyric

Do the opening lines make you want to hear the rest of the song?

Does it make sense to someone hearing it for the first time, or do they have to 'figure it out'?

Have you told a story, or given a glimpse into an interesting situation?

Are there any 'old-hat' rhymes like fire and desire, or ocean and emotion?

Are there visual puns that can only be read, not understood if heard?

(example: Augusta Wind)

Would you like someone to say these things to you?

Have you found a unique way to say them?

Make sure there are no confusing changes of tense or person

(ie: does the action take place entirely in the past, present or future, is there more than one narrator? If it's "she" in the verse, don't go to "you" in the chorus.)

Slang is OK (ain't it the truth), bad English isn't (done no one no good)

2. Melody

Does it create a mood?

Will it survive the 'hum test'? After hearing it once, could a stranger hum the tune?

Does each section flow smoothly, logically into tne next?

Is the chorus, or most-repeated line the strongest, most 'hummable' part?

Does the mood of the music fit the subject and style of the lyric?

Does the melody sound 'too familiar'? If you have unintentionally 'borrowed' something, make sure you 'improve' it enough to make it your own.

3. Structure

Do the various parts of the song contrast enough to hold the listener's attention? (or does the verse sound just like the chorus?)

Is there a bridge? (if so):

Is it an 'out-of-key' experience?

Does it provide some relief from the rest of the song?

4. Commerciality

Is this a great song or a good song?

Did you write this for yourself, or for the market?

Does it run over three minutes?

Can you name an artist on the radio who might sing this song?

Is the central-idea-line also the title?

Does the chorus, or most repetitive part come up early in the song?

Is it a 'me-and-you' song?

Whether sad or happy, is it about love?

5. Cosmetic

Does the entire lyric fit on one page? ... or read like War and Peace.

Are the sections (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) clearly separated, indented, labelled?

Is the title line in 'bold' print or caps every time it appears?

Are there any typo's or mis-spelled words? misplaced punctuation?

Have you included your name, phone number and copyright symbol (©) ?

Have you protected your song with copyright registration?

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