The Voice In Your Song feat. Jed Dumawal (May 28, 2016)

So hello! This is my mom’s experience taking a songwriting workshop under Jed Dumawal. I basically asked her about her experience so that she wouldn’t have to write it anymore. So she is kinda like guest blogging but not guest blogging.

This workshop is under Create Fest Manila. Though Jed already has made a name for himself as the songwriter behind Yeng Constantino’s hit song “Chinito.”

The workshop format is very casual. I actually sat in a little bit just so I could get an idea of what to write about. Jed has his guitar ready and has prepared a powerpoint presentation.

Since this is a one shot episode, this is more of Jed discussing the tenets of songwriting and providing tips about things. This is perfect for beginners as there is not a lot yet of the technical parts of dealing with notes and the nitty gritty of arranging and sound engineering. This is a basic workshop to help people understand the structures of songs, the different elements of songs, the kinds of literary tools metaphors and tools used in songs. And through understanding the structures of songs and lyrics, you’d then be able to break things down and be able to try and make your own songs.

My mom took photos of his whole powerpoint presentation, but of course, it’s gonna be a secret! Le mama is gonna write songs so I could be a pop star hahaha.

Of course we all know the structure of songs, we have an idea of stanzas and choruses, but from the writer’s perspective it’s not simply about writing rhymes that will fit into a stanza tune and writing a rhyming chorus or whatnot. There will also be a mix of different emotions, and there is a right way to do a build up to the chorus and there is a way to properly end the song through the words being said. This is what was discussed in the workshop.

Jed relies a lot on his guitar, which I think goes for a lot of songwriters. So it’s a plus if you can use the guitar! Jed shares that he got started with songwriting simply through playing various chords and experimenting on the guitar. He and his friends would tease each other by modifying the words to songs, and that’s basically how it kinds started. They were remembered for just playing the intro’s to songs on the guitar most of the time.

He did a full on retelling of how he started songwriting, and as you can see, it’s not a very complicated and “destined” start. We kinda think that composers usually are popular singers already, or those with powerful or renowned parents in the music industry, or like those who have been playing piano or guitar since a young age. His story shows that songwriting can be a product of passion, and it’s something that you need not have been “born” into.