What's harder?
Writing a hymn, or writing a primary song?
They both have their challenges, to be sure.
Ok, well...
What's more useful in the church?
A new hymn or a new primary song?
It seems to me that the MOST likely to be used and gain wide attention is a new primary song.
So, why on earth am I hosting a Hymn Writing class instead of a Primary Song writing class?
(and yes... I will be hosting a Primary Song writing class in the near future)
For ONE reason, and ONE reason only.
Because you simply CANNOT write a well-crafted primary song without first learning certain CRUCIAL skills.
First, is the art of tightly controlled, coloring-within-the-lines of strict parameters lyrics.
There is more freedom is lyric writing in a Primary Song, but most aren't ready for the "freedom" quite yet. First comes some very rigid control and discipline.
And there's no better place to learn that than in writing your own original hymn.
Second, is the art of writing ear-worm, catchy melodies.
As before, a primary song has much more melodic freedom than a hymn does. But again, before we can open up the free highway of melody writing and succeed in the fast lane, we've got to take your learner's permit and stick to the residential streets of careful, controlled melody writing a hymn provides so perfectly.
Third, is the art of writing functional, emotionally charged, powerful harmony.
I don't think you'll be surprised to hear me say, yet again, that there is much more harmonic freedom available to you in the setting a Primary Song offers.
But learning to control those harmonies in the closed, controlled hot-house of hymn writing is not only some of the best education you can get to prepare you to write a great Primary Song, it's education that will carry over into ANY kind of writing you do at any time, in any setting, at any scale.
And if you think I'm overstating, then consider the daily routine of many famous composers who constantly studied the chorale/hymn writing of J.S. Bach throughout their lives, even while writing symphonies.
So, if you feel that you have a Janice Kapp Perry primary song in you...
...and I believe you do...
...or any other style of primary song...
...the BEST way to prepare yourself to craft something worthy of the kind of respect and reverence such a great Primary Song often engenders...
...consider learning FIRST how to write a solid 4-part hymn.
And if you think this might be the right time for you to get started, I can help.
The "Write Your Original Hymn With Dr. Doug" 8-week workshop (with a bonus 9th week) begins THIS FRIDAY.
We'll get your text written and ship-shape... your melody perfectly fitted to your text... and harmony to support and testify of the words you'll set.
And as a BONUS...
I will personally prepare your original hymn for publication by setting it in Finale.
And you'll get to keep all our classes in audio and video format for later reference.
Plus, copies of each of my original hymns as study materials.
But there are only 20 seats available for this class.
I only have "so much" bandwidth. So I need to keep it a pretty small class.
If you'd like to join us, just click the link below.
https://douglaspew.thrivecart.com/writing-your-hymn--with-dr-doug/
I can't wait to see you THIS Friday!
Doug