Louder Than The Music

This week LTTM brings you a guest blog from British worship leader Ian Yates on the subject of 'Songwriting'. Ian released his debut album 'The Hope And The Glory' last year and also features on the new album from Elim Sound 'Fresh Mercy' due out in May 2011.

It feels a little odd to do a blog on songwriting as I feel I am still learning all the time. But I do love song writing and I've been trying to write songs for about 15 years. For me song writing is the main way I express myself. I'm constantly writing down phrases, ideas and thoughts. Over the years I have filled loads of A4 note pads with ideas and journals and now my iphone and macbook are full of notes.

INSPIRATION

I have to be inspired about something to write a song. I get a lot of inspiration from studying the bible and spending time with God. Most of my songs will come from this place. Over the last few years I've been really inspired by teachings by people like Joseph Prince, Andrew Womack, Joel Osteen and Bill Johnson. The revelation these guys have has really inspired me and got me thinking loads about what we should be singing about. I'm also really inspired by the teaching at church or different events I'm involved in and also chatting through thoughts and ideas with friends. I'm a really big thinker and I'm always thinking through new ideas and concepts

THE HOPE AND THE GLORY ALBUM
The album has 3 core themes:
1. Hope for the broken
2. The Glory of God - A longing, desperation to see God move in power
3. Who we are - To see ourselves as God sees us, rather than how we see ourselves

My aim for the album is that people will be impacted by the power of God, that when they listen to it they will be encouraged, be renewed, find hope, be fired up, be healed, be challenged, be inspired. That they would know who they are and that there is hope no matter what we go through.

Musically: I've tried to push boundaries and be different at the same time trying to keep it simple and accessible, I hope the passion comes across.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Recently I've been writing with 3 great friends for an exciting project for the Elim movement. We all felt passionate about releasing the sound of Elim and seeing songs arise from within the movement for the movement. The journey started about 18 months ago and we are in the process of recording the songs for our first project out in May.

With these songs we've been really intentional about the content and the accessibility to use in church. This has been great fun. Some of the songs have come from just worshipping together, Some have needed lots of work, some came within a few hours and some over hours of discussion. It's been a really great process which we've all loved. We've been getting the songs checked by theologians within the Elim movement which has been a fantastic experience and we've spent a fair bit of time between the four of us discussing every word of the songs in depth. The whole process has been challenging but extremely rewarding. One thing we've found really refreshing is not holding onto your own idea to tightly and being able to take it when someone doesn't like your idea or when one of us feels a concept or lyric idea doesn't make sense. This can be a little painful but also really freeing. I feel this has really made the songs stronger

CAN OUR SONGS CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE?

What we sing is so important. I think songs can impact lives, towns and cities.

The bible is full of stories where people sang songs and it changed the circumstances and atmospheres. Like when Jehoshaphat set the singers to sing "Praise the Lord, His mercy endures forever" or when Paul and Silas where singing in prison. When we sing, it can change the atmosphere, it break prison chains it can change our circumstance.

One of my ambitions as a songwriter is that I can write songs that change the atmosphere, songs that are full of substance, songs that carry the presence of God, Songs of truth, songs that impact peoples lives, songs that stir our hearts to action.

CHALLENGE

My challenge for us Christian songwriters is let's aim to write the best songs! Songs that God is longing for us to sing, songs that are going to impact many lives, songs that are going to stir us to action, Songs that can change the world!

Find out more about Ian Yates at: ianyates.net