Songwriter Chris Cronauer in an interview
BUNTE.de: Why did you become a songwriter? Was that always the plan?
Chris Cronauer: Yes, that was always my plan. First and foremost I'm a musician and at some point I started playing the guitar. From there I slipped into the field of studio recording. I've always been more of a studio guy and that kind of crystallized out of that.
Do you do the lyrics or the melody?
I would say my strengths are more in the melodies, but I also have a lot of lyrical ideas in my head. In general, when writing songs, it's always a mutual give and take and the process is always different. Ultimately, I think it's good if you have mastered all the tools. But I've said goodbye to the idea of doing everything on my own and being the best at everything.
As a musical amateur, how can you imagine composing and writing songs in a group?
In any case, you don't strictly divide who does which part of the song. You just try to get the best out of the song together. Sometimes the text idea comes first, sometimes the melody comes first. It is precisely this difference that makes the job so exciting!
And then what is the first step?
Most of the time you start with the chorus because that's the root of the whole song. The song lives on it! If the chorus is crap, most of the time the rest is crap too.
How many people are there when a song like this is written?
This is very different and each time an individual process. Every writer and every artist does it differently for themselves. For example, the old legends like Paul McCartney wrote their songs all by themselves. Today, however, it is often common for several people to write together. I always like to do that. Then there are usually three or four of us.
Chris Cronauer gives tips: How to write a hit
Is songwriting a craft that can be learned or is it easy - or not?
You are not born a strong songwriter. But I do believe that everyone can try it for themselves. Even if you have to have a certain feeling for music. For example, I'm a terrible crafter and I think even if I did a lot of crafting, I'd never be good at it.
What is the formula for writing a hit song?
There are certain catchy chords that make a song a hit, for example A minor, F major, C major and G major. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that the song creates an emotional connection. I believe that the listener notices when you write a song under pressure. But if the feeling is real, then it matters. There are so many standard melodies that you can write that might stick in your head a bit but actually don't sound like anything. You have to find the melody that is special but still sounds catchy and simple. This is the songwriter's great daily struggle.
Does the song have to match the artist or does the artist have to match the song? When composing, do you already have an interpreter in mind?
Of course we also write songs that we don't know who will sing them in the end. I write it anyway when I feel like it. Then the song comes into the world and a few weeks later I realize that it could actually fit a certain artist. On the other hand, an artist often comes up to us and says that he needs a song in a very specific style. Then you sit down and work purposefully to create exactly this product.
Who is your favorite song to write for?
Writing for Vanessa Mai and Helene Fischer were big goals that I had. But there isn't one project or one artist that I prefer to work with. I always enjoy switching between genres.
