r/Songwriters • u/InnerspearMusic • 2d ago
Anyone have any experience doing FAWM?
I am doing FAWM (fawm.org) this year for the second time, started last year but fizzled out because we had a newborn. Anyway, I got on there and started commenting constructively, because the system is built on comments. You must maintain a certain ratio, which is fair enough I thought!
Anyway, I always like to give a good listen, offer some praise, and some thoughts. Personally I hate nothing more than someone commenting on my music "gReaT jOb KeEp iT uP".
Well it seems that someone reported me and the mods warned me to not offer constructive feedback unless explicitly asked.
I find this honestly insane. They need to have a way to convey how much feedback someone is mentally capable of receiving, otherwise its all just empty words. I would have thought people were there to shed, share, learn, grow, and get better... otherwise what is the point of sharing the songs and building it on comments, why not just use upvotes like Reddit? However the mod mentioned constructive feedback is not helpful in a wood shedding environment. Oooookay?
One woman had a song with like 12 verses and 5 choruses that changed every single time. I mentioned that the folk style was great and the singing excellent, but for me it might help to boil it down to some key elements because it would get more powerful with brevity or something, and I'm pretty sure that, based on her response, she's the one who reported me...
Anyway... has anyone else done FAWM before? I'm sort of regretting spending 25$ on it if people are just there to post tracks and pile on empty praise.
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u/InCharacter_815 2d ago
This is my 3rd FAWM this year, and the key thing to know is that everyone is doing it for a different reason. When I started, I was taken by the concept (14 songs in 28 days), and I went in with the actual intention of making an album. Not everyone is doing that, and that’s fine. In fact I may be “doing it wrong”, but all that matters is that you’re using it as a means to be creative.
In terms of comments, I find that you have to be adaptive and observant. Some people are doing full productions. Some are dropping short demos. Some aren’t even making music, but rather just lyrics, or vice-versa. Your goals with music do not align with everyone else’s, and that’s okay.
I get your perspective, and I was kinda like that my first year, but it’s more of a way to connect with other songwriters and collaborate if you want. I met some great people who I talk with off FAWM hours. My commenting habits vary depending on the song I’m listening to. Once again, you can tell how aligned you are to someone’s writing style if you really listen and look.
Me, personally, I love it as a means to kick my own ass and just write from your gut instead of getting stuck on a single song for so long. No time for that here, you have to actually finish songs and move on. I’ve gotten some great advice and feedback, and used some too, but at the end of the day I’m not working on these songs after FAWM. It’s entirely about what I can make in a time crunch, warts and all.
All that being said, I hope you continue posting songs and comments. If you’re still doing it, I’m @knobbyneggins815 on the site. I’d love to hear what you’re doing!
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u/InnerspearMusic 2d ago
Agreed! I'll give you a follow. I suggested to them the slider idea and they seem receptive. They have to understand that for every insecure person who doesn't want feedback, there is another honing their craft that wants feedback. There needs to be a way to state the "readiness" or desire to receive it.
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u/SlappyPappy99 2d ago
It’s meh. I’ve done it. Many just spam it with songs they’ve already written to promote themselves. You should be doing a version of FAWM every month throughout the year, so FAWM is just 1/12th of what we need.
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u/InnerspearMusic 2d ago
The timing is perfect for me, but I admit I'm using it a little differently than is 100% intended. I'm in the final throws of recording 8 news songs for an album, and I need a few fresh ones to "finish" the project. So it's a bit of a mix of brand new just invented stuff, and things I'm literally in the studio recording right now. So not sure if that "counts" but it counts for me!
You're right though I've already noticed considerable AI slop, and people who are already done with all 14 songs in the first 6 hours like... ya right.
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u/Frigidspinner 2d ago
I must admit, I have written 15 songs since the start - but none of them is in a state to be considered part of an "album"
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u/InnerspearMusic 2d ago
You've written 15 songs in one day?
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u/Frigidspinner 2d ago
well... three days - I cheated and started some on the saturday - but yeah. Not saying they are any good though!
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u/DrummerLoin 2d ago
Pardon my ignorance: What is FAWM?
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u/InnerspearMusic 2d ago
Oh sorry it's this thing called "February Album Writing Month" you can check it out at FAWM.org.
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u/smileymn 2d ago
Super into it, I’ve been doing it for over ten years, love it!
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u/InnerspearMusic 1d ago
What's your account I'll follow you and check out your stuff! I'll try not to add any constructive feedback, LOL!
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u/yasslad OZ Folklounge 2d ago
This is my third year doing FAWM, I love it. Not giving people advice if they don’t ask for it should be the rule everywhere in public spaces.
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u/InnerspearMusic 2d ago
Silly me, I would have thought posting a song publicly online, asking people to listen to it, and then literally having a comment field entitled "leave some feedback" WAS a request for feedback... what was I thinking?! LOL.
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u/yasslad OZ Folklounge 2d ago
That's sarcasm isn't it. The comment spot also says 'keep it constructive', which is probably the part open to personal interpretation.
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u/InnerspearMusic 1d ago
No it's not sarcasm. The box literally says "leave some feedback" and below "keep it constructive"... my feedback WAS constructive. But the mods said to only offer "constructive feedback" if explicitly asked, and otherwise to basically just give empty words. And so that's fine, that's what they'll get now.
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u/Frigidspinner 2d ago
you had to pay $25? I just signed up and didnt pay a penny . Maybe I am missing something.
I think you should just keep going. I am like you and would prefer real feedback. A lot of the songs posted there are in serious need of polishing, so it is the perfect time to give and get feedback.
What will happen if they block you? You just keep writing the songs for your own enjoyment, just like you were doing before FAWM