Documentary Songwriting is a collaborative method of writing music developed by Malcolm Brooks in Rockport, ME. I was trained by Malcolm and a few others, Alex Wilder and Will Foote, in Maine. One person is the musical “sherpa” and the other is the “storysource”. The storysource begins by just telling a story about their life. The sherpa records what they say, word for word. Together, they then go and edit the exact spoken words from the story into a poem. Then the poem is given back to the storysource who then sings the words however feels right. The sherpa, through prompts and guidance, helps the story source to create a melody both parties really love. The sherpa then will arrange the song, put the melody to chords, and produce it into a song. I’ve served as the sherpa and musician in the songs below. I also used this method to write songs for characters in a show, where the actors tell a story as their character.
Read my piece about bringing Documentary Songwriting to the Recovery Theatre
Songs I’ve Written
This is a song I wrote with a Recovery Participant whose friend had to go back to foster care and leave their school.
Hazel Delehey is singing
This is a song from our performance of Avatar the Last Airbender. The storysource was the actor who played Prince Zuko.
I am singing, Franklin Speck is playing piano
This song is also from Avatar the Last Airbender. The storysource was the actor who played Uncle Iroh.
I am singing, Franklin Speck is playing piano
Zach Arfa 