Let's get this new board started with a question to all TG members. When you write a song how do you start? Do you write the lyrics first and then find chords to fit? Do you play a melody and work from there or do you come up with a chord progression first.
I generally start with a chord progression and play around with it and work a melody from there. I then sign along any words that come to mind letting the melody take shape and listening for some words that sound right and fit what I'm feeling.
I have been thinking of writing some lyrics and then trying to write the music for them as a way to freshen up my writing and explore new avenues of creativity.
Let us know your writing process.
Keep Writing
Ric
How do you write?
I don't produce much original stuff and when I do it's almost always instrumental. The few pieces I have put together started with a lick or run that I liked and then added things to. Recently I find myself fooling around more with my own stuff. I never really thought I had a knack for song writing and composition, but for some reason it's come out a bit lately. I guess after 25 years of playing mostly other people's stuff it was bound to happen...
You know before I played and while I was just starting to learn I did lyrics first then music. As I progressed with my playing I then started to use the guitar to come up with ideas. Now I want to try lyrics first some to see how it works. I guess I'm getting back to my roots.
Keep Writing
Ric
Keep Writing
Ric
Yeah, write a song(to Neil?), great idea, i think can i write a song(lyrics),maybe. In question i thought first the lyrics and than the chords (strumming),for myself i thought i can't, but than, i was playing YOU CAN GET IT IF YOU REALLY WANT(JIMMY CLIFF),this first of lyrics i play on the A and de D chord and strumming (A) 1-2 3 and 4 and (D)1 2 and(fake 3)and 4 and, and so i think yeah maybe i can, maybe i can find the time, cause my priority is trying to play so good as i can for me, but maybe its a idea,greeting from the Netherlands!!
I wanted to revive this thread to see if we could get anymore input from some of our songwriters.
I just wrote a new song or perhaps a part of a song, I'm not exactly sure yet. I had the chord progression floating around for a while before I came up with a melody line. Every time I played I would run through he chords and sign along with the melody until yesterday when taking a break from painting my daughters room. I sat down with my guitar for an hour or so and wrote out the lyrics. Now I will play it through several times signing it and seeing how it flows and whether to add anything or change anything.
So that was my process on my latest work.
Keep Writing
Ric
I just wrote a new song or perhaps a part of a song, I'm not exactly sure yet. I had the chord progression floating around for a while before I came up with a melody line. Every time I played I would run through he chords and sign along with the melody until yesterday when taking a break from painting my daughters room. I sat down with my guitar for an hour or so and wrote out the lyrics. Now I will play it through several times signing it and seeing how it flows and whether to add anything or change anything.
So that was my process on my latest work.
Keep Writing
Ric
A little more detail...
I write the words and then try and sing the song with no music. If I can't make a word fit, then I change it to suit the rest of the song as long as I'm not changing the meaning of the song. Once I can sing it, it's time to record it and then play it back and try and put music to it.
I write the words and then try and sing the song with no music. If I can't make a word fit, then I change it to suit the rest of the song as long as I'm not changing the meaning of the song. Once I can sing it, it's time to record it and then play it back and try and put music to it.
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agentcooper
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I like writing chord progressions, and then playing them over and over until I hear a melody. Then I start writing lyrics to the melody, and alter one or the other so they compliment each other. I especially like writing riffs that when punctuated correctly with the syncing of bass and drums makes the lyrics the most effective. Then again, there are "groups" like The Mountain Goats, who write great lyrics, and the music is far from complicated, but far from boring. Usually complicated music requires the vocalist to use their voice as another instrument, making their lyrics lost in the mix, or completely irrelevant. The Mars Volta, for example, makes some pretty amazing music, but Cedric makes me want to shoot myself, and the band would be much better as an instrumental group. The process of songwriting for me is a gigantic system of checks and balances between knowing how to match the lyrics to the song, or knowing when not matching them yields fantastic results. This is my prime example, then I'm signing off.
-Dale
-Dale