It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:59 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: How to go about writing songs.
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 7:30 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:17 am
Posts: 172
Location: Virginia
I dunno how many read about my problem with my band losing its lead guitarist and vocalist, but we have recovered. I am now the guitarist and singer, our bassist moved to drums (he a better drummer) and we got a new bass player. We are still playing our songs and writing new ones, having a blast doing so.

So I decided to make the thread to see how other people write songs.

I usually start with a guitar riff then write lyrics. Then comes the drums, then the bass.

How do you do it?

_________________
Gerard: "I Don't like it when people throw quarters at me while I'm singing."
Mikey: "Just throw nickels, he won't care as much!"
myspace.com/mychemicalromancenumber1


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:29 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:19 am
Posts: 859
To quote Kurt Cobain: "Music comes first, lyrics are secondary" I agree with that only to a point. Sometimes it is better to start with some lyrics first, which usually come to me at the most inconvenient of times. But jamming until the song forms is my favorite way.

_________________
I tried to think of something clever to put here but- OH! Something shiny!!!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:52 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:26 pm
Posts: 2849
Location: Green Bay, WI
However the mood strikes me. I've started with lyrics, then "picture" how it should sound. I've started with complete bass lines then rearrange it when the band is together if need be. I've had the guitar player write then add the bass lines and fills to it.

_________________
Rez(# 30916)
'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:54 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
It's always different. I don't I have any one "formula" that I do all the time.

Being more interested in music than lyrics, I normally have some idea or "mood" in mind for a song. If not, sometimes I'll just come up with a riff while practicing and turn that into a song. Other times, I might have something I want to write a song about, so I'll just write the poem or some lyrics, and try to write some music that fits the mood and idea of those lyrics.

Sometimes I'll hear a song I like and want to write my own version in that same style, but not necessarily the same song or rhythm.

It depends. For me, it's always different. But I hear music in everything. In the sound of traffic, in the wind, in the way people speak words and the tones they hit when they say things, etc.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:56 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:56 am
Posts: 2766
Location: metro Chicago USA
'Am strictly a cover player in great repect of people who are able to compose music and / or lyrics.

'Have written a couple books, more in works, draw and paint, but songwriting eludes this soul like a cloud being put in a bottle.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:13 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:59 am
Posts: 89
Typically, I build the song around a guitar riff or chord progression. Then I write lyrics based on the mood of the song. Sometimes I've started with the lyrics, but usually that's a lot more difficult for me. I had a set of lyrics I wrote 12 years ago, but never got a good musical part to it until last year.

Occationally, I collaberate with a lyricist or two. Sometimes I will take their lyrics and fit a song to it. Other times I have music in mind and their lyrics seem to fit the mood perfectly.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 11:21 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:44 pm
Posts: 559
I can easily put a musical progression to words but, writing the words has never been a talent of mine. Whenever I have tried, it always comes out as sort of childish and rediculous... even worse than Nickelback... if you can believe it. I leave the prose to those that are better equipped.

_________________
Calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a drug dealer an undocumented pharmicist.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 11:27 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:15 pm
Posts: 645
Location: I don't even know that!
I always go guitar, bass, drums, then vocals.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:21 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:59 am
Posts: 89
If I'm in a band situation, I don't write the bass and drums at all. I let them figure that out.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 3:08 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:02 pm
Posts: 2353
Location: Pennsylvania
I usually just jam for a while on an acoustic when I'm looking for inspiration. If I play something that sounds cool, I'll write it down. I'll play it on electric too, see which sounds better to suit the emotion I'm going for. I'll then write lyrics to it I guess. I'll occasionally write lyrics first, but I do the other method much more often.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:04 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 8:25 pm
Posts: 70
Location: Salt Lake, Utah
Its easier to make lyrics fit the music than music to fit lyrics, becuse you can just change what note you hiit the lyrics in, instead of changing that killer riff that is your favorite part of the whoe song.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:08 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:47 pm
Posts: 4294
Location: Somewhere near Seattle
There is no right or wrong way. Whatever works for you is the right way. The goal is a good song. 'Don't matter how ya get there.

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:47 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 9:04 am
Posts: 715
Location: Marshfield, MA
i'm with the "music first then lyrics". one of the craziest ways i've ever don it was to have a reel to reel recording a jam session one night. came up with a cool bass hook and we rolled with it for a while. next morning i was cleaning out the back of my pick-up truck. i yelled to my buddy who was still there "hey! my old brown coat!" he yelled back "we should write a song!"... so we did. took that bass hook and wrapped that old brown coat right around it.
i guess my point is, you can't force it out... it just comes together.

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:07 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:05 pm
Posts: 324
Location: I won't know until I get there.
cryingstrat wrote:
There is no right or wrong way. Whatever works for you is the right way. The goal is a good song. 'Don't matter how ya get there.

What he said. I've had lyrics that have shaped the music and vice versa.

_________________
The movement you need is on your shoulders.

2006 Fender Strat HSS MIM
2006 Yamaha RGX A2
2006 Epiphone Les Paul Custom
2008 Epiphone John Lennon EJ-160E AE
1980 Vantage 600VS
1991 Fender M-80 Chorus
DigiTech GNX3000

http://www.jimmyrhythm.com


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: PaulLF and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: