Songwriting

[elko]

Assuming you do it, how do you do it?

Start with lyrics, set it to music, or vice versa?

If you just do the one, what do you do, and what gets you going? Do you sit down and force creativity, or just get carried away by the odd intuitive line? Do you find it difficult? Do you look back and laugh (or cringe) at previous attempts?

Just wondering...

[Sheila]

I prefer writing the Lyrics first. Then the Music fits to the Rhythm of the Words.

[Beorn_J]

i sort of.... do the music and lyrics independently sometimes! and it works! <!--emo&:o--><!--endemo--> haha <!--emo&:)--><!--endemo-->

I can go both ways,


writing lyrics. I try and find a .... image or, colour or, setting for the song, then fiddle around with riffs and chords until something, clicks, then i can figure out the rythm, the timing and such

lyrics to music is quite easy to me, cause my music is quite colourful, and i can usually figure out pretty easily where i want the song to go, what i want it to say, what style

ive only written a few complete songs so far... but im fairly comfortable with it already <!--emo&:)--><!--endemo-->


when im doing music first, i just fiddle around on my guitar for an hour or so, and sometimes ill come up with a good riff/chord progression, then i work from there.

With the lyrics, sometimes ill write about an event, or emotion, or an image i get in my head. or sometimes i just want to write something or I 'feel creative'. I wrote a lyric at my school ball, on my ball invitation cause i couldnt find anything else to write on <!--emo&:lol:--><!--endemo--> the lyric was quite good i think...


i do look back and cringe at previous attempts, im my own worse critic

[elko]

I'd love to hear some of your songs, if you've got anyway of letting us.

Your lyrics are excellent, only when I try to write some do I realise how hard it can be.

[chicken]

<!--QuoteBegin-elko+May 23 2005, 01:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (elko @ May 23 2005, 01:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'd love to hear some of your songs, if you've got anyway of letting us.

Your lyrics are excellent, only when I try to write some do I realise how hard it can be. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
yes, beorn writes some fine lyrics indeed.

for beorn: i'm currently working on three poems: "blackened toast", "old woman", "challenger deep" and something pretty good about elephants is brewing...........BUT, i'd be more than willing to pen down a few random thoughts about neglected children, confused love, mistaken succorance, etc.......perhaps you could find a springboard in the meanderings somewheres?

regardless, you stick with it. any fears will only bring you down; i'll suggest you embrace it without regard to the outer world--for what you resist will persist. (if you harbor even a shadow of a doubt, that's what you'll get in return...i sure hope you know what i mean)

[Beorn_J]

thanks elko and chicken (btw elko i added you on msn, im 'm_jones77@hotmail.com)

i am currently recording a song with my guitar teacher

the lyrics are as follows (it was a lyrics to music one <!--emo&:)--><!--endemo--> )

Sunset's Victim

(Verse1)
Sunset, repainting the once blue sky
Each colour on every wave that rolls by
A girl, alone, chasing down the tide
Chases away the rules
Runs until she's through

(Chorus)
Releasing herself unto the blue..
Her tears mark the decay,
The last pain she'll go through

(Verse 2)
Water, is up to her shoulders
Already her lungs begin to falter
cold and unknown, she kicks away the fear
She kicks away the doubt
Now forever without...

(Chorus)
Releasing herself unto the blue..
Her tears mark the decay,
The last pain she'll go through

(Bridge)

(outro) Sunset, repainting the once blue sky
Each colour on every wave that rolls by...

<!--emo&:guitar:--><!--endemo-->

i have no idea how long it will be till it would be finished, i have done the main guitar, ive layered a riff on top of that, and ive got some groovey effects for the bridge (which symbolises her death btw). Ive still gotta finish off the bridge, get some bass in there, perhaps some drums, then the dreaded vocals <!--emo&:ph34r:--><!--endemo-->

haha, we'll see how it goes


chicken - sure.

I wont use anything directly, but some inspiration could come from it, thanks <!--emo&:)--><!--endemo-->

[chicken]

i like those lyrics, very nice. that second verse is quite nice.

<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->chicken - sure.

I wont use anything directly, but some inspiration could come from it, thanks  <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

i've never perceived myself as a song-writer, so whatever i pen down will be free reign for you. give me a couple weeks to get something together (the piece about elephants i mentioned earlier is really starting to dominate my thoughts; i will have to let that one come to full term before i even think about anything else...)

you songwriters, i envy your craft.

[Boywiththethorninhisside]

It can come from a number of places.

Sometimes, if you are a guitarist, you might just be strumming some chords and picking a few notes almost at random, and happen upon something that sounds nice enough that you want to remember it. Once you've got one little part, maybe a verse, you carry on until you've worked out something else that complements it, maybe a suitable chorus...and so on.

Other times, you get the idea of a melody to sing, and again if you like it enough you can start to write out the words until you have a whole song. Same with music; if you decide you want it to be a song rather than a poem, you can start putting together the backing for it.