TaoManna Don said:Lyrics first, then chords, then melody is a fairly standard way for songwriters who write both lyric and melody for their songs. It works but, as mrx suggested, it has some drawbacks.
Some of the great composers of the past developed a procedure that often resulted in wonderful music. They began with the title and a general idea of what the song was about. No words or music were considered until a memorable and singable title was established. Knowing the title beforehand let them consider title placement inside the verse or chorus (depending on the song's structure). Next the chords and melody were developed (before the lyrics). Title placement, singable melody notes, repeating melodic phrases, etc. were all considered without the restrictions of a pre-existing lryic. Better and more creative melodies were often the result. The lyric was then written to fit the existing melody. Obviously, this process made lyric writing much harder; but the resulting lyrics were rhythmically stronger and tighter and more singable.
Give it a try. You might be pleasantly suprised at the results.
Keep writing,
Don
Aaron Cheney said:
Dyson Steel said:They all seem like good ways to write/creat to me when it comes to writing songs.
I recently took a different approach.
I don't know how many of you have ever heard of "Jimmy Dean" and his song "Big Bad John".
A friend came to me with a pile of lyircs. I read them over. Recommended 2 lyric changes in which was made. I thought it was a ballad type song and started thinking of "Big Bad John". So I listened to this song several times and decided to use it for a pattern.
With the Lyrics swaped it sounded o.k. But they didn't fit just right. They I started modifying the Chords, and the tempo. Wasn't to long and "Wa-La"!
We released the song last May. It was a local thing about the fight for water rights, our taxes, rodeo legends, etc.
Not a bad song. Just made for local promotion but we sold enough of them to pay for our next 1K cd's we are going to have pressed and partial cost of mastering.
I usually creat a melody first, Hook (Title) then words. But Not always in this order.
Love this forum
D
mndog75 said:Something else to, I am in a boring do the same chord kind of thing. I kind of have my own style, but with that it tends to bring the same melodies to all my new songs.I usually write good music and somehow always stay in the safe zone(you know a comfortable chord progression). I hear big things in the early stages of writing but somehow end up with an ok feeling on how it sounds, maybe I should learn other instruments to help with those ideas in my head or maybe its just im not able to communicate in the right way to the other musicians in trying to get the sound im looking for. Basically I guess I am in a stage of getting my ideas to a finished point but cant do it all with just playing guitar. I have all this going on in my head as it consumes my every thought throughout my day, what a drag.The worst feeling in the world has got to be an idea that you cant express, and music will make you mad.