Make it simple on yourselves. Look at something, an object, think of where it is and where its been, who would use it and what the story is behind this person. The idea or ideas that made the oject come to life or get there. Will the wind blow it or is it solid, weighty, through some emotions in you have at the time. I personnaly think everything can provoke a song. Think of all the matter around us, you won't nessecerely write about that, but it will definately inspire a train of thought, and oh yes, I agree with the others, drink!!!
this used to be my life
- Thread starter James HE
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rjt
New member
I only rarely write lyrics, but I do write instrumentals for solo piano or midi set-up. Sometimes I write a lot and sometimes I don't (profound, huh?). What I do when I want to write, but get stuck, is to give myself thirty minutes or so and write something down or put it in a sequencer. I do that every day until something comes. I often can what I wrote the day before as garbage, but it helps to develop the "habit" of writing and keep some ideas near the top.
As a young man, I occasionally experimented with writing in an "enhanced" mood. It may work for some, but anything I ever wrote was dumb.
As a young man, I occasionally experimented with writing in an "enhanced" mood. It may work for some, but anything I ever wrote was dumb.
MysticRubies
New member
I myself singer/songwriter like to do it all in the bathtub...no seriously.Most of the time when I am training my vocals I sing in the bathtub (lots of reverb but it helps me sing louder and stronger .When I sing a tune I normally get bored singing "Radio Songs" or even the songs that I have written .I want to be creative not only with my vocals but with my ability to write.So being in my own little world .the only private room in my house (the bathroom)with no one to interupt me .The lyrics just flow .I don't always come up with a finished song,but alot of inspiring lyrics come to mind.It's great try it some time!!!!
regebro
Insane Genious!
Oh what great advice... Jitteringjim thinks you should become an alcoholic, and several other thinks you to go for drugs instead. Geez. 
OK, so you have love life problems. And you think your lyrics becomes petty, and too much about yourself and too obvious, maybe?Well, thats what they are supposed to be!
Just write the damn things, and if it hurts or you cry when you sing it, it's good! No, people won't know exactly what your singing about. Maybe your ex, your current gf and your sister, will, but no one else. It's scary, but it has to be. Thats a part of the catharsis!
One of my ex's thinks ALL the songs I write is about her. They aren't. They are about ME.
And if you think your lyrics are to simple, and your rhymes suck, get a rhyming dictionary!
[This message has been edited by regebro (edited 07-03-2000).]
OK, so you have love life problems. And you think your lyrics becomes petty, and too much about yourself and too obvious, maybe?Well, thats what they are supposed to be!
Just write the damn things, and if it hurts or you cry when you sing it, it's good! No, people won't know exactly what your singing about. Maybe your ex, your current gf and your sister, will, but no one else. It's scary, but it has to be. Thats a part of the catharsis!
One of my ex's thinks ALL the songs I write is about her. They aren't. They are about ME.
And if you think your lyrics are to simple, and your rhymes suck, get a rhyming dictionary!
[This message has been edited by regebro (edited 07-03-2000).]
MysticRubies
New member
I guess there was no need to be sarcastic.I was only trying to help.If drugs and drinking are your thing ,well more power to ya!I was only simply trying to say what works for me .To each of his/her own.I certainly didn't want to cramp anyones style.
-chris-
-chris-
As of yet I have never had trouble with not writing enough - probably the other way around for me. I write songs way faster than I have time to record them and then when I go to record one I end up writing another tune in the process. I never know which tune to work on next.
I don't have trouble writing lyrics - I have trouble writing good lyrics. I just don't often feel inspired lyrically. I plain don't like my lyrics, except for occasionally when the lyric and music comes almost simultaneously I that it is right. But otherwise my lyrics bug me most of the time. Any of you have this problem? What I have found is that the few lyrics of my own that I like, are either A. goofymadeupforfunfrivolous lyrics or B. lyrics that I did not work hard on and were basically just me straightforwardly saying what I felt or thought. That latter thing is hard to do though because I always start thinking too much.
Good luck to all of you.
Tucci
I don't have trouble writing lyrics - I have trouble writing good lyrics. I just don't often feel inspired lyrically. I plain don't like my lyrics, except for occasionally when the lyric and music comes almost simultaneously I that it is right. But otherwise my lyrics bug me most of the time. Any of you have this problem? What I have found is that the few lyrics of my own that I like, are either A. goofymadeupforfunfrivolous lyrics or B. lyrics that I did not work hard on and were basically just me straightforwardly saying what I felt or thought. That latter thing is hard to do though because I always start thinking too much.
Good luck to all of you.
Tucci
regebro
Insane Genious!
Tucci, this sounds like me!
Since the best lyrics come when I'm not trying, but just letting go, I find that If I have a song melody I like, I just sit with my guitar and strum and sing and strum and sing and strum and sing and mostly sing just random words, and sometimes, out pops a row of lyrics I like, so I keep it. That one usually inspired more lyrics, and suddenly I have a verse!
Often though I write pretty short songs, because it seems like two verses is all I can get. So then I assume that was all I had to say about the matter at hand, and make it a short song.
[This message has been edited by regebro (edited 07-05-2000).]
Since the best lyrics come when I'm not trying, but just letting go, I find that If I have a song melody I like, I just sit with my guitar and strum and sing and strum and sing and strum and sing and mostly sing just random words, and sometimes, out pops a row of lyrics I like, so I keep it. That one usually inspired more lyrics, and suddenly I have a verse!
Often though I write pretty short songs, because it seems like two verses is all I can get. So then I assume that was all I had to say about the matter at hand, and make it a short song.
[This message has been edited by regebro (edited 07-05-2000).]
I haven't written much new for a while, (I agree - I need a private space to go hide and be creative)
but I did get some good thoughts from a book on creative writing. I'm not much on self help books, but this one is helping me to sort out some ideas. Check it out, it's called
"If you can talk, you can write" by Joel Saltzman.
One main theme I got from it is that to write a gem, you have to write pages and pages of mediocre stuff (unless you're brilliant at writing, but then why would you follow this thread?). I also got a sense of this from reading Arthur C. Clarke's book on the "Lost Worlds of 2001" where Clarke describes several novels worth of writing he did then threw out to get to the 2001 that they finally build the movie on. I have a journal (that I should use more often) if I get what seems like a brilliant line I'll write it down in the hopes that someday the rest will follow. Some of those lines even look OK in the harsh light of day.
The other think I've noticed is that for me anyhow, the creative part is timid and easily insulted. If I get a new idea then immediately pounce on it with the sharp fangs of a critic, then it's like I'm a split personality and the creative part goes off somewhere to sulk. No more ideas will flow.
I found this out once - I got this lame ultracorny country song and lyric stuck in my head. I couldn't get past it. I actually ended up writing down the lyrics and chords before I was able to even start thinking of any other ideas..
Hey I should be writing now, instead of hanging out too!
Cheers,
Gord Wait
but I did get some good thoughts from a book on creative writing. I'm not much on self help books, but this one is helping me to sort out some ideas. Check it out, it's called
"If you can talk, you can write" by Joel Saltzman.
One main theme I got from it is that to write a gem, you have to write pages and pages of mediocre stuff (unless you're brilliant at writing, but then why would you follow this thread?). I also got a sense of this from reading Arthur C. Clarke's book on the "Lost Worlds of 2001" where Clarke describes several novels worth of writing he did then threw out to get to the 2001 that they finally build the movie on. I have a journal (that I should use more often) if I get what seems like a brilliant line I'll write it down in the hopes that someday the rest will follow. Some of those lines even look OK in the harsh light of day.
The other think I've noticed is that for me anyhow, the creative part is timid and easily insulted. If I get a new idea then immediately pounce on it with the sharp fangs of a critic, then it's like I'm a split personality and the creative part goes off somewhere to sulk. No more ideas will flow.
I found this out once - I got this lame ultracorny country song and lyric stuck in my head. I couldn't get past it. I actually ended up writing down the lyrics and chords before I was able to even start thinking of any other ideas..
Hey I should be writing now, instead of hanging out too!
Cheers,
Gord Wait