luckicharm
New member
when you guys are in the process of creating a song, do you write your lyrics first or your music?
which comes 1st...
- Thread starter luckicharm
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More often than not, I'll stumble upon a riff or chord progression that sets a mood. This then triggers some type of melody (I'll normally hum a melody line or sing lyrics that have no meaning - just to zero in on a melody that works)which in turn gets me thinking about "real" lyrics. If I really think I have something worth developing, I'll keep at it and eventually a verse, a chorus or some other lyrical hook will develop. From there it is a matter of re-writes to fine tune the basic lyric structure, melody and chord progression.
As I work on the re-writes, a general song structure will develop which often dictates certain aspects of the arrangement. By the time I'm ready to record I already have a fairly well developed idea of what the whole song will sound like - however, once I start to record I often find various harmony factors, hooks, etc. that support the song.
I often find that the basic song developes within anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. After that it may be many hours of playing the song over and over, changing a word here and there, adding passing chords, etc.
As I work on the re-writes, a general song structure will develop which often dictates certain aspects of the arrangement. By the time I'm ready to record I already have a fairly well developed idea of what the whole song will sound like - however, once I start to record I often find various harmony factors, hooks, etc. that support the song.
I often find that the basic song developes within anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. After that it may be many hours of playing the song over and over, changing a word here and there, adding passing chords, etc.
B
Beck
Guest
luckicharm said:
Both... It will come either way. I’m as much a composer as I am a poet/lyrists, but everyone is different. Sometimes there will be a nonsensical “holding lyric.” The music will eventually get its voice and tell me how to say in words what I’ve already expressed in music. Other times something profound will be there in thought and the music comes later.
I’m sure many of you have heard the story of how Paul McCartney wrote the song “Yesterday.” He wrote this beautiful melody first, but didn’t know what the song was about yet. He used to sing “Scrambled eggs” in the part that later contained the word “Yesterday.” Many writers do this using a holding, or working lyric until the song developes.
To me music is a langauage. As a writer sometimes the task is to translate what you’ve spoken from your heart through your guitar or keyboard into English (or whatever your spoken language). The most powerful songs are those that express the same emotion with or without the words, and vice versa.
~Tim
Man, I love this topic.
I only write music, no lyrics. So in my case, the music comes first.
However, I've got to say, music without words is still music, but lyrics without music is not music, it's poetry.
But then again, you could redefine poetry as "a song".
Oh well, there's really no right answer. Just babbling.
I only write music, no lyrics. So in my case, the music comes first.
However, I've got to say, music without words is still music, but lyrics without music is not music, it's poetry.
But then again, you could redefine poetry as "a song".
Oh well, there's really no right answer. Just babbling.