Songwriting, creativity and lyrics...

H

hoursonend

Member
Hi,

I really want to write my own songs, but I've only written one complete song now... I find it very easy to come up with an interesting chords progression, but then the hard thing steps in: lyrics and melody. I know this must have been said before, but I can't really write any melodies without haveing the lyrics in front of me, but I can't just come up with some lyrics... :(

The way I did it on my first song was: I wrote down some words I wanted to use, and played the chords over and over and then sing a melody with words that come up in my mind at that moment, using the words I wrote down. If I then make up something nice I write that down, and so I form the lyrics and melody...

I now have about 10 chord progressions completely written out, including chorusses, verses, bridges etc....but no real melody and lyrics...
problem is I don't want my lyrics to be too cliché, but I can't come up with something good. Every time I hear a song I like I think like: I could never come up with such good lyrics... :(

Anyone else have this problem, and how do you deal with melodies and lyrics?
 
its actually quite a difficult question to answer because everyone is different and has there own individual way of writing. its sounds however that you have already found a way you can write hence your first song. practice helps, just write anything, it doesn't matter if its rubbish, you are learning without knowing it.

somethings i do, when i have some chords i like the sound of but no melody, are to record and loop them, then sit at my piano and play a melody over the top until i find something that seems to sit nice. as for lyrics, i struggle with them too. sometimes i just sing anything and see what comes out, usually a line falls out that i like, i then take the line, fit it to a situation, and build the rest around it.

there really are many ways to do it, but whats right for one isn't always right for the other. i wouldn't worry about it, just keep practising and sooner or later things will fall into place.
 
Seeing that you are well on your way to composing 10 songs, I suggest you concentrate on the melodies that go with them first. You could play the tracks and jam to them with an instrument to achieve this.

Once you've composed some melodies, then you can write words to fit them. Or, if you find yourself completely stuck, find a lyricist and co-write at that point.

It is very hard to put words and melodies to standing structures of songs at the same time. This is my own experience of couse, but you should avoid complete the whole arrangement (chords, verses, chorses, bridge, etc.) before the rest. Be open to revising the arrangement. It isn't etched in stone.

Having said that, that is generally the way I do it: I come up with an intersting guitar or bass part, and then I build from there. I don't start with lyrics anymore.
 
dude I can tell you what your problem is I think. although this is hard to put in words...

you know your songs as they are too well, and you cannot step out of that. you have to step out and look at it from a new listeners perspective, listen 4 or 5 times, and the music is telling you something.

you never hear this before because YOU were telling the music something then....

If you can step back from what you created, and imagine it as if you didnt make it.... listen to it over and over as if it they were the first times, imagine it is talking to you, what does it say? write it down...

it will begin to tell ya a story, work with it. you will have to refine it, but once you get past about 4 lines it will all fall together. listen to get the 4 lines, and then guide the story, using the music and underlying melody as your guideline... the best songs you didnt write the lyrics, the music told ya what to write. the answer is in the music my friend!!

DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?
 
fateswebb said:
dude I can tell you what your problem is I think. although this is hard to put in words...

you know your songs as they are too well, and you cannot step out of that. you have to step out and look at it from a new listeners perspective, listen 4 or 5 times, and the music is telling you something.

you never hear this before because YOU were telling the music something then....

If you can step back from what you created, and imagine it as if you didnt make it.... listen to it over and over as if it they were the first times, imagine it is talking to you, what does it say? write it down...

it will begin to tell ya a story, work with it. you will have to refine it, but once you get past about 4 lines it will all fall together. listen to get the 4 lines, and then guide the story, using the music and underlying melody as your guideline... the best songs you didnt write the lyrics, the music told ya what to write. the answer is in the music my friend!!

DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?
Click to expand...


This is a great piece of advise, thanks! I usually did this when I was trying to evaluate if a song was good or not, but I only did it when I finished the song, to listen if it was any good. But to listen to the music during the creation of the song and try to think what it's telling me, no, never tried that, but I certainly will, thanks!

Thanks for the other replies too btw!

Stan.
 
You know thats odd... :o) not your problem speifically, but the fact that i am just the complete opposite. I have written some good songs in the past. Lyrics and music. some of them had real basic music/melody/chords..and some really intense! But they were good.

This was such a long time ago. Now that I have this cd project I been working like for the last 4 years, I am at this point right now where I cant come up with anything musically for the Lyrics. Lyrics is nothing for me. I do not have any problems writing lyrics.. just coming up with the music that i want to fit the style the cd is supposed to go.

LIke when i turn on my gear, I play about 10 miinutes and then i turn it all off with NO INSPIRATION what so ever. I dont know if it is lack of ambition, or lack of interest... both.. or just that I DONT have it anymore. I just cant seem to get what i hear in my mind .. to something i can hear by my ears.

And it is buggin me. I have ALL the lyrics to all the peices well except two songs.. i have the full concept form beginnign to end, all down on paper. I have some music that i chorded for a couple of the songs.. but I am NOT happy with it at all cause it is NOT the style i wanna go with it.

Thats what is depressing. I wanna finish it so bad,, I dont know if the label is still interested in it now since it was like that long ago!.. I have tried to get local musicians to help with music writing.. it hink two heads are better then one and well with my dryspell i thought it would work. but the local musicians are just jammers.. they dont have any concept for orginal music!

So Doode i KNOW how you feel..... I guess that if you dont play as much anymore like me you start losing it! :(

Dog

.





stanjanssen said:
Hi,

I really want to write my own songs, but I've only written one complete song now... I find it very easy to come up with an interesting chords progression, but then the hard thing steps in: lyrics and melody. I know this must have been said before, but I can't really write any melodies without haveing the lyrics in front of me, but I can't just come up with some lyrics... :(

The way I did it on my first song was: I wrote down some words I wanted to use, and played the chords over and over and then sing a melody with words that come up in my mind at that moment, using the words I wrote down. If I then make up something nice I write that down, and so I form the lyrics and melody...

I now have about 10 chord progressions completely written out, including chorusses, verses, bridges etc....but no real melody and lyrics...
problem is I don't want my lyrics to be too cliché, but I can't come up with something good. Every time I hear a song I like I think like: I could never come up with such good lyrics... :(

Anyone else have this problem, and how do you deal with melodies and lyrics?
Click to expand...
 
sometimes its good to just write good lyrics which come if you find something inspiring, read books man learn new words it def helps. then sing the perfect guitar part in your head and look for it on the frets
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top