How much writing do you do in your head?

[psappha]

I can't write any of it, it's mostly a cacophony of re hashed music and thoughts overlapping constantly, flowing non stop. It all subsides while I play, then I use my head to analize, and over analize, what I played or wrote, restructuring it as if a puzzle.
I guess I should see a therapist.

 

[RAMI]

Yeah, after reading a few posts, and presently going through the process of writing and recording a new song, I have to change my story a bit.

Now I see that, while I do often have what I think is a finished song in my head, I also didn't realize how much of that is developed when I pick up a guitar or bass or even get on the drums. I'm beginning to realize that I come up with complete "frameworks" in my head, but very much of that changes when I physically work on a song and work out the parts that I hear in my head with an actual instrument.

I didn't give enough credit to how much time I do spend arranging during the writing and even actual recording process.

 

[fritsthegirl]

Music does kind of float around whatever I'm thinking about at the time but until I sit down with the guitar and try to play it, I can't be sure of anything. It often sounds much more awesome in my head than it does in real life.

 

[psappha]

Also, at least for me, writing music is much like, you know, it's almost embarrassing to say it... well, I know its a bit of a freudian approach; what I mean is the process that concludes with excreting fecal matter, you know, taking a dump, dropping your sandwich, singing to the douche, and so on. The subconscious mind needs to be fed, and then given time to calmly digest. Which is done, as many here have said, by going through your every day life. And when it's time to go, well, it's time to go, no point in sitting on the loo all day.
What I mean is, imo, there's an important part of creation that happens in parts of your mind to which you don't have any access.

 

[grimtraveller]

I'm beginning to realize that I come up with complete "frameworks" in my head, but very much of that changes when I physically work on a song and work out the parts that I hear in my head with an actual instrument.

I didn't give enough credit to how much time I do spend arranging during the writing and even actual recording process.

^^^^The piéce de resistance^^^^
I've come around to the mode of thought that "songwriting" per se is somewhat overrated. It's really arranging that makes a song what we come to know, remember and love. That arranging may take place during the writing or recording stage and that arranging "frameworks" in my head is pretty much what I mean by "writing songs in my head".

 

[grimtraveller]

imo, there's an important part of creation that happens in parts of your mind to which you don't have any access.

The reason I'd disagree with this is simply this; how would you know if creation takes place there if you couldn't access it ? How can you know what's there ?
I think that there's far too much fluff written about the mysteries and magic of songwriting. While I agree that the artistic and spiritual dimensions can play a major part, it's also rather practical. There are only 13 notes but almost infinite combinations, especially when you take into account instruments, time signatures, differing voice timbres, rhythms etc. Almost a statistician's dream.

 

[heatmiser]

I can't write any of it, it's mostly a cacophony of re hashed music and thoughts overlapping constantly, flowing non stop.

Yup. That's me right there...frustrating. I get little parts of songs and even complete arrangements of parts of songs popping into my head, but they don't linger and I don't have the musical ability to quickly translate them into actual sound before they're lost . I swear, the stuff that does come to me would be awesome if I could capture it (you'll have to trust me on that!), but it is fleeting...

It's really arranging that makes a song what we come to know, remember and love....and that arranging "frameworks" in my head is pretty much what I mean by "writing songs in my head".

That's my hope I guess. I spend a lot of time trying to arrange in my head once I have at least something committed to "tape", but usually more traditional thoughts of the actual melody and chord structure and where to put the bridge or whatever just have to work themselves out as I go. I can't envision all of that stuff in my head beforehand. To those of you that can - well done!

 

[psappha]

how would you know if creation takes place there if you couldn't access it ? How can you know what's there ?
There are only 13 notes but almost infinite combinations. Almost a statistician's dream.

You're right, I guess I was kinda fluffing the artist's myth.
But, then again, if statisticians dream, I dream as well, so there is definitively something there.
I guess I need to believe I leave something of me in my music, otherwise I could just leave it to the computer to combine at it's own will, if there is a will in it, or dreams, or a ghost.
There is a piece of software that can write music in Mozart's signature style by the way, so maybe someday there will be computers who can write in their own style. There's also that japanese hologram that sings songs that are written collectively by it's own fans.
So, yeah, you could cast aside all subjectivity and let the material be a celebration of itself.

 

[grimtraveller]

I guess I need to believe I leave something of me in my music .

But you do. Regardless of how songs appear or whether one writes in a totally formulaic way, it's still you, the writer permeating what's been written. That doesn't conflict with the practical aspect. A finished, recorded song draws on a variety of input, much of which is pretty invisible, if it's a team effort.

otherwise I could just leave it to the computer to combine at it's own will, if there is a will in it, or dreams, or a ghost.
There is a piece of software that can write music in Mozart's signature style

That's where computers and people will always differ. A computer has to be programmed by someone. You don't.
I bet if Mozart was around, he'd laugh at what the computer produced in his style. Writing in someone else's style isn't hard if that's what you like.

So, yeah, you could cast aside all subjectivity

Impossicant !

 

[Ricklh]

Music does kind of float around whatever I'm thinking about at the time but until I sit down with the guitar and try to play it, I can't be sure of anything. It often sounds much more awesome in my head than it does in real life.

This is pretty much how it happens with me. I occasionally get a short melody line come to me that I interpret as one that could be a great new Beatlesque song, but usually by the time I get to the guitar it doesn't sound quite as good, or I don't remember how it went exactly.

Great thread!

 

[BroKen_H]

When I was writing heavy, I used to carry a pocket recorder with me. It helped get the generals out. But I've also had songs that I could clearly hear (complete) in my head before I ever put them down on MIDI. I always record by putting MIDI drums, guitar, bass, keys, whatever and then recording over the midi. Learn the parts, play over. I've got several "ideas" that sound awesome that I can't get lyrics to flow to, or just guitar or piano pieces that have no arrangement, and just a few lyrics laying around that the "right" music hasn't shown up for yet. But it's all part of the fun. I love writing, and wish I was better at it.

And you know what? I get a lot of that great idea flows through my head stuff. Meaning it flows in and then right back out before I can do a thing with it...part of why I used to carry a recorder.