How to start a writing a song?

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shrimphead

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I am new to writing a song and play guitar, no vocals just instrumental. This is an elementary question but, can anyone offer suggestions on song form, how many verses, how long an average song should be etc.? I can put down a drum track, chord progression and add some licks, but am having trouble to make it a whole song that is complete. Please help.
 
typical is 3min to 4min. there's a history of all this...obviously you know it can go longer, or shorter.

i took a seminar on song structure once and it was a blast...maybe you can find one or call a school music teacher.
 
I'm not actually a Wiki fan but...

...here are a dozen or so steps that are worth reading and will send you off in other directions with related articles. When you DO write a song post it here for others to see/listen. The group here is typically supportive, honest, and willing to share their thoughts in a constructive manner. Good luck. Dave (aka up-fiddler)


Dave's Blog
 
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Shrimp,
I know what you mean. I've got plenty of bits and pieces of songs: a chorus here, an intro there, a cool riff here, nice lush chords there...

I find myself suffering from a lack of time in general, but also a lack of knowledge of my gear, software, plugins, etc...Therefore, I spend a lot of time going through synth presets, user forums, manuals, etc...

In the past, I wrote and recorded with a very knowlegeable midi/synth/ guru buddy who also had a great ear. We would write and recorded a few songs in a weekend. Now, things just don't seem to progress as well, or at all in some cases?

How do I get back the creative sponteneity?
-Rich
 
song writing

Thanks for all that information. I know about the workings of a 12 bar blues form or AABA structure of a song and others etc. from reading about it but as far as actually applying what I have read about song structure is a different story.
 
shrimphead said:
Thanks for all that information. I know about the workings of a 12 bar blues form or AABA structure of a song and others etc. from reading about it but as far as actually applying what I have read about song structure is a different story.
Click to expand...

What you might care to do is have a look at all the 'December challenge' posts. In them you will see songs in the process of being created, and it might give yo some ideas of how to go about it.

When the January challenge happens, you will see how the words and music come together
 
RichJ said:
How do I get back the creative spontaneity?
Click to expand...

It depends on the style of music you write - if it is dance oriented then playing with synth, samples and beats is definitely the way to go. For rock it can be the guitar/piano riff or progression.

But if the 'get up and go' has 'got up and left' then perhaps you need to consider some of the techniques in Dave's link or do a search of this forum as there are many similar threads.

Apart from the fear of being obscene or insane, the greatest block to spontaneity is the fear that we are not going to be 'original'! The irony is often this fear stops us before we have allowed unoriginal ideas to distil into something new.

Suspend your judgement and just get writing then keep writing - no matter what you think of the material you generate.

HTH

Burt (PS nice link Dave)
 
A song - be it instrumental or something with lyrics - should do two main things:

1. Tell some kind of a story (with a beginning, middle and end)
2. Move the listener

In traditional song form, the verse moves the story line forward, the chorus helps to emphasize the point of the story and the bridge (if there is a bridge) adds a different dimension to the story.

Obviously lyrics can make telling a story eaisier - but many fine instrumental songs have a clear beginning, middle and end. The are many fine examples - (Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Chick Correa, etc.) but I think Carlos Santana has many instrumentals which tell a story (what the story may be is up to the listener). His songs often have a clear beginning, soar to a dynamic chorus and resolve to a clear ending (with no words needed).

Regarding the number of verses, song length, etc - that depends on the song and the story being told. As indicated, a good rule of thumb is to limit a song to 3-4 minutes. If you can't tell a story in that amount of time, you need to decide which words or notes can be eliminated (with music - the notes not played are as important as the notes played) A song has to be very good to really hold the listener's attention for more than 3-4 minutes.
 
shrimphead said:
I am new to writing a song and play guitar, no vocals just instrumental. This is an elementary question but, can anyone offer suggestions on song form, how many verses, how long an average song should be etc.? I can put down a drum track, chord progression and add some licks, but am having trouble to make it a whole song that is complete. Please help.
Click to expand...

Before I ever read any books or articles about songwriting, I listened to songs. You must have done the same. One great way is to take a few of your favourite songs and analyse them. Write out the lyrics. You'll soon start to see patterns in the words and the old "intro, verse, verse, chorus, verse chorus, middle eight, chorus, outro" type format in all it's variants will start to become clear. Most songs are 2 - 4 minutes but you can be shorter or longer although I wouldn't stray much outside 2 and a half to 3 and a half minutes myself!:)
 
A song can be a three minute "simple" song or a ten minute "epic".

There aren't really any rules.

I write mainly in the Folk/Country form - these songs tend, in the main, to be pretty straight forward verse - chorus - verse - chorus with perhaps a bridge.

Have a listen:

http://www.myspace.com/dennisregan

Telling a story is pretty nice but, there are also a lot of fairly abstract songs out there.

It is important that the listener is moved, though. But, this can be through the melody, chord progression, etc. not necessarily the words.

Just my two cents worth.

-Mike
 
Michael O'Regan said:
It is important that the listener is moved, though. But, this can be through the melody, chord progression, etc. not necessarily the words.

Just my two cents worth.

-Mike
Click to expand...

I can appreciate that we all want to reach and/or move those that hear our music.
But what moves one could just as easily bore another. We're ALL just like that because of our diverse backgrounds and our likes and dislikes.

I've found over the years of songwriting that things that need to be expressed and are given an opportunity, will come out.

For me, a song might start out as a rhythm and chord progression, a melodic riff I liked, a lyric phrase or a whole poem that needed some music put to it.

Now...how this would be perceived by others is not in my control. I see that my ONLY job is to create it and present it. The only other option on my part is to create with a certain intention. But, that is STILL not a guarantee as to how an individual may process the song(s).

IMHO
 
I forgot...one other way I've written songs, is to start with a title that suggests a mood, emotion, visual image and therefore, a musical direction.

I have recently started a list of titles for future thought that I know will develop into songs.
 
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