Song Arrangement

[Thorguitarist]

Just wondering how people write there songs... Since I havent come across asinger for my band I guess our lyrics go first. Usually when recording we do Drums and Bass first then guitar, or Guitar and Bass then drums

 

[Crazy]

first i write it, then i make some music on it with my keyboard.


or..


i make a few beats on my keyboard.
and a few lyrics, and maybe the beat and the lyric can go together, if not.
then i make a lyric on the beat and the beat for the other lyric.

 

[InTheFire]

Lyrics are usually inspired by the way some guitar theme makes me feel. So, it's guitar part(s), lyrics(many times chorus first), and then I work them around each other. Sometimes a bridge or new lyrical part will form so, the process is interwoven, starting with the guitar.

 

[jeddypoo]

fggfgf

I write songs in my head, mostly, usually when I'm doing something menial or boring- ie- working, taking a shower, etc. Everything, including some lyrics, usually comes at once, and when I go to record, I just flush out the rest of the lyrics, which is my least favorite part of the whole process. I cannot sit down with a guitar or a piano to write songs. It feels like work. My mind has to be otherwise partially occuppied to free up the part of my imagination that does music. I dunno.

 

[mikeh]

Each song is different.

Sometimes a story line will strike me (maybe triggered by something I see, hear, read about, etc) and I'll start to work on lyrics which in turn triggers a melody. I then try to figure out a chord progression.

Most often I'll come up with a chord progression or a musical riff which creates some type of "feel" which in turn affects the lyrics (sad melody = sad lyrics, etc.)

If I have a guitar in hand I tend to write either in a rock style or a country style (guitar driven music based around guitar riifs). If I'm at a keyboard, I tend to write more in a balland, pop or jazz style.

 

[JaQsonA1]

i am not in the least bit a producer so i usually get the hook's melody(something may just come in the shower or while i m in traffic or something) first and then build from there. i m so glad you asked this question because i was wondering the same thing!

 

[philboyd studge]

The first few lines of a verse or chorus usually tell me the melody in my head and I'll build from there. Though I'd rather it be hook first, it's not always the case.

 

[Aaron Cheney]

I usually wait for a great hook idea, build a story around it, then write the lyrics. I've written myself into a corner too many times to start w/o a hook!

While I'm writing the lyrics a melody usually begins to suggest itself, so by the time the lyrics are done it's usually a quick process to work our the chords and melody.

And then the rewrites...

A

 

[guitarhunny]

Every song arranges itself differently for me. In my earlier writing days the lyrics almost always came first and I would pick a key and write a song because my guitar skills weren't good, but as I gained more experience with the guitar, an idea would come from the sound of a chord progression or a simple riff. For me, it's hard to pinpoint where any song will start or finish. I just try to manipulate any idea whether instrumental or written into something inviting to others.

 

[5150 Musician]

The most important attributes that I strive to perfect (in a song) is smooth transitions, melodic progressions, and most importantly.....the ability of knowing when NOT to play too fancy. I write alot of old - new metal type music and I listen to a vast, wide range of metal-type music and each extreme of it gives me different angles of influence. When I'm writing music, I don't sit down with my guitar and TRY to write it...it all comes naturally. I don't usually write an entire song, one after another... peices of music will pop into my head, or I'll like something that I was playing when I was just screwing around. It's not until later until I can start peicing parts of music together carefully: I'll think *hey this goes well together with THIS thing I wrote the other day* After that, I will come up with something that can smoothy transition the two parts together. Days or even weeks can go by before I have completed an entire song..heck.. even months sometimes - I have recalled things that I wrote 2 years ago to correspond with material that I came up with a week ago. The reason why it takes so long for me is because I tend to write parts for 2 guitars for rythm\melody\harmony\etc. as well as drum beats - I've been a drummer since I was 3, so the beats come naturally as well. I'm not so much on lead, not because I don't and cannot play decent lead (I do come up with leads that I think are great, but they stay in my mind because I can't play them for beans) but because a song can still be a good song without lead.
A good song isn't about flaunting skill, but about the structuring of the song as well as the contrast in timing, rythm, and\or notes. When something isn't played often, and when it's played, its appreciated. If its played all the time, you get sick of it. You don't want to be redundant.

 

[brummygit]

i always start with an idea, normally a song title that i like and just grab an acoustic guitar and try and squeeze a chorus around that. when that's done, the verses just seem to fall into place around that.
alternatively, if im writing something using the computer, i normally set a mood with a drum track (drum machine/loops/etc) and then just churn out my guitar and improvise the lyrics freeflow. there's always at least 1 or 2 ideas that come from that randomness that inspire a song to come together.
just write EVERYTHING down. dont hold back, no matter how awful or cheesy the words are. just keep playing.

 

[topolino]

structure

yeh, I don't usually write lyrics, but when I do they come first. But without lyrics the structure and rhythm are what I tend to focus on, rather than virtuosity or melodic richness.

and yeh, recording ideas is key for me. write them down or record them. I've developed a pretty indecipherable tabluature codified system which will stymie our desendants when it's unearthed after the apoclypse.

 

[topolino]

and futhermore

how about calling it the distinction between horizontal and vertical construction? As in, horizontally the song's overall structure is considered, and vertically is where intricacies and virtuosity come into play. of course, a virtuosic passage has horizontal extension, but it's not considered as heavily when the focus is widened to include the entire song. and it's tough to fit the whole thing in my head all at once.

 

[volition]

we write our songs a lot of different ways. they usually start out with a guitar riff, with the drummer putting a beat to it. the singer usually starts singing off the top of his head to go along with the song and writes something down later. however, a lot of our coolest songs have started with a unique drum beat with the guitars making riffs to match it. vocals pretty much always come in last.

 

[brummygit]

we write our songs a lot of different ways. they usually start out with a guitar riff, with the drummer putting a beat to it. the singer usually starts singing off the top of his head to go along with the song and writes something down later. however, a lot of our coolest songs have started with a unique drum beat with the guitars making riffs to match it. vocals pretty much always come in last.

totally agree with that too. if nothing else, the music you play around with tends to inspire lyrics. i find it hard to just sit there sometimes and churn out lyrics that are any good, but getting inspired by the music and just improvising the lyrics is definitely a winner. even the crap bits that bear no relevance to the song can then easily inspire another tune.

 

[Rokket]

It all varies...

It depends on the day of the week, the mood I am in, the celestial alignment, but mostly I get a hook stuck in my head, and start with that. Sometimes the lyrics will come with it. Sometimes I just get a chorus and build the verses later.