What inspires you to write?

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Protocall

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Just wanted to hear what other artists do to help them write new lyrics. Is it listening to a certain artist? Being in certain emotional states? Drinking?

Your feedback is appreciated!!
 
That largely depends on your writing style. If you are a pro songwriter in Nashville the song is all about the hook and the story. They will typically sit down with the artist and come up with a catchy title and chorus of the song to write the verses around them. Other artists will get a feel for the vowel sounds that fit while they jam with the band and start building their lyrics with certain sounds in mind. Bono from U2 has stated that this is his preferred method of writing lyrics. The bottom line is that there are really no rules to songwriting and you should do whatever works best for you.
 
I like to keep my finger on the pulse of what's hip and current and do the exact opposite.
 
That's true.
I remember when snap-on wrist bands were cool and Greg just wouldn't entertain it.
 
Goin' round messin'um up and all....:facepalm:


Jokes aside, I have two manually completed rubik's cubes on my desk. :(
 
Watch and listen to people, observe the crazy stuff they do and say, write songs about it.
 
I know you two mega posters are just trying to have some fun with the new guys…did you know that there is an innovative music controlling tool based on the Rubik's Cube called MusixCube? The MusixCube is a hand-held controlling device for Ableton Live, Logic, etc. and is made of 40 touch- and pressure-sensitive OLED-screens. Now that is what I call an inspirational songwriting tool.

www dot behance.net/gallery/MusixCube/5002311
 
ProPlayer said:
I know you two mega posters are just trying to have some fun with the new guys…did you know that there is an innovative music controlling tool based on the Rubik's Cube called MusixCube? The MusixCube is a hand-held controlling device for Ableton Live, Logic, etc. and is made of 40 touch- and pressure-sensitive OLED-screens. Now that is what I call an inspirational songwriting tool.

www dot behance.net/gallery/MusixCube/5002311
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Wait, what?
 
Bitch me all ova the experimental, yo!

I hope replacing an umlaut with three Es and thee Us catches on. :)
 
As I thought about this question I could not easily identify any specific thing(s) that inspire me.

I have an instrument in my hands almost continuously if I am not sleeping or at my day job - so the majority of my writing starts with harmony/melody which in turn leads me to "scat" until some words or phrases develop - I then work from there to create a story line.

It often feels that characters come to me as I'm working on chords, etc - and they simply ask me to tell their stories ....... I just have to find ways for the story to work with the melody and rhythem.

I'm sure life in general inspires me and I have no doubt certain phrases that I may hear or read implant into my brain to be rediscovered at some later date ......... but I am rarely, knowingly inspired by a given event or by listening to an artist, etc.

I try to write something everyday (at least a melody if not lyrics) - and I've done that for a long time - so perhaps, I simply approach writing in a rather workmanlike manner and no longer wait for or depend on specific inspiration.
 
Xdrummer said:
As I thought about this question I could not easily identify any specific thing(s) that inspire me.

I have an instrument in my hands almost continuously if I am not sleeping or at my day job - so the majority of my writing starts with harmony/melody which in turn leads me to "scat" until some words or phrases develop - I then work from there to create a story line.

It often feels that characters come to me as I'm working on chords, etc - and they simply ask me to tell their stories ....... I just have to find ways for the story to work with the melody and rhythem.

I'm sure life in general inspires me and I have no doubt certain phrases that I may hear or read implant into my brain to be rediscovered at some later date ......... but I am rarely, knowingly inspired by a given event or by listening to an artist, etc.

I try to write something everyday (at least a melody if not lyrics) - and I've done that for a long time - so perhaps, I simply approach writing in a rather workmanlike manner and no longer wait for or depend on specific inspiration.
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well said. thanks for the feedback. that's actually really cool approach to writing
 
how do you feel about collaborations? i've had limited experience with that, but i feel as though it has ups and downs, but more downs with more of the contradicting perspectives that are shared when trying to create a song.
 
Hey!

A cool subject and I just wanted to throw out my two cents'.

I am new to the forums but in no way new to writing, been doing it for the better part of 15 years now.
My writing stars with a subject. Sometimes the subject is a feeling, mood or an atmosphere I want to create with the lyrics.
Sometimes the subject is a title or a story, it all depends on the music of the song, as I pretty much always write the music first and the lyrics last.
I want to have some kind of message in my writing, be it hidden or out in the open for all to see. I hate trivial lyrics.
Of course sometimes what might seem trivial to others is a matter of great importance to the writer.
A
 
Protocall said:
how do you feel about collaborations? i've had limited experience with that, but i feel as though it has ups and downs, but more downs with more of the contradicting perspectives that are shared when trying to create a song.
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I like collaborating on someone else's songs. Not so much to be a part of their writing process or to have any actual say in the song, but more to just help people out if they need a part. Mostly drums. Sometimes bass or guitar. On the flip side, I don't want any collaborating on my own songs. I'll do it all myself, thanks.
 
There's not really a particular thing that inspires me to write. Actually an inspiration could be anything or anyone. Sometimes the idea just puffs out and my mind just generates words. I may sound corny but in my case, it's not me who writes the song but the song writes it self out of whatever there is.
 
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