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Sampler
New member
...for songwriting? Do you compose it first and then record it, or do you just hit 'record' and make it up as you go along, with a general idea in mind?
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Emusic
New member
There was a topic on this some few days ago in this Songwriting forum. Me - and others - have replied a lot in that one. Try the searchbutton before doubling threads please 
For your convenience, here is a link to it.
For your convenience, here is a link to it.
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Layla Nahar
New member
I bang my head against the wall, then I chew my skin, then I stick pins in it, and after that I decide I'm to tired, I'm getting a headache, so I go to sleep.
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mikeh
New member
If it's a song with lyrics, I normally have the majority of the lyrics, the basic melody, the chord progression the general song structure (verse, chorus, etc)and the general groove composed before I track.
When I start to track I record either a rythem guitar of keyboard for the general chord structure and then record a scratch vocal. After that I start to work on the arrangement (bass guitar, riffs, etc. etc), which will often result in several re-writes of the song as I change chords, add a bridge, etc.
If it's an instrumental, then I normally record a drum groove or keyboard riff (or whatever stimulates the muse) and then jam to that track until I stumble on stuff that works.
My instrumental compositions tend to be very improvised, whereas my lyriical compositons tend to be much more structured and prepared.
When I start to track I record either a rythem guitar of keyboard for the general chord structure and then record a scratch vocal. After that I start to work on the arrangement (bass guitar, riffs, etc. etc), which will often result in several re-writes of the song as I change chords, add a bridge, etc.
If it's an instrumental, then I normally record a drum groove or keyboard riff (or whatever stimulates the muse) and then jam to that track until I stumble on stuff that works.
My instrumental compositions tend to be very improvised, whereas my lyriical compositons tend to be much more structured and prepared.
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Unsprung
New member
I go both ways, actually...lyrics then music, or music then lyrics. It all depends on how the inspiration struck me, really.
(edit) My poetry writing has sometimes yielded song inspirations, since I tend to not use much in the way of metered lines, when writing poetry. If I happen to notice myself keeping lines to pretty much the same number of beats, I'll look and think about it, to see if there's a song there, or not.
Matt
(edit) My poetry writing has sometimes yielded song inspirations, since I tend to not use much in the way of metered lines, when writing poetry. If I happen to notice myself keeping lines to pretty much the same number of beats, I'll look and think about it, to see if there's a song there, or not.
Matt
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CDavisSounds
New member
This may sound crazy but sometimes your songwriting creativity comes from the quality of gear you are using. For example, the signal in my home setup is great and comparable to most "pay per hour" studios. When Im at home my ideas come out great because I am monitoring on good speakers and everything just sounds so fresh to my ears and inspires my words. On the other hand, when Im away from a good setup then I lack creativity. Thats why I write my lyrics once I have a foundation as to what I really want my recording to sound like. Hope this makes sense.
Lurk_R
New member
Trying out alternate tunings can spawn a few ideas too. Especially if you mess with the bass tunings. There is a post in the guitar forum about tuning a bass, where Rokket posted a site that deals with alternate bass tunings. I was messing with some of them and ended up writing a song just practicing.
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Sampler
New member
Many thanks for the replies-much appreciated!
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
I just go for a ride on my bicycle
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
That's exactly what I expected to hear from a 40-ish guy who still thinks he's five!Garry Sharp said:
But it works. Long walks, bicycle rides, or listening to a genre of music you don't play, like classical; all of these can inspire you to write.
I do all of these. Plus I mess around with alternate tunings, or try to figure out a piano part on my acoustic, or try to figure out a classical music piece on my electric guitar. Every song is different for me, and the writing process is different each time.
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
Rokket said:That's exactly what I expected to hear from a 40-ish guy who still thinks he's five!
Ah, you got me nailed then
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mtjames
New member
recording is my writing process basically. i'll usually start off with a few parts on guitar already written, record them and elaborate on it, add some more parts throw in bass or piano or anything as inspiration strikes me. Once I've got the basic structure for the song recorded (at least bass and guitar for the whole thing) I'll write vocal melodies by just recording scratch tracks improvising melodies and either humming or ad libbing lyrics. This usually yiellds a few good melodies (and a lot of crap...) and I'll write lyrics to fit them. Only problem being drums usually get recorded last and that's difficult for alot of drummers. Fortunately mine is great at playing to a click.
true-eurt
Maneater
I learned a long time back..waaaay back..to carry a small recorder(w/extra batteries) And paper/pen..You can write all the words you want..But unless you are trained in the notations of music..you can forget HOW the song goes/signature/emotional imput...and such..Especially if several different songs are thumping around in your head the same day...!!!
But I create in different ways..a little dido I keep humming...a certain beat..a phrase...and especially emotions...sad
,happy , eeked 
..eeked? do not believe I've eeked before...Anyway, for myself..there is no method to my madness....
Except that I KEEP doing it.........
And paper/pen..You can write all the words you want..But unless you are trained in the notations of music..you can forget HOW the song goes/signature/emotional imput...and such..Especially if several different songs are thumping around in your head the same day...!!!But I create in different ways..a little dido I keep humming...a certain beat..a phrase...and especially emotions...sad
,happy , eeked ..eeked? do not believe I've eeked before...Anyway, for myself..there is no method to my madness....Except that I KEEP doing it.........
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Mixposure
New member
I like to lay down and go to sleep. Just before passing out melodies flow like wine. Have a recorder and pen and paper handy.
dgatwood
is out. Leave a message.
My process... I sit down at the piano and play. Frequently. I never play the same thing twice during these sessions. All over the map. Clears my mind. Then, I'll walk away and do something else for a while, often for days.
Sometimes, though, later that night (usually on a Friday), I say "hey, I'd like to write a song about (blah)." This is generally midnight or later. By the time I start writing, I'm about half asleep, and this appears to be the key....
The next phase involves me sitting down at the keys and just suddenly brain-dumping a melody, chords, and words, frantically scratching down the words on a piece of paper every few lines. This process continues for up to a half hour. Then, I fall asleep.
The next phase occurs in my sleep. The song tends to haunt me and the next morning, I awake feelling like I've been up all night writing, even though I haven't....
The next phase occurs at some point later in the day, usually in the morning. This is when I play through the song from the night before, sometimes playing different chords for parts because I don't quite remember them from the night before. I often realize that the melodic line and/or chords for some part of it suck, go back, and rewrite bits of it until I'm actually moderately happy with it.
The final phase is the performance phase. I perform it repeatedly---at least once a day. This is the most important phase, as the melodic line evolves slightly over time, and occasionally, I change a chord here and there (an 11th here, a 13th there...).
Then I record.
Maybe it's just me.
Sometimes, though, later that night (usually on a Friday), I say "hey, I'd like to write a song about (blah)." This is generally midnight or later. By the time I start writing, I'm about half asleep, and this appears to be the key....
The next phase involves me sitting down at the keys and just suddenly brain-dumping a melody, chords, and words, frantically scratching down the words on a piece of paper every few lines. This process continues for up to a half hour. Then, I fall asleep.
The next phase occurs in my sleep. The song tends to haunt me and the next morning, I awake feelling like I've been up all night writing, even though I haven't....
The next phase occurs at some point later in the day, usually in the morning. This is when I play through the song from the night before, sometimes playing different chords for parts because I don't quite remember them from the night before. I often realize that the melodic line and/or chords for some part of it suck, go back, and rewrite bits of it until I'm actually moderately happy with it.
The final phase is the performance phase. I perform it repeatedly---at least once a day. This is the most important phase, as the melodic line evolves slightly over time, and occasionally, I change a chord here and there (an 11th here, a 13th there...).
Then I record.
Maybe it's just me.
T
The First Don
New member
I come up with a 16 bar progression on my acoustic. I build the other section by soloing over the progression until i get something that fits. Then I wait forever until the bridge comes to me.
timmerman
-------------------------
Any song is different and has a different process, although there are phases when I make songs which do have a similar process, some of those are:
May have a song, a complete song, and I play around with it, also I will play it for a long time, sometimes 6 months or even more. By that time I can play the song really well and I know what I want from it during recording.
Another process may be: Studying something, and during this phase I usually end up writing a song or a part.
"The Make Up As You Go Along" I like this one, I may just have a sound or a certain chord or even just a groove, may record this and then start building the other parts around it.
It can be a lot of fun to have a certain sound and to build your song around this sound. Testing out pedals keeps me coming up with songideas for ever. I just dial in a certain sound and find myself playing things I would not normally play on an acoustic.
Tunings are similar in that respect, so just trying out a certain tuning may lead to a song.
Lyrics......................ah well I write them all the time, but I have a lot of them just without music.................. There are the moments I may dig up a certain lyric, get into the feel of the words and then put some music around it.
It is great to see that a lot of you have similar kind of processes, really it is just all about having fun, keep doing it and not being too critical.
Eddie
May have a song, a complete song, and I play around with it, also I will play it for a long time, sometimes 6 months or even more. By that time I can play the song really well and I know what I want from it during recording.
Another process may be: Studying something, and during this phase I usually end up writing a song or a part.
"The Make Up As You Go Along" I like this one, I may just have a sound or a certain chord or even just a groove, may record this and then start building the other parts around it.
It can be a lot of fun to have a certain sound and to build your song around this sound. Testing out pedals keeps me coming up with songideas for ever. I just dial in a certain sound and find myself playing things I would not normally play on an acoustic.
Tunings are similar in that respect, so just trying out a certain tuning may lead to a song.
Lyrics......................ah well I write them all the time, but I have a lot of them just without music.................. There are the moments I may dig up a certain lyric, get into the feel of the words and then put some music around it.
It is great to see that a lot of you have similar kind of processes, really it is just all about having fun, keep doing it and not being too critical.
Eddie
famous beagle
Well-known member
I agree with True-Eurt (I was having trouble remembering your name until I realized it was a palindrome!) and Mixposure. I like to have a little scratchpad recorder with me and jot things down in it.
I rarely write a song from beginning to end at one time. Usually, I'll have at least about 9 or 10 songs started for every one I finish. So I'll be working on any one of these songs at any time throughout the day. I'll get an idea for a lyric or melody for one of them sometimes when I'm not even trying. So it's essential to have something with which to capture it.
I've never been very successful when I try to force myself to write. Sometimes if I really want to finish a song I'll sit down and try to bash it out. But even then, I rarely end up getting something I like. More often, I'll just end up free-writing for a few pages, which will open the gates and let something in a few days later when I'm not thinking about it anymore. =)
If I'm really going through a bad case of writer's block, I have something I like to do that helps. I'll watch a movie that I like and know fairly well with the sound muted. Then I'll pick a scene and try to write a song about it. It will usually get me into areas that I don't go to normally, which can sometimes inspire something nice.
I rarely write a song from beginning to end at one time. Usually, I'll have at least about 9 or 10 songs started for every one I finish. So I'll be working on any one of these songs at any time throughout the day. I'll get an idea for a lyric or melody for one of them sometimes when I'm not even trying. So it's essential to have something with which to capture it.
I've never been very successful when I try to force myself to write. Sometimes if I really want to finish a song I'll sit down and try to bash it out. But even then, I rarely end up getting something I like. More often, I'll just end up free-writing for a few pages, which will open the gates and let something in a few days later when I'm not thinking about it anymore. =)
If I'm really going through a bad case of writer's block, I have something I like to do that helps. I'll watch a movie that I like and know fairly well with the sound muted. Then I'll pick a scene and try to write a song about it. It will usually get me into areas that I don't go to normally, which can sometimes inspire something nice.
