I don't even think about lyrics until the music is finished.
I usually take a drum program and program the drums, starting with a catchy beat. Sometimes I'll even mimic a beat from a song I like. If the beat is good, that's a great start.
Then, I build a song with the drums only (programming, as I mentioned) using Fruity Loops (I'm going to upgrade to DKFH soon or Reason).
So, after the "song" is finished on drums, I listen to it over and over again while screwing around on guitar. Then, eventually, I come across a chord progression or riff that raises the hair on my neck. That's when I know I have it.
So, I play the song over and over again until I like what I play, then I record the guitars.
Next, I go back and listen to the song that's drums and guitars only and play bass. I try a lot of different combinations, and once I get bass lines I like, I practice and then record.
Then I have a complete song with drums, bass, and guitars.
After that I listen to the song a gazillion times (always with headphones, because I can hear the details better), and imagine different vocal scenarios, especially the chorus. I work on the chorus ideas first, and then the verses.
I think choruses that repeat constantly work the best, like "Lola". I don't like wordy choruses. One or two words works best, in my opinion. Think about "Jamie's Crying" by Van Halen. There are only two words in the chorus (three if you include the Whoa's).
However, Aint Talking Bout Love has many words in the chorus, and that song works well too, but wordy choruses don't work for me.
Basically, if I write and record a song, and then play the CD in the car a couple times, I'll know if it's pretty good if my kids start singing it later that day or the next. If I catch them walking around the house humming a chorus, I'm stoked.
I think that too often songwriters forget who might be listening to their songs. They get too complicated and are worried about how others will perceive their technical ability in terms of guitar playing, singing, etc., but a good and simple song that people enjoy is the objective.
Think about "Happy Birthday." That was actually a copyrighted song, and was in the Guiness Book as the most sung song in the country. It's a great song.
Row your Boat is also a great song.
I love songwriting. I stink at it, but like golf, sometimes I hit a good shot, even if it's only a piece of a chorus. Even a beginning golfer will hit a shot that exceeds the average shot of a pro in each round.
I keep hitting balls (writing songs), hoping I'll hit that hole in one.
If I like the song, then it's a success. Most of my songs make me cringe, and I don't want to listen to them. But I have a couple that I really enjoy listening to, and I know they're great songs. I might be the only one who thinks that, but that's good enough for me.
The songs will survive me.
I usually take a drum program and program the drums, starting with a catchy beat. Sometimes I'll even mimic a beat from a song I like. If the beat is good, that's a great start.
Then, I build a song with the drums only (programming, as I mentioned) using Fruity Loops (I'm going to upgrade to DKFH soon or Reason).
So, after the "song" is finished on drums, I listen to it over and over again while screwing around on guitar. Then, eventually, I come across a chord progression or riff that raises the hair on my neck. That's when I know I have it.
So, I play the song over and over again until I like what I play, then I record the guitars.
Next, I go back and listen to the song that's drums and guitars only and play bass. I try a lot of different combinations, and once I get bass lines I like, I practice and then record.
Then I have a complete song with drums, bass, and guitars.
After that I listen to the song a gazillion times (always with headphones, because I can hear the details better), and imagine different vocal scenarios, especially the chorus. I work on the chorus ideas first, and then the verses.
I think choruses that repeat constantly work the best, like "Lola". I don't like wordy choruses. One or two words works best, in my opinion. Think about "Jamie's Crying" by Van Halen. There are only two words in the chorus (three if you include the Whoa's).
However, Aint Talking Bout Love has many words in the chorus, and that song works well too, but wordy choruses don't work for me.
Basically, if I write and record a song, and then play the CD in the car a couple times, I'll know if it's pretty good if my kids start singing it later that day or the next. If I catch them walking around the house humming a chorus, I'm stoked.
I think that too often songwriters forget who might be listening to their songs. They get too complicated and are worried about how others will perceive their technical ability in terms of guitar playing, singing, etc., but a good and simple song that people enjoy is the objective.
Think about "Happy Birthday." That was actually a copyrighted song, and was in the Guiness Book as the most sung song in the country. It's a great song.
Row your Boat is also a great song.
I love songwriting. I stink at it, but like golf, sometimes I hit a good shot, even if it's only a piece of a chorus. Even a beginning golfer will hit a shot that exceeds the average shot of a pro in each round.
I keep hitting balls (writing songs), hoping I'll hit that hole in one.
If I like the song, then it's a success. Most of my songs make me cringe, and I don't want to listen to them. But I have a couple that I really enjoy listening to, and I know they're great songs. I might be the only one who thinks that, but that's good enough for me.
The songs will survive me.
)...
(you got the point)...
