Where do your songs first take form?

[thedude400]

Where do the first ideas of a song come from? How much of a transformation takes place?

Like many of my idols do it, I find myself writing on acoustic guitar. By the time I'm done and recorded, you would never guess it came from something acoustic.

 

[gullfo]

could be from any number of places - my acoustic guitar, a piano, an electric guitar, sometimes just lying in bed i get an idea and have to jump up and write it down or do a quick perform to get it... otherwise if i fall asleep, its guaranteed to be forgotten...

sometimes playing the drums also inspires, and in my car, listening to the radio during the middle 8 of some song i may start making up lyrics and melodies... i think the key is to let it come in what ever format it hits and be prepared to at least catch the idea on paper or a portable recorder so you can take it to your studio and work it out more. in some cases this may only lead to part of a song, you just don't know it yet....

 

[Hugo H]

99% of the time the song's in my head for a while before I play it. The other 1% comes from idly playing a piano.

 

[ZioNIXI]

Pretty much I get it from.... I dunno

I like to play piano and so I'll take a peice of music and just play it. All of sudden I will get stuck on a chord, and then I just take it away from the music and go off on my own thing. I find that to be true in most cases, because I'll do the same thing with my Accoustic Guitar. It just kinda comes. I also will get a random melody in and my head and run with it. Of course, like people have sayed I always keep a notepad ready and my minidisc player/recorder. Ehhh. My dad does the same thing. I'm pretty sure I inherited it from him.

 

[jake-owa]

Usually me and my classical guitar doing the folkpunk thing.

 

[true-eurt]

From all kinds of places. I am inspired by many things, good and bad. Some start on the piano, some the guitar, bass, or just singing. I even use the drums as a song foundation. Doesn't really matter. There is a song to be found everywhere, if you look.

 

[up-fiddler]

I keep a CHEAP microcassette recorder in each vehicle and in the house and in my guitar case. (5 total) Anytime I get an idea I put it on tape. It may only be two lines or, sometimes, it may be an entire song. Typically it is, or becomes, a chorus and I add to it at a later date when I have time. It's just the way I have gotten used to. I can't sit down and say,"Now I'm going to write a song" because they never seem to turn out very well when I use that technique. I have to get something down when it hits me and then develop it later. Dave

 

[lbanks]

I start with a bassline, then find a beat.

 

[EddieRay]

Usually me and my classical guitar doing the folkpunk thing.

All my tunes were born on classical guitar too.

 

[TMatt142]

My best tunes have always hit me at the worst times. At work when things are busy. Then it's a game of running through a melody in that tune over and over and over and over.....just soos I don't forget (which has happened many a time). By the time I'm home, I can have all the basic arrangements layed out in my head. I operate heavy equipment and the guys at work from time to time can hear me hum or sing something......I think they think I'm on the "Jenny Crank" diet or something.......

 

[mikeh]

The majority of my songs start on accoustic guitar - mainly because I always have an accoustic sitting around to either pick up when the muse hits or because I tend to pick at the accoustic during any down time (even if I'm watching the tube with the wife I tend to have a guitar in my lap). I use to write more at the piano, but the last 3-4 years are more guitar driven (my guitar chops have improved a lot, and my keyboard chops now suffer)

Most of the time a chord progression or a riff starts to inspire ideas, although like many writers, some ideas just come to me while driving or whatever - in which case as soon as I get home it is easier to quickly pick up an accoustic. On occation, a drum groove or some other sound/event will influnce the start of a song - but it is probably 55% accoutic guitar, 25% electric guitar, 15% piano and 5% other.

I find my guitar influenced material is more riff/groove driven - whereas songs written on piano tend to be more chord/melody driven.

 

[e unum pluribus]

usually songs come from the acoustic guitar, music only.

then i keep a log of catchy/clever phrases that come to mind... a lot of times i listen to other music and lyrics and see the basic randomness of words that make a song stand out...

my lyrics also are sometimes written in the tune of another songs lyrics at least to start or poetry lines i like...

then i just put it all together...

 

[B-man_88]

I get most of the ideas when I am work. And I have to hurry to find a piece of paper and write it down.. I was on my way to work and all of a sudden, a guitar riff came into my head. I sat the whole way humming it, while adding other parts. Got to work , and put it on the computer, and emailed it back to me and wrote it later.. haha..

I hate when I have or think I have something good. The melody, lyrics, it's all just flowing and sounding good, then forget it..that hurts the most..

 

[irishfolker]

Usually in the shower. A tune will jump into my head and I'll make up some words to hold the tune till I can get out and sing it into a recorder. Or some words will pop into my head and I'll come up with a quick tune to repeat them over and over till I can write them down. We keep a pad and pen in the drawer in the bathroom now for these occasions.

Sometimes I'll get something when I'm walking up to the liquor store. It's only 1/4 mile, so I'll usually walk. The rhythm of my steps will sometimes inspire something.

 

[mikeh]

I used to take pen and paper into the shower with me, just in case but-----well, it really didn't work very good.

Then I brought my four track into the shower and ----- well that was just too painful.

Then I stopped showering, but then the songs stopped coming.

If only there was a better way!!!!!

 

[pseudosun]

i usually play my strat unplugged when i stumble on something. I can't set out to write - i'll get nothing every time.

 

[hobbestheprince]

My Songs

Usually the come from playing around on the guitar until I get something I like, or a new approach I've been doing is to carry my Mp3 player (it has a mic thingy that lets you record notes or whatever but I use it for song ideas) and while I'm taking a walk something might just kinda pop into my head, and I record it right away. You never know that it can be your best song. Like Billy Corgan said in an old Guitar World interview ... never throw anything away, 'cause you can always revisit it and that little piece you wrote can fit into a newer one. Alot of great songs were written from two different times in the artists life ... kinda interesting.

Eric

 

[jaykeMURD]

Most often after I've been listening to the radio or a CD. I'll be "inspired" and I'll pick up my acoustic and start jamming. I sort through the melodies and riffs till I find something I like. Hell, plenty of time driving, in class, taking a shit, eating, watching t.v., whatever a vocal line or two will hit me! Gets kinda annoying when I've stayed up all night fiddling around with possible songs!!!

 

[james123]

99% of the time the song's in my head for a while before I play it. The other 1% comes from idly playing a piano.

same here accept its guitar not piano.some of my best ideas come into my head when i bored in class at school.

 

[sean_mur88]

definately in the shower. i don't know if it's the acoustics or the warm water or the cool feeling of singing into the showerhead, but for some reason, the songs come pouring out in the shower. if only i had a waterproof acoustic ...