Write music first or lyrics first?

[DAS19]

For me its most likely music first with me singing melodies over chords. Though sometimes ill sing a melody first and try to find the right notes to correspond with the melody.

Writing on piano is kinda different how do all you piano players figure out your piano melodies? Do you find the right chords then figure out the right hand melody or do you write the right hand first then add a bass line into that?

 

[NTK88]

Music -> Melody -> Words

 

[sonicpsyops]

Writing on piano is kinda different how do all you piano players figure out your piano melodies? Do you find the right chords then figure out the right hand melody or do you write the right hand first then add a bass line into that?

About 75% of the time I write melody first then find the chords. This would involve me improvising at the keys until something interesting comes along. About 9 times out of 10, I end up changing the chords that I've improvised so to say that I do both at the same time wouldn't be exactly true. Once in a while, I'll hum a melody and if I like it I'll try to write it down as soon as I can, then go to the piano. On rare occasions, I'll bang out some chords and either hum or play a melody line to go with the chords.

As far as right hand left hand, I don't think it really maters because I throw the meldoy back and forth and sometimes even cross my hands over (Mozart was famous for doing this) However, for the sake of your question, I write melody with my right hand but I think that's because I'm right handed? I don't know.

 

[dubs duces]

music first.
any time i've had lyrics before writing a song I would just end up wanting to change the lyrics anyway. I perfer to keep note of random sentences and phrases and than find how a can drop those in a song or expand the ideas behind them.

I use music theory so I like to write out my songs on sheet music formulating first the structure using a classical method of structuring that foregoes writing in terms of the typical verse/chorus/bridge fasion. In short its called A-B structuring. you can make highly complex songs using this method and it serves as a good road map for planning your songs.

Next I write out a music chart of chords, scales and sweeps/arps that correspond with one another that I will use throughout the song.

Than I switch on the click track and have at it.
I like having a strategy in place before going at a song because you can pick up your instrument and streamline your song writing and make your songs solid.

performing as a solo musician and playing with bands I've found this method to work well for myself.

 

[YeshuasFan]

Whatever YOU feel comfortable with. There is no right or wrong answer here.
I think one's perspective about how s/he views her/his talents affects the approach to the task/craft/art of writing. I see my strong point as being able to write lyrics, and my guitar playing skills are minimal at best. So I have a notebook full of song lyrics waiting for a melody.
But I have worked from the other angle too--I just don't feel as comfortable using that method.
And a couple of times--only a couple of times in my life, I've had made the left brain-right brain synapses coordinate where I worked on both at the same time.:eek

 

[seongkeat]

For me... if there is some idaa comes thru... i will try to track down both so that it can makes the melody and lyrics stick together with the feeling...