do you usually write the lyrics first, and then try to write music to go along with them, or do you write your music first and then try to come up with lyrics to go along with it... I usually write lyrics first, but recently I found a few chords that went together and set a mood and then wrote some lyrics to go along with it, and it turned out to be one of my best songs ever...
Lyrics first, or music first?
# 1
when i write songs i usually end up zoning out in school and thinking of a cool sounding word or song title and build from there. the music is already in my head when i go to write it down, but unfortunately, i dont get to have my guitar in class. so i make mental notes to myself of how it sounded in my head and then forget about ever writing it down. then find the sheet later and be like oh ya, i member this. and then i change parts to make it sound better. and then those times when i make up a cool sounding riff on guitar, and just add to it. and then find words. and then name it. it works both ways for me :P
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# 2
# 3
i do both, also.
what i do is i'll come up with a cool riff.. and ill usually hear the lyrics in there. So I come up with a cool lyric, and then i build off of whatever the combination of the two compels me to do. And so on and so forth until i finish the song. It works a helluva lot better for me than any other methods.
what i do is i'll come up with a cool riff.. and ill usually hear the lyrics in there. So I come up with a cool lyric, and then i build off of whatever the combination of the two compels me to do. And so on and so forth until i finish the song. It works a helluva lot better for me than any other methods.
# 4
I dont have a lot of expirience, but I allways start with bass...
Then come backing guitar, lyrics, and to the lyrics I write the lead guitar :)
If I start with guitar, I get a cool tune in my head, and when I wanna tab it, I get the first note, and by then I have allready forgetten the rest :p
Then come backing guitar, lyrics, and to the lyrics I write the lead guitar :)
If I start with guitar, I get a cool tune in my head, and when I wanna tab it, I get the first note, and by then I have allready forgetten the rest :p
# 5
I usually do music first be cause it sets the music of the song. Then the lyrics to add voice and emotion the song.
Its hard to write lyrics before making the music
Its hard to write lyrics before making the music
# 6
I do whichever sparks more ideas for the song. If it works it can't be all that wrong, right? But music first seems easier as you have the time structure set up already where as the other you have to format the music to fit an array of too many/not enough syllables. You could always write down the lyrics as a jist of it type thing then edit them later when fitting them to music.
The Gods Made Heavy Metal, And They Saw That It Was Good
They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would
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Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would
Hulk Smash!!
Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
# 7
i find that coming up with the lyrics and melody together first works the best.
if you're writing a song that's message is through the words, you want the most flexability in expressing them, and by writing them with the melody first, you have the freedom to take the melody anywhere you want it to go. there's no need for getting stuck with only a couple of melodic options just because thats how the music goes. as far as the sylables timing and rhythm go, just keep the timing with a metronome, or even your foot, and you'll get the feel for the rhythm of the words. :)
if you're writing a song that's message is through the words, you want the most flexability in expressing them, and by writing them with the melody first, you have the freedom to take the melody anywhere you want it to go. there's no need for getting stuck with only a couple of melodic options just because thats how the music goes. as far as the sylables timing and rhythm go, just keep the timing with a metronome, or even your foot, and you'll get the feel for the rhythm of the words. :)
Dont take life too seriously... you'll never get out alive :)
# 8
I do both separately. I have been writing for years, before I had a guitar, so I don't need music to write good lyrics. Sometimes when I'm just messing around on my guitar, I'll find a cool chord progresson and I'll write it down and save it for later. If I had to choose, I'd say that I write the lyrics first. I might have a cool riff or something that would sound cool and I just build off it when I'm writing the song. I guess what I'm saying is that the music is more dependant on the lyrics than the lyrics on the music......at least for me.
1 Peter 2:16
# 9
I normally sing the lyrics before I write the music. That allows me to find a melody for the song and after that I can place chords, breaks and so on in the song.
# 10
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Sometimes it's best to write the music to a song first, so you can have a feeling for what kind of emotion the song will evoke, then you can add lyrics.
When you have an idea of what you want to sound like or what your music already sounds like...build off of it.
Sometimes it's best to write the music to a song first, so you can have a feeling for what kind of emotion the song will evoke, then you can add lyrics.
When you have an idea of what you want to sound like or what your music already sounds like...build off of it.
# 11
1st beer
2nd music
3rd lyrics
cheers!
2nd music
3rd lyrics
cheers!
Music rules, beer rules. Music about beer cannot be topped.
# 12
I've done both.
I have also been known to write music and lyrics independantly of the other and assemble it all later.
I have also been known to write music and lyrics independantly of the other and assemble it all later.
Raskolnikov
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Careful what you wish for friend
I've been to Hell and now I'm back again
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Guitar Tricks Moderator
Careful what you wish for friend
I've been to Hell and now I'm back again
www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons
# 13
any way that works for you is the best after writing for a while you will find yourself doing it both ways
# 14
i usually write music first. I compose usually be experimentation, something that i think i should change. Chords are the easiest to write melody off of, if you have a killer riff i find it very hard to get lyrics that dont follow the riff. Also, i can't sing complicated melody and riff at the same time, sucks. Must record myself i think
# 15
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