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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Songwriting → Formula?
OK. I have never written a song in my life but I have recently started to mess about with chord progressions and flat picking and can come up with some nice wee "snippets". So I am starting to wonder about laying down some words.
My question is - do you guys have a formula that works for you? Like music 1st then words or words then music?
It seems there's a lot to this songwriting thing. Makes me respect you guys all the more.
hi al i sing the song as i'm making it up in my head then write down the lyrics, then put the chords to it.stay cool...
Hi alvee33 - it works both ways for me. Usually, I start with the words and the general rhythmic meter of the lines. Then, the chords and melody will fall into place.
Sometimes, I start with a general chord sequence or melody and then come up with the words.
There is no set formula - it is mostly just bold trial and error . . . don't be afraid to try anything and keep on trying until you come up with something that pleases you. But, don't be too picky.
Keep in mind that songwriters write many many songs . . . most of them are gravel, with maybe just a few gems every now and then. The first song is the hardest - it gets easier with practice and patience.
Al,
I have tons of lyrics but I fond myself farting around wit hthe guitar and chord progressions, once i have a few chords together that sounds like it can be good for a verse I start making up lyrics to go along wit hthe chords.
Now, what do you sing about? anything!! think of a subject that you know a lot about or a little and write down your thoughts or sing them along to the chords.
Sometimes they do not work but write them down anyway, you might be able to rearrange them later in the song for another verse or bridge or chorus.
I normally do
Verse Verse, chorus, verse, chorus
break , verse ,chorus
or
Verse choris, verse chorus break chorus verse chous
anything you are happy with is fine. If it is a really catchy chorus then use it more. If it is long and not so catchy, dont sing it between every verse.
Thats what i try and do anyway
ken
i usually start with the,words,how I want to sing it, then rhyme scheme, which kinda writes the chords for me. i dodnt know if that helps or if im even saying that right. for me it all starts with the words
Thanks guys. As yet I have nothing on paper but have a few ideas starting to form. I just keep thinking back to those bloody awful things everyone writes when they are an annoying teenager who thinks they are oh so deep, misunderstood and know everything. That was the last time I tried my hand at this and would like to forget about them. Aaahgghhhhhh! I recently found a book of such rantings and was mortified at how bad they were and how much of an a***whole I was (maybe still am).
Things can only get better.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Songwriting → Formula?
