Topic: i need some advice
i`ve always wanted to write my own songs, i can come up with a chord progression but no words will follow, or at least nothing that will make any sense! any tips will be very welcome
thanks,
roy..
Re: i need some advice
ALWAYS RHYME YOUR LYRICS
A good way to learn to write lyrics is to "borrow" from other songs. For example take a song you really like and mimic the rhyme scheme and meter. When I say meter I mean syllables per word. Thinking in terms of nouns and verbs really helps in rewriting the borrowed lyric. The use of adverbs never really works in lyrical writings. For example "She was 'swiftly' running" swiftly being the adverb modifying the verb. Adjectives and all the other parts of speech are great at painting a picture so use them freely. Once the lyrics are starting to come together begin making your own chord progressions, or if you can't come up with a chord progression borrow one of those too. I must say it's best not to borrow the chord progression and the lyric scheme from the same song because that starts sounding too much like a pastiche. If you change the drums and rhythm up enough when borrowing both the chords and lyrics, that may be enough to create something totally fresh and new, but be cautious. When facing writers block borrowing a line here or there from a well written poem might get you out of a rut. Below is a rough example. The song was picked randomly from one of billboard's top new albums lists. The lyrics I wrote under Prince's are a bit goofy, but I wrote them fast and didn't focus on meter as much as you probably should. If you just let go and don't worry too much about the taboo of "borrowing" great songs are in your future. Throughout history all the famous composers borrowed. It was not until the late 1900's that "borrowing" is sometimes thought of synonymously with plagiarism. All the music you like would have never been written if the writers had this concern. So, loosen up, have fun, and remember that music like art is never finished only abandoned.
Prince - Black Sweat
Verse
I don't want to take my clothes off but I (do)
YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BREAK YOUR HEART, BUT WHO (DOES)
I don't want to turn nobody on 'less it's (you)
SO YOU TAKE ANOTHER SHOT AND SMILE, JUST BE(CAUSE)
I don't want to dance too hard, but this is a (groove)
I KNOW THIS LOVIN'S HARD, BUT YOU GOT THE (BOOZE)
I'm hot, and I don't care who knows it I got a job to (do)
YOU'RE HOT, AND WE BOTH KNOW IT, THE WHISKEY'S GONNA (LOOSE)
Chorus
I'm (workin')
SHE'S (HURTIN')
(Workin') up a black sweat
(HURTIN') HERSELF AND EVERYONE ELSE
Verse
I don't want to break your pride but I got (to)
You better take your woman and hide her 'cuz I'm about (to)
Show you what's really (good)
Break you off like you knew I (would)
I got a brand new dance and it's called the ...
Re: i need some advice
sometimes i tend to write a song first, and then once i picture the way iw ant the song to go, i figure out the chords from that.
most people tend to find it easier writing the music first, but this is just my opinion. hope it helps
Re: i need some advice
i right like blindacre said i write the words first
then i set it down for a few days come back and write the music thats kind of just the way i do things
Re: i need some advice
For me the initial chord progression is the hardest first step. Once that is down-- at least the verse part, its easier to get started.
I suggest you don't worry about writing good lyrics. Just spit out anything that comes to the top of your head. My first lyrics are generally throw away things that will be replaced later once I have the melody down.
Often a line will come up that catches my attention and becomes the basis for the song. Writing song lyrics-- at least when I am just beginning a song often seem to be something that pops out of my subconcious. Try not to break the flow by editing as you go.
In short, my advice is just to hum along, eventually something will come. Don't get yourself married to any words until you at least get a verse and a chorus put together. If the song doesn't come all at once, don't beat your head against the wall. Just give it time to gestate and come back to it days (or weeks later.) Once you get the verse and chorus down, you'll likely want to write a bridge-- based on chord progression or vocal melody that is completely different from verses and choruses.
If you get a verse and a chorus done and are having trouble with a additional words, you might consider putting down the guitar and picking up a pen. Additional verses-- the simplest ones anyway-- just follow the same metrical scheme as the original verse. If you don't know what that means. Just count the syllables in every line and try to repeat it in a separate verse.
After you write a few songs you start to come up with a structure you can repeat. For me one typical format is
Verse 1
Chorus 1
Verse2
Chorus 1
Extended Chorus (often a repetition of Chorus 1 with new lyrics.)
Bridge
Verse 3
Chorus1
Extended Chorus
Songs can take a number of forms like this. A short song might be:
Verse1
Chorus
Verse2
Chours
Repeat Chorus
Anway, in a nutshell that's usually my strategy
Re: i need some advice
Hey! You were talking about writing songs. Well, what i do is i think up a chord progression, then think of something going on in the world, or in my life, and then i just start singing about it.
Ex: Why can't we, live together in harmony?
Let's not see black or white,
Let's just enjoy the ride.
Good luck!
Re: i need some advice
Hi,
I'm a song writer and have been for a few years.
I have found it easier to write words, than music.
But, sometimes the music just comes.
It really just depends on the person.
I think that you should just pick up your
guitar and start playing and singing. You
might be surprised with what comes out.
Also, if you write the lyrics first, you
probably would want to have a melody to go
along with it, so it makes it easier to write
the music. Anyway, hope this helps.
- James McCormick
- Honoured Member
- Offline
Re: i need some advice
For me, a song begins with an idea. The idea could be a phrase or a rhythm or topic or a melody or an emotional state. What I am learning is that the more you try to write songs, the more ideas there are to work with . . . I scribble lots of stuff down.
It is tempting for me to get stuck on one particular idea and treat it as if it is the most special and precious idea that anybody has ever had . . . But, if I get too hung up on a single idea, then I just get bogged down trying to make it perfect.
So instead, I try to have several ideas going concurrently and then work at making incremental progress on them. Typically, some ideas will finally come to fruition and the pieces will finally fall together.
Also, just as typically some ideas never seem to gel or get beyond a certain point. It's not that they were 'bad' ideas . . . it's just that they haven't worked out yet. I never discard the ideas that aren't progressing, I just keep trying to have more ideas . . .
"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
Re: i need some advice
I completely agree. I have a good amount of lyrics, lines, and ideas, just sitting cause, the words won't come. They have come in handy though. I have written five minute long songs from four words on a random piece of paper. So, if you ever get an idea that just pops in your head, write it down. It will probably come in handy some time.
Re: i need some advice
i have the same problum only i can make guitar parts but they dont fit my words, and my words dont fit my guitar parts. i have 15 writen songs for words.
write back on witch kind off rock your stuff fits in and we could see if they mix together or not
Re: i need some advice
Here's what I've found in writing songs and I hope this helps you. I've learned from past experience that when your writing and performing songs, expecially when there your own work, people react better to songs in third person perspective. What I mean by that is, rather than singing about yourself and things that you've done in your life, try singing about someone else. Now dont think I mean that the song cant be about you or you shouldnt sing a song about yourself, but rather than saying things like "I lost my love" you could put it as "He lost his love". I've learned that people react a little differently than when it appears that your singing about yourself. That's just my personal findings around the places I play. I hope that I've been able to help. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">
Re: i need some advice
Hello,
I agree that the wording matters.
I have found that songs when the singer is singing about all the things in thier life, that it is more responsive to the listener... That's just my own opinion though. For instence,
I found that Good Charlotte's newest CD is more depressing and MXPX's (though they talk somewhat about the same thing) is not.
I think it because of the wording. Good Charlotte says "I", and MXPX says "you". Anyway, That's my own research and thinking. don't get me wrong, I love Good Charlotte and MXPX, they are some of my favorite bands. I just used them as an example.
Projectwannabe
Re: i need some advice
I can write lyrics in a matter of minutes, but its chord progressions I find difficult. I can't seem to find the right chords to give bridges/choruses that 'lift'. Any tips?
Re: i need some advice
<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_razz.gif" border=0 alt="Razz"> hay man some time that will happen im just like you but you know some time when that happen just put it off to the side and just work on new things and as you go on you wil find music for the word that you have.or work with other writer that can help make you better.
Re: i need some advice
hope you have got further with your song writing. I agree with the others, also why not write about something that you have experienced or how you feel about something,If you're feeling crappy write down all the words that describe you at that point and same goes for if your happy.Pretend your in another situation and how you would be/feel if the situation were true. i still find it hard some times,some weeks/months words come other times it just sounds cheesy. i started off writing lyrics first and singing them in the tune i wanted,then found the right chords, but some times i now play the guitar and do lyrics together. when someone has told me they like my song it's uasually the ones where lyrics have been written first,but not always,so it doesnt really matter which way round you do it. there will be other artists out there that might not like my stuff which will be the same for every writer. i still worry how each song will sound to others but friends say that you cant please everyone,as people like different styles.so dont think about it too much,write as it comes to you.good luck (NEVER throw your songs away as they will be of use at another time,ive made this mistake when i first started writing)