How do you go about writeing songs?

Thegiantgnome · #1 08-17-2005, 11:39 PM

This is more of a personal question rather than a "how to write a song" thread and I didn't really know where to put it so I just put it here, sorry to the moderatetor that has to move this. I realize there are many different ways that people write songs but I've noticed I commonly follow the same path. So I was interested to see how others write songs. Do you just hear a bassline in your head and then work from there or do you hear chrods and then put a bass line to the progression. Do you write lyrics then music or do you even write lyrics at all. Hopefully some of you will have really strange ways, then this might get somewhat interesting.

Floating teetH · #2 08-17-2005, 11:55 PM

I think lyrics are a good starting point, at least where they are involved, but I might start out with a groove, or a progression, or something that no words can describe... . . .the last one happens less often.

Munjibunga · #3 08-18-2005, 12:35 AM

First, I get a college-ruled yellow legal pad. Then I get a Pentel 0.5 mm mechanical pencil. Then I sit down, roll up my sleeves, and go to work.

Not really. I don't write songs.

JimmyM · #4 08-18-2005, 01:12 AM

Hum a melody or play a few chords. Add some words to it. Soon you have a song.

jivetkr · #5 08-18-2005, 09:56 AM

I delegate responsibility to the guitar & keyboard player.

**Vorago** · #6 08-18-2005, 09:58 AM

Someone writes a riff, someone else comes up with a guitarlick, the drummer adds a groove, etc .

43% burnt · #7 08-18-2005, 10:15 AM

I hear beats in my head. Sometimes I write bass lines to them.

Alot of times I just grab my bass and start playing randomly and I'll stumble onto something. I'll find a couple notes that sound great together and just mess around with them until I have something that works.

Or, I get together with my guitar payer and we throw ideas at each other...that seems to work pretty well too.

Then I record it. Always record...always record.

**Adam Barkley** · #8 08-18-2005, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43% burnt

I hear beats in my head. Sometimes I write bass lines to them.

Alot of times I just grab my bass and start playing randomly and I'll stumble onto something. I'll find a couple notes that sound great together and just mess around with them until I have something that works.

Or, I get together with my guitar payer and we throw ideas at each other...that seems to work pretty well too.

Then I record it. Always record...always record.

Put some stank on it.

43% burnt · #9 08-18-2005, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abark000

Put some stank on it.

hahahah...I was hoping someone would catch the Tenacious D refrence.

"tell me we're taping...gotta get this on tape"

**Adam Barkley** · #10 08-18-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43% burnt

hahahah...I was hoping someone would catch the Tenacious D refrence.

"tell me we're taping...gotta get this on tape"

"Rocket Sauce Take 1"

"Dude that's the ice cream song"

43% burnt · #11 08-18-2005, 07:40 PM

LOL

"your drumming is kick-ass, we're just not comfortable being a power trio"

Hmm....a thread about the D might be in order. I could post tenacious D quotes all day, but I don't want to totally ruin this thread.

Go buy the Tenacious D complete masterworks DVD for "inspirado" aka writing tips.