So me and my band are starting to work on some original stuff. The lyrics are all written out but it seems weird trying to fit the instruments to it. So I wanted to know everyone else opinion on this.
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What do you think is better, first lyrics or first instrumental?
- Thread starter ImJustDez
- Start date
I've written songs both ways. I'm not sure which I prefer, or if either is really better than the other. I will say that it's good to have at least a melody in mind when writing lyrics.
Well, that's how Elton John and Bernie Taupin worked. Elton advertised for a lyricist, Bernie contacted EJ, and simply sent lyrics in the mail for nearly all the songs they collaborated on. Elton wrote the music afterwords.
The Beatles? Well, the original title of Yesterday was Scrambled Eggs, so in that case the music came first. Suit yourself, but if the krics come first, speak them aloud so you can determine the best rhythm.
The Beatles? Well, the original title of Yesterday was Scrambled Eggs, so in that case the music came first. Suit yourself, but if the krics come first, speak them aloud so you can determine the best rhythm.
I've written songs both ways. Sometimes I let the mood of the music tell me what kind of story needs to be told, and sometimes I let lyrics I already have set the mood of the music. There is no wrong way unless you're trying to force fit music to lyrics or vice versa just because you happen to have something available. Song writing is not something to be rushed. Sometimes the song writes itself and can go from a seed of an idea to a finished work in ten minutes, others take years before you're satisfied. Let it happen naturally. One last thing, never discard anything. You never know when you might need a spare part. That bridge you have didn't work for one song, but maybe it will be part of another at some point. Keep a notebook of lyrics. If an idea hits you, write it down immediately at any time of day. Don't think that it's so good you'll remember it later, because you never do.
Oh my god! That pun! Did you mean to do that?! LOL!
I prefer to write music before lyrics, I find it easier to compose lyrics afterwards as I already have a rhythm/melody to fit the lyrics to. I just can't do it the other way around.
I've written them both ways and heard of others that do the same.
I've read many interviews with successful songwriters--and some always do lyrics first, others always do music first, some will do both-but they might favour one way over the other.
I think it's got to be something that fits you & your band--and so it could be one or the other--or both.
It would be nice if we could give you a pat answer--but you need to figure this out for yourself.
I've read many interviews with successful songwriters--and some always do lyrics first, others always do music first, some will do both-but they might favour one way over the other.
I think it's got to be something that fits you & your band--and so it could be one or the other--or both.
It would be nice if we could give you a pat answer--but you need to figure this out for yourself.
I've written lyric before the music before, but the lyrics always have to undergo major overhauls to fit in the song before I'm done. Having the music (at least the basic riffs and arrangement) first is way better IMO.
i've written songs both ways ... music first songs make way for better instrumentation, while lyric first tend to have a story to tell ... if the lyrics arent very interesting, i redo it, until it might as well have been a "music first" song because the melody line bears little to no resemblance of the final product.
Inspiration comes from both methods. Sometimes I'm just jamming random riffs and fall into a cool sound and then base it around a theme. Sometimes I come across a cool saying, and use that as a theme to compose music around. Both methods are always open to modification.
OP:
Nothing is better or worse about songwriting. Sometime lyric come first, sometime music come first, sometime they come together.
In your case: well, you have to 'craft' it.
It can be the music which adapted to the lyric or vice versa, or they together being adapted by you/your band, whatever,...to achieve the best result.
Now we know, how not easy it is to craft a song , much more a hit (or if not a hit, at least a song that can be well accepted by the public)
Nothing is better or worse about songwriting. Sometime lyric come first, sometime music come first, sometime they come together.
In your case: well, you have to 'craft' it.
It can be the music which adapted to the lyric or vice versa, or they together being adapted by you/your band, whatever,...to achieve the best result.
Now we know, how not easy it is to craft a song , much more a hit (or if not a hit, at least a song that can be well accepted by the public)
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For me it is music first. I always found it better to make the lyrics fit the music than the music fit the lyrics. Just works better for me.
What's really magical if you had some old random lyrics and that matched up with some riff you're working on. Just by complete accident. Kismet or whatever.
My band composes together. We write separately. Me and the guitarist come up with the main music idea. Our vocalist comes to the table with a notebook of lyrics already written. Hell have certain melodies in his head already. Sometimes they work great with what me and the guitarist are doing, sometimes not. He just weaves his way around it. Once those things are hatched out, we just keep playing what me or the guitarist brought to the table and build/sculpt/compose off of that. It's worked pretty well so far. So I guess you could say the music comes first but it all comes about at the same time. But it takes a quite a few jams and or weeks for the song to take life or start forming into what it becomes.
In our band, usually the drummer and I write out the rough song structure. Then the singer will put lyrics to it. Usually there will be some small changes to the arrangement to fit the lyrics. Then the guitarist will come in and put noise all over it.
I don't think one way is better than the other. I would go with whatever works and they may vary from song to song.
I don't think one way is better than the other. I would go with whatever works and they may vary from song to song.
If you have a complete lyric, then try writing a melody to suit that lyric. Once you've got the melody sorted, the harmony and rhythm aspects begin to get fleshed out.
I don't do a whole lot of music writing, but in what I have done, sometimes I've written a set of lyrics with a melody in my head for them but never went any further. Months later my band comes up with some jam, and all of a sudden I realize, "Wait - those lyrics would go perfectly with this - with a totally different melody!" Come up with all the instrumentals you want, and write all the lyrics you want, and then look for ways they can fit together.
