General Music Chat

Do you just write stuff and see where it takes you?

Our band has been going through a lot of "soul searching" in an attempt to find our brand/image and that also includes finding our target audience, which leads to creating music for that target audience.

We've really struggled with the last one the most - do we shoot for indie-pop, indie anti-pop, be flexible, or un-flexible, etc..

I'm not so much looking for answers as much as how you all (especially bands) approach it, and if you've run into these things or just let it take care of itself?

I don't write with any direction or goal in mind. If I were to try to aim my muse, it would end up sounding forced, I think. My lil pea brain doesn't work that way, & the lyric doesn't match the melody when I try, & I end up giving up.

Only after the song is written can we as a band decide whether it suits us, or if it gets relegated to my solo stuff.

I agree with Phil ...

Do you collaborate with other band members when writing? What genre is the bands strength? (what does the band play that just kills and ppl take notice).

To me collaboration can produce better ideas, tunes and grooves that suit the band than someone trying to do it on their own. And write to the bands strengths

Prob the best question asked since one of mine
Lol!

I'm solo at the moment and I find that I try to head somewhere and find then that I have to pull on the reigns because of veering off on a tangent. That happened again today actually. What I have sounds kind of Jazzy. This time I might just leave well alone and let it do its thing.

Do you just write stuff and see where it takes you?

Our band has been going through a lot of "soul searching" in an attempt to find our brand/image and that also includes finding our target audience, which leads to creating music for that target audience.

We've really struggled with the last one the most - do we shoot for indie-pop, indie anti-pop, be flexible, or un-flexible, etc..

I'm not so much looking for answers as much as how you all (especially bands) approach it, and if you've run into these things or just let it take care of itself?

How did I approach it? With an iron fist!
If I write the new material then thats what we'll play, unless someone else comes up with some songs.
Write what you collectively want to hear.
Your brand is kramerguy, and your target audience is rock.

I write in several styles - punk, metal, alternative, acoustic. Usually your singer determines your genre, and that in turn determines your potential audience and venues. These factors determine which songs will work; bottom line, yes, you have to write with your singer and audience in mind.

It's all too easy for me / us most of the time. We write what has inspired us. Many times it is a rough structure of lyrics, perhaps some melody ideas. Then we colaborate as a band to build a song.
I feel like we have great chemistry as a band.

When you sit down to practice, or to write a song, just relax a few seconds - kinda blank your mind.
And ask yourself "Self - what do I want to hear?"
.
FORGET about what everyone else around you expects.
Screw that. Set you OWN goals.
Play what YOU want to play, no matter WHAT the hell it is . . .
.
Let me tell you - if you write decent music - it does not matter what style of music it is.
If it's good stuff - there is an audience out there for it.
.
And - if you are writing stuff that YOU like the most, then chances are much better that it will be a good song.

Songs write themselves for me. I just watch it unfold. I don't sit down to write freaky spoken word, or pop, or rock etc etc. The first instrument - piano, bass, or guitar will dictate the mood and the rest just follows the mood. Enhancing or toning it down as the layers build.

Songwriting in a vacuum doesn't work for me. YOU can write songs for yourself until you're blue in the face. It's great if YOU are a solo performer. But I take it you are in a band. You are not a solo performer. You NEED accompaniment. What Sans said, it takes good band chemistry to make it happen. As far as what style or what target audience your band wants to reach, well that's somewhat important. If the people who come out to hear you play are not death metal fans then you obviously shouldn't write in that genre. But if you come up with a song that's a little different from what you normally play, then why not experiment a little and put it in you repertoire. The worst thing that could happen is no fan reaction. But you might be pleasantly surprised. Your audience might think that you are showing some versatility. If your band really enjoys a song then the enthusiasm you play it with will rub off on your audience. The worst thing for me is when I get an idea for a song and the band doesn't want to try it. Close mindedness and somgwriting don't mix well...

You are dead on Bob. You MUST think of your singer and audience when writing in a band situation. What might work in one band probably won't work in another; for example, my band The Farleys is 70's style punk; the audience expects a certain style of music when we perform. That means my metal stuff won't work, so I have to find another outlet for those songs. I suppose if you're a solo player you a freer to try a wider array of styles.

#1 write for yourself; if you don't feel em they won't either!
#2 everyone in the band should write if they can and you should all try to help express what the others write.
#3 fukk a genre! just write what you feel. once you have enough material you'll be able to choose an appropriate set list for particular gigs.

try this:

if you partake in mild mind altering, do so
turn on a recorder
someone just start playing whatever they are feeling
others just start coming in with what hits em
if you hear any lyrics sing em. even if it's only one line
once the creative juices begin to wane start regular practice
afterward listen to what you have and use the good stuff to write songs with.

One of my best songwriting bands (Toys For Rita) did this at the beginning of every practice and about 3/4 of our material came from this.
We were a 3 piece so I don't know how well this will work in a larger band.