Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Okay, gtZip got me interested in this, & it won't go out of my headbone.

One time I wrote a whole song in a dream. I thought that was really strange, & it only happened once, so I can't say that's how I do it. It IS pretty easy, though, if you can get your subconscious to work for you.

When I write a song, I usually come up with a chord pattern that I like, then I overlap it with a melogy, lots of "oohs" & "aahs" until at some moment a little phrase comes to mind. Then I procede to write the whole song around that idea. (The content of the lyrics could be just about anything at all...love songs are usually pretty easy to write, as are protest songs. Stories are hardest for me, & I find that I'm often too vague in saying what I'd like to say.)

Other times, I've gotten a little magical flash of inspiration in the form of a completed melody together with a phrase, & the song develops from there.

I find that as I'm writing, the arrangement & production are usually there in my mind as I write.

If I have to spend too much time writing it, it usually is headed for the trash can, no matter how hard I try.

I saw a documantary with Paul Simon, & he does it pretty much the same way.

Other ppl will write lyrics 1st, & then write music to fit the pattern of the syllables.

Lots of ppl have brought me lyrics & asked me to write a song around them. I find that it's really tough for me to do, & the song is usually not one that I would consider good, by any stretch of the imagination.

What works for you? Where do you get your inspirations?

All of the above, for me.

Sometimes I can write 5 songs a day. Other times nothing, or it sounds forced.


Usually I write, being inspired by the sounds of the instrument I am playing, and various chord structures, but I also just write driving around, with it just coming into my head, and sometimes, I write straight from lyrics or poetry, but mostly other people's. Haven't sat down to write poetry since I was a kid really.

I find inspiritation everywhere though. Life. Love. Religion. News. History. Sounds. Sights. Emotions.

Songwriting for me is purely inspirational (some people might say irrational). Sometimes I think of the lyrics first, sometimes the music first. I have actually dreamt a song once. I can't force it. I'm not a songwriting machine. Sometimes I'll write a song based on my life experiences, sometimes they're politically motivated, etc. There has to be some impetus to get me interested in creating a song. I don't write very many, sometimes just a few a year, sometimes more. If I have a good band together where the band members are OPEN MINDED and want to create something new I'll get to writing more tunes. Later...

I've found that all I need is a concept, a lick, a few words, even an emotion, and I can noodle around with it until something comes out. Lyrics are my biggest hurdle though. I prefer the method of taking someone's lyrics and putting the music and behind them, arranging, re-arranging, etc..

To me I never look at it as work, but all good fun. I think these guys who walk into studios with a few ideas and a clock ticking are crazy, but I also think they deserve kudos for pulling it off.

Well......my experience is kinda like wavering back & forth between constipation & diarrhea. (Did I just call my songwriting skills crap? )
I'll struggle for the longest to come up anything, and then it's like the dam breaks. The ideas and their fruitions just start to flow. Then I stop, and I'm stuck again for awhile.

I've bee writing for a few years now and it all really started with poetry before I could play guitar. I've had a few close calls with labels and things for my tracks the latest one "Always the same" is with a few prople now but I tend to find that the there are two ways of writing.

1st is the totally personal tracks where you'll describe a time place or person.

2nd is the formulated track. 3mins 30 seconds of popular music. Keep the chorus simple (70% of listeners will be driving if this ever gets played you don't need to make tem think too much) if you put a hook in them make sure it's regular and subtle.

It realyl depends of the type of writing you want to push out.

If you want to hear a couple of my tracks visit www.philashmore.mfbiz.com

I guess you could put my in the 'chord pattern and work from there' book.
Riffs and hooks are easy for me, but getting the whole song finished is a struggle.
I think this is a learned habit though... I worked for years beside the real musical deal. The boy could sight read, was fluent in theory, about twice the guitar player that I was, a good piano player, and a great songwriter. He usually smoothed out the pieces or put them all together for the band.
Made me sick on many occasion.

But anyway, back to the point.
What seems to work for me now, is to let a certain amount of mental or emotional stress build up before taking a stab at something.
It doesn't seem to matter if it's good stress or bad, as long as there is a high level of mental or emotional stimulation -- Anger, frustration, depression, giddyness, lust, love.
I have ideas pop into my head when I'm running around during the day, but usually not musical phrases or melodies.

And from another angle, I had half of a song last week the I was hammering my head against and getting frustrated with. So I emailed the drummer what I had one night and then got on the phone with him. He proceeded to give me a hard time about it and tease me about it, and we bickered back and forth for a little bit. (We are good friends so its a little different working relationship.)
Finally I just shouted something at him about him having ears and a brain, and how he could help out with where he thinks it should go next.
I hung up the phone, listened to the snippet I had just sent him, and BAM -- it was all there in my head. Then it was just a race to put the other parts down before I forgot something.
Called him back later and said, "Never mind. It's done."

So again, stress was involved but in a different way.
It was kind of like the 'constipation and diarreah' thing scarletrust was talking about.

Have something to say. After that, it sort of takes care of itself.

Hey Gang,

All interesting commentary thus far...My writing in the 80's seemed to be centered around what I called the "syndrome"..Each state I lived in ,there would be a woman and after I would pull my ususal antics to mess it up, Id write a love song about it.. .I got to where I couldnt write about anything else...I tried to really make the music emotionally fit the theme.
The more my heart was broke ,the better the tune ...Cant say that Ive changed that much...Although, since Ive jumped on the digital band wagon, its easier to get parts orchestrated quicker which really comes in handy when ya need 7-10 tracks to happen NOW so you can hear how its all gonna fit together or NOT.. I seem to be caught up in writing tunes that too closely resemble what Id just written, even the music which is odd. .Maybe its a sub-concious way of not feeling like I said all I wanted to say in the last tune..Anybody ever Exp. that?...Are there any shrinks out there?..


John

How about collaboration? No one has mentioned this.

I've never been able to click with anyone to make it work, or perhaps I never put in the necessary time to accomplish it. It seems that whenever I get together with someone else to write, it becomes a clash of ideas &/or ideals &/or egos during the process. One or the other gets stuck on an idea that the other doesn't agree with.

I've always thought that the great collaborators wrote some good stuff, but never have I been able to sit down with another guy/girl & do it.

(Perhaps it's my ego/ideas/ideals that get in the way... )

Write 10, appreciate 2 and use 1.

Hey Philby,

From listenin to your material, we have alot in common in musical orchestration and vocal part arr. etc..I like your attention given to detail.(you dont sound like your from WV.. ) Had to get that in there..Yeah , most bands Ive been in over the yrs have been single artists, or just road cover bands so not much colaborating was ever done..
Yeah , Im like you in that what I have to say has to be said the way I wanna say it.. ...Now musically, Ive never tried with anyone..You bout have to write with someone that has the same emotional connection with music..I guess ideas could come from a theory (technical) standpoint where your just lookin for possibilties and throwin them out there. BUT , I believe for the most part, ya both have to be feeling the same vibe , kinda hear what their hearing..I have a blast playin with peoples material on here I can connect with ...Adding B3, piano, synth, changing basslines, addin harmony etc...You prolly do the same...


John



John

I used to write and record 10 a week. Now with daddy duty I am getting 10 ideas a month and finishing 1 every once in a while. I am luck to get 1 recorded every month or 2.

Have something to say and a psychotic episode at the same time. Let the band members build their own parts then hash it out together.
Humm maybe its that hash thing causing the problems

Yeah, KIDD, I'm IN WV, I'm not FROM WV...kinda like Irish Anthony...only I"m from Annapolis, MD, not nearly so far geographically (although it seems just as far culturally!)