General Music Chat

I really do not care how a song is written if the results are good.

Live jamming? Sure.
Heavy editing? Why not?
Write a bunch of musical phrases on little bits of paper, shake 'em up in a hat, and reassemble as you get 'em out? Okay.
Sometimes the whole thing comes to you at once and you have to scramble to record it before you forget it.
But, I generally like to do music first, lyrics last.

I have many many ways I write.
1. Someone in life or online will utter a phrase and I'll say that's a song waiting to happen. I take that phrase make a melody, then I start writing an instrument's part for it. Usually piano (in the past year or so) or guitar, sometimes bass.
2. A bass line will appearvin my head out of nowhere. I sing it, record it with a cell phone, add piano, guitar, vocals in whatever order they write themselves.
3. A vocal melody will hit me as I'm walking the girls to school, or driving, or washing dishes. Save it with just random syllables on camera in video mode. The syllables influence real words later. Flesh it out later with instruments.
4. Jam on guitar with or without a beat I've looped.
A lead part will grab me so much I develop a whole song around it.
5. Jam on guitar until a rhythm part is too good to pass on. Flesh it out with vox and instruments.
6. Jam on bass until a groove presents itself. Flesh it out.
7. Jam on piano until a chord profgression presents itself. Flesh it out.
8. A child is born, a friend survives a crisis, a friend or family member passes. Then the topic forces out lyrics. The lyrics then inspire either melodies or chord progressions. Flesh it out.

I never think about music. I am always "feeling about" music. I never have a game plan. I can't imagine having a formula. I think I may have sat down with nothing and decided to write. But the ideas are usually non stop. So I always have something to work with.

I was talking to a friend a few years back about the constant flow of ideas. He said "whatcha gonna do when the well runs dry?" within a couple of days I had that song written and recorded. I showed it to him and his eyes bugged out.

I have many many ways I write.
1. Someone in life or online will utter a phrase and I'll say that's a song waiting to happen. I take that phrase make a melody, then I start writing an instrument's part for it. Usually piano (in the past year or so) or guitar, sometimes bass.
2. A bass line will appearvin my head out of nowhere. I sing it, record it with a cell phone, add piano, guitar, vocals in whatever order they write themselves.
3. A vocal melody will hit me as I'm walking the girls to school, or driving, or washing dishes. Save it with just random syllables on camera in video mode. The syllables influence real words later. Flesh it out later with instruments.
4. Jam on guitar with or without a beat I've looped.
A lead part will grab me so much I develop a whole song around it.
5. Jam on guitar until a rhythm part is too good to pass on. Flesh it out with vox and instruments.
6. Jam on bass until a groove presents itself. Flesh it out.
7. Jam on piano until a chord profgression presents itself. Flesh it out.
8. A child is born, a friend survives a crisis, a friend or family member passes. Then the topic forces out lyrics. The lyrics then inspire either melodies or chord progressions. Flesh it out.

I never think about music. I am always "feeling about" music. I never have a game plan. I can't imagine having a formula. I think I may have sat down with nothing and decided to write. But the ideas are usually non stop. So I always have something to work with.

I was talking to a friend a few years back about the constant flow of ideas. He said "whatcha gonna do when the well runs dry?" within a couple of days I had that song written and recorded. I showed it to him and his eyes bugged out.

You are a gas, Paul.

I am so much more static.
I bet you are fun to write with.

I like dynamic attempts, but not when I am trying to pump out material that is mostly already done. When people futz with this process that is original to me, I get discouraged and angry.

If I collaborate on something, then I don't really care. "It's a collaboration".

But if I wrote it and I am trying to get it out, I won't tolerate interference/50 versions/unforeseen idiocy.

I just want to get it out, I do not need someone else trying to pump anything into it.

Well said Neanderpaul.

Mike I agree with your whole statement.