how do you guys write your own songs

[hifi_killer]

hi there. i'm a newbie to original songs.

whats the best way to get ur songs done?

is it to this separately in this order

1st lyrics
2nd vocal melody
3rd rhythm guitar
4th bass
5th drums
6th lead guitar

or is it better if you just do everything all at once?

and where do u guys do all these stuff? at the studio? or just figure it out 1st at ur friends house, with the shitty equipments and without the drums before heading to the studio?

 

[sLapshock]

i humm it. anyway my style is do everythign first then find te tone for ur singing and lastly lyrics.

 

[Mr_KeyboardMan]

For me:

1. Create chord progression
2. Create some funky or nice sounding riff from the progression
3. Make a melody and suitable lyrics that suit the riff or let your lyricist or singer do it.
4. arrangement: just jam and see what can be added.

 

[hifi_killer]

so... nobody does lyrics 1st here?

 

[nic1327]

I do! hahaha. I do lyrics first, but I usually have a melody with the lyrics. then i add in the chords.

There isn't really a structure, just write the way that feels best for you :]

rock on!

 

[Chang]

1.Do guard duty
--> stand and stone
--> hum a little riff to keep myself awake
--> if riff not nice change riff, if riff not so bad..
--> add more stuff to riff to sound more complete
--> take out handphone and record using voice recorder, meanwhile looking like a stupid idiot.
--> resume stoning

2. back home
--> put recorded hummed stuff onto guitar.
--> present it to band and let them fill in the stuff.

(usually my band has crap lyrics..but oh well)

 

[atee]

I do whichever comes to mind first.

If there's the nice riff/chord progression that I came up with through random playing then I keep it in mind, maybe throw in a little more before adding suitable lyrics to it.

If there's something I really want to write about, then I probably get the lyrics done first before adding the chords, then the melody, then other stuff.

And I don't think it's good to compose in a studio, because every minute is money. Then you start rushing everything and the song doesn't turn out very good.

 

[a_b_normal123]

I'll do the lyrics...And get someone else to do the melody for me!!!!

lol..

Tammi

 

[serialninja]

Step 1: take hot shower.
Step 2: relax.
Step 3: come up with awesome riffs while rockin' out naked in said shower.
Step 4: get out of shower, dry off, grab guitar.
Step 5: take down riffs and ideas for lyrics on computer
Step 6: structure it, complete the lyrics, come up with drum, bass, 2nd guitar, and vocal harmony parts. usually i just sugest small ideas for the parts instead even though i have an entire arrangement worked out in my head already, because i like my band to take part in the songwriting process.
Step 7: put on clothes.
Step 8: take it to band for their input/ideas/alterations.
Step 9: finish the song with the band.

steps 1-7 usually take anywhere between 5 minutes to 1/2hr depending on the complexity of the song.

steps 8 and 9 can take quite a while to decide how exactly we want the song to be like and for everyone to get it tight.

 

[arljes]

the vocalist of my band writes alot of poetry which he will brings along for jamming sessions. usually, while the guitarist and bassist tune their weapons of choice, my drummer and i will jam a little and sometimes this is how we come up with tunes. vocalist then sings to tune. guitarist and bassist joins in. someone screams for the drummer to stop drumming. we come up with a structure for the song (verse verse pre-chorus chorus verse bridge chorus, or something). then we jam some more.

or, if someone has a good idea, we'll send it to each other thru the net and expound on the idea during jamming.

i think this thread is really helpful cos my band is trying to find more efficient ways to write songs. we should stop trying to compose in studios cos it costs alot, but we have nowhere else to jam together.

this has been a very long post =_='

 

[gordonzz]

Step 1: .

8O 8O u did all ur ideas liao den u wear cloths? :lol: should wear first.. wait air con blow u sick or ur neighbour's gal saw u tru window how? hahah.. use ur guitar cover ur part la.. no offence though just jokin

anyway.. im abit selfish if u call it or what la.. i prefer to do all my lyrics, music myself.. i would have this tune whether its music or lyrics (singing stupid words like 'i love u i love i love u' for the tune at the first while im watchin tv or what lah.. ) den work on music.. den write in proper lyrics at the same time.. haha dono .. but if i were to compose music for other's lyrics or vice versa for lyrics.. i normally dont get it the way i want or my style.. simply means i wont like it :roll: :roll: so i would write lyrics.. music .. tune.. wadeva a song .. den will pass to drummer or what durin jammin and he would compose the beat or what..

 

[serialninja]

u did all ur ideas liao den u wear cloths? :lol: should wear first.. wait air con blow u sick or ur neighbour's gal saw u tru window how? hahah.. use ur guitar cover ur part la.. no offence though just jokin

i keep my curtains drawn all the time.

 

[gordonzz]

haha.. :lol: :lol: rem to dont on the air con too

 

[boomdoom]

i write the songs - barry manilow

 

[letterhead]

wow... didn't noe u people spend so much effort... i juz come up with a riff, develop it, write the lyrics then its done. less than a hour.... excluding those times in the studio

 

[teraslasch]

1) Churn out some nice chord progressions
2) Fix a catchy melody to the progressions
3) Think of an arrangement and do it the IT MUSIC way.
*4a) Lets vocalist do the lyrics to fit the melody (although he complains about that), if it doesnt work out, the work goes to me and guitarist LOL!
4) Let the band play it, let guitarist add his solos, let rhythmn put his strummings, let drummer listen to the sample with my drums and without drums for him to put his creative bits, my bassist will settle the lines when we are jamming ..
5) Get my guitarists and vocalist to record the demo in my home studio, arrange, arrange somore, mix , then send to ppl ...

 

[boomdoom]

wah! so easy meh?

 

[rottenramone]

..

yup. no hard and fast rules, really...

 

[glentiaw]

1) come up with something in my head
2) record rough guitar part down
3) tell my band what i had in mind
4) let em work their parts out
5) put it together and develop in the studio

my vocalist handles the vocal line and lyrics...
he's awesome so i don't interfere...

 

[Muzdecruz]

.uh.

.chord progression + hummin.

.lyrics are secondary i guess,dependin on how u wan the song to come out.

.den comes the fun part...experimenting wit the keyboards,drums and even harmonica. yeehaa 8)