the writing process

[Samuel]

i have this weird fascination to find out how my favorite artists/bands go about writing the songs that end up on the albums..so i was wondering how you guys go about writing music and lyrics and such.

i usually start off with some lyrics. i base what kind of music it will be emotion wise (sad,mad,happy, etc.) based off how im feeling that time. i usually start with just an acoustic guitar and start with a simple riff that compliments the emotion of the song, i try usually to stray away from power chords for this part and try to use chords that i have from this book i got. after that i work around that riff and build on that, then i finish my lyrics. so ill have a basic song with acoustic and lyrics then i usually go back nad would add other instruments (synth, bass, as of now) if i felt the need to.

[Vandal182]

I think of an song idea, and write around that idea. I make or pick one of my old riffs then i just try to figure a vocal melody that goes around the riff. For bass, i make basslines around the root notes of said riff. That's pretty much it. Sometimes i would go outside and think of a line, then write around that line.

[Hilikus]

I usually start with a chord progression or a cool riff and build off of that by finding other chords that fit with it. If it is a riff i will use scales to expand upon. Once i have a complete instrumental version of the song I improvise lyrics to it as i play it. When i come up with what i think are some solid lines then i write them down. The end product is...yeah a pretty sweet song.

[IcedOpethBlind]

i usually just try to come up with a basic melody or sequence and build around it as much as i think needs to be for a particular track. some songs flow along really nicely, but sometimes ill have a riff or melody that i really enjoy but cant seem to add much to. basically, for me as a guitarist, i try to bring emotion into the music i write and hope it can move others. if you want to check out my band, anyway, there's a link in my signature. we're just a two-piece (me on guitar, friend on vocals).

[EnderDove]

I write tons of stuff, then sit and play random guitar parts. When I find a guitar part I like I find lyrics to go with it.

Bam.

[Blared]

It just comes out, and that's when I know I wrote something worth keeping. I never sit down and say "time to write this." I have lines I keep inside my head for a few days, and eventually write them down, but most of it is a sudden ability I seem to get to just write what I'm thinking. It's odd, and frustrating.

[ArTkY_]

It depends. Sometimes I write lyrics first, sometimes I write guitar parts first. I write both guitar and bass parts, though. It's cool!

[SonEric84]

It just comes out, and that's when I know I wrote something worth keeping. I never sit down and say "time to write this." I have lines I keep inside my head for a few days, and eventually write them down, but most of it is a sudden ability I seem to get to just write what I'm thinking. It's odd, and frustrating.


Yeah I know exactly what you mean I can never sit down and say "well hey it's time to write some lyrics" I usually there has to be something happening to me or someone I know that I feel strongly about and then the words come to me, other times my mind is blank and it stresses me to no end because I'm afraid I'll never write again. haha

[Blared]

Yeah, it questions if I have talent at all. Alot of inspiration can be a good tool.

[OveriseFan]

Yeah, it questions if I have talent at all. Alot of inspiration can be a good tool.Yea, just think about what's happened though and it's usually FAIRLY easy to find some inspiration too.

I haven't started writing guitar parts yet, but I'll start soon.

I need advice for writing piano parts would the same apply as the guitar stuff?

[youcomebeforeyo]

I just play play and play. Eventually riffs start coming together and things become connected. Then I just sing, anything really.

Eventually I tighten it all up/write it down and refine it.

[btbam > you]

me and one of my other guitarists usually just come up with riffs on our own, and then bring them to practice to see if we can piece them together into something that works.