Song Writing Tips (Melodies & Lyrics)

[Get Fucked]

I have NO problem what-so-ever with writing guitar but I cannot for the life of me write good melodies or lyrics. Any tips? PLEASE? lol.

[Carlo Marx]

learn theory?

[exthuse]

I have NO problem what-so-ever with writing guitar but I cannot for the life of me write good melodies or lyrics. Any tips? PLEASE? lol.
Use a pen.

[Carlo Marx]

comedy

[Get Fucked]

Maybe I should just change the title of the thread to "Smart Ass Remarks : Post Here" just shut up if you're not actually going to help me ... or atleast try.

[IcedOpethBlind]

I have NO problem what-so-ever with writing guitar but I cannot for the life of me write good melodies or lyrics. Any tips? PLEASE? lol.

hmm. i think it should really just come naturally, like how the progression of the song goes and such. sometimes the melody doesnt really come out until you add another dynamic to it (i.e. i write guitar parts for a band im in with a friend, then send it to her, and she adds lyrics to it, then it seems mor emelody come sout of the track). i dunno, just try to "feel" what you write and sort of subconsciously think aobut a melody you could think of with a few chords. maybe "hum" something out then translate to guitar.

...btw, if you want to check my band out and hear stuff i write, you can check it out at:

www.myspace.com/passengerairbag

gl

[b e L I E v e]

Maybe I should just change the title of the thread to "Smart Ass Remarks : Post Here" just shut up if you're not actually going to help me ... or atleast try.
no, we already have a thread named that

[exthuse]

no, we already have a thread named that
That thread came from this thread.

[Carlo Marx]

That thread came from this thread.
correct!

[Get Fucked]

hmm. i think it should really just come naturally, like how the progression of the song goes and such. sometimes the melody doesnt really come out until you add another dynamic to it (i.e. i write guitar parts for a band im in with a friend, then send it to her, and she adds lyrics to it, then it seems mor emelody come sout of the track). i dunno, just try to "feel" what you write and sort of subconsciously think aobut a melody you could think of with a few chords. maybe "hum" something out then translate to guitar.

...btw, if you want to check my band out and hear stuff i write, you can check it out at:

www.myspace.com/passengerairbag (http://www.myspace.com/passengerairbag)

glThanks man. Something funny I found out, Sydney's singer was trying to help my band out and he told me the way he actually learned to write a good song was by googling "Writing songs for radio" and reading up on it for around 5 months .. his melodies are now awesome.

[b e L I E v e]

That thread came from this thread.
::shakes his head::

s-a-r-c-a-s-m

[actionandaction]

start a grindcore band. i'm serious.

[DeadCityScars]

I have that problem to. Sometimes I sing a melody with the guitar, like I can't break away. But I think i'm getting better. The idea is to just play your riff and try to keep it in the background, not let it sync to much with your mind.

Maybe record your guitar, then listen to it, and come up with lyrics from that. After all, most bands write the music first.

[Get Fucked]

I have that problem to. Sometimes I sing a melody with the guitar, like I can't break away. But I think i'm getting better. The idea is to just play your riff and try to keep it in the background, not let it sync to much with your mind.

Maybe record your guitar, then listen to it, and come up with lyrics from that. After all, most bands write the music first.Yeah, i have some of the songs recorded acoustic .. up on purevolume, the links in my sig.

[ArTkY_]

A melody on guitar or a melody vocally?

[Get Fucked]

A melody on guitar or a melody vocally?Vocally, i'm not sure what you mean by guitar melody? like a riff?

[ArTkY_]

Vocally, i'm not sure what you mean by guitar melody? like a riff?
I meant like lead riffs.

[Get Fucked]

I meant like lead riffs.I have no problem with that haha. Which I guess some people would find weird since I can't make up a melody.

[marbury1414]

I have no problem with that haha. Which I guess some people would find weird since I can't make up a melody.

Not weird at all, honestly it's all about experience. It sucks but you can't expect your first couple songs to come out how you want them, you have to write some shit songs and learn from the experience. Believe me though, the more you write/sing with your guitar parts, the easier it will be later on the road. And like someone said before, you can't be married to your riff otherwise it'll be alot harder to write a worthwhile melody. It's a lot easier to write a melody to someone elses song, and you have to separate yourself from the guitar and look at the part you're trying to sing over objectively. And along lyrical lines, a big mistake alot of young writers seem to make is that they try to write things to personal right way and the lyrics come out generic because they have no writing experience. You should start writing lyrics based on things you observe/literary influences/anything outside your normal experiences. After that, writing tends to naturally move towards the more personal once you've expanded your "lyrical vocabulary" so to speak.

Well that's my advice and it's strictly from personal experience, so try and see what works and what doesn't. Good luck with the songwriting.

[FstFtsVsFences]

I know so much more about that type of thing. Listen to me instead of Danny.

[Hilikus]

In order to come up with lyrics and a vocal melody for a song I just imrovise as i play it. Just randomly sing. As soon as i get one good line i write it down and then elaborate on it.

[PunkDrums182]

Maybe I should just change the title of the thread to "Smart Ass Remarks : Post Here" just shut up if you're not actually going to help me ... or atleast try.
I cant evene explain it. Write A LOT. I've written so many shitty lyrics. but then good ones come out sometimes. That's all i got. dont rhyme too much.

[Get Fucked]

Not weird at all, honestly it's all about experience. It sucks but you can't expect your first couple songs to come out how you want them, you have to write some shit songs and learn from the experience. Believe me though, the more you write/sing with your guitar parts, the easier it will be later on the road. And like someone said before, you can't be married to your riff otherwise it'll be alot harder to write a worthwhile melody. It's a lot easier to write a melody to someone elses song, and you have to separate yourself from the guitar and look at the part you're trying to sing over objectively. And along lyrical lines, a big mistake alot of young writers seem to make is that they try to write things to personal right way and the lyrics come out generic because they have no writing experience. You should start writing lyrics based on things you observe/literary influences/anything outside your normal experiences. After that, writing tends to naturally move towards the more personal once you've expanded your "lyrical vocabulary" so to speak.

Well that's my advice and it's strictly from personal experience, so try and see what works and what doesn't. Good luck with the songwriting.Thanks man, i'm starting to understand a little more now because I notice I can't help but follow the riff when i'm trying to make the melody, but ive tried a few just blocking it out and singing along like I would with a song thats already there .. if that makes sesne and it kinda comes out nicer.

[marbury1414]

Thanks man, i'm starting to understand a little more now because I notice I can't help but follow the riff when i'm trying to make the melody, but ive tried a few just blocking it out and singing along like I would with a song thats already there .. if that makes sesne and it kinda comes out nicer.

Counter melody generally works well in songs, having a vocal melody follow a riff usually sounds cheesey, and it's a tendency to write that way if you're the one who wrote the riff. I totally get what you mean, you just have to learn to separate.

[FstFtsVsFences]

Counter melody generally works well in songs, having a vocal melody follow a riff usually sounds cheesey, and it's a tendency to write that way if you're the one who wrote the riff. I totally get what you mean, you just have to learn to separate.
omg you get me so hot when you talk like that. :wow:

[Get Fucked]

Counter melody generally works well in songs, having a vocal melody follow a riff usually sounds cheesey, and it's a tendency to write that way if you're the one who wrote the riff. I totally get what you mean, you just have to learn to separate.It's so hard, I just keep going off the riff and then back on it, and yeah I guess it's because i wrote it.

[marbury1414]

It's so hard, I just keep going off the riff and then back on it, and yeah I guess it's because i wrote it.

Record the riff, then let it sit for a day or two, write some new guitar pars and then come back to it. Again, all about separation and objectivity.

omg you get me so hot when you talk like that. :wow:

do me right now

[FstFtsVsFences]

You don't mean that. :(

[marbury1414]

You don't mean that. :(

you're right i dont.....sorry?

[FstFtsVsFences]

you're right i dont.....sorry?
It's k I guess.

[EnderDove]

You cant ask help on how to write lyrics. Just write.

The only thing that I could say would be read, as in books.

Otherwise, just write.

[CircleMaker]

Listen to some Coheed and Cambria, then you'll find out that no matter how random you lyrics seem, SOMEONE can find some meaning to them and then you can make it into the musical equivalent to Star Wars.

[Get Fucked]

You cant ask help on how to write lyrics. Just write.

The only thing that I could say would be read, as in books.

Otherwise, just write.Yeah, I should change the title. I don't lyric help haha, just melody help.

[btbam > you]

theory.

[FinchBulldog2]

I have NO problem what-so-ever with writing guitar but I cannot for the life of me write good melodies or lyrics. Any tips? PLEASE? lol.
Just get lessons from Hawthorne Heights.

[Get Fucked]

Just get lessons from Hawthorne Heights.You're back .. and that wasn't even funny.