For all you songwriters out there

[Basska]

When do you feel you're up for writing songs most?

for example: I write my bass lines intoxicated most of the time and then perfect them from there on out.
and I write lyrics just whenever the words come to my head.

How do you guys like to create?


Chris

(PC version haha)

Edited March 29, 2010 by Basska

[thisnameistaken]

Usually I'll get a melody idea in my head and record it just humming or whatever, eventually when I have a spare evening / day I'll flick through the pile of recorded ideas I've collected and have a bash at expanding on my favourite one.

Bass parts tend to come quite late to be honest. Usually I don't have a bass part until the vocal is complete.

[Delberthot]

I like smoking bananas to open up the doors of creation



Just yanking your chain, I've never felt the urge to write anything

[Bassassin]

Never under the influence of anything! Don't do any substances any more, but any time I tried writing when high the results were utter, utter crap in the cold light of sobriety!

A composition will usually develop from a guitar idea (I've never found composing on bass to be productive - it's much easier for me to put a bass part to a guitar riff than vice-versa) and as the structure comes together, so the arrangement will come together in my head. I get to the point where I can "hear" a full song & play it through in my head, so recording it basically becomes a matter of trying to replicate that with instruments.

I'm not much of a lyricist (preferring to leave that to the literate!) and as I work with an incredibly talented vocalist I try not to have too much influence on vocal melody & arrangements. Sometimes I'll be given a lyric or vocal idea, & suggestions for style, tempo, feel etc & that can be a very symbiotic process. The most recent project we've worked on (and to be honest, it's taken a few years to come together coherently) ended up with numerous recurring melodic, rhythmic & lyrical themes over the course of 9 songs/50-odd minutes of music.

Jon.

[Wil]

I always write on guitar. I find a bassline often doesn't have it's full impact until there are a set of chords for it to intertwine with. I'd love a piano to compose on - one day!

[xgsjx]

I work with a vocalist/guitarist. Sometimes he brings an idea for a vocal or guitar part & other times I bring a bassline or a melody & we work on things from there.
I have other instruments to hand, but I tend not to use them much for writing unless I plan on playing it instead of bass or for the occasional melody idea.

The songs formed from basslines are my favourites as they're usually the most melodic & intricate with the vocals often in unison with the bassline (not every case tho).

I'll try & find a decentish recording of something to give an idea of what I mean.

[Basska]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='789053' date='Mar 29 2010, 12:48 AM']I work with a vocalist/guitarist. Sometimes he brings an idea for a vocal or guitar part & other times I bring a bassline or a melody & we work on things from there.
I have other instruments to hand, but I tend not to use them much for writing unless I plan on playing it instead of bass or for the occasional melody idea.

The songs formed from basslines are my favourites as they're usually the most melodic & intricate with the vocals often in unison with the bassline (not every case tho).

I'll try & find a decentish recording of something to give an idea of what I mean.[/quote]

My favourite song to date that I've written was written on my acoustic bass with singing.
It makes me upset listening the recording it tho because when it gets to the bridge my bass is over powered and thats my favourite bassline on the whole album!
+ we never play it live because my guitarist/singer brother is never happy with his harmony. I do all the vocals on the track and he can't sing that high.
Rage haha

The song is called 'Seen Not Heard' and it's on our myspace if you'd like to hear it


Chris

Edited March 28, 2010 by Basska

[Deep Thought]

One thing I cannot do is just sit down and write a song-it has to happen when it happens. I don't play enough guitar to use it for writing, so I will usually come up with a bass line and wait for some lyrics to come to me-usually whilst driving at work! Other times music and lyrics will come to me simultaneously. I have to rely on the other guys in the band to come up with their parts, although sometimes I'll have an idea what I want the guitar and drums to do.

[oldslapper]

I keep (and update) a "book" of song titles that I'll take as starting points, then if I come up with an interesting melody idea/hook, I'll try matching with an appropriate lyrical idea.
Keeps me focused...........ooooh look!... a fly.....

[xilddx]

I'll noodle around on guitar and once I get a couple of chord changes that please me, I can hear where the song's going and the rest of the song usually writes itself. Words and vocal lines usually just happen. After that it's a process of re-writing and refinement. I just got a little MicroKorg synth so I'll probably start writing on that when I get some time.

I never write on the bass, it's usually the last thing to get done.

[Low End Bee]

Take one bottle of Rioja add an old Korean Squier Mankocaster and a notepad and pen.
Write 5 songs. Realise they are all pants. Take the one good verse and one good chorus from two of the five and shove them together.
Take the song to rest of band. Have the guitarist say he doesn't like the verse or chorus. Let him come up with a new and better verse/chorus on the spot and take it like a man.

[OldGit]

[quote name='oldslapper' post='789174' date='Mar 29 2010, 08:30 AM']I keep (and update) a "book" of song titles that I'll take as starting points, then if I come up with an interesting melody idea/hook, I'll try matching with an appropriate lyrical idea.
Keeps me focused...........ooooh look!... a fly.....[/quote]

As I am permanently straight, I have noticed that I am much more creative at different times of day. Ideas seem to come along at these times.

I've books of lyrics, song title ideas (well database files these days) and melody ideas recordings in voice memo files.
Sometimes they coalesce into songs.

However the songs that tend to work best are largely born fully formed and in a really fast time.
A bit of editing later to tighten things up and they are fine.

One day I'll make the album....

[Basska]

'Coalesce' was excellent word choice for this time of day!

Chris

[OldGit]

[quote name='Basska' post='789198' date='Mar 29 2010, 10:06 AM']'Coalesce' was excellent word choice for this time of day!

Chris[/quote]


well [b]I[/b] didn't smoke my breakfast

[Low End Bee]

[quote name='OldGit' post='789252' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:19 AM']well [b]I[/b] didn't smoke my breakfast [/quote]

No kippers?

[Tech]

i have a battered old jackson on a stand next to my bed, for all the times when it's 4am and i can't sleep... i tend to write a lot of stuff then.

other than that, i like *drinking* when writing, but not being *drunk*. so the first half of a bottle of wine, or the first can or two.

when coming up with totally fresh ideas, i tend to do music-by-serendipity. as soon as i've come across a nice sounding melody i write it down and use theory to construct a song out of it.

(although these days most of the stuff I write is bounced off the piano player and bassist in my band, who is an absolute musical genius!)

[phil.i.stein]

much of the time i do the "whistle in the head" sh*t.

other times i wake in the middle of the night with a tune in my sad little brain. (they are invariably my best numbers)

i have bought a digital dictaphone thing for just this reason. !!

[Dom in Dorset]

It happens in many different ways for me.
I keep notebooks that I write down any lyric/melody ideas that I have, sometimes I put something together from those. Sometimes I'll sit watching tv late at night, write down five pages of gibberish, later on I might edit those into a song.
Sometimes a song appears fully formed in my head, I just have to write it down, it's like I'm being possessed by the spirit of someone with tallent.
Once and only once I wrote a song to order. I had been asked if I had another song for the band, later that week I sat down picked up a pen, wrote the song took it to the next rehursal. Not the best thing I ever wrote, not the worst.Usually get most of my ideas when I'm too bussy to work on them. I usually play guitar when I'm writing.

[thodrik]

Sometimes it just comes into my head, when doing something else, then I need to find an instrument to try it out, usually it the bass.

Sitting down composing is usually with the bass. I usually compose it as if its a bass solo piece. So I build up chords, melodic runs, and loads of other bits that I have no intention of playing in a band environment. This way I have the skeleton of the song and an idea of what I want the guitar to do.

I write with the guitar as well, but I don't believe that the guitar is necessarily a better instrument for composing. The bass is only limited if you are trying to write a bassline, rather than a song/composition. If you are using the guitar to write a bunch of bloc guitar chords, then its not really any better.

I just tend not to use keys/piano. Mostly because I don't own any.

[theosd]

In my last band I took over lyric writing duty as I was getting frustrated with how long it took the vocalist to come up with words! I've recently been into writing poetry too. I just need to find a band I can really express myself in now, options are very thin on the ground right now.

I find inspiration just comes to me. Never force it, it won't be worth it. Writing intoxicated is fine; I believe it helps you expand your linguistic potential!
I leave you now with a small poem I wrote while supervising an English lesson at work (I was very tired!) entitled ... (dramatic pause) ... [i]"Sleep"[/i]. Eyethangyew...

Allow for sleep to envelope
Whilst gently teething dreams,
Force thoughts through mesh which interlope
And outline what life means.

Envoy of subconscious, grope
And wrestle strong yet deft,
Enjoy how sleep refreshes hope;
Allow that slice of death.

When last I frolic down that slope
Where gentle sunsets bask,
I'll follow down each subtle stope
Into a sleep that lasts.

Edited March 30, 2010 by theosd