Song Writing (not asking for help)

[divine_torture]

I'm curious to know how others go about writing music. Amount of time, lyrics, rewriting riffs, etc.

As for me, I always start off with a guitar riff. I play and sing simultaneously, so I write lyrics/vocal patterns after a riff. It can take days, weeks, to write a song to my satisfaction. I tend to over analyze my writing. I'll rewrite the same riff like 3 or 4 times, and sometimes go back to the original. The idea for drums is there while I write a riff.

I also never record what I write until I have a complete work. I always play by memory. This helps to not over analyze, and to make the sound fresh when I go back to playing it.

 

[EerieVon]

With me it depends, if I come up with a good riff then I will structure the lyrics around it but usually I write lyrics first and music around it. As far as time, once again it depends, usually it really just flows out and I can have a completed song in a couple of days--after the usual revisions

 

[xeperu]

I found the best thing that works for me is to just mess around with an instrument, find something catchy, then create a drum sample to match it. And from then on, I structure it accordingly.

I used to take a chord progression and structure the whole song harmonically to the progression, but I found that not even thinking of the structure but rather 'what sounds good' is a lot more productive.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

It really depends. Sometimes I start off a song with a lyrical idea, sometimes with a chord progression, sometimes a guitar riff, and sometimes a melody that I have synths play. Then the song just progresses from there.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

Lyrics are vocals are the easiest part for me to write, because all of my songs are instrumental

Sometimes I just put random numbers into TabIt and eventually come up with something. Other times I just feel like writing a song in a specific key or scale. Usually though, I already have an idea, either from emulation of something else I've heard that might have inspired me, or occasionally from a dream or I will just spontaneously come up with something and try to write it down.

I genereally start with the guitar if I'm writing death metal, but if I'm writing black metal or some other genre, then I'll probably start with synths strings, orchestral harp, or choir aahs and mess around with the instrument patch until I find something I'm happy with. Usually the drums are the second thing that I write, but they're probably just a simple bass snare pattern with some cymbals / hats / bells to keep a beat and general feel of the piece. After the guitar(s), synth lead (if applicable) and drums are present, I may decide to add some ambient synth pads or choirs.

For the first 30 to 60 seconds of any given song, I probably spend between 40 and 120 minutes. The rest usually goes by a little quicker though, because if I repeat a riff later on, I can just copy and paste it.

 

[divine_torture]

I used to take a chord progression and structure the whole song harmonically to the progression, but I found that not even thinking of the structure but rather 'what sounds good' is a lot more productive.

I used to do the same thing. I'd get a chord progression or some riff I really really like, and base the entire song on that one thing. Now it's just free flow basically. If it sounds good and can work together then it's good.

 

[genocide roach]

i have to be in a certain mood to write, and its usually inspired by a new cd i picked up, or a band i saw. riffs just pour in, i remember some, and then i take em to the next practice
~gR~

 

[viewerfromnihil]

i'm inconsistant. sometimes i'll write a song in a half an hour and other times i'll spend month's on a song

 

[Gold]

I choose atmosphere and a key signature, decide all the fun stuff i want to throw in(clean parts, chorus' major hooks) base the riffs on the major parts, base the fills on the riffs, compose in my head, record.

 

[waif]

Often what happens is I think of a cool phrase or something. Then when I'm dicking around on guitar I'll come up with a riff and I'll realize that it could go in the same song as that phrase. Then I'll sorta imagine the song in my head. Sometimes I'll write the verse riff based on the vocal line, sometimes I'll write the vocal line based on the verse riff. With choruses if I can write catchy chorus lyrics then I'll go with the big chorus, if I can't then I'll just go for either no chorus or a really simple one (such as just shouting the name of the song and going back into the main riff). My best songs have been written in either 10 minutes or 3 months, but usually the bulk of a song will be finished in one sitting. Collaborative writing generally sucks, but sometimes someone will show me some riffs or something and I'll go work it into a song.
My main problem is I have to completely imagine the drums and keyboards and other stuff because I have no access to any of that.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

if I can't then I'll just go for either no chorus or a really simple one (such as just shouting the name of the song and going back into the main riff).

I believe this is called Rammsteining.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

Full lyrics first, usually a chorus, bridge, or opening line will arrive to start with. I might not have a melody for anything yet, but I'll have an idea of the rhythm of everything, how each verse line goes, how the bridges or choruses will be put together, etc, and I'll write the whole thing and look over it. I also usually have a little vault of riffs laying around, and one or more of them typically tend to be very workable with a particular song, so when I find one, I apply it and start working with whatever keys and moods the riffs are conjuring in order to write vocal melodies, after that I splice together the main riff sets and I work on 'mid section' guitar...solos and et al. The stuff under the vocals and the end of the song comes last, then we (band) jam it out and figure out the little dynamic things, additional bass parts, key parts, backing vocals, or whatever, then song is done.

 

[waif]

I believe this is called Rammsteining.

Actually, I'm pretty certain it's called thrash metal.
Iron Maiden frequently do the same thing, actually.

I need to get something for recording into my pc so I can have a sorta riff bank and also arrange songs at home. There's a Line 6 thing that's about $200 and comes with a small keyboard iirc that should do the trick.