Songwriting

[A. Iverson]

Hello

Im very curious about how songs are written, did Mikael ever mention in an interview somwhere the sequence he adopts when writing a song? Does he prepare the lyrics first, then try to come up with a theme that fits them? Or is the music layed out first then the lyrics are made to match? And when do the bass and the drums come in? I remember Mikael saying something about them never jamming (or was that Peter?) so how the hell are all the different parts fused toghether?

I'd appreciate it if you could enlighten me!

Thanks

 

[ViCyniC]

Buy their Lamentations DVD.

 

[A. Iverson]

ok......... and in the meantime ?

 

[ViCyniC]

Song before lyrics...No jamming confirmed by Mike...Bass and drums are done usually along with or after lead/rhythm guitars. All of this is mentioned/shown in the DVD.

 

[gatedropper]

There is no set formula to songwriting. All of your questions would be ways to formulate a song. Some start with a melody or a riff. Words are added later. Some start with a poem or words and then they are adapted to music.
I would start with a riff or two and adapt them to some chord changes that sound good then write words that go with the music you have invented.

 

[opeth_353]

I doubt you care.. but i always find the happy medium is to write the lyrics first then form your song around them. The lyrics tend to suffer when i write the music first, but when i write the lyrics first the songs seem to be equally as good if not better.

I get the feeling Mike will write lyrics and think up/write riffs that he' imagine would go well at the same time.. and bit by bit record them onto his multitrack. My mate also does that .. will write lyrics and simultaneously think up the riffs then record them once he's got them and slowly build up a song.

 

[EveOfDarkness]

Hello

Im very curious about how songs are written, did Mikael ever mention in an interview somwhere the sequence he adopts when writing a song? Does he prepare the lyrics first, then try to come up with a theme that fits them? Or is the music layed out first then the lyrics are made to match? And when do the bass and the drums come in? I remember Mikael saying something about them never jamming (or was that Peter?) so how the hell are all the different parts fused toghether?

I'd appreciate it if you could enlighten me!

Thanks

hey listen to this interview with Mike. He kinda goes into detalis about how he writes songs. Its actually pretty interesting

http://www.toazted.com/artistinfo.php?artist=694

 

[polarity3]

what opeth do seems to be less songwriting and more smashing unrelated riffs together and calling it a song

 

[ViCyniC]

STFU hater lolz

 

[Jon Snow]

what opeth do seems to be less songwriting and more smashing unrelated riffs together and calling it a song

Yeah, but have you listened to anything post-Morningrise?

 

[the_3_toed_sloth]

^^^
Akerfeldt often talks about coming up with different parts, swapping them about and eventually finding ways to join them together into songs. Have you seen Lamentations?

 

[A. Iverson]

thank you for your help, i'm only interested because i often face difficulties when writing songs myself. I always have these great parts but i dont know how to mix them and they never sound right when i do mix them. And i never know how to properly incorporate the lyrics into a song, so i usually end up doing these instrumentals which so sound so cheesy because they were meant to be vocalised.

 

[annt]

ever thought of having someone else to write songs with? (s)he could help you with the arrangements and lyrics. just a thought.

 

[A. Iverson]

yeah makes sense i guess, my gf sometimes helps me with the lyrics because she's much more articulate than me, but the rest of my friends arent really into opeth, so...

 

[madaemanon]

Definately music before lyrics.

Of course several times I've written them seperately and then certain lyrics just happen to fit certain music like a farkin glove.

 

[annt]

I always write the music before lyrics or I have written them separately, and then edit the lyrics to fit the song... I should definitely start doing it the other way round, or at least try... could be interesting.

 

[Benighted Joe]

I don't think Mike just writes parts totally randomly. I'm sure he has a scale in mind and then plays around with it or have some part and then makes passages that fits. Otherwise you come up with parts that do not fit as you mentioned.

Mike writes the lyrics after he has finished songs. But not always though... The lyrics for "My arms, your hearse" was written before the melody.
Opeth has the following structure and recording order (approx.): drums, bass, comp guitar, lead guitar/vocals/solos.

Don't forget that Opeth, and especially Mike, is extremely musical and that they have been musicians for quite some time! I don't think he's got problems matching his parts.

I make music myself and I work exactly like this. I often write lyrics after I have a good melody. I'm gonna try to do the opposite in my next project just because I know the lyrics tend to be better in that way (as someone mentioned here).

Hope I've been informative.

Good luck!

 

[A. Iverson]

yes you have thank you very much

 

[:Wreath:]

Yeah I guess everybody has their own way to deal with this... Me, I write the music first, since it expresses my emotions way better than any written word. After that I think of lyrics that would go along well with the music. It's important to wrie the music first because if you write the lyrics first they often lack the flow and you end up spitting verses like a machine gun to catch up with the riff. And with time and practice, the lyrics that you write for the song will express what you want them to express... For me vocals are as much a part of the music as any instrument so it's very important to make it pleasent for the ear (that is: give it a good flow) and not just for the mind...

 

[vampyrouss]

I always have ideas for lyrics first, get my bandmate to write the music to my specified theme and then use lyrics I have in mind or write the rest of the lyrics depending on if they will fit. I may then ask him to rearrange it a little, like add an extra verse line or whatever.

Works well I find, especially if I can implant that theme deeply enough whilst he is song writing the lyrics just seem to gel with the atmosphere. I never have anything to do with song writing because I cant do it. Its much easier just to concentrate on the lyrics and how to do the vocals for me at least.