How do you write a song?

[xtristessax]

For those of you who compose music, casually or as a career or as the only way of being, I have a question for you. How do you write a song?

I've been playing guitar for over 10 years (self-taught) but I never learned how to read music, and I don't know any music theory outside of natural insight coming from being familiar with my instrument. I feel like I harmed by this when writing songs. I mean, my ear is right on, but I have a hard time knowing my musical options when I'm writing with a certain melody in mind. I really feel like i've written some killer hooks and I know how I want the song to sound like overall, but sometimes getting beyond the melody of the chorus takes me FOREVER, like months, to come up with arrangements for the verses, leads, etc. I write for myself, and I've never seen someone compose first-hand, so I wanted to know how YOU write songs.

For me, I pretty much always start with a lyrical melody or even just a strong sentence without a tune and the tune comes later. i hardly ever just sit down and write at the start, usually a line or melody just comes to me and i have to write it down and go back to it later. i try not to edit too much from the original idea, and if i do i keep all versions of the song in my notebook in case i want to re-write it later. i am a really great critic in every other aspect of my life, but i don't know when to leave things alone sometimes when writing music, which is another reason i keep all the versions of one song. a song...can be anything! i'm pretty much dead on in judging my visual art...but music is another story.

i also find it easier to compose as a version of myself...i find it really hard to say everything i want to say about who i am in one song with limited time to say it. i end up writing about one aspect of idea, which makes composing thoughts easier for me. its hard to explain it, but thats the best i can do.

anyway, what about you? you're thoughts on yourself or me are greatly appreciated!

[Cozmo D]

There is no correct way to write a song, though there are many recognized techniques.

I write all kinds of ways to all kinds of music, but the way that I usually write is to start with a beat, a bass line or a chordal progression. It has to be something that speaks to me right away or I will usually trash it. I will then fill it in with a basic rhythm section accompaniment, and see what melody starts to sing from it. By then the song has started to take on a mood and paint a picture. At this point I will usuaully not do much to it music wise, unless it's screaming a change or bridge or chorus at me. What I'll do is start to define the mood and melody further, and start to write lyrics that either fit or explain them. With any luck and/or blessings the song will basically write itself at that point, and the rest of the process will consist of tweaking and completing.

All of this will usually take me a month or so, not counting distractions. Counting the distractions, it's usually years. :D

[xtristessax]

that sounds really cool, and very opposit of my approach. :)

[Louis85]

Did I remember Be say that he comes up with a bunch of titles for a song, and then uses those titles to form lyrics in a song? Either he said that or someone else told me that. "Shoot the Man" and "Slap Yo Mama" could become "I'm gonna shoot the man who slapped yo mama" the first line of the song. :)

Be's going to be pissed at me if he didn't say that!

[Cozmo D]

Did I remember Be say that he comes up with a bunch of titles for a song, and then uses those titles to form lyrics in a song? Either he said that or someone else told me that. "Shoot the Man" and "Slap Yo Mama" could become "I'm gonna shoot the man who slapped yo mama" the first line of the song. :)

Be's going to be pissed at me if he didn't say that!
That's the technique that Phillip Bailey taught him, I don't know if he's used it since though. :)