Composition. Instrument led or Writer led?

[Chordite]

When I am writing I seem to fall into one of two modes.

Instrument led where I am just tinkering around and something nice just pops out which I can hopefully repeat and build a melody from.

And the other mode where I have an idea in my head and I struggle to make that imagined piece a reality creating chords and tones to achieve it.

How do you go about it or do you build from "principles" like standard 12 bar?

[1001gear]

These days I improvise mostly so it's a mishmash of musical training/chops/curiosity/luck/and copious amounts of et cetera...

Other than building a vocabulary I've always had snippets fueling my creativity which eventually and hopefully folds back into the musical training to produce composition. Not too concerned; I'm always at it.

[DeepEnd]

I usually have an idea in my head and work to get the sound out there. My normal process is to write lyrics and then create a melody that works but once I get going I'll rewrite the lyrics as the melody emerges. I'm not much of an instrumentalist so there aren't really any snippets to reuse.

[Phil O'Keefe]

When I am writing I seem to fall into one of two modes.

Instrument led where I am just tinkering around and something nice just pops out which I can hopefully repeat and build a melody from.

And the other mode where I have an idea in my head and I struggle to make that imagined piece a reality creating chords and tones to achieve it.

How do you go about it or do you build from "principles" like standard 12 bar?

 

Both.

 

One thing that I do notice is that the instrument-led stuff tends to turn out differently, depending on which instrument I am playing when those ideas hit me. Otherwise, an idea that comes to me when I'm not at / playing an instrument tends to be more open-ended; I can pick up a guitar or sit at the piano and the basic song will still turn out roughly the same way.

 

 

[Phil O'Keefe]

I usually have an idea in my head and work to get the sound out there. My normal process is to write lyrics and then create a melody that works but once I get going I'll rewrite the lyrics as the melody emerges. I'm not much of an instrumentalist so there aren't really any snippets to reuse.

 

For me, it's always music first, then lyrics... or music and lyrics roughly simultaneously. Writing music for pre-written lyrics has always been the hardest approach for me personally. I have always really struggled with that - but I can toss out new words for pre-written music or even popular music almost at will.

[DeepEnd]

For me' date=' it's always music first, then lyrics... or music and lyrics roughly simultaneously. Writing music for pre-written lyrics has always been the hardest approach for me personally. I have always really struggled with that - but I can toss out new words for pre-written music or even popular music almost at will. [/quote']

I'm much more in my element as a lyricist. My originals sometimes emerge fully formed but that's usually not the case.

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'm much more in my element as a lyricist. My originals sometimes emerge fully formed but that's usually not the case.

 

Do you write the lyrics first, then add music?

 

 

[Mikeo]

 

Do you write the lyrics first, then add music?

 

 

Normally I do.

 

I kind of figure out what I want to say and then how I want to say it, by building the chords and phrasing around the lyrics.

 

Worked for Elton John.

 

 

[Phil O'Keefe]

 

Normally I do.

 

I kind of figure out what I want to say and then how I want to say it, by building the chords and phrasing around the lyrics.

 

Worked for Elton John.

 

 

 

I'm no Elton, unfortunately. I just can't work that way... well, I can, but the results tend to not be as good, and it's a much more difficult approach for me.

 

[DeepEnd]

Do you write the lyrics first' date=' then add music?[/quote']

Usually yes. I guess it's different for different people. Last year I was in a hymn writing class with a woman who just knew there was one correct way to write a song. I couldn't have disagreed more. I think it also works differently for different songs. Several years ago I had an idea for a Country song. It emerged more-or-less in its final form but all I had was a hook, one verse and a chorus. It wasn't until years later that I was able to go back and write a second verse.

[Grant Harding]

I usually start with the music and a general idea of the mood I'm after. I write lyrics once I've got the basic song structure written.

[Bob Dey]

Since the OP is talking about composition, that really doesn't include lyric writing. I usually come up with chord progressions and melodies with an instrument.

 

Lyrics can be added later or it may turn out to be an instrumental. Songwriters like Billy Joel start with a tune first, then come up with a title. The lyrics written next will be like a thesis of the title. That's the approach I usually take.