Jump to content

Help With Writing Songs


Recommended Posts

  • Members

My friend and I have been working on a song for the past few weeks and one of the reasons it's been taking so long is becuase he messes around too much. Like he will come up with a chord progression, then I'll write a solo to the chords and then like the next day he'll try to change the chords. I told him that we just need to pick something and stick with it because I write my solos based on his chords so it's not fair to change them. Then he started telling me that he's bored out of his mind when he's playing the chords THAT HE WROTE and that he has to dumb everything down for me. I told him not to be selfish and that the next song we write will be his solo song. What do you guys think about this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Come up with your chord progessions! Also, chord progressions aren't usually the most original part of the song (and according to copyright law, you can't copyright a chord progression). Look at how many songs have been written over the blues changes or the rhythm changes.

Find a songbook. Take the chords. Write your solo or melody over them.

Get a looper. Lay down the chords in the looper. Fire bored guitar player.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I can't deal with players who change a song constantly. I mean, it's one thing to tweak & improve as you go, but at some point you need to let the tune go so you can create a new one. Then you create a body of work where you've got jems & you've got a few clunkers--but you have options!

Simple or complex, a song goes where it goes, but at some point you learn to feel when it ends. Or at least when to move on and come back later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

You guys aren't writing. From your description it sounds more like jamming. So what else is perfect... :rolleyes:
You know what though, USE PENCIL AND PAPER. Write down the chord progressions your pal comes up with. With all that stuff logged, maybe you can be more intellectual about your creative endeavor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

1001 gear... we have done all of that and he still tries to change it. Everything we do is heavily theory based. It's not just two idiots playing random notes. We usually develop a structure for everything. Oh well I think we are making progress now. I told him we won't come back to the song until I'm done writing my solo for it. Now we are going to work on his solo song. He'll probably try to change that too. Maybe well try to record them and post them when we are done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Sorry for undershooting it. No condescension intended.

I now think that unless you have a deadline or just want a copywrite, the extra material should be quite useful in formulating an actual version. Carefull not to leave out the inspiration is what I'm saying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by PRSnotPOS

My friend and I have been working on a song for the past few weeks and one of the reasons it's been taking so long is becuase he messes around too much. Like he will come up with a chord progression, then I'll write a solo to the chords and then like the next day he'll try to change the chords. I told him that we just need to pick something and stick with it because I write my solos based on his chords so it's not fair to change them. Then he started telling me that he's bored out of his mind when he's playing the chords THAT HE WROTE and that he has to dumb everything down for me. I told him not to be selfish and that the next song we write will be his solo song. What do you guys think about this?

 

 

Some people just aint good at working in a team, even if you're just jamming there needs to be an element of predictability, he needs to listen to you and you need to listen to him and you need some level of agreement on what chords/rythmn you'll be using.

 

If you're trying to write a structured song then why try to write a solo until the song/chord progression is 100% down? My advice would be get him to decide what the hell he is playing, then record it, then work on your solo and then try playing it together. I can see his point that sitting there playing the same chords over and over aint a whole bag of fun so try and work it so that he doesn't have to do that for long periods.

 

One other idea - why not just try writing a complex tune involving 2 guitars rather than have some guy doing the donkey work with the chords and somebody playing a solo over the top? That way you both have something interesting to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...