Beginning the Songwriting Process

Hello Gents (and ladies?),

I've been writing songs for about four years and have experimented with various methods in all aspects of the writing process. Recently I have started looking to outside sources to help me along the way, and I'm interested in the different ways that everybody here initiates the writing process. What do you do to get your inspiration, do you start with the music or the lyric first, you know, stuff like that.

I really appreciate any responses

Thanks a lot.

revolution9

Everyone of course will have a different answer.

For me inspiration sometimes is hard to find anymore. I used to write a ton of songs about failed relationships and things that made me mad. But now I'm married and I'm not really breaking up with girls anymore so I write less. For mellow songs sometimes I would take my accoustic out to the woods and write-which helped alot.

I think the funnest way to come up with ideas is to play with other people. Even if the other musician doesn't contribute any actuall ideas to the song I still (for some reason) am able to write better with someone else playing the song with me. Why? Well I don't know, I think I feed off of the energy and excitement in the room which helps to keep a person inspired.

anyways enough bable from me, heres a link about writing lyrics or music first.

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1353965

I don't really have a method for writing songs. Sometimes I will pick up the guitar and just fool around until something catches my attention, and expand on that. Sometimes I will have a phrase pop into my head and I'll scribble it down and expand the idea. Sometimes even, a melody will pop into my head, and I have to figure out the chord progression. The real key for me is to not force anything though. If I am trying to write and nothing is coming, then I put it down.

Lately people have inspired me- culture. I did some travelling during the latter half of 2005 and it was really inspirational. I have 15 songs about observations of India.

Write about whatever you are animated to comment on. What is inside you that aches to be purged?

thats almost my approach to the T my only difference is...i TRY to force things...still doesnt work though

For me, inspiration is usually secondary. I have a hard time waiting around for something to strike me. I also don't believe in forcing it to happen either.

I have developed ways to begin the creative process and if something happens, then great. If not, I have something to look to later when I feel stuck.

One of the things I like to do is writing anything that coems to mind for a few minutes without thinking or trying to make sense. From there, I may find soemthing I like, or I pick a phrase or sentence and write against that for a while.

I open random books to a page and point to a spot on the page. I write about that or write against it.

Writing for ten years (not a long time, I know) I have found the most interesting ideas from simply making opportunities for inspiration available.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Anybody else?

Excellent Topic!!

Yeah, eveyone has some different way of obtaining inspiration... personal experiences, friends, family, relationships, LIFE in general... newspaper articles that garner some kind of response from your gut....

Yet when I sit with the guitar in my hands, or at the piano, sometmes I just sit in the dark and let chords fly ramdomly... and sometimes, something clicks... and the music starts first...

then there are times I get up in the middle of the night cuz I have to WRITE SOMETHING DOWN.... sometimes it's just a line or two... sometimes the beginning of a whole song....

and THEN... I tweak it, lyrically (I use MasterWriter, it is a GREAT piece of software for a writer) usually as I write the words, I hear the music with it....

But then, there are times I read lyrics by someone else and hear a melody with it as I read along... and a collaboration is born.....

Goodness... I guess I write just about ANYWAY or ANYWHERE... LOL that I can.... and the inspiration can come from anywhere.... or anything... mostly from inside tho.....

Great topic!! Oh, I said that already!!!

Von

So many writers talk about this experience of late night epiphonies. Its never happened to me. Much the contrary, I have to be early in the morning with rings of sleep fresh around my eyes, and coffee in hand. Preferably after a good BM. THats why they pay me the big bucks.

Blake.