Songwriting Process

[Drew9783]

So I realized yesterday that it's been a few months since I've written a full song. I've come up with plenty of riffs and ideas but I haven't sat down and put guitar parts to drums, written lyrics etc. I went through some of my decent ideas today and tried to arrange them into something musical but I'm having a bit of a hard time coming up with anything good

To those here who write, what are some of the ways you all go about writing songs? Lyrics first? Music first? A song title before anything else?

The vibe I'm kinda aiming for is something between this:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-crR6vIspY[/video]

And this:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-qppKnZi3U[/video]

[Tortuga]

Relevant to my interests...

[ajaxlepinski]

Composing, on the fly, while recording is my favorite way to write songs. Digital recording made this method of songwriting incredibly easy and fun.

I set the click track (or drum loop) to the tempo that I want and if it's a drum track, I record it for 4 or 5 min.
Other times, if I'm playing something with a tempo change, I won't use a click or drum track.
I start off chronologically, making up an intro and adding parts as the song progresses. I may only add a few measures at a time.
The idea is, as you progress from the intro, you get inspired from what you just recorded and new parts pop into your head.

My song, Fire In My Pants is an example of using a DAW to compose. The clip is just a pencil drawing - it needs more crafting but, it's a good example to use to describe my writing process.
I was driving in my car and came up with the idea to use a bass and guitar trading quarter notes (the song's intro). This was all I had when I started recording.
I laid down a drum loop at a tempo that I felt like using.
After recording a few measures of the bass/guitar quarter note intro thingy, I recorded a pick scrape and E string slur.
Then, I cut-and-pasted the intro after the scrap/slur and added another guitar slur. At this point, my intro was done.
I listen to is a few times and just let my fingers fool around on the bass, while recording.
When I hit on something that sounds good, I cut-and-paste it in other spots to form an arrangement.
Then, I do the same with a rhythm guitar - starting the song from the beginning, on Record, and muck about with the guitar until I hit a nice rhythm.
No pressure, I just have fun mucking about... eventually, if I don't get pissed off, something starts to take shape.
Then, I cut-and-paste the rhythm into the bass arrangement.
If the cutting-and-pasting sounds too choppy, I learn the arrangement and re-record each part, non-stop.
In this case, only the bass was played non-stop with some intro cut-and-pasting remaining.
Again, this clip is just a pencil drawing - I would like to eventually arrange more singing into the song and add a more expressive lead and a more interesting ending.
The part where I say, "Elvis is in the building" was never intended to be in the song however, the rhythm part was fucked up (in this section) and I didn't feel like taking the time to rearrange it out. Adding this part was just a band-aid but, it made the song fun and allowed for the transition into the third vocal part (ahh ahhs)
https://soundcloud.com/ajax-lepinski/fire-in-my-pants-cp-ajax-lepinski


This instrumental song, Tumble Weed Shuffle, was crafted the same way; in chronological order. However, I had no idea what I was going to do, other than using Broslinger's drum jam.
In this song, I listened to the drum track while mucking about with a guitar on Record. After about 15-20 minutes, I had the intro hammered out.
Then, I muck about with the rhythm, on Record, until I hit on something that I like.
As the song progresses, I add new parts and cut-and paste old parts until I make my way to the ending.
This is obviously a simple song but, simple is a good way to start.
https://soundcloud.com/ajax-lepinski/plx-western-demo


Both clips can certainly use additional crafting. But, at this point, the bulk of the musical idea has been formed.
My next step would be to listen to each song until new ideas pop into my head. I would re-record two or three times, rearranging and adding new parts until the song is finalized.

It's all about recording a few measures at a time until you make your way to the end.
Each couple of measures that you record (or cut-and-paste) inspires new ideas and eventually you get something that you can work with.
You have to imagine it like, your putting a puzzle together.
If things start getting frustrating, take a break and switch to bass or, to a lead or, to rhythm or, to vocals.
Songs are crafted and take time. Very few songs are written, arranged in the same day. Some alums take 6 months, working 8 hours a day to complete.

[Ostinato Rubato]

I'm new to this myself. The way it works for me is music ideas first, then lyrics. Lyrics change the way I play so there's a wrestling between shifted feels until I train myself to play things the way they were intended as much as I can. Then ideas get worked on and revised in a band setting so that they make sense for everyone and as a complete piece of music.

[Drew9783]

It's all about recording a few measures at a time until you make your way to the end.
Each couple of measures that you record (or cut-and-paste) inspires new ideas and eventually you get something that you can work with.
You have to imagine it like, your putting a puzzle together.
If things start getting frustrating, take a break and switch to bass or, to a lead or, to rhythm or, to vocals.
Songs are crafted and take time. Very few songs are written, arranged in the same day. Some alums take 6 months, working 8 hours a day to complete.

Good stuff man! I really dig how you basically build the songs one piece at a time. The first song on my record was written like that... basically in a progression from intro to outro. I should probably fuck around with some of the different riffs I have and see if they're better suited for an accompaniment or solo instead of a main riff. I take it you usually focus on creating the musical basis for a song rather than writing lyrics first?

I think one of my problems is that I have about 40 projects that are only partially finished, like this one

https://soundcloud.com/drew9783-1/surf-song-1

And this one

https://soundcloud.com/drew9783-1/surf-song-2

And a bunch of standalone riffs that I haven't been messing with yet.

I'm new to this myself. The way it works for me is music ideas first, then lyrics. Lyrics change the way I play so there's a wrestling between shifted feels until I train myself to play things the way they were intended as much as I can. Then ideas get worked on and revised in a band setting so that they make sense for everyone and as a complete piece of music.

And I'm sure that when you get together with the band they add to the song as well

[Ostinato Rubato]

Yep.

[skybluegary]

I usually start with a riff or a hook line, then build around that. I might have a phrase or topic to go with the hook, then try to expand it to a section.

[Drew9783]

I usually start with a riff or a hook line, then build around that. I might have a phrase or topic to go with the hook, then try to expand it to a section.

So when you go about creating a song, do you record riffs/hooks to a drum loop or click track and then build piece by piece?

[skybluegary]

I usually start with a riff or a hook line, then build around that. I might have a phrase or topic to go with the hook, then try to expand it to a section.

So when you go about creating a song, do you record riffs/hooks to a drum loop or click track and then build piece by piece?

I just play around on the guitar until I find something I think works and build that way. I don't use clicks or loops.

[ajaxlepinski]

It's all about recording a few measures at a time until you make your way to the end.
Each couple of measures that you record (or cut-and-paste) inspires new ideas and eventually you get something that you can work with.
You have to imagine it like, your putting a puzzle together.
If things start getting frustrating, take a break and switch to bass or, to a lead or, to rhythm or, to vocals.
Songs are crafted and take time. Very few songs are written, arranged in the same day. Some alums take 6 months, working 8 hours a day to complete.

Good stuff man! I really dig how you basically build the songs one piece at a time. The first song on my record was written like that... basically in a progression from intro to outro. I should probably fuck around with some of the different riffs I have and see if they're better suited for an accompaniment or solo instead of a main riff. I take it you usually focus on creating the musical basis for a song rather than writing lyrics first?

I think one of my problems is that I have about 40 projects that are only partially finished, like this one

https://soundcloud.com/drew9783-1/surf-song-1

And this one

https://soundcloud.com/drew9783-1/surf-song-2

And a bunch of standalone riffs that I haven't been messing with yet.

I'm new to this myself. The way it works for me is music ideas first, then lyrics. Lyrics change the way I play so there's a wrestling between shifted feels until I train myself to play things the way they were intended as much as I can. Then ideas get worked on and revised in a band setting so that they make sense for everyone and as a complete piece of music.

And I'm sure that when you get together with the band they add to the song as well

Oh, god... I hate writing songs with the band. It was fun when I was younger, now I don't have any patience.
I had a buddy, in my first band that was a great writing partner but, he lost interest a long time ago.... that reminds me, he wants to give me his old Strat.
The singer in my current band is easy to work with. He hums his guitar and bass parts.

[Drew9783]

Oh, god... I hate writing songs with the band. It was fun when I was younger, now I don't have any patience.
I had a buddy, in my first band that was a great writing partner but, he lost interest a long time ago.... that reminds me, he wants to give me his old Strat.
The singer in my current band is easy to work with. He hums his guitar and bass parts.

Ha! When I was with my old band a few years ago my guitarist and I would write some great songs together but I got tired of it very quickly because I didn't like the direction he was going. Right now I'm just struggling to find people who are into the type of music I am let alone a writing partner