9 replies to this topic

[Red_Strat]

Hello!

I've written a song some time ago and I really like what I created, the thing is that I like the chord progressions and notes that I'm playing but now I want to write lyrics that fits to the stuff I'm playing on my guitar.

Sometimes I'm humming along to what I'm playing so the melody isn't the problem.

It's rather writing the lyrics.

I don't know how to start this.

Do I have to take a topic for myself and write about it and then trying to make it fit to my chords?

Or how can I go on?

Until some month ago I mostly played songs from other bands (like RHCP of course ;-) ) or jammed along (improvised ect...) but I'm not quite experienced with writing lyrics.

I would be glad about advices.

[crohno]

first of all analyze the chord progression, if it's dark, happy, groovy, etc. etc. then write about it

what i do it's record the song smoke a couple of joints and play it in a really dark room(if it's a sad song) or in a really green park when it's an amazing day(if it's a happy song) then just start to realize what specific feelings the songs brings to me and write them down, it may be words, ideas or actually lyric's lines and then work over it

it's a bit diff. to explain hope you get the idea and can wok it out

PS: Im by no meanings encouring anyone to take drugs

[micken]

I heard Jack White say in "It Might Get Loud" that when he writes songs he writes about conflicts. And if they're no conflicts around he just makes one up

[surfsunadam]

crohno, on Jan 4 2010, 04:18 PM, said:

what i do it's record the song smoke a couple of joints
PS: Im by no meanings encouring anyone to take drugs

Me too
I normally have the structure written sober, record it, then have a smoke and listen through the song and write the lyrics over a couple of listens .. the words usually come pretty easily at this stage
Then I have a practice sing all the way through once or twice
On the 2nd or 3rd go I hit record and that's normally the take I keep.
I nearly always HAVE to do this to write lyrics.

Reading books with rich language and rich ideas helps, because it gets words and stories flowing around in your brain. Penguin classics .......

Don't think you have to write in a certain way because they are song lyrics. Any words are up for grabs. Use the same voice that you speak to yourself in your head with, and don't dress it up, just state it plain and direct, from you. This way the lyrics sound like they could only come from you.

I find myself in the trap of using similar words to john the rhcp songs, you have you recognize when this starts happening and dig deeper into yourself to be more original.

Everything is learnt through practice. Nothing comes from nothing. Your lyrics will probably suck when you start out, but like anything you will get better the more you do it.

[Iva]

micken, on Jan 4 2010, 04:33 PM, said:

I heard Jack White say in "It Might Get Loud" that when he writes songs he writes about conflicts. And if they're no conflicts around he just makes one up

I didn't see the film, now I'm even more curious than when I was when a friend went to its premiere in London, thanks for telling me about it. This is really interesting and close to my approach to writing in general. One more thing: you can re-use a conflict...have a whole series of pieces about it, approaching it from different states of mind and different points of view.

Here's the first post of a series on creativity, posted today on a blog I read - I recommend it and continuations will probably be interesting, too.
http://lateralaction.com/articles/creative...m-not-creative/

To the other two people who replied: please, try to keep anything involving drugs (as in, things most of the society considers to be drugs) in the controversial topics forum.

[gizmo]

First of all, DO NOT do drugs for creativity. And yes guys, that includes pot. And to all the people who still claim the opposite, pot IS a drug (sorry guys). You definitely don't need drugs to write songs or paint, or to do anything to get inspired. That's partly being lazy. You have it inside of you, and you don't need drugs to bring that out. Plus, I still don't get how people still advertise drugs on a forum about someone who almost died from drugs. Watch and read John's interviews if you don't believe me that drugs don't work the way you think they do.

Anyhow, I get inspired by musicians, so that might work you too. I wasn't able to write lyrics before I started listening to John. So when I found John, I started getting really inspired by him, and writing lyrics suddenly got so easy with him. And it doesn't matter if it's about him or not. Once you start writing more and more, you start hearing words as you play the chords. That might work for you too. Find a musician that you absolutely adore and get inspired by (that might be John for you too), listen to his/her songs, watch his/her videos, and read his/her interviews

Best of luck!

[Licou]

hello, especially since you havent done it before its good to find your own way of writing lyrics.
Like surfsunadam said use the voice that you you in your head because thats the most natural and connects most to what you mean and think about.
And dont worry about what you write down because its not final, i like to write loads of lyrics and then pick the ones which fit together best otherwise i get hung up on detail to much from the start.
Or even sometime just write down what i feel at that exact time and then slowly turn that into lyrics. Whatevers most natural really and if you have something in your head write it down dont keep it in your head.

[fenderfunk14]

::takes notes::

[crohno]

Iva, on Jan 5 2010, 07:46 PM, said:

To the other two people who replied: please, try to keep anything involving drugs (as in, things most of the society considers to be drugs) in the controversial topics forum.

shooooops, i'm sorry iva i was just trying to say what it works for me not trying to cause any controversy

[Red_Strat]

Licou, on Jan 5 2010, 11:38 PM, said:

hello, especially since you havent done it before its good to find your own way of writing lyrics.
Like surfsunadam said use the voice that you you in your head because thats the most natural and connects most to what you mean and think about.
And dont worry about what you write down because its not final, i like to write loads of lyrics and then pick the ones which fit together best otherwise i get hung up on detail to much from the start.
Or even sometime just write down what i feel at that exact time and then slowly turn that into lyrics. Whatevers most natural really and if you have something in your head write it down dont keep it in your head.

Sounds great, I'm trying just to write down what comes to my mind.

Thanks for the other answers, too.

But I will not take any drugs...