Write a song.

[supergirl36]

Hey guys, i'd like to gather some evidence on where to start to write a song and the following steps. My idea is to start with the drums, followed by bass and keyboards, and finish with the lyrics. Suggestions and comments would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[lowthert]

There has to be a 'hook' - a recurring melody that brings it all together... Start there - start simple and build on it... You must already have it in your head. Focus on that first....otherwise it will fail...

Best

Tony.

[Dcader10]

Hello,

To write a song I would think of a title. Usually the title will be the Chorus. And it sometimes is a phrase I have heard or tells what the song will be about. I would then try some chords on guitar. Once I like the melody I write the chords above the words. I practice playing & singing it before I would record. Then I would look for a drum loop that fits & use it thru out or change to another one in the drum track. I would record vocals on 1 track, guitar on another. Then look for drum loops, bass etc. to add on other tracks. At the end create another track and add lead if needed. I got Pro Tools Se but have not done any songs on it yet. These are the steps I would use.

Hope this helps,
Dcader10

[Carl Lie]

Write it on your favorite or appropriate main instrument before recording all the other instruments. Get at lest one chorus and verse ( with a strong melody and some key lyrics) and then you can bring in the other instruments to fill it out.

Buy honestly, there no right way to do it.

Carl

[zedhed]

Indeed there are many ways to go about writing a song, everyone has their own method.

Sometimes I'll start with a riff on the acoustic guitar but depending on the mood I may tinker around on the piano. Then I'll lay a beat down in Pro Tools. I usually set markers to map out the layout of the song and record the drums around the markers usually using Strike. Then I try to create a catchy melody, this is usually where the hook is found for me.
Once I have the skeleton of the song I start layering with a Bass line, Rhythm instruments, Keyboard/Piano and finally lead guitar and vocals. I usually end up doing the lead guitar numerous times to experiment with different effects.

I have gotten into the habit of writing thoughts/observations and experiences down during any given day so that I have a database of lyrics to work with at anytime.

Once I have this all recorded there is rarely a time where I won't chop & change the arrangement and/or the actual recorded part of any instrument. Using my Eleven Rack I record a dry track so that I can re-amp the guitars at anytime without having to necessarily re-record them.

Then it's a matter of mixing it all to get a reasonable overall sound.

There are some great books around and every one that I've read has some different suggestions on how to achieve your goal. Just goes to show there are many ways to skin a cat.

Best of luck and have fun

[Starman]

Really depends on the song you're creating. It's pretty rare that a ballad type song would start out with drums and bass line...beyond a drum machine to help you keep time and work out the general groove of the song. Chord progression riffs on piano or guitar usually form the core of most modern music and shortly after melody lines begin fitting up to those riffs, possibly associated lyrics simultaneously...really depends if your a music or lyric oriented person. Other instruments come in later during final arrangment. There have been times when the real final drums were the very last thing I record in the song.

BTW, guys tend to be music oriented, the ladies lyric oriented....just the facts of life folks.

More specialized music such as Dance most likely WILL begin with a beat, bass and rhythm foundation with melody almost an after-thought.

[Dism]

There's no "way" to write a song, just like there's no "way" to paint a picture. Some will go on about drafts and pencil lines... But Jackson Pollack never drew a rough draft, just as Mozart never wrote a hook.

A song is whatever comes to you. It can be three notes, or three hours long. Start with whatever feels natural to you.

[formfunction]

Originally Posted by Dism

There's no "way" to write a song, just like there's no "way" to paint a picture. Some will go on about drafts and pencil lines... But Jackson Pollack never drew a rough draft, just as Mozart never wrote a hook.

A song is whatever comes to you. It can be three notes, or three hours long. Start with whatever feels natural to you.

I would amend this to say there is no ONE way to write a song. There are many ways. All successful writers have their techniques... some laborious and some not.
But actually Mozart did write "hooks"... constantly returning themes that carried throughout movements, and forms. He did not Through Compose, as you suggest.
Pollak also drew sketches early in his career, but as his techniques developed, they proved impractical... thru composing of sorts.

Starting with what "feels natural" works for some, but most evolve to "what works", not necessarily what feels natural. I know one multi grammy winning artist who actually says try what DOES NOT feel natural.... advising students to pick up instruments that they are less comfortable with.

Point is... there are many ways. ff

[Dism]

Originally Posted by formfunction

I would amend this to say there is no ONE way to write a song. There are many ways. All successful writers have their techniques... some laborious and some not.
But actually Mozart did write "hooks"... constantly returning themes that carried throughout movements, and forms. He did not Through Compose, as you suggest.
Pollak also drew sketches early in his career, but as his techniques developed, they proved impractical... thru composing of sorts.

Starting with what "feels natural" works for some, but most evolve to "what works", not necessarily what feels natural. I know one multi grammy winning artist who actually says try what DOES NOT feel natural.... advising students to pick up instruments that they are less comfortable with.

Point is... there are many ways. ff

Indeed.

[Mark Wheaton]

the first step to writing a song is to make sure you have spent enough money on technological song writing tools. this should be preceded by a long and careful pro and con search for the right technological tool. then when you figure it all out, the songs will just come poring out.

Just joking, sorry.

Actually I think the best way to write songs is to listen to songs you like and learn from them. this comes from a person who doesn't write songs, but is around songwriters all day. The best songwriters, copied their idols and then learned how to put their best spin on the whole thing.