How do you go from idea to song?

[guitarrob]

I know this is a very open questions and quite different for everybody, I just wanted to hear some different insights and approaches.

Latley I have been working more with trying to figure out songs that are in my head/heart I guess.
I am getting stuck in certain places so I figured If other had some insights, it might help.
Like where to add teh section for the solo, adding a chorus. Figuring out a verse progression that is based on the intro or atleast related in some way.
not sure how much easier it will get as time goes on, but I enjoy trying to figure it out.

So, if you have a chord progression idea, how do you come up with a melody?
How do you expand a simple idea, melody or progression into a full blown song?
I am not really a singer, but I would love to try and put some lyrics to my songs...not sure where to start on that one, so if you have any pointers
on how to get even rough lyrics down, it would be greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to elaborate extensively.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

The more songs you know, the easier it is to write "new" songs. "New" songs are just bits and pieces of old songs put together and combined in a way that sounds both fresh, but familiar. If you're going to write pop songs, they all use the same chords and melodic ideas...ain't nothing new under the sun when it comes to writing pop music. And everything from metal to country is just pop music.

Get a good melody in your head and find the chords that support it - people like tunes they can sing to themselves. If the guy or gal who's not a musician can't whistle your melody, it's probably not a strong enough melody or to far out for the average non-musician to duplicate in his or her head and sing along with.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

I need to understand how to go from nothing to idea - my head just doesn't seem to work that way

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

I haven't written a lot of songs but I have penned a few and helped write and arrange quite a few more. What works for me is to let the chords roll and start to try and sing. It doesn't matter what the words are at that point. For me as soon as I sing some words a short melody will just automatically appear. Then its usually a matter of writing more words at that point and the song begins to take shape. Again even if the words are not making a sense at this point it does not matter as long as a melody is coming along.

As for figuring out new musical parts...say you have what feels like a verse. We'll call that part A. Now you probably want a chorus....part B. If you've just used major chords so far you might want to add the relative minor into the mix. It's the chord built off the sixth note of the major scale of the key you're using. In the case of the key of C that would be A minor. Or you might want to keep the progression you have and radically change the tone and or volume of the instruments. Many a great tune can be boiled down to two basic parts (A and B).

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

Very often by not being near a guitar. The idea(s) rattle around in my head for a while and i kinda sing them in my mind until i hear other parts. Then i go to the guitar to find what notes/chords are needed for the new ideas.

The notes and chords are on the fretboard, but the music usually lays elsewhere.

 

[guitarrob]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

I need to understand how to go from nothing to idea - my head just doesn't seem to work that way

I just mess around with some chords or progressions...etc until something clicks or sounds interesting..etc

 

[cream123]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

Very often by not being near a guitar. The idea(s) rattle around in my head for a while and i kinda sing them in my mind until i hear other parts. Then i go to the guitar to find what notes/chords are needed for the new ideas.

The notes and chords are on the fretboard, but the music usually lays elsewhere.

This. Once I get the pieces kind of in place I finish it up by laying them done via recording and modifying until I get a solid product. Then I redo that parts in cleaner takes

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

Try starting with a melody, and then writing the progression to fit it but you can obviously do it in reverse too.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

First rule is there are no rules.

Begin with a main idea. Could be a guitar riff. Could be lyrics. Everything else should serve your main idea.

If your main riff is in a particular key, combine it with not-so-catchy riffs or chord progressions in related keys. The aim is for the song to have structure, to have tension and release. There needs to be a mixture of novelty and predictability. (Too much of either is not so entertaining.)

There are books on this topic. The usual approach is to learn by analysing existing songs and pastiching the hell out of them. Understand what works and why. Make your own combinations.

If ideas are flowing, allow them to continue flowing. Have a recording device handy. Record anything no matter how half-baked it seems. You will have plenty of time between ideas to edit your recordings.

 

[PunkMetalhead42]

Re: How do you go from idea to song?

I find that it varies from song to song; some have a story to them, and others are more like "collections" of words and phrases. I always start with the lyrics, then figure out the instrumentals. One thing that helps me is to "hear" the lyrics sung by someone else, and fit the style to my voice as I'm writing. I don't really worry about placements and structures of solos, verses, chorus', and stuff like that when I'm writing; those things usually "flow" as I write. That's what works for me.