how do i write a song

[skipjohnk]

Can anyone give me an idea on how to start a song.Do i make the music,or the lyrics.I just began playing guitar,i'm not that good,but i have a desire to create.Look out for a brother.

[Led Zeppelin]

It doesnt matter, a chord progrssion would help though.

[Kevin Taylor]

Try starting with a drum loop and just play around on guitar till something fits. Then add some basic bass and keys. Play the music in some headphones and record nonsense lyrics to the music.... anything that comes to mind. Then listen back to it and try to make up real lyrics to your nonsense ones.
Kinda like this as an example...
http://members.rogers.com/schmange3/HomeDemo.mp3

[Seiko_Hejiro]

If you want a decent song follow this simple format...most bands in the past, in the present, and in the future will use this as the corner stone for the organization and structure of their songs....

Intro
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Chorus
Breakdown/Bridge/Solo
Chorus or Verse
(+chorus if previous section = verse)
Outro

Essentially what you want to do is get some solid riffs down in the same key preferably and then strign them together. If you want to make a song more interesting add little melodies and or leads to the song...something most pop music sucks at and most nu/hardcore metal bands can't manage....hack musicians...anyhow...

This format is simple easy to follow and works well with most forms of rock music...look at metallica, megadeth, slayer they all use this format.
- Enjoy

[iiholly]

However you want.

[Kevin Taylor]

With lyrics I sometimes refer to this list of questions.
It helps focus your thoughts but it's aimed towards writing top 40 radio songs.

Songwriting Seminar (http://www.itsmynewsletter.com/cgi-bin/itsmy/go.exe?page=19&domain=23&webdir=schmange)

[iiholly]

Stand on you head and count to ten.

[Tele Master]

My friend recently told me to just start playing and say whatever comes to mind. It works too, i wrote a simple little song in a couple minutes. Very basic, but it worked.

[Dejan Sajinovic]

I usualy come up with music first (basic). I use to think, first I´ll make a bone and than after I´ll put on some flesh. But it´s been a while since I really wrote a song w/lyrics. Mostly I wrirte instrumental progressive stuff ´cause we ain´t got no singer yet. It´s a bigger challange to write instrumental songs I think ´cause there´s always somthing that need to happend to make it interesting and you ain´t got no verese our chorus to help you out. Our last demo is completly instrumental and has 3 songs. I think it went out pretty good and I´ll try to post it to you who are interesed.

[Pick Chime]

Well... That is a question that can be answered for yourself. You see... it is all about how you feel and what you are trying to say with your music. Some songs have barely any words and others tell a novel. Yet they all express some sort of feeling or message (regardless of how stupid the song is). I liked the the song writing outline that schmange provided. I have seen that before. It is good.

The best thing you can do for your music is to play serious.

[Pick Chime]

I am sorry, I miss quoted... it was Seiko_Hejiro who posted that songwriting outline. But Schmange did provide some pretty good input.

[gernm18]

well i'm not an expert in this topic but i have written 4 songs i have like 2 weeks since i wrote my first one and i try to use the basic ways like verse,chorus,verse,chorus,bridge,solo,verse and outro
and i try to first have a rythm in mind and then get it in my guitar and then write it i guess i still need more practice in this it's tough sometimes it took me like an hour to write one song

[X-Man]

So far, I've written 3 songs. 2 of which I actually consider good. But what happens with me is I'll mess around and find some really good chords. And then like 3 weeks later I think of some lyrics that work, and I sit down and start messin' with it. When I'm done it's usually finished. If not completely finished it just needs some minor adjustments.

So with me I find the chords first, and then the lyrics follow. I've never had it done the other way. I'm sure it's different with other people. You'll find what works best for you. :)

[rivethead]

i can't think about what i want a song sound like. it just comes to me, i'll hear a riff in my head and transpose it onto my guitar and then i'll work with that. i've been playing for like 5-6 years and i've always wanted to make up my own music but i always tried too hard and then i just started playing what sounded cool in my head and it seems to work for me. but everybody is different in their own way.

[u10ajf]

That's a very useful looking list Schmange. Thanks for that!

[Azrael]

i personally use mostly MIDI for songwriting.. its a good way to get yer ideas in the computer without having to record them and you can alter them any tim e you want - whenever i me up with a melody or a lick or a rythm part on the guitar i immediately programm it into the computer (whenever i am close to one) so that i will not forget the idea. i name it only by "idea03_13_02" (date) and save it in a folder along with all the other ideas.

then, when i need riffs or whatever i just open that folder and look what i can find.

the next step is to create the music around it - i also do this by programming midi (with the assistance of my guitar and keyboard) and slowly i put a song together.

then i do the same thing as schmange said with the lyrics - only "blahblah"-improvisation and then i (or someone else) come up with some lyrics. and then off to studio ;)