what comes first? music or lyrics?

I always record any guitar riffs that I make up on my phones voice recorder... then send it to the singer in my band and see if he can come up with lyrics to it.
I have yet to write words to my own guitar riffs.
I should try
Although I suck at singing lol

Nick, that is a great idea! That way you always have something to record with!

Originally Posted by: NickFerraI always record any guitar riffs that I make up on my phones voice recorder... then send it to the singer in my band and see if he can come up with lyrics to it.
I have yet to write words to my own guitar riffs.
I should try
Although I suck at singing lol

Super great idea! This is very efficient rather than waiting to get together to try to put stuff together.

Well for me, there are times I write the lyrics first, and there are songs that I start with the chords first. In my opinion there isn't really any correct way. It depends on the mood perhaps.

In my opinion the first that comes is the idea. That can be linked to an emotion, phrase/words, melody line etc. All these things can manifest themselves either in form of "music" or "lyrics", depending on your needs. So as long as you have this ingrediant it shouldn't matter if it is music or lyrics since these are just physical appearances of the end product, your piece.

In case it helps anyone, here's what I've done and had moderate songwriting success.

- Play with guitar until a catchy melody or chord changes grab me. (have to be open and in the right mood for this to happen - coffee helps, and privacy)

- Insert RANDOM words. I'm talking micky mouse eating ice cream type of thing, jus simply get words into the chord progression. It doesn't mater what the words are.

- find the worst phrase in the song you just made, and change it for something better or more coherent.

- repeat that last step until the song starts to make sense. Don't be afraid to change the tempo, chords, or whatever to match your newfound lyrical message.


Here's a song I wrote using that method (the first one I ever wrote, actually). I posted it in the other part of this forum a while back, but if you listen I think you can tell that the rhythm and melody came first and the words were patched in. I think it works, though.

THanks, and I hope it helps someone at some point.


Nathan

https://soundcloud.com/user-781639532/song1allmylife-1

Neither. Both lyrics and chords are out there somewhere waiting to be found. Let me break this down for you with science:

All matter (energy) is neither created nor destroyed. What is music? Sounds? Not necessarily. Music is ENERGY- which is the reason why all of us are intrigued by music and enjoy listening to it. Ever been absolutely encaptured by a live performance and FEEL the energy of it? Music has the ability to make us feel certain ways (I.E. draw out specific emotions). This is because the music creates a certain energy that transfers to the observer. Therefore, all songs ever (times infinity) are already present in the matter that is on earth. You just have to be able to "pick-up" on it when the time is right. Ever hear someone saying something "just came to them"? Ever been with someone and say the same things at the SAME time? Or maybe they say something you were thinking almost to a T? That's because ALL things (tangible, intangible, mentally, and physically) are composed of ENERGY and MATTER. Therefore, all things are already here: they're just waiting to be picked up on by our unconscious/subconscious mind.

On a side note, Chords/progressions usually come to me first BUT sometimes it is the other way around. Channel your inner Chi power.

Sometimes a song comes through all by itself in a day. Sometimes I get great ideas for a lyric snapshot, so it gets written down and I work it out later (often a lot later). Sometimes I'm jamming away at practice time and a really cool riff/phrase/progression comes through me, so I grab the smartphone and make a quick recording.

I've foun the greatest key for my songwriting is to be consistent in developing the content I'm working on, and to think about it as much as possible. Singing new content while I'm in the kitchen/out for a walk/in the shower etc. Visualising performing the song completed as I'm falling asleep at night.

We all have out own process, and in the creative world anything goes!!