gingeritus11

currently using Finale! for digital composition software, and audacity for recording.

Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies

What'd I'd suggest is thinking of it as a form of poetry and not forcing the hand of the music to fit the lyrics, or forcing the lyrics to fit the music. It seems that the best lyrics are written on a topic that you feel interested in. So, once you have the music, I'd say this is a good starting point to find the topic you want to talk about. Take the music you wrote and ask yourself "What kind of mood is this in? Is it happy/upbeat, sad, energetic, slow, intense, laid-back?" Once you have the right idea about that, you can think of a topic to write about. As others have said, it is best to just let it come to you, but I remember being in the very same position as you and saying "nothing's coming." I would say that isn't a good reason to give up on it though. You should be careful and give it a lot of thought, but don't be too careful or give it too much thought. Just try to fit exactly what you think the song would be about. For instance, one of my songs is about being a teenager (as if that hasn't been over played already...haha) Anyway, I wrote the melody and chords before I wrote the lyrics. And when I looked at what I had made, I said, "This is simple, but sort of skewed. Sounds like some one who is making a faux-folk song. It sounds like it would be about conflict although the music implies unity. What things do I know that are about conflict?" I thought of war, relationships, Man Vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, and then I came along to being a teenager. Although I was a teenager at the time, it wasn't so obvious that's what it should be about. So I used the mood and rhythm of the music I wrote to come to a good topic, and then used the topic to find specific line by line lyrics. It's easier than it looks at first. Don't worry about the lyrics being dull or bad, because it is a learning process. Unless you write poetry or creative works, it doesn't seem like the first song you ever write will be the best of your songwriting endeavors. But that is how you learn. And you'd be surprised, it's not as hard as we make it out to be. If you have something worth saying, and something worth playing, the words are sort of easy. If you'd like, I'd be more than willing to help you out with some specifics, just message me or something. Good luck!

oh yes, you are a songwriter. welcome to the club! I liked your song, and I think with a bit more tuning up of your guitar skills you could do it all on your own. Look at Bob Dylan. He couldn't even sing, at least not by conventional standards. People like to listen to poetic lyrics as much as they like to listen to crazy riffs and the like. If you want to collaborate on something, to make it exactly as you'd like it, I would suggest asking around to others locally to help you. Do you know anyone else who plays guitar? You can also find people online. But the thing is, it doesn't really matter how complex it is as long as it says what it needs to say and sounds good. From a marketing aspect, complexity has little to do with it. A majority of pop songs are using the same 4 chords, rudimentary and simple chords at that. It really matters what you're going for. I'd suggest finding some other people who play the music you're going for and see how that goes. There are plenty of people here, I see, who are willing to collaborate over the internet, I'd check some of them out to see what they're all about.

Sean Ammirati www.youtube.com/gingerwashere3

I really try to not do that, but if it happens it really screws me up. I always have to take a breather and think for a while. It ruins the flow of it all. Thankfully, I work my ass of to make sure that never happens

I really think it's a great foundation and can help in music composition. Is it completely necessary to be a good guitar player? Absolutely not. But can it help you be a better guitar player? without a doubt in my mind. But if it isn't fluid, it doesn't help much. I'd say it's most useful as an individual understanding why certain things work and certain things don't. The relationship between chords seems to be most helpful in all types of guitar playing, be it soloing or rhythmic sections. It's all a matter of points of interest. I see it as a way of learning why rather than how. But if you just know music theory, you aren't going to be able to pick up a guitar and be master at it in a day. But if you know nothing, I think it really does limit you. If it interests you, it is worth doing. If it doesn't, than it isn't. Simple as that. If you sit around dreading thinking about it, it's only going to be a crutch on you. If it helps you to enjoy what you're doing more, than that's what it's good for. Also, for collaborating and explaining things to other musicians, it makes it all one common language rather then 'put your fingers here and here', I mean that's very rudimentary but you get the idea. It's a tool more than anything.

Three Days - Jane's Addiction