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A Question For Lyricists


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I know there are a number of people here who write lyrics but not the music for their songs, and was wondering, do you hear a melody when you write or after you write? Or, how does that work for you?

Regards,

Dan

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Dan . think most of us that only write words have the melody going on as we have to know what it may sound like to a reader. if there is not a melody then it is a poem , that is just my take on it

 

john

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Hi Dan,

Haven't been writing lyrics very long but my lyrics start with a line and emotion and when I write it down I have notes (music) that come and stay with it. When I work on the lyrics the tune just comes along. By the time I'm finished I've sung it hundred/thousand/millions :) of times. Sometimes I'll record my vocals .. Sometimes record it on piano. Can't think of lyrics I wrote without a tune coming about the same time.

Sometimes I have pieces of music but no lyrics :)

Peggy

How's it work for you, Dan... music, lyrics, both?

Edited by Peggy
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Thanks to both of you for that insight. The process for me is very much as you described for yourself, Peggy. Sometimes it is a word or phrase that is emotionally driven and sometimes while I'm just freewheeling on the guitar, a melody developes along with the word(s), or thoughts.

Was curious if everyone "hears" their song. Thanks again...

Edited by Danidog
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  • 4 weeks later...

Dani- For me 70 percent of the time a song comes from plunking around on the guitar, and humming a melody that fits like you mentioned. Lyrics come afterwards. Or maybe some line will pop up out of nowhere while playing a sequence of chords. But the other 30 percent a song will come from writing and I don't always hear the melody. I love writing even if I'm not song writing so maybe that is why. Not sure...  One thing I almost always hear is the rhythm of the lines though... Even if I don't have a tune right away, I usually sort of know how the words are going to be delivered. They have a bounce to them even if the notes aren't there right away...  More often than not I hear the melody when writing though, and I'll be singing things to test how it will fit. Then I pick up the guitar, and edit. Some of the songs just seem to fall in your lap, and other ones you work your ass off just to get the first verse right. But to answer your q- I don't always hear it right away. 

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  • Noob

I might do it a little backwards, but I find it easiest and most fluid to write the lyrics first. It comes out as somewhat of a poem, but I'm usually able to explore whatever instrument I'm using and find something that fits pretty well. Sometimes I have a little piece of melody in my head while I'm writing, but usually it's strictly words first. And if what I wrote just isn't working with the music, that I've learned to not force anything, so I tuck it away somewhere and try again. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Doesn't anyone else cheat like I do???

 

I write my lyrics to other peoples music. LOL  That's how musically inclined I am.

I love music and it has influenced my life ever since I could listen to the radio but I couldn't make up my own tune if I had a gun held to my head.

 

I applaud all who can!!  If not for you people I would never have started writing.

 

All the best,

Bryan

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  • 2 weeks later...

Most of the time as I am writing lyrics I find a rhythm that flows with the natural (conversational) style of the words. I kind of start a "dummy" melody that fits the rhythm that keeps me on track. If that makes sense.  composing music and creating melodies is something I am striving to get better at but is one of my weaknesses.

Tony

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know there are a number of people here who write lyrics but not the music for their songs, and was wondering, do you hear a melody when you write or after you write? Or, how does that work for you?

Regards,

Dan

 

I know there are a number of people here who write lyrics but not the music for their songs, and was wondering, do you hear a melody when you write or after you write? Or, how does that work for you?

Regards,

Dan

Great question. For me it kind of depends. I someitmes hear the melody as I write and someitmes I don't. It kind of depends on varying factors such as the subject matter as well as the genre I may be going for. But someitmes that just somes naturally to me during the writing process rather than after.

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