Do You Write Lyrics On Paper Or On A Computer?

[White Soul Black Heart]

Just out of curiosity...

[Janeva]

Voted

[justsoulin]

I rank as 'other' here as my category doesn't exist

 

Depends, sometimes I'm out and paper, sometimes I'm out and recorder, sometimes I'm out (or in) and phone/tablet, when in PC.

 

So I use everything that's at my disposal

 

What do you do?

 

PS - would be good to know of those on the pc, what app do they use? A text editor (simple), MS Word or a specific songwriting app? Or other?

[omenrama]

Ratty notebooks don't last.

[Kel]

computer most of the time, though I do have a notebook and pen next to my bed.

[LooknGlass]

If I'm not at my puter and out somewhere, I use anything that can be written on.

[Janeva]

I have used shared Google docs - fun to use for more than one person to amend which works well - as long as you both agree that is 

[TFCrowne]

I used to write everything down in my songwriting notebooks and then revise and erase as I went along.  Now I tend to write on a Notepad document and once I feel a song is almost finished I then transfer into my songwriting notebook in pencil.  My songwriting notebooks are now where the 'finished products' end up!

[Gazebo]

Paper. Gets them written quick, and then revise after.

Normally write up final version on computer.

[lillypilly]

I find now I write songs on computer all the rubbish in the one place and not all over the floor 

[Anxious Optimist]

I enjoy the organic process of pen to paper. But after it's edited - I make sure to email it to myself for backup/copyright issues.

[DarrenH]

I have to say other because I write all of my lyrics via my blackberry.

[Just1L]

I let the monkeys decide. Usually they use the typewriter, sometimes they write it down and sometimes the computer. But 9 times out of 10 they're out in the back yard smoking cigars.

[The S]

Pen and paper mostly. But sure, both my phone and computer help me out anyway they can.

End product usually is paper.

S

[Mahesh]

Voted.

Though I'm more of the tech savvy kind, I always have written on paper. I've tried typing on the phone and even on the computer, doesn't help me with the writing. In fact it kinda holds me down. Never thought much about why though.

[Janeva]

If I'm away from home I will scribble down a line or two  if I get any sudden inspiration but It's very rare that this happens 

 

More often than not I will type documents at the computer listening to the music I am sent over and over to try to find the right words. I always wear headphones otherwise this would drive my family round the bend   

[musicnstuff]

Voted

Compouter most of the time and if I am outside then I write on papers.

[smajor]

My writing process has changed over time. 

 

When I started personal computers did not exist. I wrote directly into notebooks which I would then mine for ideas. I have 27 notebooks from those days and still go through them now and then to see if any sparks fly.

 

I got my first computer in 1984. A Kaypro II for you vintage computer buffs. At that time I would usually start a lyric on paper and finish it on the computer. Although some were written entirely on one medium or the other.

 

As time went on and computers got better I tended to write more and more on a computer. There were times, however, when inspiration struck that I found myself resorting to the backs of envelopes, napkins, and any stray scrap of paper I could find.

 

Currently I'm using an Alphasmart Neo (a basic word processing keyboard). I then upload the result to my computer.

 

Later,

Stan 

[wtf audio]

i use an app on my phone these days but it used to be a paper and dictaphone thing

[MikeRobinson]

I always keep a note-pad and a pen in my pocket, because I've learned that "inspiration has no memory."  However, I immediately transcribe those snippets of text to a word-processor document.  And, I transcribe those snippets of musical-score to MuseScore files.

 

Every "moment of inspiration" is pure and therefore precious.  I want to be sure that every "inspiration" gets captured.  ("Grab it, admire it, stick a pin through it, and shove it onto the board.")

 

However, once that moment has "been captured," it is then that the real work begins.  The digital computer is my indispensible tool at that point:  TextEdit, MuseScore, Logic-Pro-X.