Writing Lyric To Melody

[Reza Sa]

hi guyz and galz,i usually hum my melody and record it with some chords,and i have a hard time writing lyric to it.

when i write a lyric first and then add melody to it,i have no problem.

 

any tips or help....

 

thanx.

[MikeRobinson]

Then ... do it that way.

 

Lots of songwriting teams, even Rogers and Hammerstein, approach the task in just that way.  The "prosody" of the lyric – that is, the "patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry," "the patterns of stress and intonation in a language" – really does dictate most of all how the song itself will fall down.  "The word here is 'triplet,' so let's use a 'trip-o-let' right here," and so on.

[Reza Sa]

thank you for you reply,and i appreciate if u could explain a bit more.

[MikeRobinson]

Well, lots of songwriting teams started with a lyric, because this is where the "meaning" of the song comes from but also where the natural pace of the words will fall.  The music that accompanies those words needs to blend with and to support the lyric's phrases as they are naturally pronounced by the singer.  The lyrics can only be spoken a certain way, whereas notes can be put anywhere.  (But they ought to be "put anywhere" in a fashion that supports and enhances what the lyric is trying to say.)

 

Sometimes, of course, it does work the other way.  For instance, when Vince Guaraldi came up with another killer song for A Charlie Brown Christmas, somebody decided that it needed lyrics, so in about fifteen minutes some words were written down on the back, yes, of a napkin.  It became: "Christmastime is Here."  As the lyricist said thereafter, "who knew?"

 

Really, I just don't think that there are any absolutes.  Sure, ex post facto, you can come up with any story for your adoring fans that makes you look like the genius they expect you to be.

[Janeva]

Hi

 

I agree with Mike that you should do whatever suits you best.

 

I know musicians who always start with the music and others who prefer to have the lyrics first to work with. 

 

Everyone has their own way of working and there is no right or wrong - just do what works for you 

 

Jan