Songwriting: How Do You Start A Song?

[thepopeofpop]

I often find that I accumulate "bits and pieces" - a riff ... then a few lines of lyric, then an interesting chord progression with a "surprise" chord - without necessarily thinking that any of it is part of a particular song.  I just know that each bit has potential. I keep all the bits and pieces for a rainy day - they might well add up to several songs once inspiration really sets in!

 

Other times an entire song might spring from nothing in ten minutes.

What marks someone as a songwriter is the mindset that the smallest little thing (a snatch of melody, a couple of lines that rhyme, a "cool" chord change) needs to be noted down as it could lead to yet another song, or could even be the finishing touch for a song that's 90% there.  

I don't find it "easier" to write the lyrics first, or the melody first.  I often tend to "find" the melody while working through promising chord sequences on guitar (or sometimes, piano) but I will also then play (or sing) the melody unaccompanied to test whether the melody stands up without the chords.  I also will try the melody with just the root notes of the chords ... and often will end up trying alternate bass notes, or countermelodies in the bass.   In my opinion (for what it's worth) the bass line and the top line (ie, the vocal melody) are what really define the musical shape of each part of the song, and all the other harmonic stuff is just icing on the cake.

 

Lyrics: if I write the lyric first then I usually just find an interesting meter to write it in  - or even use someone else's melody to get the lyric started.  I used to think using another melody to get a lyric started was "cheating", but I was much younger then!  

As the song takes shape then assumptions I've made at the start might go out the window.  The first lyrics to be written might not be the start of the song (unless I thought "wow, what a great opening line" as soon as I wrote it).  After I've written two or three verses I critically examine the flow of the words.  Start strong, but also finish well, I think.  If the lyric tells a story then it clearly should have a logical progression, but even if the song is just expressing an opinion it should still have a "shape".  Many people may not pay close attention to your lyrics, but those who do will appreciate that extra effort you have made in writing well.  The same thing can equally apply to musical composition - many listeners only pay attention to the chorus, to the catchy hook, but more discerning listeners will enjoy the development of musical ideas in your song.