barton8367 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I have been given a bunch of lyrics by a friend who cannot play guitar, I was hoping someone would be able to give me tips on writing some music to lyrics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hmmmm... for me, I always have music done, then lyrics come later. Just gotta come up with the melodies, then work around that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Me too. Music is always first, vocal melody is second, and then lyrics are last. I need the music to influence the lyrics; what state of mind was I in when I put the music together. Maybe try reading the lyrics and getting inspired to put music together. If the lyrics are trippy, psychedelic stuff try writing in that genre. You get the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I've just looked and I'm sorry. I seem to have misplaced Elton John's number. He know's all about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 what kind of music are we talking about? what genre? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschory Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Maybe try reading the lyrics and getting inspired to put music together. If the lyrics are trippy, psychedelic stuff try writing in that genre. You get the idea. This is probably the best way forward. You know the person who wrote them and what they're like and how they think about the world. Try to put yourself in to the same kind of head space that the person who wrote them was likely in, and then see where that feeling takes you. Something to keep in mind, though I find it easier to apply in reverse of the way you need to do this: Certain vocal lined and songs seem, to my mind at least, to require certain vowel and consonant sounds in them. When I'm writing a song, I usually can hear what sound the vocal line needs before I get actual words. Then, when I look for words with content, I know what framework they need to fit in to. You may find as you go through that the lyrics inspire a certain way of singing it in your head. The rhyme scheme, rhythm, and meter of the words may inspire a certain approach to you. Once you're in the head space, try reading the words as a poem, with feeling, and then see if any notes speak to you with that delivery. That's my 2 cents, and I'll note that personally I'm better at taking a melody and finding the right lyrics for them. Creating melodies themselves is something I'm not as adept at, which is why I'm a better rhythm guitarist than solo guitarist. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton8367 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks for all the input guys, they're quite fast paced folk type lyrics so I'm trying to stay away from minor chords, is this wise? Is there a basic song structure that I shy be trying or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl M Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I've done this for some folks before. Just find out from them what they are looking for, (ballad, upbeat, etc), then start playing a riff in that vein, and start trying to sing the lyrics. I've found that it comes together pretty easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I would have a lot of fun if someone gave me lyrics. I'm not good with that but I have tons of melodies that could work woth someone's lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks for all the input guys, they're quite fast paced folk type lyrics so I'm trying to stay away from minor chords, is this wise? Is there a basic song structure that I shy be trying or what? folk music, good, thats where you start. folk music has very deep roots. if you listen to very old, origional folk music you will find common chord progressions. many different songs use the same music the farther back you go. if you are into it you might also explore some history, which could inform you of different forms and regions. when you take a particular common chord progression, or play the same thing as a traditional folk song, you are not plagerizing, you are being faithful to the form. that is what early turn of the century musicians did-they were supposed to sound and be the same so everyone could learn and play them and dance to them. many later folk musicians that came up with thier own songs with unique chord progressions had these old styles as starting points. you can also make them your own starting points. here is a tip-choose a rhythm and count your bars and stick to it. you can change the speed or the timing, but don't just blindly go changing chords hoping for something to happen, you will be doing that endlessly. count your measures and always come back to your starting point when you are trying out ideas. basic music thoery: every key has 6 chords and a half diminished chord. no more, no less. of these 3 is a I IV V in major and 3 is a I IV V in minor. example: the chords go MAJ min min MAJ MAJ min, half diminished. in the key of c it would be cMAJ, Dmin, Emin, fMAJ, gMAJ, Amin. see the pattern? you don't have to use this to write a song, you can do it by ear, but this may help in deciding which chords are going to be maj or min. everyone writes different of corse, and far be it from me to say what the formula is, but hopefully this may get the creative juices flowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanbeastie Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I start with lyrics usually and then fart around with different chords to see what works best. I did read recently that most people give their song a title last but try making the title first then use the images of what that title conjures to write the lyrics.. i tried and its a great new method in my opinion.. sometimes i'll have an idea of melody or sound in my head and work with it before adding lyrics. I have a folder with dozens of started but as yet unfinished songs or guitar parts. I used to carry a notebook and pen everywhere i went and would write down random phrases, sentences or just words and try and rework or use them at a later date. I hate it when your in bed and wake up with a great line but forget it before you write it down!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I struggle with lyrics more than any other part of writing songs. Usually a melody or good chord progression just "comes" to me. Lyrics, however, are tough. Much of the time, mine end up being trite or cloying. But you have to keep at it. The best lyrics I have written have been stream-of-conscious stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton8367 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 basic music thoery: every key has 6 chords and a half diminished chord. no more, no less. of these 3 is a I IV V in major and 3 is a I IV V in minor. example: the chords go MAJ min min MAJ MAJ min, half diminished. in the key of c it would be cMAJ, Dmin, Emin, fMAJ, gMAJ, Amin. see the pattern? you don't have to use this to write a song, you can do it by ear, but this may help in deciding which chords are going to be maj or min. Thats really helpful, ive writen that down and im getting on with it! cheers guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I have been given a bunch of lyrics by a friend who cannot play guitar, I was hoping someone would be able to give me tips on writing some music to lyrics! bschory, evol, stein's all gave you good advice here..(all did)...Putting music to another's lyrics can be a challenge....I have recently begun doing this, as well as co-writing lyrics....I'm finding this quite challenging..Perhaps what I can add is, don't pressure yourself, and ask if you can alter the lyrics to fit anything and any riffs you come up with...Ask if you can add words when needed...Make sure that the co-write agreements are in place...The industry standard is 50 / 50 regardless if one contributes more than the other...If and when the song is copywritten, verify the paperwork as showing the agreed upon split...These days, it is not important to have your song(s) published by the major publishers...Also, regardless if the co-writer 'hears' his lyrics in a certain genre, if you come up with music in a different genre, show it to him; learning to co-write isn't easy, but I'm learning that it is very common to do so..........I'm a rock and roller, and I am currently working with some country music song writers..It's certainly is an experience.....And, don't forget to keep us updated on how it's working out, if you wish...............................Damian...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 And there are different sorts of music even with the same chords and the same tune. I'm trying to redo one - a rodeo song - that started off pretty folkie, but now I figure it'd work better with kinda a Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings "country" thing. So... Lotza ways to go. The arrangement itself can change the whole concept. One perfect example is the 1950s version of "You belong to me" with Jo Stafford or the Duprees vs the more modern arrangement <grin> version that came along much later. versus Almost different songs. And there are more variations that sound even different from that. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton8367 Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 I've been listening to a lot of Mumford and sons and their chord progressions are similar in every song, I am honing to try out some of those today when I get a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wineredrich Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 It's a creative process. It can't be forced. It has to be FELT. Go through the lyrics and pick the poem that means the most to you. The one that best describes your own personal experience. Read it until you know it really well. Also fool around with the guitar. Come up with a chord progression. Even if it's a "borrowed" one from a favorite song. Tweek it and make it your own. This is when the magic happens. You'll come up with a melody and the lyrics will just seem to fit right into it. Then you have to make it a real song by coming up with a repeating refrain and other parts like intro, bridge, etc. Again, don't force it. Great songs write themselves. We just pluck them out of the air. Good luck, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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