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song writers, do you write the lyrics or music first?

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houseofcards
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01 Mar 2009, 3:42 am

Just wondering, and looking for advice and opinions on what you think is easier and has worked for you. I usually write the lyrics first then as I'm writing the music, I'll change the lyrics a little bit to what sounds better to me.


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LostInEmulation
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01 Mar 2009, 6:34 am

I get a melody stuck in my head and write the lyrics for it later... :wink:


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01 Mar 2009, 11:06 am

It varies. Sometimes it kind of comes as a package - the lyrics and the music together. Otherwise, the lyrics usually drive the music rather than the reverse, for me.



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01 Mar 2009, 4:54 pm

houseofcards wrote:
Just wondering, and looking for advice and opinions on what you think is easier and has worked for you. I usually write the lyrics first then as I'm writing the music, I'll change the lyrics a little bit to what sounds better to me.



Always lyrics first.



pakled
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01 Mar 2009, 8:49 pm

I do the music first, but sometimes with an idea as to what I want to say. Lyrics have never been a trouble (except being excessively gloomy...;) for me.



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01 Mar 2009, 8:51 pm

I think you'll find a lot of great songs have been created with the melody coming first.


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Lonermutant
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02 Mar 2009, 1:22 am

benjimanbreeg wrote:
I think you'll find a lot of great songs have been created with the melody coming first.



Yes, but without great lyrics.



benjimanbreeg
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02 Mar 2009, 4:03 am

Lonermutant wrote:
benjimanbreeg wrote:
I think you'll find a lot of great songs have been created with the melody coming first.



Yes, but without great lyrics.


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02 Mar 2009, 4:13 am

i usually work around harmonic or rhythmic ideas that pop into my head, i can compose the arrangement in my head and hear it perfectly, then it just needs to be messed around with and recorded...sometimes a lyric could be rhythmic starting point, but 99% of the time the music comes first, and then i will write some cool conceptual lyrics around it.

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02 Mar 2009, 4:17 am

I just can't do lyrics. Or poetry... or really anything word related...

It's just not a creative outlet for me...

I can convey what I'm feeling through instrumental music more than anything else.


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rivergoat
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02 Mar 2009, 9:16 am

I'm not a songwriter, I'm a poet, but I've had a couple of poems that came to me as songs... if that makes any sense!

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