Writing Better Lyrics/Songwriting Tips

Insane Drummer · 04-15-2002, 08:24 PM

my tip just sit wiht a note book scribble out what ever you think of... then just like sing it out loud.. then just change it till you got one good line then just make the whole song off of that line... then in the process of write if you get a line you like but it doesn't really fit take it and make a song out of it....

Punkmin · 04-17-2002, 11:41 AM

What is a prechorus?????

cool_E · 04-17-2002, 01:28 PM

A PRE chorus is what goes before the chorus.

Some songs will have a change in melody or chord
progression as a build into the chorus. There may
also be somthing different, or special in the lyric
during that section.

Think of an arrangement like:

V1
V2
prechorus
chorus
V3
prechorus
chorus
bridge
chorus
chorus
ending

That's a pretty standard template for pop song arrangements.

missy · 04-18-2002, 05:43 PM

Put on a good cd you like (for me it's Jars of Clays stuff) and sit at the computer and type away. I end up writing ten songs at a time while listening to cds! And also being grounded in the Word helps inspiration. I often find that whatever I've been studying gets oozed out in whatever I'm writing. :-)

leahsplace · 04-22-2002, 03:07 PM

My opinion on the matter of songwrting is ..........I really don't have one
I think it's a gift that God gives...uses ...and can, if necessary take a way.
be focused on the Father

Leah

Insane Drummer · 04-22-2002, 04:48 PM

an other tip listen to jars of clay, jennifer knapp and third day...... it really helps..seriously

froggee501 · 04-23-2002, 04:25 PM

listen to the sound of silence. go to a park where nobody is, and listen. sit in your room and listen. go to the library and listen. If you are in an exams room and are done, listen. Sometimes, the sound of silence can speak volumes for possible new songs.

leahsplace · 04-23-2002, 05:00 PM

all the best thoughts come out on napkins...at least for me

tropicana · 04-24-2002, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by froggee501
If you are completely new to songwriting, find a song that you really like, and write your own words for it. Find a poem that flows, and put your own music to it.

[/B]

I totally agree with that! I was in French doing food and all of a sudden came up with a song about tuna.... to the beat of Sisqo's "Thong Song".... called "The Thon (Tuna) Song"... lol... all my friends loved to hear me sing it....

tropicana · 04-24-2002, 09:35 PM

All the best ideas happen in the shower, while you're washing your hair... and then they're gone by the time you can write them down.....

Jeff · 04-24-2002, 10:09 PM

I must disagree leahsplace. Christians aren't famous for the best songwriting abilities especially. I don't think it has anything to do with religion. Just like not all smart people are christians.

tropicana · 05-02-2002, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by froggee501

Read Dr. Seuss and write a song like him

Nobody writes like Dr. Seuss!

HeavenOnAStick · 05-06-2002, 11:28 AM

Sit in a comfortable place when you write. My dad has an old lapton that he never uses (really old, has no CD-ROM drive) so I will go sit in my bed and write a song.
And just start from one line and build on that, that's what almost all my songs are like.
It might help yo buy a rhyming dictionary (we ahve one) but then it becomes more of a job, and it's like you want it to be technically good (if you know what i mean) and it won't sound as good if you didn't use it. It doesn't even need to rhyme all the time, a lot of GOOD songs hardly rhyme at all, the song I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever only has three rhymes, but is is a VERY good song. So if it sound better the way you had it without the rhyme, then when it did rhyme, then keep it that way.

That's just my opinion

Travis · 05-06-2002, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JeffboWilson
I must disagree leahsplace. Christians aren't famous for the best songwriting abilities especially. I don't think it has anything to do with religion. Just like not all smart people are christians.

She didn't say that, she just said that it is a God-given talent. God doesn't only give talent to Christians obviously and he could certainly use talents in a non-christian as well as take them away just as Leah said.

MyHope · 05-07-2002, 06:55 PM

on thing I got as a gift that has help me so much is the
Essential Songwriters Rhyming Dictionary it's made Alfred's Publishing company who make alot of music stuff. It's great cause it's so small it can fit in your pocket. You can take it anywhere, so whenever you are inspired but can't think of the right word, you can just pull it out!

Also try different rhyme schemes so all your songs don't start to sound alike.

hope it helps
-Joe