How do I begin songwriting?

[kevinmathie]

OK, I've decided I want to take the plunge from being just an instrumental composer to being a songwriter as well.As a composer, I understand song form, rhyme scheme, and all that, and actually, I've written the music for many songs. In fact, I've written the entire vocal score for 3 musical theater shows, all of which have been produced on stage -- two of the shows have been produced in multiple theaters over the past 15 years.But, I'm now interested in taking ahold of the lyric reins, as well as the music. In particular, since my career has specialized in musical theatre over the past 20 years, I have two shows rolling around in my head that I want to get down on paper.Here's my problem. I need some tips on getting started. When I think of starting a song, the whole task seems so daunting -- especially when I think of writing the lyrics to an entire musical theatre production (or, 2 productions, actually!). Adding to my angst, my lyric heros are Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, and Lynn Ahrens, who are heavyweights in the musical theatre world. So, whenever I try to put some rough lyric down, I automatically compare what I wrote to their lyrics. It's really hard for me not to do that.On the other hand, when I write the music, I tend to break things down into smaller chunks: I often sit at the piano or computer and figure out the emotion or groove first, then the melody, then the harmony, or sometimes vice versa, then the instrumentation, and it all grows bit by bit. And, I don't usually start comparing my work to Sondheim's or Jason Robert Brown's until the music is getting closer to completion.But, I don't have enough experience with lyrics yet to do that. How do you songwriters break your lyric-creation process down into bite-size chunks that you can deal with easily? Or is the process more haphazard than the music end of things?Thanks for your advice!Kevin

[bagnall]

I'm not 100% sure what stages of song writing you need help with it is starting of lyrics or getting stuck in the middle and such. Also not sure if you have tryed these exercises to help get into the swing of song writing / idea's but these are some I was taught / have learned over the time. I don't sing but I write songs / poetry.
these are not specific things to do to be able to write songs there are for getting your mind ready for writing songs it helps to try write a few lines about anything and everything not just your key area's as it widens the limit of things.

1: One of the easy / best ways for idea's to help with writting is open up a magizine or news paper. (a one you can destroy) scout about them for any lines or headers you like or dislike or randomize words / phrase and circle them with a pen. when you've done this for how ever long you want, go back through and cut out all those sections. put them on a table or floor infront of you and check them out again. rearrange some of them under each other as if forming an article or page from them . read them through again under each other take out / re arrange how ever you like (as this will probably be randomized a bit and the lines wont make sense together)

then try adding some of your own words with rhyming words in, you can do that with the whole thing or pick out some of the phrases and try associate a rhyme with it e.g *man saved a girl today* ( the evil beast howled in dissmay). what comes out will depend on your own tastes ofc.

2: pick out any of the lines you want or a word and just start thinking of things that rhym with it or things that your mind associates with it. e.g "new bird found in tree" my mind would be like, old, bluebird, robin crow, singing, lost, finding, green leaves, wood.

then you can think of words to go with the words you thought of.

3: or instead of using bits of magizines, do the same with objects around you, looking out the window or out and about. and think of words / memories to do with these.

4: always have a small note pad with you or something to keep idea's anything weird strange or general you see that takes your eye, jott it down as a word idea

5: if it is specificaly musicals you want to write for then do they above but with what idea's you have in your head for a musical think of a submit write down all words and thoughts / emotions / memories to do with them, colours and such

alot of may not agree with any of the above, but this is what I find helps me this isnt a how to write songs. its basicly to get your brain into the habbit of being able to find words and key points that help with idea's and lines in songs.

I can recommend some others too just didnt want to make this post to long. as others will have there say.
hope some of this will help goodluck!

Regards,
Ben

p.s sorry for any typo's its early in the morning

[bagnall]

it would seem that my forum pages are bugged. it showed this topic as new when it now states it is months old with 4 pages of invisable posts ohwell the suggestions are there anyone anyway

[onglee]

just do it. you'll only get better with time and practice.

[DesireeBowen]

Well I am no expert- but here is what happens with me.

First, I find a chord progression I like.

Second, I come up with a phrase that I like. For instance my daughter and I love to blow kisses at each other, and she loves to say "catch the kisses!!" One day she said that and I thought hmm, catching kisses... I like that. "Catching kisses in the wind..." Then I tried to think of the story I wanted to tell with that, thought up a theme, and wrote the verses and the chorus.

Third, I write the melody. Once I have some chord progressions I like that I feel like match the lyrics (major chords for a peppy lyric etc.) a melody kind of pops up. If it doesn't pop up right away, I doodle on the piano until it does. I really feel like personally I cannot do the melody before the lyrics, because I feel like the lyrics dictate the style the melody is going to be. However, I think this is pretty essential to my style of songs which tend to be bouncy and kind of quirky. So I need lyrics to match that.

The bridge is usually the last thing to be written.

Some songs I've written have come together VERY quickly (like one was in less than an hour), but most of the time I find chord progressions, or melodies, or lyrics that I like, but none match up with each other. But after time, they finally piece together.

Again, I'm no expert, but hopefully that might have helped somewhat! How is your daughter by the way? We need an update!

[DesireeBowen]

I should also add that I bounce all my ideas off my husband (who happens to be great with words). I think it is really helpful to ask your wife, or anyone, what they think of a phrase etc. They might suggest a change in one word that can totally spark something totally different but perfect!