HELP: writing your own tunes

Sugar Will · Post by **Sugar Will** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:19 pm

I've made up a lot of "verses" that I want to build off of, and that's where I get stumped.

Do you always have to make a transition from the last chord of the verse? OR is that just a simpler way that's less complex? Just shoot me some feedback fellas...-thanks

kcw · Post by **kcw** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:28 pm

Do whatever you feel sounds right. It takes a while to get the hang of your own style of writing. There isnt a right and wrong way to do it.

Kukini · Post by **Kukini** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:37 pm

kcw wrote:Do whatever you feel sounds right. It takes a while to get the hang of your own style of writing. There isnt a right and wrong way to do it.

filmdude100cms · Post by **filmdude100cms** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 5:52 pm

Kukini wrote:
kcw wrote:Do whatever you feel sounds right. It takes a while to get the hang of your own style of writing. There isnt a right and wrong way to do it.

Speenis · Post by **Speenis** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 5:54 pm

Anyone else think the title of this thread is pretty funny?

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:27 pm

you dont need a transition, i like to put a barre harmonic inplace of one of the middle chords and then pause for a beat or two going into the chorus, i find that music is just as much the lack of noise as it is the noise.

and speen. yes, i dont kno why but yes

edit: is sugar wills av crack?

a1075dd63aa12 · Post by **a1075dd63aa12** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:28 pm

BigSpeen3436 wrote:Anyone else think the title of this thread is pretty funny?

yea i see what youre talking about

a1075dd63aa12 · Post by **a1075dd63aa12** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:46 pm

i dont really have much theory knowledge, but ill have an idea in my head, pick up the guitar try to play with whats in my head, then toy around with it, i dont think ive ever completely finished a song, because im never satisfied with it. just dont think about it too much, just go with it and see what happens, dont try to conform to what youve seen others do, do what you think sounds good, if everyone had the same style music would be really really boring

HCHaikuWarrior · Post by **HCHaikuWarrior** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:43 pm

wkpggrvn2001 wrote:i dont really have much theory knowledge, but ill have an idea in my head, pick up the guitar try to play with whats in my head, then toy around with it, i dont think ive ever completely finished a song, because im never satisfied with it. just dont think about it too much, just go with it and see what happens, dont try to conform to what youve seen others do, do what you think sounds good, if everyone had the same style music would be really really boring

well said

Tranman66 · Post by **Tranman66** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 7:42 am

filmdude100cms wrote:
Kukini wrote:
kcw wrote:Do whatever you feel sounds right. It takes a while to get the hang of your own style of writing. There isnt a right and wrong way to do it.

c_tietze · Post by **c_tietze** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:20 am

The most simple songwriting tool is think of your verse as "A" and your chorus as "B"

Song formula:

A, A, B, A, A, B, A

But dude, do what works for YOU. I find the music helps me find a mood and the lyrics just come to me.

c_tietze · Post by **c_tietze** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 2:38 pm

I thought more about this topic actually.

I find that good lyrics and even melodies come to me while I'm walking. Take a walk and keep a tape recorder handy.

Use those lyrics you already have and then use simple chord progressions with open chords and see what works and really try to play and sing how its "feels". Those are the best songs. Sad songs tend to be minor keys, happy major keys.

FOLLOW NO RULES. DO WHAT YOU FEELS GOOD TO YOU.

As you get better you can try more difficult progressions and use more comlplex chords to refine your own style ala Dave Matthews for example.

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 2:52 pm

the walk with a recorder is a good idea...

Davy28 · Post by **Davy28** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:34 pm

One of the hardest things I've found is finding a vocal melody that goes with music I write. It can be very tough at first when you write cool, complicated chord pregressions and riffs and can't figure out how to sing along with them. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet, step back and keep the riffs simpler so that coming up with a main melody is easier.

kcw · Post by **kcw** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:07 pm

I find if you just hum with the main chord progression you can figure out what will sound good and put words to the rythm of the humming. If that makes sense to anyone else but me.