Tips on becoming a solid songwriter.

another cool link on music and the brain;

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?art...81809EC588EF21

they found NEANDERTAL flutes like 53,000 years old, i wonder how they sound...

wacky stuff...

I have found that colaberation really works best for me. Often, if I have a good riff or some kind of part, but still needs the rest, I can look to a cowriter to help. I have a difficult time writing by myself. It always seems that if someone else is there the ideas start to flow. Also I have noticed that I am a good arranger of other peoples music. If someone has some good ideas it is easy for me to give it some coheasion and order.

Originally Posted by McLean

I have found that colaberation really works best for me. Often, if I have a good riff or some kind of part, but still needs the rest, I can look to a cowriter to help. I have a difficult time writing by myself. It always seems that if someone else is there the ideas start to flow. Also I have noticed that I am a good arranger of other peoples music. If someone has some good ideas it is easy for me to give it some coheasion and order.

I am with you on this all the way. Sometimes just having a little tiny spark of an idea from somebody will make my brain explode with options of what to do over top of it. While writing by myself is fun, I almost invariably churn out better material when collaborating.

What i do is constantly re evaluate what my influnece is and just make a version of what i want to hear, always just thinking where the song is going what sound you want to produce but not name it like this is band x meets band a, just tesing where it goes in the overall additude, it sounds esoteric i know...derrr

Originally Posted by Professor Riffs

I am with you on this all the way. Sometimes just having a little tiny spark of an idea from somebody will make my brain explode with options of what to do over top of it. While writing by myself is fun, I almost invariably churn out better material when collaborating.

I agree with both of you. I spend more time than not writing a lot of tunes and some of the best songs I have were built around working with other talented people that really just want to add what they feel should be present. Whether you just bring a lick or song into the mix or even just jammin' out a bit on a pattern you typically resort to...it can be very fulfilling as a songwriter to have your idea flourish from other people's input.

[Bellringer]

One other songwriting tip I have is to keep a notebook for writing words in. If you normally write riffs well and have trouble coming up with lyrics start by writing down words that amuse you. Words that rhyme. Interesting headlines from a newspaper. Sometimes you might write a verse or a song. Keep everything you write. Sometimes you will hear people talking as you walk by. If by chance someone says something interesting write it down (it can always be used out of context or could influence a song). I have a big stack of notebooks full of 1 liners, words, ideas, and songs. It's something to go to when you are having problems with inspiration. This is a great way to fine tune your lyric writing. Cut and paste lyrics have been used by many good musicians. It doesn't always have to make sense on the surface. If it has catchy words that sound good together, people will try to interpret it. It might make you look like a verbal genius!

Originally Posted by Bellringer

One other songwriting tip I have is to keep a notebook for writing words in. If you normally write riffs well and have trouble coming up with lyrics start by writing down words that amuse you. Words that rhyme. Interesting headlines from a newspaper. Sometimes you might write a verse or a song. Keep everything you write. Sometimes you will hear people talking as you walk by. If by chance someone says something interesting write it down (it can always be used out of context or could influence a song). I have a big stack of notebooks full of 1 liners, words, ideas, and songs. It's something to go to when you are having problems with inspiration. This is a great way to fine tune your lyric writing. Cut and paste lyrics have been used by many good musicians. It doesn't always have to make sense on the surface. If it has catchy words that sound good together, people will try to interpret it. It might make you look like a verbal genius!

that's a cool idea, bellringer! reminds me of how i use refrigerator magnets of different words, move them around to make new sentences... i wrote an entire song, lyrically using refrigerator magnets on my refrigerator, and i think it sounds pretty cool. oh yea, another good lyric brainstormer is to go to your local used book store and check out used reference books, for instance i found the complete book of english-american slang (published 1949), and it is 4 inches thick! imagine that, so much american slang, so little time to write new lyrics mmhhmm

[Bellringer]

Originally Posted by mikegee

that's a cool idea, bellringer! reminds me of how i use refrigerator magnets of different words, move them around to make new sentences... i wrote an entire song, lyrically using refrigerator magnets on my refrigerator, and i think it sounds pretty cool. oh yea, another good lyric brainstormer is to go to your local used book store and check out used reference books, for instance i found the complete book of english-american slang (published 1949), and it is 4 inches thick! imagine that, so much american slang, so little time to write new lyrics mmhhmm

I like that! I have a lot of books I am inspired by. Old reference books sound like an interesting idea. It would be cool to study movies from the 1940's and write a song with that slang. "That dame had a set of pins. Whattahyah a wise guy!WHY I OUGHTA". Good Stuff!!!

ok, check it out, sometimes i am listening to someone elses music, and i hear a new song or alternate melodies coming off that song, maybe its just like my imagination, or i am just getting too way into the song
? this happen to other musicians? you hear new song ideas from listening to other's music? it's pretty cool when it happens, but i dont know if its just my mind maybe reworking the exisitng melody or something...

[dagosto]

Originally Posted by mikegee

ok, check it out, sometimes i am listening to someone elses music, and i hear a new song or alternate melodies coming off that song, maybe its just like my imagination, or i am just getting too way into the song
? this happen to other musicians? you hear new song ideas from listening to other's music? it's pretty cool when it happens, but i dont know if its just my mind maybe reworking the exisitng melody or something...

I've had this happen to me. For me it is usually a change that I want to hear a certain change happen at a certain part but it never does. That's one type of inspiration I rely on.