Which way do you write your best music?

[Pig17]

See poll.

I find I can do it both ways, but the more complex music will come out of writing it down.

[airon26]

Where is:

3. No matter which way I try my music still sucks.

?

[rantingthespian]

For me, it's a little at both, searching for something as well as just fooling around on the guitar.

[VanHorneDog]

jamming and writing stuff out. im not a huge theory person but i do know what is what in which key.

[Josephiah]

1. Jam and noodle around a bit.
2. Note down any promising chord sequences/melody lines/lyrics/themes on random pieces of paper/notebooks.
3. Leave said pieces of paper/notebooks lying around to mature for a few days/weeks/months.
4. Happen to pick them up again at some indeterminate time later and think about shaping them into something more coherent.

That said, the very best songs (or sections of songs) seem to arrive in my head fairly well formed...
J

www.dldown.co.uk

[MGH4007]

what i have recently been doing. typically I will have a certain melodic idea, or chord progression that I've sounded out in my head, it might be a melody that popped up while I was walking, or a chord progression that I'd like to see what it sounds like. I then head to my guitar and figure out the actual notes I was sounding out. I then write down the music. I really enjoy the purity and truthfulness in establishing a melodic idea or progression away from an instrument. The original melody usually (but not always) makes up a the first section. Once I have established a key, for example Am I will begin to think about a second section. For example one tune opens in Am7, goes through a development section which takes Am7 to Eb, but it's not at Eb for long as it gets atonal shorty after. The next section returns to Am which is the section of the tune that gives you the "reprise" feeling. Returning to Am (not 7) allows that "reprise " feeling letting the dissonance of the 7th go. Finally it returns back to the opening section in Am7 completing the work. I typically write melodies first and then overlay harmonies (usually chords) but always think of pieces in the large.

I got side tracked. I try to write away from the guitar but as we all know that doesn't always work. You know, sometimes your playing and a great thing undeniably occurs.

I don't think I have ever written a verse/chorus/bridge song....now that I think of it.

[gakm7]

Originally Posted by Josephiah

1. Jam and noodle around a bit.
2. Note down any promising chord sequences/melody lines/lyrics/themes on random pieces of paper/notebooks.
3. Leave said pieces of paper/notebooks lying around to mature for a few days/weeks/months.
4. Happen to pick them up again at some indeterminate time later and think about shaping them into something more coherent.

That said, the very best songs (or sections of songs) seem to arrive in my head fairly well formed...
J

www.dldown.co.uk

Exactly what I do pretty much.

I will just play around on my guitar and come up with totally random shit. I will eventually come up with many little rhythm melodies (I can not solo AT ALL) and I will pick promising ones and develop them further or else I will put a few of them together and see what happens... I figure that if I noodle enough then something good will come up sooner or later If it doesn't work out, I just put what I'm working on out of my mind for several days, weeks, months, etc. and then I eventually come back to it and finish it.

As for lyrics, sometimes I write them before putting them to a melody... other times I will have the melody first and then I put lyrics to the melody. A lot of my little melodies are like "Shotgun" and "#40" where I have a definite melody and I have some of the lyrics but not all of them.

[MGH4007]

Originally Posted by gakm7

Exactly what I do pretty much.

I will just play around on my guitar and come up with totally random shit. I will eventually come up with many little rhythm melodies (I can not solo AT ALL) and I will pick promising ones and develop them further or else I will put a few of them together and see what happens... I figure that if I noodle enough then something good will come up sooner or later If it doesn't work out, I just put what I'm working on out of my mind for several days, weeks, months, etc. and then I eventually come back to it and finish it.

As for lyrics, sometimes I write them before putting them to a melody... other times I will have the melody first and then I put lyrics to the melody. A lot of my little melodies are like "Shotgun" and "#40" where I have a definite melody and I have some of the lyrics but not all of them.

I forgot about lyrics. I like to incorporate vocals into at least one part of every tune. I think I have one song in which I have set lyrics for, which is all but one line, "triangle square, like magic in the air". It's only sung twice and is the only vocal part of the song. Most every other vocal part is just a melody with no set words, my good friend is a acoustic guitarist/singer song writer and I'd like to ask him to write lyrics for the melodies. he has a good way with words anyway.