How do you guys write songs?

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Thursday Jul 29, 2004

A question for all the songwriters and original bands out there:

How do you compose? Do you compose as a group or by individual songwriters?

Do you write by jamming or by bringing polished ideas to rehearsal?

Grimm is getting ready to enter our first writing phase with the new group....just curious!

Kent, Bass, The Grimm

GUITARII · Post by **GUITARII** » Friday Jul 30, 2004

Kent.... Great topic!

Although only one of mine at this point has ever had radio play (too insecure to send the others to J.P. for now), I pretty much write by myself. Although, I feel the best way to go is by the whole group, I just haven't convinced the boys to spare a day or two to get something down. I can't imagine anything better than getting the perspectives and feel from each person wrapped up in a solid tune... I also think it would make everyone closer too.... like their all "owners" in the band.

Just a thought!

byndrsn · Post by **byndrsn** » Friday Jul 30, 2004

GUITARII wrote: I also think it would make everyone closer too.... like their all "owners" in the band.

WHAT?!?!?!? OWNERs?!?!?!? HUH?!?!?!?

Hell Dan, most of the time you won't even plug my mic into the PA!!

FatVin · Post by **FatVin** » Friday Jul 30, 2004

The answer is YES.

You do whatever works. Sometimes, I've got a complete song in my head, sometimes just a lyric, sometimes just a riff, sometimes it's just, "you ought to to write a song about. . .whatever"

it's gonna be different for almost every song, it's gonna be different for new band members.

Just come together and chase all the ideas till ya get something, Randy complained once that his daughter's cat had to go to the vet and that the vet was expensive, and now that idea is one of our more popular songs.

No idea is to silly or controversial or too out of left field to chase, the trick is to know when it isn't working so you move on to the next idea.

also, Editing is really important

it'a process and I don't think there is a RIGHT way to do it but some ways work better for some people

Good luck.

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Friday Jul 30, 2004

We do things a number of ways. There is the conventional where someone comes in with a riff and we go from there. Then once it's done, we edit it hundreds of times, record it, listen to it, see what we like, what we don't, change parts to fit better, etc.

Sometimes though, we take general ideas and put them to songs. For instance our newest song we're putting together we are using the strict classical format followed by Mozart and Hayden and the composers of the classical era. Another one we took a normal song structure (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, interlude) and inverted it. We've also written songs about topics that started as ideas. We have a song Soddom and Gamora that we first decided we wanted to write a song to protest priest molestation, then created it from the idea.

There's a ton of ways dude, just play what sounds good....

oobie · Post by **oobie** » Friday Jul 30, 2004

fatvin and punkinhead well said!!

thats how we usually write them someone comes in with a riff we take it from there, jam it up, down, turn it all around, change it and eventually it becomes a full song somewhere along the line.

the coolest thing of all is when you write songs and times passes and then you find ways to add to the old songs to make them better or spice them up.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Saturday Jul 31, 2004

If I write a song alone, for a particular band, I always try to keep in mind the technical ability of the players. If the bass player has a certain strength, I'll play on that, and stay away from the weaknesses. That's because I generally suck at the instrumental side of things myself, and while I like a challenge, I need to be realistic.
As far as inspiration and ideas... after 25 years of serious writing... i still don't know. I keep my eyes and mind and heart open. I'm fond of telling people that it's like sitting on a beach, running my hand through the sand. Most of the time, I get sandy hands. Sometimes, I get an old broken seashell or cigarette butt. Every great once in awhile, I find a dollar bill, but I swear to you, I'm going to find a diamond ring if I just keep looking.------>JMS

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Saturday Jul 31, 2004

For me, lyrics come first because it is the easiest for me to think of since I am more of a spontainious writer. Then, I just sit and mess around with melodys until something connects.

Whoever, in a band situation, I feel that everyone should have a hand in it instead of this is what I brought and this is what it is going to be, ya know?

esa · Post by **esa** » Sunday Aug 01, 2004

I find that I usually write best when I'm pissed off at something or when I'm angry-sad. Then I leave them in my car. My mother goes in my car and "Throws out that kind of garbage" and I get p.o.'d all over again. It's a vicious, yet gratuitous writing cycle...

byndrsn · Post by **byndrsn** » Sunday Aug 01, 2004

esa wrote:I find that I usually write best when I'm pissed off at something or when I'm angry-sad. Then I leave them in my car. My mother goes in my car and "Throws out that kind of garbage" and I get p.o.'d all over again. It's a vicious, yet gratuitous writing cycle...

But.... wouldn't that cycle, and the fact that you are pissed, create the mood to write more?!?

esa · Post by **esa** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

byndrsn wrote:
esa wrote:I find that I usually write best when I'm pissed off at something or when I'm angry-sad. Then I leave them in my car. My mother goes in my car and "Throws out that kind of garbage" and I get p.o.'d all over again. It's a vicious, yet gratuitous writing cycle...
But.... wouldn't that cycle, and the fact that you are pissed, create the mood to write more?!?

That's the "vicious gratuitous" part of the cycle. I get pissed but then I write better. Actually, only certain things that piss me off make me write anymore. But that's neither here nor there so...

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

I write my best tunes by humming over a demo tape while driving in my car. I use my work commute to come up with phrasing and melodies...anymore, I have to have a melody before I can write lyrics.

I love to write by jamming with the guys in my band....it's awesome to watch a riff completely morph into something entirely different via musical chemistry. One of the songs for Resurruption was actually taken nearly verbatim from a single jam session.......

byndrsn · Post by **byndrsn** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

esa wrote:
byndrsn wrote:
esa wrote:I find that I usually write best when I'm pissed off at something or when I'm angry-sad. Then I leave them in my car. My mother goes in my car and "Throws out that kind of garbage" and I get p.o.'d all over again. It's a vicious, yet gratuitous writing cycle...
But.... wouldn't that cycle, and the fact that you are pissed, create the mood to write more?!?
That's the "vicious gratuitous" part of the cycle. I get pissed but then I write better. Actually, only certain things that piss me off make me write anymore. But that's neither here nor there so...

Ya know what? I think you should try to write something more upbeat!! Maybe an Ode to your wonderful brother in law, or something like that.

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

I did that once, remember Urbs? "Motorcycle Messiah"

GUITARII · Post by **GUITARII** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

DMFJ03 wrote:I did that once, remember Urbs? "Motorcycle Messiah"

Hey Urbs.... it's not everyday you get you're ass kissed by a deathmaster!

byndrsn · Post by **byndrsn** » Wednesday Aug 04, 2004

GUITARII wrote:
DMFJ03 wrote:I did that once, remember Urbs? "Motorcycle Messiah"
Hey Urbs.... it's not everyday you get you're ass kissed by a deathmaster!

I try to forget the whole Deathmaster thing - it kinda scares me!!

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thursday Aug 05, 2004

Be afraid, be very afraid.

esa · Post by **esa** » Friday Aug 06, 2004

An ode to my wonderful brother in law... Umm.. ::giggles:: never mind. Mind in gutter. Actually.. there aren't words to describe ya!

And.. getting your ass kissed by the death master is kinda nice.. a little wet at times.. but nice. Careful though..he bites!

Actually.. what about writing a song about me? A collective ballad to me from all willing rock page participants. Whatcha think? Oh yeah.. it has to have style and form techniques that metalrulz would appreciate... ::giggles::

byndrsn · Post by **byndrsn** » Saturday Aug 07, 2004

esa wrote: Actually.. what about writing a song about me? A collective ballad to me from all willing rock page participants. Whatcha think? Oh yeah.. it has to have style and form techniques that metalrulz would appreciate... ::giggles::

I'll get right on that!!