When you write a song...

[Riverwolf]

Do you just write down lyrics and chord changes?
Are you using some type of tab or actual music notation?
Does your finished product include the melody notes?

I understand there is no one correct way.
And I am only asking out of curiosity.

Thanks!

[Wyllys]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Do you just write down lyrics and chord changes?
Are you using some type of tab or actual music notation?
Does your finished product include the melody notes?

I understand there is no one correct way.
And I am only asking out of curiosity.

Thanks!

It's called a lead sheet. There are dozens of music software programs which let you create a standard lead sheet. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way by hand.

This is the correct way...

[stanron]

For many years I just memorised everything. If I didn't remember it, it wasn't good enough. Once it was finished I'd write the words down.

I can write a lead sheet now but can't remember the last time I did. Then again if I perform a song I've written it will be solo so there's no real need to write stuff down. If you want others to play along then a chord chart would be helpful. A lead sheet is only good if you have people who read.

[DupleMeter]

I will typically write out a lead sheet, unless the song requires very specific parts, in which case I write out a full chart for all the instruments that have specific parts.

They all end up in Sibelius, but I often start with paper & pencil as I compose for the sake of speed.

[Looburst]

When I write, I usually come up with a chord progression first then start writing the words or ideas. This will obviously change the progression somewhat as I go along, figuring out how to get to the 4 and 5 chords and back to 1, in the chorus. For me, once the chorus is written, the rest comes pretty easy.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Do you just write down lyrics and chord changes?
Are you using some type of tab or actual music notation?
Does your finished product include the melody notes?

I understand there is no one correct way.
And I am only asking out of curiosity.

Thanks!

The finished product is no more formal than a page of developed lyrics in a computer file. No chords. My method of writing presents a well-rehearsed melody for floating lyrics atop. It's a cake-then-icing way of writing. The melody's structure and mood set up the lyrical response. There's plenty of experiences I can verbally respond with. Complementing a melody with lyrics is my way of it with melody being the responsible part of the art form's duty to the listener.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Do you just write down lyrics and chord changes?
Are you using some type of tab or actual music notation?
Does your finished product include the melody notes?

I understand there is no one correct way.
And I am only asking out of curiosity.

Thanks!

I always write out melody, lyrics and chords. Never just lyrics and chords. I used to do it by hand (in a manuscript book) but I've been using software for some time now - looks so much better, and makes it easy to make changes.

Sometimes I also write whole arrangements (including bass, keyboard, drums, strings, etc), eg if multitrack recording.

[Riverwolf]

Thanks for replies.
I don't understand how to write melody.
Is there a book or online instruction to help in this?

I have no music theory training.

[jseth]

Songs come to me in all sorts of different incarnations... possibly a lyrical idea or phrase, sometimes a nice groove/progression that I've stumbled across when "fooling around", sometimes when a melody pops up in my head... and that rarest of birds, there have been several times when I just woke up and put a guitar in my hands and an entire song comes spilling out, as fast as I can write it down, music/lyrics/melody, the whole magilla... like creative vomiting!

I don't write anything out in notation; I'm a solo singer/songwriter and have no need for that (unless I was "pitching" the tune to someone - and even then I'd probably just go with a recording and a lyric sheet).

As a song comes together - and that process can be PAINFULLY extended over years, as I won't "just finish it"; I have this inner voice that demands something "real", nothing cheesy, so there are songs that are "really close" to completion that just aren't "there" yet. One of my "litmus tests" for a new idea or piece is whether it hangs with me, whether I remember it or not... I reason that if I don't remember it, why would anyone else?

As to melody? If I have a set progression or even an idea, I will frequently just play it, over and over until I'm quite comfortable with the music portion, and then just sing along with it, see what sounds interesting alongside the changes in the music...

I try to NOT EDIT myself when I do this, meaning I don't really think if anything makes sense - I will vocalize sounds without concern for how they work together, or if they're even LANGUAGE, at all... just be free about it and see what comes up!

There is always a point where I have to know WHAT, exactly, the song is trying to say, what I want to say with it... that point can come early on or late in the game, but it HAS TO HAPPEN in order for me to finish a new tune...

I typically have between 6 and 20 "songs in progress", roiling around in my little brain! I will write ideas (both musical and lyrical) in a notebook for reference...

Don't let ANYONE tell you that you're 'doing it wrong"... there is NO "right way" to create a song... every different "great" songwriter has their own way(s) of getting it done!

Hope this is helpful for you...

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Thanks for replies.
I don't understand how to write melody.
Is there a book or online instruction to help in this?

I have no music theory training.

You don't need theory training, or books. You just need to learn some melodies. And try singing. If you can't sing, imagine singing. That's how melodies work.

[Wyllys]

One reason I am thankful for having written stuff down as lead sheets is that I can look back over 50+ years of playing, composing and arranging without having to rely solely on memory.

Now where did I put those notebooks...???

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by JonPR

You don't need theory training, or books. You just need to learn some melodies. And try singing. If you can't sing, imagine singing. That's how melodies work.

Ok, but I still don't get it.
I have about 10 songs that I play the melody notes only. But these are not my songs and I got the melodies various places online. I do this as a way of flatpick practice.
I have only one finished song of my own that I am happy with and I do sing it.
But I have no idea how to notate a melody on paper for this song.
Or to simply play a melody version of the song.
I hope that makes sense.

[stanron]

You can get a 'hard', or independent record of your song by recording yourself playing it. I don't own a smart phone but I'd be surprised if most smart phones can't record sound. I imagine most record video.

There are all sorts of notation software that will play what you notate. Some are free. Experiment with one or two of these of these and see what you get.

[tonyo]

interesting thread for me. I play mostly (almost exclusively) rhythm guitar (chords fingerstyle). Lyrics come easily and in recent times I've come up with melodies to sing to the lyrics.

But then I try to play the to various chords and it just doesn't work.

Now I'm learning the major and pentatonic scales so when I come up with a melody I can experiment with the scale so I can work out the notes in the melody (or maybe I need to do ear training???).

It's a work in progress, I'm determined to get there but the road isn't really clear.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Ok, but I still don't get it.
I have about 10 songs that I play the melody notes only. But these are not my songs and I got the melodies various places online. I do this as a way of flatpick practice.
I have only one finished song of my own that I am happy with and I do sing it.
But I have no idea how to notate a melody on paper for this song.
Or to simply play a melody version of the song.
I hope that makes sense.

Kind of.

I'm not sure if you're asking how to compose a melody, or just how to write it down. If you have one song of your own (which you also sing), that suggests you can compose melodies. The melody is what you're singing, after all.

You could write it out in guitar tab, by working out the notes you're singing on guitar. (You should be able to play the melody the same way you play those flatpick exercises.)

To write it in notation, you obviously have to understand notation! There are plenty of online guides on that, such as:
https://www.guitarlessonworld.com/le...ion-tablature/
http://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-g...otation-guide/
http://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/standard-notation/

I also helps to study sheet music for songs you already know, so you can see how the melodies are written. Again, you can find examples free online - not usually whole songs, but enough to give you a guide to how it works. (Just google the title and "sheet music")

These will also help for composition tips, by showing how the melody notes fit the chords.