Songwriters, which comes first- the Music or the Lyrics? [POLL]

by Brian Casel | May 7, 2009 | 5 Comments

Which comes first in your songwriting process, the music or the lyrics? We all have our own unique style and approach to song craft. Some of us are natural lyricists. Others find their strength in writing and arranging the musical content of our songs. The question is, when you have that inspiration to write a song, do you first craft the chords and melodies, or do you pick up a pen and scribble down your words?

This is our first poll here at Serve The Song. Cast your vote right here in this post, or use the sidebar widget while you browse the rest of the site. But don’t stop there. Use the comments to share your opinions on this topic.

[polldaddy poll=1599937]

My vote?

I almost always write the music before writing any lyrics. Lyrics have always been weak part of my songwriting game, although both are equally enjoyable.

I usually begin by strumming some chords or crafting a riff on guitar. Then I’ll hum or sing a vocal melody without singing actual words. Then something kind of strange happens (at least I think so).

I begin to replace my humming random words and phrases. These words are usually meaningless and probably don’t make any sense at all. But the syllables and emotions that each word brings serves to inspire the general direction of song.

I find this is a great way to see where my natural emotion will take the song, especially when I’m searching for a topic to write about. I’ll draw on these random words and phrases and use them as a starting point to write something meaningful. Now the song is on a roll…

Over to you…

Cast your vote and share your opinions below!

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song craft

5 Comments:

05/7/2009
3:07 pm

Tony

For me the two are mutually exclusive, if I write lyrics then I’ll add music later, but if I write music first, the piece will more often than not end up as a purely instrumental track, but I rarely write music first add lyrics later, don’t know why that is?
05/9/2009
2:55 am

Oneoverphi

I’d really have to say that every song is different. Usually one or the other falls out naturally, then I agonize over the missing component. Only a handful of times have the two occurred simultaneously, and then I’m full of doubt that I’m subconsciously ripping something. Writing songs can’t be that easy? Right?
05/9/2009
8:09 am

Brian Casel

@Oneoverphi – I think we always draw on inspiration or even semi-steal ideas from our influences, whether we know it or not. If it serves to take your song to a new place, then there’s no harm, right?
05/9/2009
10:17 pm

Oneoverphi

@Brian – I’m certain that we’re always regurgitating our influences, I just don’t want it to be note for note
05/13/2009
10:08 pm

Mad Stratter

reminds me of this post: http://madstratter.com/2009/01/672/

I chose the option that every song is different.

For the most part, I take an approach similar to you: humming, random thoughts and words, and so on.

I keep a notebook full of single lines of lyrics, couplets, whole verses, or even just words or pairs of words that I like. As I’m playing something, I usually find that something will float in and fit… sometimes in a very different way than I had envisioned it when I wrote it down.

So I like to write lyrics for no song in particular, then write the music and see what lyrics from where fit in how. Who Why What?

So long and thanks for all the blues.