Something I posted on twitter, but wanted to get a better convo going... When you're writing songs, do you consciously think about being "different" or "unique?" If so, what are some things you do to make your song unique? Any share some songwriting tips, strategies, workflow etc. Do you write riffs first or lyrics? As a drummer, I usually just backup the band and figure out structure and segment out parts. Sometimes I have melody lines in my head but it's hard to communicate them. What do you drummers do to contribute to the band? 2009-06-15T00:00:36-04:00 8 2009-06-14T20:48:36-04:00 true 0 40561 false false 9773 253 1 2009-11-21T06:02:39-05:00 235 i'm a drummer and i write the better half of our music as well as 90% of our lyrics. we always write the music first 40561 Post 2009-06-14T21:00:08-04:00 1184661 9208 2009-06-14T21:00:08-04:00 Rests are an amazing addition to punk/rock/metal, such as a quick cymbal grab on a correlating down stroke just before a chorus. Also, I frequently exploit the introduction of odd time signatures. Playing 6/8 over a 4 groove has a very interesting sound and isn't difficult to execute considering that the 4 groove is arguably THE most common time signature in contemporary music. 40561 Post 2009-06-14T21:00:50-04:00 1184671 1827 2009-06-14T21:00:50-04:00 I always found a riff or a verse chorus can start the ball rolling and the rest can come from there. That way one person can come up with a bit and from then on it becomes a more collaborative effort. 40561 Post 2009-06-14T21:30:25-04:00 1184881 9930 2009-06-14T21:30:25-04:00 I just write what sounds good to me. Usually starts with intro / breakdowns cause I think they are the funnest to play. Then work on the verses cause those are fun to, choruses are usually pretty easy to get down. But since I don't play in bands anymore and write all on my own I am usually thinking, "a drum fill would be prime here", etc... sort of planning all the instruments out as I go. 40561 Post 2009-06-14T21:38:38-04:00 1184951 1140 2009-06-14T21:38:38-04:00 I find a really good melody or riff and then build the song around that, I usually always write lyrics after the song is made, but I like to write down lyrics sometimes(Random, Not to music. I guess its poetry...) and sometimes I can go back to them and they will work with a certain song I've written. 40561 Post 2009-06-14T22:12:11-04:00 1185151 11199 2009-06-14T22:12:11-04:00 It seems most people I talk to write the music first and then write words that fit with their melody and often times just use filler to get from point A to point B. We outta try writing an entire song musically first before we even touch pen to paper. I think we're kind of ingrained in the write lyrics, then come up with chord progression and sing those words over the chord progression. Verse 1, pre chorus, chorus, post chorus, rinse and repeat. It's an easy structure to use, but we're getting a little bored with it. So when you guys write the music first, you start with one catchy melody that could act as the foundation and then just build off that? How do you decide what to do for your verses? Do you just leave space clear anticipating words there? How do you plan out any starts and stops? Do you even plan any of it or does it just happen in a jam session and then you're like "yeah keep that!." One thing I like to do is take lyrics and play some other songs by other artists and imagine them singing my song. It gives me new ideas for chord progressions and singing styles. And then as a drummer, I go into FL Studio sometimes and map out a structure and a beat and then show up at practice with something to work off of. And one last question, do you guys do most of your writing individually and then bring it together in practice? Or do you sit down as a group and write? I find it hard to write stuff in the group because someone's always playing something and fiddling and if you take more than 10 seconds to think, distractions occur and it's just too difficult to think things through. Other than jamming, but that just goes on for 10 minutes and often doesn't lead anywhere. I like it when someone comes in with a riff and we build off that. 40561 Post 2009-06-14T23:29:51-04:00 1186171 253 2009-06-14T23:29:51-04:00 let the guitar players make a lot of riffs , and entire songs later , you should rehearse and try that combination's and you should suggest for changes and do the drums . when the songs get ready ,prepare your singer to do lyrics . record the song or songs with a camera or cell phone idk and then look for mistakes or changes again. :) 40561 Post 2009-06-14T23:53:48-04:00 1186551 8317 2009-06-14T23:53:48-04:00 For me once the music is done i find it more important to write the melody first, and then just think about a specific thing you're writing about and then just let the words come out of you. that's just how i work. 40561 Post 2009-06-15T00:00:36-04:00 1186611 9773 2009-06-15T00:00:36-04:00