I usually write lyrics and then figure out the melody and then write the music.  Then it gets tweaked with the rest of the band.  I like to have a good buzz on for this writing process but occasionally out of the blue the whole song comes out at once and is done in minutes.  whats your method?

Well oiled machine? I'll tell that to the other members, I guess they'll have a good laugh :)

I should have made myself clear and add: when it works. The songs we tried and tried again to get together for months are now discarded. The only remaining ones are those "spur of the moment" thingies.

sounds like a well oiled machine!  what kind of oil is that?:)

Doc Torsid said:

Generally speaking, it starts with a bass line or guitar riff, then the whole band plays along the starting elements, and in a short time, all gels into place, even with 90% complete lyrics at times.

Generally speaking, it starts with a bass line or guitar riff, then the whole band plays along the starting elements, and in a short time, all gels into place, even with 90% complete lyrics at times.

maybe I can write a song about the problem of writing songs in my head and forgetting them ten minutes later :)

That's the worst! I always keep a notebook in my back pocket for just such an emergency(lets me use downtime at work to put things in the right order, too). If you've got a cell phone, they almost always have a record function; I've used that before too.

Petulant Child said:

I always wish I had a pocket recorder for those moments when lyrics just start going through my head..unfortunately even if I repeat them over and over I usually forget them before they get written down.  I at least get the jist of a song that way sometimes.

Mardy Pune said:

Honestly most the songs I've personally written just happen when I'm playing the guitar. I'll find a riff repeat it, then another part comes and there's a song. The words always come when I'm the shower or walking down the street.

I've co-written songs with other people, bouncing ideas of each other when jamming. And again the words come to me in the shower or walking down the street. I've tried sitting down and writing lyrics but I just ended up walking off to have a cigarette and hang out with the dog or listen to some music.

I always wish I had a pocket recorder for those moments when lyrics just start going through my head..unfortunately even if I repeat them over and over I usually forget them before they get written down.  I at least get the jist of a song that way sometimes.

Mardy Pune said:

Honestly most the songs I've personally written just happen when I'm playing the guitar. I'll find a riff repeat it, then another part comes and there's a song. The words always come when I'm the shower or walking down the street.

I've co-written songs with other people, bouncing ideas of each other when jamming. And again the words come to me in the shower or walking down the street. I've tried sitting down and writing lyrics but I just ended up walking off to have a cigarette and hang out with the dog or listen to some music.

Honestly most the songs I've personally written just happen when I'm playing the guitar. I'll find a riff repeat it, then another part comes and there's a song. The words always come when I'm the shower or walking down the street.

I've co-written songs with other people, bouncing ideas of each other when jamming. And again the words come to me in the shower or walking down the street. I've tried sitting down and writing lyrics but I just ended up walking off to have a cigarette and hang out with the dog or listen to some music.

would love to hear some stuff when you record it.

Petulant Child said:

I like your tunes.  the guitar sinds nice n' fuzzy on Do It  I'm all antsy to record now!  I got a Tascam 4 track for christmas and some new tapes in the mail yesterday.  and I'm on vacation...gonna make some solo stuff  guitar and vocals.

Audio Kings of the third world said:

We usually write as a band. Either I will have most of the music in my head already or I'll have a couple riffs that I have been working on and we will play one over and over until the singer starts to find his words. Once we have a verse or two then we try to make some changes. Organize and mapping comes next. Then we usually record it so we can listen and come up with more ideas. The song on my page Do it is the rough recording about ten minutes in. I had an Idea of changing the chords in the chorus after the second verse. Probable after listening to a bunch of early Sonic Youth. We are about to re record it with a drum track that I just finished. Let me know what you think.

I tend to write by myself(more out of necessity right now, as I'm without a band, but even with a band), work out a couple of riffs, then dip into a big book I have with half-written lyrics and figure out which ones will go with what. It's a bit of a painstaking process, but it usually works to get the start of a couple of good songs.

I like your tunes.  the guitar sinds nice n' fuzzy on Do It  I'm all antsy to record now!  I got a Tascam 4 track for christmas and some new tapes in the mail yesterday.  and I'm on vacation...gonna make some solo stuff  guitar and vocals.

Audio Kings of the third world said:

We usually write as a band. Either I will have most of the music in my head already or I'll have a couple riffs that I have been working on and we will play one over and over until the singer starts to find his words. Once we have a verse or two then we try to make some changes. Organize and mapping comes next. Then we usually record it so we can listen and come up with more ideas. The song on my page Do it is the rough recording about ten minutes in. I had an Idea of changing the chords in the chorus after the second verse. Probable after listening to a bunch of early Sonic Youth. We are about to re record it with a drum track that I just finished. Let me know what you think.

we started out that way about nine years ago.  wish we could recreate that!!!

The Desperate Twisters said:

Method ??? Writing ???

Well, we usually just get real drunk and wild then play fast and loose 'til we fall !!!

But I guess we're just a bunch of exotic unable snotty punks, not musicians...

Method ??? Writing ???

Well, we usually just get real drunk and wild then play fast and loose 'til we fall !!!

But I guess we're just a bunch of exotic unable snotty punks, not musicians...

We usually write as a band. Either I will have most of the music in my head already or I'll have a couple riffs that I have been working on and we will play one over and over until the singer starts to find his words. Once we have a verse or two then we try to make some changes. Organize and mapping comes next. Then we usually record it so we can listen and come up with more ideas. The song on my page Do it is the rough recording about ten minutes in. I had an Idea of changing the chords in the chorus after the second verse. Probable after listening to a bunch of early Sonic Youth. We are about to re record it with a drum track that I just finished. Let me know what you think.

I have always played mostly power chords but I'm trying to write melodies on single strings now..it sounds a lot more garage and less punk rock that way.  it feels a lot catchier too.

Jamie said:

I tend to come up with some kind of riff or idea on the guitar then think of some idea I want the song to be about and then come up with words. I'm really slow at it though and don't write as often as I would like. So far for the band I'm in I've tried to not really sound like any thing in particular but I plan on trying to do some more pure "garage/punk" songs eventually.

I tend to come up with some kind of riff or idea on the guitar then think of some idea I want the song to be about and then come up with words. I'm really slow at it though and don't write as often as I would like. So far for the band I'm in I've tried to not really sound like any thing in particular but I plan on trying to do some more pure "garage/punk" songs eventually.