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Electronic: How do you go about writing a song

jeffyeakel	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 1:03 AM I know personally I work off of stuff I've written just messing around on the piano, but I was wondering how the rest of the world does it. Do you come up with a key or a chord progression first that fits a theme, or just randomly choose things and decide the theme later? Also when do you decide where to cut it off? I know I always have more ideas but figure that the song shouldn't go on forever, but then I think what if this part hooks someone? It's a Catch 22 if you ask me.
GeneHilbert	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 1:06 PM Structure & endings are different I hear the endings. The composition normally dictates an ending. I don't fade out - that is not good composition. Beginning, Melody, Variation, Bridge, Ad Lib, Recapitulation then Conclusion. Then again sometimes all bets are off. Art & expression has a way of dictating it's flow and direction. So........... "Excuse me Sir - could you be any more vague"? Have fun Jeff. " id="53795">Good topic, Jeff. I really don't have a inspirational method. Things come through me differently. Sometimes lyrics first, other times it's melodic lines, rhythmic motifs, drum parts, bass lines, Sometimes it falls out faster than I can keep up with. "Froggleggs" composition was finished in about twenty minutes. Took me longer to polish it obviously. Still it was essentially done. Sometimes when I practice scales, or finger exercises - I fall on a lick or I hear sometime that inspires me. No real method to the madness. Structure & endings are different I hear the endings. The composition normally dictates an ending. I don't fade out - that is not good composition. Beginning, Melody, Variation, Bridge, Ad Lib, Recapitulation then Conclusion. Then again sometimes all bets are off. Art & expression has a way of dictating it's flow and direction. So........... "Excuse me Sir - could you be any more vague"? Have fun Jeff.
sinai	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 1:15 PM i come up with a rough beat first, add a few samples to kinda get an idea of how i want things to progress, lay any lyrics i got for it, then add backing music or scratching or any further bells and whistles, do any final mixing that may be needed and tada...fine'
mracky	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 2:58 PM Agree -- good topic. I do find that the insipiration and a hook happens in too many ways; my challenge is to be aware of the creative moment. But the mechanics behind the structure and polishing, these are of perspiration. I can always work on a piece by applying a little discipline to my schedule, but I stall when I lose the original feeling/mood/essence. Hence I have a huge folder of partial songs and ideas. Two verses and chorus in search of a bridge; stuff like that. I periodically go through the folder and see if anything new jumps out at me. Regarding endings, I often know how the song will end before I have decided the structure. It helps me to figure out how many musical sections there will be and their purpose (i.e., variation or contrast). Gradually this solidifies into the structure.
not-an-admin...	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 3:25 PM I try to find a good, undiscoverd artist, kill them, and take thier songs.
Acumen	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 3:52 PM mainly for me... first i write a small tune on either guitar or piano, with that tune in my head, i sometimes make out a guitar tab of what i done and with guitar pro I make a midi out of it. now I have a midi, and with fruityloops i keep on frigin' around until i get a good sound for my tune and then add drums which suits it best and then, comes the bass and other assorted goodies like other synths or echoing effects. sometimes i just keep on experimenting with fruityloops on a constant basis until i come up with really good stuff.
Veracohr	Date: July 13, 2003 @ 6:37 PM So I record my initial idea, wherever it comes from, and by the time I've got it worked and and sequenced, I (usually) instinctually know what to do next on it. Then as I'm working on the next part or instrument, my mind is working on the next thing. So as soon as I get an idea down, it kind of writes itself. Of course there are always hangups. Sometimes I just can't get the sound that is in my head, or I get it down and it doesn't sound right. As for how to end it, since the songs tend to write themselves, I usually don't have to think much about the ending. But when I do have to think about it, it's often the hardest part." id="53850">It varies, really. Sometimes I have a basic idea in my head, like a melody or harmony or bassline with a certain sound, and I start figuring out how to get that sound. Sometimes I have a certain emotion or thought that I want to express, so I try to come up with sounds and melodies that fit. And sometimes I'm just playing with sounds, making cool sounds, and have a sudden "Holy shit, this sound would be great doing this" thought. So I record my initial idea, wherever it comes from, and by the time I've got it worked and and sequenced, I (usually) instinctually know what to do next on it. Then as I'm working on the next part or instrument, my mind is working on the next thing. So as soon as I get an idea down, it kind of writes itself. Of course there are always hangups. Sometimes I just can't get the sound that is in my head, or I get it down and it doesn't sound right. As for how to end it, since the songs tend to write themselves, I usually don't have to think much about the ending. But when I do have to think about it, it's often the hardest part.
Jesuszilla	Date: July 16, 2003 @ 6:40 AM I write a totally brilliant song only to do a "Tony Hart" on it, as in spill loads of black paint all over my lovely painting.
Tudris	Date: July 16, 2003 @ 7:16 AM Sometimes I start off with a really simple idea and let it fly (really simple, like a melody or something). Other times I have an idea, lose it, but try and do it anyway. Other times still, I just jump in with no clue as to what I'm doing. The first and second methods usually yield much better results , but the last method can sometimes become something very different and experimental-sounding (because it is), and that can kind of add to your style. Anyways, after I get through the intro to the song, I start developing the song's overall structure (breaks, verses, a hook, etc). That's about it. Nothing real methodical. Just go with what I've got and hope it comes out alright.
Tudris	Date: July 16, 2003 @ 7:23 AM Oh, Not-An-Admin's method is great if I'm not feeling inspired. I agree with mracky too. Sometimes I can get a good hook and everything else going real quick, but the song overall usually takes me about 6 hours to complete (more or less, depending on several factors). Some people churn out new songs in like 45 minutes or less (!). I can't; I'm a perfectionist. There are always little details that I want to mess with until they're right.
darkenedsoul	Date: July 17, 2003 @ 10:42 PM Working with loops, massaging them, filtering them, work up some midi from synth/piano/whatever voices and work the loops around it. Sometimes I can whip something up in short order, other times I'll take a bit longer if the idea isn't solidified early on. Usually off the cuff, spontaneous for me. But with taking lessons and writing out progressions it is making me think more on the actual process. Mike
blooddshedd	Date: July 17, 2003 @ 10:51 PM you have to feel it, let it feel you and then its like sex
Kundara	Date: July 18, 2003 @ 7:36 PM im writing the drums, puting base line, and the things just comes up. or- im playin in my piano and when im getting some cool melodie im running to my cubase
JFF	Date: July 18, 2003 @ 7:55 PM My best tunes have all happened by accident as in they didnt start as anything more than me messing around and turned into something far bigger.. If I try and write a tune thinking I want this kind of sound, it never happens that way. ^ that makes no sense

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