Song Lyric Writing Tips? - pipTalk Forums

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CwboyAtHeart
Senior Member

since 2001-04-14

Posts 541
Selah, WA, USA

0 posted 2001-04-22 08:59 PM

Hello, Does anybody here have any tips for writing song lyrics? When I write songs, they don't always seem to have a very good rhyme to them... Do any of you know any layouts to use for writing songs? Well, any tips that you might have for me, please let me know. Thank you!

- Cody -

Living From Memories
Living From Thoughts
There Are Some Things In Live
That Cannot Be Taught

Severn
Member Rara Avis

since 1999-07-17

Posts 7704

1 posted 2001-04-23 12:37 PM

Hey there...I'm going to move this over to Q&A as you'll get more of a chance of an answer there

(sad though that is lol...)

K

OLIAS
Senior Member

since 2000-06-20

Posts 1090
Pearl city Iowa

2 posted 2001-04-23 12:19 PM

Hi there,
I will try to help you with a few ideas, it depends on which approach you have, lyrics first or music. I find it much easier to write the music first then I have the feeling or mood of the piece which suggests the lyric. Then I sort out the format of the song eg. verse chorus middle eight etc. If its a basic 4/4 say the rythmn and rhyme of the lyric should be fairly strong because you havent much in the backing to hide it, but for interest i try listening to what the bass is up too or the rythmn guitar/piano these can suggest counterpoint rhymes and rythmns that are a little more subtle and inventive. I always think of everything like a sandwich with the melody and lyrics right on top but it does pull things together alot if you can borrow rythmical and rhyme ideas from what the other instruments are doing it may only be a bar, a certain pick, a bass run a riff or a paradiddle anything that works. Get an idea for what you want to say but dont be ridged let the music shape that perception, I dont think there is any tried and tested formula, I find for every hundred songs that end up on the studio floor I may develope ten, its all trial error and practice, otherwise things sound a little contrived. Hope this helps a little, good luck and keep writing.

Regards,
Olias.

Munda
Member Elite

since 1999-10-08

Posts 3544
The Hague, The Netherlands

3 posted 2001-04-23 03:11 PM

Well, that's a topic I'd like to learn more about! We talked about doing a class on it in the Poetry Workshop once... alas!... we couldn't find a guest speaker. LOL Can't have it all uh?
Anyway, I did a little research at the time and this is what I found:

"Just as poems have certain forms or structures, such as a sonnet or limerick, songs also are constructed according to certain patterns. The most popular patterns or song structures are AABA and ABAB.
Unlike poetry, these schemes do not refer to rhyme, but to the organization of verses and choruses. Each A is a verse and each B is a chorus. Some songs also have C sections, known as a bridge, which usually comes after a chorus, but may also follow a verse. The bridge adds a new dimension to the dynamics of the song and prevents it from getting monotonous-it is a short melodic and/or rhythmic change. Here are the four most common structures:

1.    A (verse)
       A (verse)
       B (chorus)
       A (verse)

2.    A (verse)
       B (chorus)
       A (verse)
       B (chorus)

3.    A (verse)
       B (chorus)
       A (verse)
       C (bridge)

4.    A (verse)
       B (chorus)
       A (verse)
       B (chorus)
       C (bridge)
       B (chorus)

When writing song lyrics,it's best to keep these musical structures in mind; if you write your lyrics in a pattern that will easily fit into one of these song structures, it will help you (or someone else) when writing the music."

It's not much, but I hope it helps a little.

Munda

CwboyAtHeart
Senior Member

since 2001-04-14

Posts 541
Selah, WA, USA

4 posted 2001-04-26 02:35 PM

Thank you for the tips! They certainly helped.

- Cody -

Living From Memories
Living From Thoughts
There Are Some Things In Live
That Cannot Be Taught

Jesse Jaymz
Senior Member

since 2000-01-24

Posts 708
Youngstown, ohio

5 posted 2001-05-05 02:22 AM

hello

i write songs for the band i am in and post them at passions. now i play guitar also. usualy i write the music first. then i will try to come up with the lyrics. if you would like i could send you or post on here the lastest one i wrote so you can have an idea of how i write and get some ideas. let me know i will be glad to help a fellow musician

Jesse

And I cry to the alleyway
Confess all to the rain
But I lie straight to the mirror
The one I've broken to match my face

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