Songwrighting

does anyone write songs with lyrics? whats is your techniques?

I usually come up with a chord progression i use for the verse. then build up a chorus form there. I then use gibberish to come up the the vocal melody and writes words based on that. i have found that the "chords to scale" and "scale to chords" work great for this.

the reason i ask is i usually am able to come up with a verse and chorus but i have trouble coming up with a bridge. i guess it is part of coming from the Nirvana school of songwriting. so most of my songs are verse chorus verse chorus and i never felt like they are done. it is both musically and lyrically i have this problem.

I write lyrics, have done for a long time. Usually... if a catchy line just comes to me I write it down and then try to think of as much as possible whilst I have that train of thought still fresh. I also do the same with riffs... and then afterwards I try to match them up based on mood - and what will give the lyrics an oppurtunity to sound good.

More often than not the lyrics then need slight tweaking and adjustments to fully fit the song.

Reading an amazing book atm called 'Tunesmith' by Jimmy Webb. He's a pro songwriter who's been writing since the 60s and has written for loads of people incl. Elton John, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston etc. His book covers everything and more you could need to write a really good song. Get it - you won't regret it!

Afro