[Alfcarguy]

I would like to know your insight to song writing. I have been playing guitar since I was 14 or 15 yrs old I am 33 now. And I still have no clue how to song write, maybe its these day's I am really thinking about what I am trying to do before it was go for it and nothing else. My last guitar teacher when I was getting back into this stuff, I quit for say a few years like about 10, but played off and on during that period. Lefted me with a question, just learning other peoples songs don't really teach you how to write your own songs. I have learned 100's of songs and still don't get the concept like I should. I've wrote songs of my own but I still don't get it. One thing I am learning thou is to listen more than to sit there with a guitar and try to figure it out. Like I listen to some Megadeth or something like and I listen how the guitar is going with the lyrics how he's putting things together. Another thing that helped me out along time ago was some rhythm, (drums ) but I don't really do that much these day's. But I would like to know what your way of doing things Kirk.

[Alfcarguy]

I like wrote a big thing in someone else's thread but thought it would be better to make own, Kirk Just your thoughts on how to write songs?

[Kirk Lorange]

Hi Alfcarguy.

I must admit that I haven't put pen to paper in a long time ... my attention was diverted away from songwriting and I'm still waiting to get the bug back. But, the process for me was always the same:

1. Chord progression. I'd always start with a chord progression I liked the sound of. A chord progression is the main structure, the framework of any piece of music, and I've got to like it before I can look at details like melody and lyrics. When I play a series of chords that I like the sound of, I can hear all kinds of melodic possibilities.

2. I usually hear in my head a 'hook', a strong melody line that seems to sum up the feeling of the chords. Once I have that, I sort of work backwards looking for a plausible lead-up to that hook.

3. This is the hardest part: I try then to come up with a lyric that suits the vibe of the chords and melody lines I'm playing around with. Music comes easily to me, words are harder. I'm not sure why, but I've always felt uneasy about committing words to paper in a poetic way.

That's about it!

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by Alfcarguy

I like wrote a big thing in someone else's thread but thought it would be better to make own, Kirk Just your thoughts on how to write songs?

Merged your two posts into this thread Alfcarguy.