MasterGuitar126

Hi everyone! I'm very new to the community, but I've been a musician for 6 years playing guitar and singing for... a year or so... Anyway I've always been wanting to write my own songs... but I kinda get stuck when it comes to writing lyrics, I just can't seem to get what I want said out in a way that sounds good. If anyone can throw me some suggestions it would helpful. Whatever you think can help out a beginner.

Just in case your wondering, I'm wanting to write songs that would have an upbuilding and positive effect on my audience. Preferably in an Alternative Rock genre.

Dio10101

thesaurus' are good. think about how to paraphrase and use symbolism as well

__________________
My Rig:
Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Boss Compression Sustainer
Egnater Renegade 212

My Band: http://www.facebook.com/ISWSband

spudsisnumber1

Try writing songs all different ways. Write a song starting with a riff then build off of that, same thing with the melody and lyrics. Remember once you formulate and become stale, so does your music. When i started writing songs, I would usually come up with the riff first, and then sing some improvised lyrics ontop of it, This technique helps you practice lyric writing and you might even hear something you like. (Also, ive found that the stuff that you come up with off the top of your head is usually the best). listen to the beatles. Theyll tell you how to write.

TheZodiac244

I find it easy to just take lyrics out of your head and just write them down as dumb as that might sound. If you think of a good line write it down if you think of a good title write it down. A good phrase sombody says, write it down.

zacharyosborne3

I'm in the same situation. I can get a good sounding guitar part, but no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to get any good lyrics to go along with what I'm playing. I have like two or three guitar parts written, and they would sound great with the right lyrics. I'm actually working on getting a band together, which would help me, but at the same time I want some of my own stuff.

timcrow420

What helped me is writing raps, I have a few rap songs that I have done on my solo demo, 16 bar verses and whatnot of just flowing, I have some friends who can freestyle to, they really got me into just rapping and rhyming all the time, now when I record rock songs its easier for me because it doesnt have to be 16 bars a full page of lyrics sang fast, you can sing them and slow it down and say less.

The best thing for me is to just sit down and write pages of anything you can think of, even if it sucks just don't stop writing, go back and underline the better stuff, and just keep on improving it.

HotspurJr

Study the lyrics that move you. Transcribe them. Don't look them up on line - listen and write.

I think songwriters should create their own thesaurus and rhyming dictionaries based on the artists that they like, as well.

Nietsche

That's a bit of a weird one. I get transcribing the musical content but, lyrical content? Can you elaborate on why you think this is a useful technique.

__________________