Gibson87 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Any lyricists or singers on here that would be able to share some tips or resources that would help me write better lyrics? I have the drive and tons of ideas, but I don't quite know how to get it onto paper. I understand it takes practice, but I'm really struggling here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soon Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Nah, I bet you've got this! But to try and maybe contribute something; of course the conventional wisdom says to "Kill your darlings." Maybe you've already done so? Like identifying the precious aspects of your writing; the things that you find so cool and impactful that you use them a lot. Its usually nearly subconscious affections for traits in your own writing. For me its that Im way too into alliteration and Im always ending pieces in an overly dramatic way like the final sentences of kids and YA novels "... Where the red fern grows" or "Charlotte was both" (from Charlottes Web) kinda stuff. In my case they needed to be killed, but I suspect other peoples darlings just need a good pruning. They will grow back more beautiful and healthy than ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson87 Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 @soon Thanks for the confidence boost. I keep finding that (much like other areas of my life) structure is very helpful. I can't seem to write lyrics without a guitar part and vice versa. Also, overly dramatic isn't always a bad thing. Some of my favorite songs are those 10 minute drama filled epics 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soon Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 22 minutes ago, Gibson_Guy87 said: Also, overly dramatic isn't always a bad thing. Some of my favorite songs are those 10 minute drama filled epics Thats true, some of my favourites are too come to think of it. Well, I'll have to revisit that pile of songs I'd swept into the corner! lol 25 minutes ago, Gibson_Guy87 said: I keep finding that (much like other areas of my life) structure is very helpful. I can't seem to write lyrics without a guitar part and vice versa. I wish I knew something helpful in that situation. I know for me if I just set my mind to write lyrics for the sake of working the craft that those lyrics might really attach themselves to the guitar part and then if I ditch the lyrics I might have to loose the music along with it. If the good songs just arrive complete with guitar and lyrics at once for you - that actually sounds awesome in may respects! But that doesnt help for structure in life, so thats difficult. Do music or lyrics tend to arrive at certain times of day or night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson87 Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 23 minutes ago, soon said: Do music or lyrics tend to arrive at certain times of day or night? Usually at night. Anywhere between 10:30-1AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikosgnr Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 4 hours ago, Gibson_Guy87 said: Any lyricists or singers on here that would be able to share some tips or resources that would help me write better lyrics? I have the drive and tons of ideas, but I don't quite know how to get it onto paper. I understand it takes practice, but I'm really struggling here Just study Axl. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soon Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 11 hours ago, Gibson_Guy87 said: Usually at night. Anywhere between 10:30-1AM No fun if you're trying to sleep I bet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson87 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 4 hours ago, soon said: No fun if you're trying to sleep I bet! It's not always convenient haha. I'm usually up at that hour anyways 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoSoRose Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Lyrics are really hard. I'll write something I really like and then a few months later I'll cringe at it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl's Agony Aunt Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 I've written poetry rather than lyrics, but think they're very similar. When I started writing it was mostly things I already had in my head, framed by my favourite rock lyrics, so it just kind of spewed out, and I just had to find rhymes. About a decade later when I started to study creative writing I found out rhymes and young male angst were considered unwanted and done by many markets. Having been listening to rock music for about forty years I don't hear much new any more; just updates to love, relationships, mental, political, social, world and space issues by people from new generations with new knowledge. So I guess my best advice would be not to try and be too original in the world, but to focus on what makes you special as an individual. You probably share a lot of things with others, that they are also writing about, but you probably do have some things that are distinctive to you, that can provide some originality within the common themes; as Axl did with his life and relationships, which were just common themes, and pretty uninteresting really, outside Axl's mind captured within music. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Keep it short to begin with, if you're getting started, work more on fitting it to the music. Say what you mean, mean what you say. All the cryptic esoteric artist bollocks comes with practise, your initial focus should be on working it onto a track well. Check out The Ramones or The Stooges, they are kinda like a blueprint for how to write songs, early Beatles stuff too, its like a how to thing almost. Then build in really small increments in terms of complexity of structure, middle eights and all that bollocks. Try to write different types of shits, waltzes, ballads, straight rockers, study this shit, check out all the different kinda riffs and different crap and how artists fit their lyrics around that shit. That shit is most important, the more you do that shit the more, during the process of doing it, you'll figure out by yourself ways to work the ideas in your head into lyrics having taken cues from the shit you've sussed out. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl's Agony Aunt Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Impressive advice. Are you a famous musician Len Cnut? Maybe even Axl Rose himself, with your 3-4 letters name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Include loads of references to drinking and drug addiction in songs about hot damaged chicks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl's Agony Aunt Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 On 21/07/2018 at 11:54 PM, nikosgnr said: Just study Axl. Appetite for Destruction Condensed Compilation Women are wombats men more like mole rats ignore extinction stats get more snakey tatts a stallion mate plays sax smoke hides the tracks I'm just a hound dog chasing cool cats. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikosgnr Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 8 hours ago, Axl's Agony Aunt said: Appetite for Destruction Condensed Compilation Women are wombats men more like mole rats ignore extinction stats get more snakey tatts a stallion mate plays sax smoke hides the tracks I'm just a hound dog chasing cool cats. An "It's so easy" to be social "It's so easy" to be cool Yeah it's easy to be hungry When you ain't got shit to lose 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lame ass security Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 Tell them what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl's Agony Aunt Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 On 25/07/2018 at 10:45 PM, wasted said: Include loads of references to drinking and drug addiction in songs about hot damaged chicks. Jagger talking about lyrics included in BBC doc on last night. Said there was too much euphemism until Dylan and the counter-culture, when he started just saying what he really meant - from want to hold your hand to can't get no satisfaction. Don't know if available outside UK!? https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bcmmvl/mick-jagger-whistle-test-special-its-only-rock-and-roll?suggid=b0bcmmvl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 1 hour ago, Axl's Agony Aunt said: Jagger talking about lyrics included in BBC doc on last night. Said there was too much euphemism until Dylan and the counter-culture, when he started just saying what he really meant - from want to hold your hand to can't get no satisfaction. Don't know if available outside UK!? https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bcmmvl/mick-jagger-whistle-test-special-its-only-rock-and-roll?suggid=b0bcmmvl I am Her Majesty’s Prisoner at the moment, watching Who Is America on All 4. but yes that seems like a cultural change, the 60s aristocratics were all about eschewing Victorian values. It’s weird though now some of those euphermisms are kind of more seductive now. Like what is Tutti Fruiti about? Zeppelin sort brough back some of that brash 60s jingoism, lemons and custard pies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl's Agony Aunt Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Yes, agree still been a lot of euphemism around. Is Tutti Fruiti a flavour of My ding-a-ling? Thought second episode of WIA was pretty rad, and as good as SBC's early stuff, even if sad and cringeworthy at the same time at times too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Axl's Agony Aunt said: Yes, agree still been a lot of euphemism around. Is Tutti Fruiti a flavour of My ding-a-ling? Thought second episode of WIA was pretty rad, and as good as SBC's early stuff, even if sad and cringeworthy at the same time at times too. Possibly but I think speaking your truth is a pretty good start and that could be pretty surreal. I think I’m wayching now. I’m waiting for Cheney section. Cheney signed his waterboarding bottle and said it would become very valuable. The compassion just flows out of Dick like... Edited July 28, 2018 by wasted 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.