Hi how do you compose songs?? Theres the vocal, guitar, bass, drum, keyboard, piano and so on...

Which one comes first? DO u start making a song by writing down the lyrics first, guitar tune, or drum beat or wat?

I want to know too. You can check the link below for some tips. I am also asking people there.

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1512888/

know your style first. what kind of genre you want to write, pop? rock? jazz? dance?

then learn the flavours - how rock is played, how their chords are used, melody line, lyrics, etc.

then just compose. you can compose and arrange at the same time, but you can just imagine the arrangement and just strum guitar + singing. melody and chord should come together.

just like cooking, you must first determine which kind of food you want to cook (malay? chinese? indian? italian? french?), learn the way they cook, and ingredients (learn their flavous!). then start to create new stuffs...

Then where do u start? The drums, guitars or vocals or wat instrument comes first for the song idea?

You still dont get it eh TS.

First Genre
Second Flavour

Why you keep thinking about instrument?

Sorry im a little slow but dont get it.

For example i want to make a heavy metal music. Then wheres the starting point? Guitar making the tune of the music then develop from there? Sure it has to start somewhere right? All instrument cant play separately then combine will become rojak.

I am no expert Fifi. I am glad that we have people like Little Ice willing to share his knowledge. I noted from your openning thread you focus on instrument. After Little Ice posted you are still focusing on instrument. I tried to take your focus off the instrument, but you are still leading the focus back to it.

Although I am interested in composing, I not ready to compose yet because I do not know music theory. I am just learning it slowly and when I have what it take I have some idea to go about it. Let me ask you do you know how many categories are there under Metal? I suggest you make comprehensive study of the genre you want to compose before you even think of composing. I may be wrong maybe you have good music theory and is an expert in improvisaton but I am not and will take it in my own pace.

This post has been edited by faceless: Aug 6 2010, 11:55 AM

No im not an expert in anything. Ok then the focus is not in instrument. Then where do i start?

Listen to more songs on the genre you want to write. Compare the style from one favourite singer with another. Study first.

there're certain chord progression used by heavy metal, with scales like phrygians or the likes.

to learn the genre, before composing, you'll have to transcribe them. then you'll see what kind of scales, notes they used, and chord progressions. these are all the "flavours".

then, you can use the same chord progression you transcribed, lay down a new melody.

from there, you might experienced chords tak jalan, then you put some new chords.

as to which instrument to use, you need to know what are the typical arrangements - how rhythm guitars played, lead guitars, bass, drums. you don't need to lay them down first, you can always "imagine" them while you're composing. put down some chords first, then melody, as mentioned above.

heavy metal is not easy to compose or arrange unless you grew up listening to them and you know their flavours very well. start off with some standard rock, then hard rock, then explore heavy metals.

wow.. complicated... musicians are really not easy

Just take it easy. You dont expect to build rome in one day. One step at a time. There is no rush.

you'll need some musical sense and lot of music listenning before hand if you plan to write 1 song in the same day. but once you wrote your first songs, the next should be slightly easier.

well, different people tends to write songs differently, but the main stuff in music remains. the main chord progressions, tone, tempo, style etc.

to simplify a bit on what little ice wants to say, it's knowing what kind of music you like. get some chords progression, and imagine the progression and nail the melody. if you can't imagine the progression, it's always good to use instruments,i normally use guitar, sometimes piano. the melody might need to be enhanced here and there to suite the lyrics that you want to put in.

there are also people who wrote the lyrics first before coming out with melody. that'd be slightly different feeling of composing.

ya, arrange song arrange until i want to vomit.
the melody and idea just don't come out.
you play any instrument?

yup i play 1 instrument. Youre a professional composer? Where u working?

writing metal songs... erh, it's all about trial and error. generally when it comes to writing music, it's all about how does it sound to your ears.

the first song you'll write will be your proudest, albeit quite distasteful and incoherent. as you write more songs, you'll improve. trust me on this, i've been there. and when coming to write metal songs, don't try to over complicate things. complicated doesn't mean it's good, unless you have a very well written melody.

for me, i usually write my guitar parts first, which comes from random brainstorms.. then i'll develop it and arrange it to sound coherent and to my taste and liking. bass and drums i'll try to do something that suits the part

amyways good luck, i wanna hear the end product of your ideas

This post has been edited by finalzz: Aug 6 2010, 04:12 PM

hah this is why im a bedroom guitar player, covering songs only
in fact, it is not my main committment, just as a hobby only

i have endless respect for those making music that i love
they're really a God's gift

If more people know about the difficulties in writing songs they will start appreciating the talent of bands more and not go for piracy

oops, i m not a professional.
it is just my hobby, i will do it when i m free.
what instrument are you playing?

aiyah... just bantai only la... if drummer starts a random drum, try to play something on the guitar if you're the guitarist according to his drum beats. if u all think it's cool, play again then record it down so u don't forget. well, at least that's what i do with my band. some1 will have to start, don't care who start 1st.

sometimes the bassist has a cool groove. then u just work from there on. sometimes the vocalist has some tunes in his head. again work from there on.

hope this helps. good luck!