What Comes First: Music Or Lyrics?
When it comes to songwriting, many people ask the question; what should come first - the music or the lyrics?
The truth is, there is no set rule that says one has to come before the other. But still, this is one of the most common questions I get asked as a songwriter.
Every songwriter is different, and so are their songwriting methods. Today I want to share mine with you, but we’ll get onto that in just a sec!
If you choose the lyrics first method, that means your lyrics are probably going to be well thought out, and they’ll likely capture the words you really want to say.
Theoretically, you’ll be able to capture the exact emotion in the phrasing, the word choice and even the vocal melody. This is because you are just writing from a blank page; you’re not trying to fit your lyrics or vocal melody to something that’s already been written.
Many songwriters will come up with a catchy lyric, concept or song title first and then build the rest of the composition around that, using this initial idea as inspiration.
If you choose to write the music first, this means that your music is probably going to be well thought out, and will likely capture the feelings or mood you want to portray through the melody. Many songwriters (including myself) will figure out a chord progression or melody first and then work the lyrics and vocal melody around that.
It’s sometimes easier to do this because if you have a chord progression or a melody and you’re arranging different parts of the song, having that melody within the music already gives you a foundation that you can then structure your lyrics around.
This is why it can be a good idea to go to a songwriting session or sit down to write a song having already collected some songwriting ideas, phrases, or some words that you like. Because when you hear the melody, that’s when you can imagine what those phrases or lyrics might sound like in their own vocal melody, alongside the melody of the music.
Here’s a step by step of how I usually write my songs:
Come up with basic chords (usually minor chords because I love sad songs!)
Work out the vocal melody (something that fits well with the music)
Work out lyrics for the vocal melody (if you’ve been making oohs, ahhs or vowel sounds when you’ve been fleshing out the vocal melody itself, try and fit lyrics to those vowel sounds)
Once I’ve got a chord progression, vocal melody, lyrics are starting to come to me and I’m beginning to sense what the song is about (if I’m not writing to a brief and I’ve got complete creative freedom!), I will then really dig in to understand what the song is about and what I want to say. Usually, I start with the verse and then the pre-chorus, followed by the chorus, and I’m thinking about the arrangement and how the song flows the whole time.
Once you feel like the song is pretty much there, then you can look at the overall structure. See what needs removing, and see what needs improving or adding to.
I personally find it easier to come up with a song idea when I’m listening to the music and I can hear the key, the chord progression and really get a sense of the emotion of the music.
There is no secret formula when it comes to successful songwriting. Everybody has a different process and you just need to find what works for you.
But, it could help to:
Come up with a rough theme first to help you set the tone
Record when inspiration strikes - scribble down lyric ideas or record melodies on your phone when they come to you
Write from experience - honesty is the best policy
Keep it simple - sometimes less really is more. Some of the catchiest songs are actually very simple!
Ask for feedback - this will help you improve your songwriting ability
I hope you found this blog post useful. You can get more from me (including music every month!) at: https://www.patreon.com/hannahtrigwell