What's your songwriting process?

[Spirit Groove]

Is there a way you typically start a new song?
Do you have lyrics in mind, a feeling, or get inspired by a sound or beat?

I've been working on my personal music in recent months and tried various ways to get started, with mixed results. It seems that inspiration can come from any direction but also having a system to capture that inspiration is equally important.

I think I'm going to build a template in Logic that has basic tracks/instruments ready to go, but also want to be open ended so I don't get trapped into the same thinking all the time.

What's your songwriting process?

 

[HCMarkus]

I'm not going to dive into my songwriting process at this point; it is so varied as to be difficult to describe without a tremendous exposition.

However, I will encourage you to build at least a minimal template... so many housekeeping chores can be eliminated by a thoughtful template. Tracks and instruments, of course, but don't overlook subgrouping, busing and sends and returns for delays and reverbs.

I use a substantial template so, with a couple of clicks, I am ready for whatever happens in a session. The nice thing is, I know I'll have the resources I use when mixing ready to go when that time arrives.

 

[Nekujak]

For me, DAWs and templates don't get involved until I'm ready to arrange and produce a song. A DAW is basically just a virtual recording studio.

90% of the time, the actual writing happens away from the computer - just me and my guitar or piano, sometimes with a singer/lyricist collaborator. Once the song is finished, and I'm ready to record it, then I'll fire up the DAW and choose an appropriate template that suits the intended arrangement and musical style.

On rare occasions, I do write at the computer if I need something specific, like a drumbeat or musical riff that's specifric to the song and informs the writing process. But I'll still have my guitar in hand.

I find if I try to write while sitting at the DAW, it's too easy to get distracted by all the gear and go down rabbit holes that are unproductive to the writing process. I need to be able to focus, especially to write lyrics, and there's something very intimate and inspirational about writing with a guitar - it basically becomes a musical extension of my being. There's a big difference between cradling a guitar versus sitting at a computer, or even at a piano.

But that's just me - everyone is different. John Denver said he wrote Annie's Song in 10 minutes while riding on ski lift. Songs can happen anywhere!

 

[Polkasound]

Do you have lyrics in mind, a feeling, or get inspired by a sound or beat?

All of the above and more. If it's lyrics, I might start with a piece of paper and a pen. If it's a melody or a riff, I'll start with a virtual instrument... usually a piano, but sometimes an acoustic guitar. Ironically, when I write polkas and waltzes, I never do it from behind an accordion.