Writing lyrics - what comes first?

[Devon8822]

I compose music ( I play guitar) and I want to expand on the instrumental work I have been doing with lyrics. I am wondering, what comes first... the music or the lyrics? In other words... do you start writting lyrics and than fit them over a song, or do you write the song/riffs and listen/play them while you write lyrics for it. Are both techniques used? Which is better? I write pretty technical/progressive. Any help would be appreciated.

[JonR]

Both techniques are used, and neither is better. Just depends what kind of idea comes first, words or tune.

[fingerpikingood]

Originally Posted by Devon8822

I compose music ( I play guitar) and I want to expand on the instrumental work I have been doing with lyrics. I am wondering, what comes first... the music or the lyrics? In other words... do you start writting lyrics and than fit them over a song, or do you write the song/riffs and listen/play them while you write lyrics for it. Are both techniques used? Which is better? I write pretty technical/progressive. Any help would be appreciated.

different artists have different styles. sometimes lyrics first sometimes music first.

for me personally it differs time to time. and sometimes i do both at the same time. like write a piece of music and then some lyrics and change the music after.

but usually what's a constant for me is that the melody comes last. although sometimes i will change a piece of music or something because i want my melody to go a certain way.

really you'll have to try and see what works best for you.

[Malcolm]

I'm country so the story comes first. Then it is put into verse form, chorus is the hook or the part they remember. Chord movement and lyric flow come next, melody comes from the chord tones --- one melody note per lyric word is a good rule of thumb. That's the first draft. Then everything is up for review.

It really does not matter which comes first all have to work together before you finish, but, for me without the story there is no reason for the song.

[fingerpikingood]

ya that's true, i agree with malcom. to me the lyrics are important.

I find sometimes a good song just starts with a good title, a good catch phrase a catchy hook, one good idea, the chorus, then the rest is filler.

although i do sometimes just write instrumentals, and also sometimes i write a tune, have a melody in mind and it just kicks around for a while until i think of some idea for lyrics that would fit for it.

I like to try and get the hook going first though too, because like malcom said that's the part people remember, that's the part you want to be really good.

the rest you can build after. it doesn't need to be so hot, in fact it's kind of better if it's not because the chorus will hit harder as being good in that case, you wait for it more, anticipate it more, and when it comes you appreciate it more, like starving for food and finally getting a taste of something delicious.