[Jamie369]

Good evening people

I am very new and have only recently developed a desire to wright songs, I have been singing for a while but never actually written anything.

I think of lyrics and melodies all the time but often and take not buy never get round to taking them further as I can't play an instrument which I always presumed means I can't right songs, am I wrong?

Could anyone give me advice, I am planning on learning piano for the purpose of weighting song but until then.

Thanks in advance and apologies if iv said anything ridiculous, im a complete noob

Jamie

[Jess]

I used to only write lyrics, but then whenever I told people I wrote songs they said I couldn't unless I played an instrument, so I've been learning guitar ever since. It definitely helps being able to play an instrument, it's also really fun because you can play around with chord progressions and picking patterns. I don't know about piano, but I love my guitar to death

[adamholden]

Hi Jamie


It's an interesting question and I think for me the key is that you do have an instrument: you can sing the words! It can be really useful to work on lyrics on the page but ultimately they're about being sung, not read. When I was a kid I used to record things on tape (that shows my age), so that gets you around not being able to write down or remember. 

I write on both guitar and piano and as many others have observed it's useful to move to different or unfamiliar instruments to get out of a rut. And I tend to note down the chords along with the words (and possibly a few elements of melody). But while this gives a direction/purpose it can also really limit the tune.

So it's really interesting sometimes to try and write without an instrument. I wrote one song, or least the bones of it, while walking round Whitby one sunny evening. The melody and refrain just came to me and I made some notes on my mobile and kept singing it under my breath like a loony!

No doubt learning to play piano will be a great help and let you realise more fully what you want to do; but if you've already got good tunes to sing then sing them.

best wishes

Adam

[BooBoo]

I can't play and instrument nor can I song but I simply write lyrics because I love it. If you're planning on doing it more seriously it probably would help to be able to play something.

[Bernd]

If you can 'rap' your lyrics then they can be sung. It's a question of meter, rhythm, and (normally) rhyme - in other words: prosody.

Although I'm still a hobby lyricist after more then ten years of lyrics writing I have developed some kind of market by writing to match other people's music. I'm writing for three bands and several individual artists at the moment (mind, there is no big money involved, just some recognition). There are only few writers who offer this - AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY MUSIC YOURSELF ;-)

I must admit, that I do play the guitar, and I sing, and I write songs for my own pleasure. But then, I'm a very lousy musician, so my musical skills definitely would NOT make me a good lyricist.

If you can write poems that flow well, you can also write lyrics that flow well. You only need to observe their different structures, mainly the chorus - the outstanding repeated part of lyrics.

Look out for partners to write the music to match your words or, even better, whose tunes you can write matching lyrics for. There are much too many lyrics writers who simply hope that their lyrics will be 'discovered' some day. Most likely, that won't happen.

Have fun,
Bernd

[Jamie369]

Thanks for the constructive input everyone, it has helped

[keith21583]

Hi Jamie,

I do not play any instruments personally and I am still able to write lyrics.

I used to learn how to play an instrument when I was ten, but although it helps me a lot when writing, I feel that I would still write lyrics if I hadn't been learning this instrument in the past.

All you have to do is to keep in mind a melody while writing a lyric so that you'll keep the flow. 

Good luck for your future.

Keith

[KristoferPetersen]

When I started writing songs in 1997, I was not able to play any instrument. I just WANTED to write songs, I was fanatic about becoming a songwriter back then. (I was also 12 years old, but that's another story...)
So I began writing lyrics, which was an excellent way of learning metric rules and rhyming. In the beginning, the lyrics were horrendously bad, but I guess, everyone has to start somewhere. I still remember that I was counting syllables.

Then I quickly decided that writing songs without being able to play them is pretty stupid. My parents bought me an electronic piano in 1997, which became my obsession for the next 5 years.

The most important thing is: Never stop. And don't be overly harsh to yourself in the beginning. If you're a beginner, your songs will most likely suck. But that doesn't matter. You have to like them, and it's important that YOU are the person who decides about the next song. Write as much as you can and never look back once you've finished a song.

Developing some sort of flow is crucial to avoid writers-block. My personal solution to avoiding it is actually pretty simple: I don't care about old songs of mine, because they're just landmarks on the way to the next song.

[E50 Productions]

I use a voice recorder on my phone to record ideas so i humm or sing etc and then convert to guitar or ideas. James hetfield does this for songs when he doesnt have lyrics, you could do the opposite, if they are good enough either learn an instrument or let some one listen to your idea and they maybe able to convert with an instrument....just an idea.

Ant...

[hardtwistmusic]

There are several software solutions that might allow you to get a good start on your ideas while you are learning piano.

1.  Microsoft Songsmith is available for around $30.00 (dunno what that comes to in pounds).  It allows you to sing your melody in, and runs a logarithm to create chords compatible with your sung melody.  It's really a chord generator more than a "song smith" but it's a really good first step for someone who can't play an instrument.  I can't play either.  I have heard (but don't really know) that Apple's "Garage Band" app does the same thing and much more. 

2.  There are a few "midi converter" software that will convert music to midi.  If you have one of these, you can sing your melody in, convert to midi, and you have a different kind of "step one."  If I were to buy one, it would be "intelli-score" which converts and separates multiple tracks from multiple instruments. When I last checked, it was the only reasonably priced ($130.00) converter that would do so. 

3.  Once you have created your midi file from your melody, there are several "notation" softwares that allow you to convert the midi files and open them, showing every note.  You can ask the software to define the chords, then add additional lines of music on the staff remaining consistent with the sung chords.  It sounds simple, but it takes a lot of work to create a song this way... but it's better than nothing.  I use a software called "Notation Composer" for this purpose.  Again, I think that Apple's "Garage Band" application includes such a Notation type software. 

4.  You can download a software called "Anvil" free of charge.  It's a piano based writing software (which might be good for you as you are learning the piano).  Not sure what all else it can do since I don't use it. 

5.  There is a piano playing/writing software called "virtual piano" that is free and you can find it with an internet search.  It's fascinating to play with, but I've not used it much.  REALLY fun to play with though. 

Hope all that (or at least some of it) helps.  If you decide to get some of these softwares feel free to contact me for any tips, tricks or learning shortcuts I might be able to pass along. 

[Innominate]

Melody makes most songs so record everything you think of. You can add all the rest later. Your voice is an instrument too so you do "play" one. Having minimal recording equipment(any mic and some software that allows multi-tracking) will allow you to write songs acapella with the vocals being place holders for other instruments. You can then find someone else to translate those ideas into the real instruments or midi them into being with the help any any midi keyboard and manual editing.

Even without that though, if you can think of what it sounds like in your head, then you're still writing songs. Your challenge really, is finding a way to effectively express and communicate what's in your head. This is where playing an instrument, or knowing enough music theory to simply write, becomes invaluable. Playing an instrument allows you to express your ideas in a way that you and others can more easily understand. It also lets you play around and hear variations(or happy accidents) that you would never have thought of, it expands your writing possibilities beyond the limitations of a single tone. You can play harmonies, change up rhythms and immediately hear how they sound.

I strongly suggest you learn piano(guitar being a second choice) as it will make your writing a lot easier. You don't have to become amazing at it, just learn enough to be able to express your musical thoughts effectively. The more musical skills you develop, the more influences you can draw on as well.

[benjo]

hey

we all have built in instruments I like to whistle, and it's funny I can whistle any tune
even those I create myself,

I also like to tap a pen when I write like a timer or a drum beat

you can hum, make almost any sound really with your mouth if you put your mind to it
I don't know if Elton johns writer plays an instrument but he's pretty cool
look at the beat boxers, I think anything can be a song if you can sing it
same with writing,

                                              Joe Pasquale,

                             I know a song that will get on your nerves
                             get on your nerves, get on your nerves
                             I know a song that will get on your nerves
                             get get get on your nerves,

he's not even a songwriter but you can sing it,
I don't think you need to play an instrument, some great instrument players can't write

[RyanHalsey]

I think you have everything you need to potentially write songs in your voice!

As mentioned above a way to get your ideas on digital paper so to be speak would really help

Audacity is free i believe and you can record multiple tracks to layer up different parts and ideas

Ryan