First Time Songwriting

[jjcucio]

OK, not sure if it will be any good, but i have alot of thoughts i want to write down and no idea where to start. Any ideas on how to start things off and get myself rolling on putting these ideas on paper. Thanks in advance.

[Mulletman]

i'm 22 years old and still haven't written a song, but in the past 2 days for some reason i've got half a song going and it's pretty close to being completed. (much further than anything i've done before.) the best thing i can say is always have a pen and paper around. i usually start having long strings of verses go through my head when i'm trying to fall asleep. one idea is to find a simple song structure and copy it. i can't talk really but good luck!

[dmb_tatertot]

when i first started writing some of my new songs, i found it easiest to go to a quiet place with my guitar and just play. Expirement with new chords and just find what mixes well. Once you get it started, i think its easy to build a chorus and bridge. I wouldnt work on lyrics until you finish the melody though. Good luck.

[mangold]

i find its much easier to write the lyrics first and then if you have a tuner that tells you the note instead of like what string (likw if you play a 1 on e its tells u its an f not a e thats too high, if that makes any sense) plug a mic into it and hum the lyrics... blamo theres your chord progression...i know i know, im a genius

[smedley]

what i do is i come up with some basic idea of what i want the song to be about, maybe write down a couple of lyrics, doesnt have to be the whole song, maybe just a verse. then i come up with some chords or some kind of tun, and like praisedave said, kinda hum a tune (no words) to the riff/chords to come up with some type of sound. then try to fit the lyrics you wrote, or come up with some lyrics, into that little melody you came up with.

[lyrics101]

If you're just starting, be prepared to suck serious ass for a while.

[GreedylilPig]

Just pick up a pen and go for it. I don't mean to be tacky but, "There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know until he takes up a pen to write." -William Thackeray

If you don't like it, scratch it out. A lot of songwriting is trial and error, at least in my experience. And don't be in a rush to finish. You'll know when to leave it alone and you'll also know when to come back to it. Good luck.

[MWR]

If you're just starting, be prepared to suck serious ass for a while.

Thats true to a certain extent but keep track of your ideas. You can have great ideas/melodies/chord progressions early on that you can apply new knowledge to later. Don't take inspiration for granted.
Also, listen to alot of different music. If you listen only to Dave your songs will reflect that. Personal style comes from mixing the things you like about other artists. If you only listen to and play a few artists your doomed to be unoriginal.

[filmdude100cms]

never be satisfied... my first song took me 9 months to write, only thing that makes it the original song now, is the intro that always stayed the same. between start and finish of my first song i wrote about 15 more. always look for ways to improve.

[jjcucio]

Wow, kinda blown away. I appreciate all the input...greedylilpig, great quote..ill keep it in mind. I for some reason have alot of things to say, and just need a platform to say them on. Writing seems to be somthing that relaxes me and gets me to express myself in a stress releaving past time that does not involve throwing drunken fists at the local tavern. Thanks for all the help..ill let all of you know how things are. Oh, just watched good will hunting and got into elliot smith a bit, kinda dark, but good none the less. Figured i would shout it out.