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Discussion: ATRL Songwriter's Thread | Jacktrus gain dual #1
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 23,128
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I've been writing some new material but I'm not happy with it yet. I only have like three songs that I truly love, out of the rough 14/15 ish that I'm aiming for.
Back to the studio I go 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 3,201
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I've had a creative energy burst this past month. All together I've writter 27 songs in the past 30 days.
Again, I wanna judge
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Just a curious question, how long does it take you guys to write a song on average?
When I write, it practically just falls out my head word to word without thinking and takes me about 5-6 mins to complete one song. Those ones are the best because it's straight from my heart and it tells a story. Otherwise it takes me from anywhere from 15-20mins to sit down and write and be smart about it, always comes out a mess.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Quote:
Originally posted by Scorpio King
I've had a creative energy burst this past month. All together I've writter 27 songs in the past 30 days.
Again, I wanna judge
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Right now I've only sent one PM about judging and its pretty obvious who thats too. I'll keep that in mind though
Quote:
Originally posted by Keshafied
Just a curious question, how long does it take you guys to write a song on average?
When I write, it practically just falls out my head word to word without thinking and takes me about 5-6 mins to complete one song. Those ones are the best because it's straight from my heart and it tells a story. Otherwise it takes me from anywhere from 15-20mins to sit down and write and be smart about it, always comes out a mess.
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5-6 minutes? Like lyrics and melody and arrangement and everything? 
My best ones usually take about an hour, longer than that and its a mess, shorter and its too generic. My shortest song ever written took 15 minutes and its actually one I wrote like 2 weeks ago, but that one was really good
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Member Since: 9/12/2012
Posts: 26,389
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Usually, when I write a song, I have an idea for what I want for the chorus first (and usually a song title as a result), and I just build around that. When I think of the chorus first, it usually already pops into my head with how I want it to sound. I wouldn't be able to, say, write down note-for-note how the whole song would go, but I'd be able to hum/sing how the song would go.
If I am really inspired with the song, or have a definite path I want to take, I could have a song in like 15 mins. Usually, when I put it into my Drive where I put all the songs I write, I will make some edits to the lyrics, though. Other times, it could take me over an hour, or even a few days (different sessions, obviously).
As I'm not a producer, I don't make instrumentals for the songs I write. It is something I would like to learn about, but it's not my overall ambition when it comes to songwriting.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by GotSkill
Right now I've only sent one PM about judging and its pretty obvious who thats too. I'll keep that in mind though
5-6 minutes? Like lyrics and melody and arrangement and everything?
My best ones usually take about an hour, longer than that and its a mess, shorter and its too generic. My shortest song ever written took 15 minutes and its actually one I wrote like 2 weeks ago, but that one was really good |
Yes, I sit down with either my guitar or keyboard and play a melody and then I write as I'm playing, Mind you in this process I'm in a haze and I have no idea what I'm doing, but once I finish from start to end, it's been around 5-6 mins and I have a song ready to record. Which some of my favorites have come out through that method. Just works for me I guess.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Quote:
Originally posted by Keshafied
Yes, I sit down with either my guitar or keyboard and play a melody and then I write as I'm playing, Mind you in this process I'm in a haze and I have no idea what I'm doing, but once I finish from start to end, it's been around 5-6 mins and I have a song ready to record. Which some of my favorites have come out through that method. Just works for me I guess.
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But lyrics that fast? 
I've come up with entire melodies in like 3 minutes but the lyrics take longer for me because I think thats extremely important to choose just the right words for a 3-5 minute song
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Quote:
Originally posted by SmokeOnDiamonds
Any tips on how to get rid of "writer's block"? I know what topic I want to write about based on my real life expierence but it's so hard to put it in words, especially since they have to rhyme. I even bought a rhyme dictionary and I'm writing to beats/tracks.  |
Rhyming isn't a necessity. Songs like Kelly's Because of You are huge hits yet don't have a single rhyme
But I agree, I've never written a song that doesn't rhyme
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by SmokeOnDiamonds
Any tips on how to get rid of "writer's block"? I know what topic I want to write about based on my real life expierence but it's so hard to put it in words, especially since they have to rhyme. I even bought a rhyme dictionary and I'm writing to beats/tracks. |
Try to find songs which you connect with that relates to your topic, find some pictures you find powerful, maybe get inspiration from either some books or a movie. Even dot point some things you want to explore within your lyrics which may help you. Once you have that, just write from your heart and it will be original. It can take some time depending on how well your able to communicate your idea's into lyrics, everyone's different. And rhyming isn't always the key but a technique, it's good to chuck it in here and there, but everyone's is different in how they write.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by GotSkill
But lyrics that fast?
I've come up with entire melodies in like 3 minutes but the lyrics take longer for me because I think thats extremely important to choose just the right words for a 3-5 minute song |
I don't understand how I'm able to do it, it just happens. For me when I song write, I'm always feeling the melody and lyrics so it just pours out, change words here and there, but overall the outcome never fails me. Shown some lyrics to a few of my friend's from the quick writing, which they prefer how those songs are written and the melody, opposed to the ones which I sit down and write.
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Member Since: 11/20/2010
Posts: 7,042
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Oh I love this! I am a songwriter/singer.
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Member Since: 11/20/2010
Posts: 7,042
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Quote:
Originally posted by SmokeOnDiamonds
Any tips on how to get rid of "writer's block"? I know what topic I want to write about based on my real life expierence but it's so hard to put it in words, especially since they have to rhyme. I even bought a rhyme dictionary and I'm writing to beats/tracks. |
I love metaphors. Sometimes I can pick a topic and just write a song about it.
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Member Since: 9/12/2012
Posts: 26,389
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Quote:
Originally posted by FreeXone
Oh I love this! I am a songwriter/singer.
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Oh, you should keep an eye on this thread, then! Platinum Hit should be starting up sometime. You could join it and have fun and stuff 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by Hugamari
Oh, you should keep an eye on this thread, then! Platinum Hit should be starting up sometime. You could join it and have fun and stuff |
What is this 'Platinum Hit' you speak of?!?  I'm down for it. When does it start?
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Quote:
Originally posted by Keshafied
What is this 'Platinum Hit' you speak of?!? I'm down for it. When does it start? |
Its a songwriting competition we have in the games section usually like twice a year. We're about to start the sixth season sometime within the next month (most likely) and I'll be the host 
Definitely join, your quick writing will come in handy
On a side note, when I was looking at this thread suddenly I felt inspired to write so I sat down at the piano and wrote a song called "The Man of Oblivion" which I may or may not share depending on how I feel 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by GotSkill
Its a songwriting competition we have in the games section usually like twice a year. We're about to start the sixth season sometime within the next month (most likely) and I'll be the host
Definitely join, your quick writing will come in handy
On a side note, when I was looking at this thread suddenly I felt inspired to write so I sat down at the piano and wrote a song called "The Man of Oblivion" which I may or may not share depending on how I feel
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I'm definitely going to be joining!! I'll using my songwriting for good and not bad (hopefully). I have my final exams next month but I'll give it my best shot to join in.
That title sounds really captivating, what is it about? 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Quote:
Originally posted by Keshafied
I'm definitely going to be joining!! I'll using my songwriting for good and not bad (hopefully). I have my final exams next month but I'll give it my best shot to join in.
That title sounds really captivating, what is it about? |
I competed in the last season (and got 2nd) and it definitely improved my writing by a crazy amount.
Its basically about a man who feels lost and alone, but instead of trying to fix his situation he just makes everything worse for himself and eventually wishes he never existed. It isn't autobiographical or anything, I just sat down at the piano not knowing what Id write about, so I started with the line "I'm a black sheep dressed in white/to fit a stereotype" and ran with it.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally posted by GotSkill
I competed in the last season (and got 2nd) and it definitely improved my writing by a crazy amount.
Its basically about a man who feels lost and alone, but instead of trying to fix his situation he just makes everything worse for himself and eventually wishes he never existed. It isn't autobiographical or anything, I just sat down at the piano not knowing what Id write about, so I started with the line "I'm a black sheep dressed in white/to fit a stereotype" and ran with it.
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Holy S***! I really love that line. It's powerful and meaningful just from those two lines. You must post lyrics when your up for it, or PM me it. I love reading lyrics and visualizing the story behind it.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 56,234
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Quote:
Originally posted by GotSkill
Its a songwriting competition we have in the games section usually like twice a year. We're about to start the sixth season sometime within the next month (most likely) and I'll be the host
Definitely join, your quick writing will come in handy
On a side note, when I was looking at this thread suddenly I felt inspired to write so I sat down at the piano and wrote a song called "The Man of Oblivion" which I may or may not share depending on how I feel |
Boo, I'm going to be overseas during December, so I won't be able to compete. I was looking forward to giving it a go, too. Oh well.
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 6,868
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Quote:
Originally posted by Hugamari
Truth be told, I haven't wrote an original song in a while ( I did write my own version of a Korean song, but I'm not really counting that.) I did have an idea for what I wanted to write about, but I guess I just need to apply myself to it.
Oh, and thank you Sam Jay!  I would like to do some stuff with this thread tbh. |
I do that too sometimes! I love taking songs from other languages to try and turn into an English song. Congrats on the OP!
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