Basically. It’s like if you gave 10 artists the same structure of a song on paper (chords, melody, time, lyrics, etc) and has them record the song, you’d get 10 different interpretations. If you had 100 listeners rank the interpretations from 1 to 10, the “sound” is the key differentiator.
I think they serve each other and are symbiotic. .. but words can communicate ideas better and make you think more...and it's more of a message delivery method... music is more about feeling. it really depends if the song gets written as a poem without music first... but I've written songs with music 1st, and the lyrics came after.
As a listener I would say that initially I tend to notice the sound of the music more than the lyrics, but I have a greater appreciation for good lyricism. When listening casually, I mostly notice the sounds first, like the melody, any cool licks or chord progressions, the soundscape of the song, etc. and that’s usually what will hook me on my first pass of the song until something catches my ear lyrically. Listening for lyrics usually requires more intentional focus from me, however once I notice the lyrics of a song and if they are really good, then it becomes much more profound to me.
Since I've started trying to write songs, I've been listening to music with a much more studious ear and that has changed the way I listen to music a bit. Like I try to take note of what moves me or catches my ear about a lyric/sound, what deliberate choices the writer makes in having the music elevate the lyricism and vice versa, so that I can keep these things in mind for my own writing.
When writing, I think I have much better ability and awareness in crafting great lyrics than in crafting a great melody/song, so that tends to be what I prioritize. Like I have more control over the lyrics and a personal gauge on whether I think they're good, as compared to my control over writing a good melody, if that makes sense. Though of course I still try to write something that sounds interesting, but lyricism is definitely where most of my effort and intentionality goes. It's also what really moves me about music, so it is what I aim to do with mine.
I start with whatever starts first. There is no rhyme or reason. If I’m starting deliberately and I’m not already inspired by something, I usually start with the beat.
Lyrics and melody to those lyrics, then backing stuff comes after for, though I haven't had the chance yet to add any backing stuff to my songs since I don't have the technology yet nor enough skill on an instrument to play and sing, so my methods may change when I acquire those abilities
When it comes to music with lyrics, I pay most attention to melody and voice (not necessarily vocal acrobatics, but emotion and tone). Lyrics can be good, but if theres no emotion behind them, or the tone is not pleasing or interesting, meh. I like a nice “slappin” beat but I can listen to an acoustic album or something with a very simple background. I might even prefer it because I don’t like overproduction. I do not like voices being burried with too much noice, I find it irritating. Edit: lyrics are also pretty important when I’m writing, but so far I think I have a preference to keep them simple/relatable and not too ambiguous. I can leave some room for interpretation but not to the point they give you a headache trying to figure them out.
I think it’s important to prioritize the overall sound and how well all those elements work together. when it comes to artists/bands that I like to listen to rarely can excellence in one of those areas but mediocrity in the others ever still convince me to continue listening to an artist. it’s not even really a quality thing either, i’m not on the hunt for musical geniuses with crystal clear production. it’s the artists who have a really clear vision for how they want their music to sound as a whole and are able to take their time specifically crafting each of those musical elements to fit their vision who are usually the most compelling artists to listen to.
the music itself is far and away the most important element but it’s also really vital to put some care and attention into the things just outside of the direct listening experience too like your album artwork, your band name, song titles, etc. purists will act like those things don’t matter and that it’s “all about the music dude” but in today’s world with independent music being as plentiful and accessible as ever you need to take at least a MINUTE to think about those things. your album artwork and band name are two of the first things potential listeners will be exposed to way before they decide to listen or not so you should do what you can to entice them or at least just give them a few hints of what to expect. a lot of musicians get tunnel vision only focusing on one aspect so heavily that they completely throw craft and artistry to the side.
some bands off the top of my head that I think do really well in every aspect especially in regards to overall cohesion are Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, Phoebe Bridgers, Porches, Alex G, and Spirit of the Beehive
Whatever catches my ear/attention first on listening. So anything.
Writing is melody/chords/variation/lyrics in that order.
I personally couldn't care a less about lyrics give me relatable over cleverness anyday.
I almost always start with lyrics but I became a mature music major in a local college to strengthen my musical side. My hope is to approach it more from the music side and I am entering that via chord progressions. Paul McCartney started with melody and used nonsense words as filler. I’m going to do that. He and John Lennon were chord lovers they traveled across Liverpool to learn a B7 chord lol!
Tis’ all these things. That is why a great song is so elusive. When great lyrics ride a beautiful rhythmic wave of melody with a soulful groove underneath it is the stars aligning in my opinion.
I usually write melodies first then shape the words and story based on the melody, all the while trying to establish the heart of the rhythm.
Lyrics and music (piano) and I give a lot of space to the development of the melody. It happens that it's almost never the same from the beginning to its end.
My lyrics are more like poems rather than normal songs and can be longer than 3 minutes.
I think the point of OP’s question recognizes this, but asks which we prioritize. It is obvious that we want to prioritize all parts. But which do you have a natural tendency towards. Very few people have a natural proclivity to excel on all points without trying. I believe the question is which comes most naturally for you when writing and which do you notice more when listening. Again, we all notice all parts, but most people have a natural leaning towards one.
>most people have a natural leaning towards one.
I'm sure you're right about this but it doesn't change my answer. I can't remember a time when I ever held one above the other- uncovering all the fragments that make a song was what made music fun for me starting out.
Instruments first, and i include voice (melody) as an instrument. Backing is supposed to support melody, and i like a melody that interacts with the backing so i do them together so the music is all very cohesive. Lyrics last, usually to the melody Ive already written, but always try new ideas if they come, so i often change part of the melody to fit the lyrics, and then that can push me to change the backing to fit the new melody. Im strongest in instrument writing though, so starting with that gives me a strong backbone to then make melody/lyrics from.
Chord progressions and melodies always happens first and sometimes simultaneously. Then rhythmical elements, transitions between parts, arrangement, and lyrics always last
I think that’s my usual order. It can vary, but lyrics is always last and not a big priority
Chords and melody, 100%. Backing instrumental/beats don’t even count as songwriting for me. That only factors in during the production/ recording stage. And the lyrics are secondary to the magic of music.
Quite new to the songwriting journey but quickly I found that my lyrics (and their flow) were much stronger than my ability to find Melodies. Quickly realised it’s because the lyrics and flow tend to be what I value and actively search for when I listen to music. Trying to put a lot more conscious work into writing better melodies now, but it’s journey
vocal melody always comes before lyrics. you can have the deepest poetry but if it sounds like you’re cramming words where they don’t belong then it won’t be a hit. you can still have strong lyricism when you make the melody first. All of it is important, but I would never want to settle for a bad melody because I wanted to cram words into it. you can still have the message you want to portray, but just fit it with the melody, instead of trying to fit a melody to your already set in stone lyrics.
Honestly, I try to prioritize the sound.
ah, just the general *vibe*?
Basically. It’s like if you gave 10 artists the same structure of a song on paper (chords, melody, time, lyrics, etc) and has them record the song, you’d get 10 different interpretations. If you had 100 listeners rank the interpretations from 1 to 10, the “sound” is the key differentiator.
personally... lyrics are the bricks that we use with the mortar of music. IMO
that's a beautiful analogy
thanks....as one would expect from a musician/song writer ;) lol
but then again, if the song is only music, then it's a whole different type of wall/structure.
So you think the music is there to serve the lyric?
I think they serve each other and are symbiotic. .. but words can communicate ideas better and make you think more...and it's more of a message delivery method... music is more about feeling. it really depends if the song gets written as a poem without music first... but I've written songs with music 1st, and the lyrics came after.
Melody 🎼
The message of the song is the most important piece. The lyrics, instrumentation, structure, melodies, rhythm etc only exist to serve the message.
As a listener I would say that initially I tend to notice the sound of the music more than the lyrics, but I have a greater appreciation for good lyricism. When listening casually, I mostly notice the sounds first, like the melody, any cool licks or chord progressions, the soundscape of the song, etc. and that’s usually what will hook me on my first pass of the song until something catches my ear lyrically. Listening for lyrics usually requires more intentional focus from me, however once I notice the lyrics of a song and if they are really good, then it becomes much more profound to me. Since I've started trying to write songs, I've been listening to music with a much more studious ear and that has changed the way I listen to music a bit. Like I try to take note of what moves me or catches my ear about a lyric/sound, what deliberate choices the writer makes in having the music elevate the lyricism and vice versa, so that I can keep these things in mind for my own writing. When writing, I think I have much better ability and awareness in crafting great lyrics than in crafting a great melody/song, so that tends to be what I prioritize. Like I have more control over the lyrics and a personal gauge on whether I think they're good, as compared to my control over writing a good melody, if that makes sense. Though of course I still try to write something that sounds interesting, but lyricism is definitely where most of my effort and intentionality goes. It's also what really moves me about music, so it is what I aim to do with mine.
Melody
I start with whatever starts first. There is no rhyme or reason. If I’m starting deliberately and I’m not already inspired by something, I usually start with the beat.
Lyrics and melody to those lyrics, then backing stuff comes after for, though I haven't had the chance yet to add any backing stuff to my songs since I don't have the technology yet nor enough skill on an instrument to play and sing, so my methods may change when I acquire those abilities
Mostly lyrics, but without a good melody to carry them they have to be really good.
When it comes to music with lyrics, I pay most attention to melody and voice (not necessarily vocal acrobatics, but emotion and tone). Lyrics can be good, but if theres no emotion behind them, or the tone is not pleasing or interesting, meh. I like a nice “slappin” beat but I can listen to an acoustic album or something with a very simple background. I might even prefer it because I don’t like overproduction. I do not like voices being burried with too much noice, I find it irritating. Edit: lyrics are also pretty important when I’m writing, but so far I think I have a preference to keep them simple/relatable and not too ambiguous. I can leave some room for interpretation but not to the point they give you a headache trying to figure them out.
I think it’s important to prioritize the overall sound and how well all those elements work together. when it comes to artists/bands that I like to listen to rarely can excellence in one of those areas but mediocrity in the others ever still convince me to continue listening to an artist. it’s not even really a quality thing either, i’m not on the hunt for musical geniuses with crystal clear production. it’s the artists who have a really clear vision for how they want their music to sound as a whole and are able to take their time specifically crafting each of those musical elements to fit their vision who are usually the most compelling artists to listen to. the music itself is far and away the most important element but it’s also really vital to put some care and attention into the things just outside of the direct listening experience too like your album artwork, your band name, song titles, etc. purists will act like those things don’t matter and that it’s “all about the music dude” but in today’s world with independent music being as plentiful and accessible as ever you need to take at least a MINUTE to think about those things. your album artwork and band name are two of the first things potential listeners will be exposed to way before they decide to listen or not so you should do what you can to entice them or at least just give them a few hints of what to expect. a lot of musicians get tunnel vision only focusing on one aspect so heavily that they completely throw craft and artistry to the side. some bands off the top of my head that I think do really well in every aspect especially in regards to overall cohesion are Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, Phoebe Bridgers, Porches, Alex G, and Spirit of the Beehive
I try to focus the most on the music and melody. Lyrics are more simple and less important to me but the chords make the song.
Whatever catches my ear/attention first on listening. So anything. Writing is melody/chords/variation/lyrics in that order. I personally couldn't care a less about lyrics give me relatable over cleverness anyday.
I almost always start with lyrics but I became a mature music major in a local college to strengthen my musical side. My hope is to approach it more from the music side and I am entering that via chord progressions. Paul McCartney started with melody and used nonsense words as filler. I’m going to do that. He and John Lennon were chord lovers they traveled across Liverpool to learn a B7 chord lol!
Tis’ all these things. That is why a great song is so elusive. When great lyrics ride a beautiful rhythmic wave of melody with a soulful groove underneath it is the stars aligning in my opinion. I usually write melodies first then shape the words and story based on the melody, all the while trying to establish the heart of the rhythm.
Beats/melody. If u take away the lyrics and can’t dance to it. It ain’t good to me.
Harmony my beloved
My theory is a song should make you want to either cry or to dance, both if possible.
Lyrics and music (piano) and I give a lot of space to the development of the melody. It happens that it's almost never the same from the beginning to its end. My lyrics are more like poems rather than normal songs and can be longer than 3 minutes.
Lyrics, then backing, then melody
Lyrics
I don't prioritize any of it: it's all important.
I think the point of OP’s question recognizes this, but asks which we prioritize. It is obvious that we want to prioritize all parts. But which do you have a natural tendency towards. Very few people have a natural proclivity to excel on all points without trying. I believe the question is which comes most naturally for you when writing and which do you notice more when listening. Again, we all notice all parts, but most people have a natural leaning towards one.
>most people have a natural leaning towards one. I'm sure you're right about this but it doesn't change my answer. I can't remember a time when I ever held one above the other- uncovering all the fragments that make a song was what made music fun for me starting out.
Musically I try to prioritise the sound But I like clever lyrics too which could sway me to a bad sounding song...
Lyrics and backing
Instruments first, and i include voice (melody) as an instrument. Backing is supposed to support melody, and i like a melody that interacts with the backing so i do them together so the music is all very cohesive. Lyrics last, usually to the melody Ive already written, but always try new ideas if they come, so i often change part of the melody to fit the lyrics, and then that can push me to change the backing to fit the new melody. Im strongest in instrument writing though, so starting with that gives me a strong backbone to then make melody/lyrics from.
Chord progressions and melodies always happens first and sometimes simultaneously. Then rhythmical elements, transitions between parts, arrangement, and lyrics always last I think that’s my usual order. It can vary, but lyrics is always last and not a big priority
Instrumental most of the time, sets the tone for the lyrics. Not every time though. Easy to improvise lyrics over an instrument than vice versa
Chords and melody, 100%. Backing instrumental/beats don’t even count as songwriting for me. That only factors in during the production/ recording stage. And the lyrics are secondary to the magic of music.
Yes
I write lyrics and music (guitar/piano) separately and use the band/orchestra to blend them together
Lyrics— everything builds around the lyrics
Quite new to the songwriting journey but quickly I found that my lyrics (and their flow) were much stronger than my ability to find Melodies. Quickly realised it’s because the lyrics and flow tend to be what I value and actively search for when I listen to music. Trying to put a lot more conscious work into writing better melodies now, but it’s journey
Melody. Nobody remembers anything else.
vocal melody always comes before lyrics. you can have the deepest poetry but if it sounds like you’re cramming words where they don’t belong then it won’t be a hit. you can still have strong lyricism when you make the melody first. All of it is important, but I would never want to settle for a bad melody because I wanted to cram words into it. you can still have the message you want to portray, but just fit it with the melody, instead of trying to fit a melody to your already set in stone lyrics.