What is more important

[melissaslive33]

Getting the right flow of music to compliment lyrics, or creating lyrics first them setting a certain music composition to it??

Melissa
UMGD

[Andante]

It's really a case of the cart before the horse here. You have to start with the lyrics and then form the music round them. You may be able to get away with a good riff or meoldy to start with, but more often than not it's hard to get the syllables or rhythm of the words to go over the top.

That's my experience of song writing anyway! Lyrics first to set the foundations.

[ttw]

Actually, it can be done either way. Starting with the lyrics is usually best. The music can then be composed to complement the lyrics.

There are some cases of setting lyrics to existing music. The theme from "High Noon" is one successful endeavour.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by ttw

Actually, it can be done either way. Starting with the lyrics is usually best. The music can then be composed to complement the lyrics.

There are some cases of setting lyrics to existing music. The theme from "High Noon" is one successful endeavour.

Elvis:

"It's Now or Never", which is "O Solo Mio", and
"Love Me Tender", which is "Aura Lee".

Of course, both of those were songs to begin with, so this is a case of changing the words rather than writing them to an existing instrumental.

I agree that it can be done either way. Let's say that historically, Lyrics come first.

However, many pop bands may come in with complete song arrangements and ask the lyricist to make up words for it, or the vocalist will even improv over the riffs/progression until they come up with something they like.

Still, another thing to consider is that sometimes lyrics and music are written virtually simultaneously. Many times people will sit down together and simply sing as they go, and write and re-write as they go.

So in pop music, you can get away with music first, but in the "art" music world, usually the lyric comes first (or is adapted from a Poem, etc.).

HTH,
Steve.

Nice to see you back Tony.

[photowriters]

Melissa,

Originally Posted by melissaslive33

Getting the right flow of music to compliment lyrics, or creating lyrics first them setting a certain music composition to it??

My very limited experience is that words first makes the job eaiser, but one could certainly write a composition that is to have lyrics added later, but the composition would have to be written with that in mind. For example in an SATB chorale, the melody rules supreme but only slightly in front of the supporting counterpoint. Nevertheless, the S, A, T, & B notes and intervals have to be reasonably singable. The same is true for an accompanied solo voice piece, i.e., the melody rules supreme but it has to be singable.

It seem to me that when the music is written first, if the composer keeps singability and meter in mind that it should not be an insurmountable problem to add the lyric later. On the other hand, a complex piece with wild rhythms, intervals, and little or no melody would be difficult to add lyrics. Sometimes the only thing that is salvageable from an instrumental piece is a melody line.

Hope that helps.

[brightparis]

Creating lyrics and then preparing music for it is really good.

[photowriters]

liricious? I cannot find that word in my dictionary.

[Harry Hayfield]

Originally Posted by melissaslive33

Getting the right flow of music to compliment lyrics, or creating lyrics first them setting a certain music composition to it?? Melissa UMGD

That's a very good question actually. What I have done with the songs that I have included in my productions is find songs that match the mood of the scene. If the song has words that also match the scene then no problems (for instance when I wrote "Around the World with Phileas Fogg", Inspector Fix needed a song about policemen and I found "When a Felon's not enagaged" from The Pirates of Penzance which matched the scene precisely, however for this Musketeer themed one I wanted something sad that ended on a defiant note and chose Pavane by Faure and then added English words that fitted the tune)