songwriting

itsevolution..baby
itsevolution..baby Posts: 59
edited August 2009 in Musicians and Gearheads
ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....
What ain't a country I ever heard of. Do they speak English in what?
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  • benjs
    benjs Toronto, ON Posts: 9,387
    itsevolution..baby wrote:
    ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....
    Smoke a big spliff, turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.
    '05 - TO, '06 - TO 1, '08 - NYC 1 & 2, '09 - TO, Chi 1 & 2, '10 - Buffalo, NYC 1 & 2, '11 - TO 1 & 2, Hamilton, '13 - Buffalo, Brooklyn 1 & 2, '15 - Global Citizen, '16 - TO 1 & 2, Chi 2

    EV
    Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
  • mrvedderson
    mrvedderson Posts: 784
    benjs wrote:
    itsevolution..baby wrote:
    ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....
    Smoke a big spliff, turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.

    i applaud and agree with your many efforts to have people smoke a doobie, actually reminds me to put one in my hand everytime i read one
  • itsevolution..baby
    itsevolution..baby Posts: 59
    benjs wrote:
    itsevolution..baby wrote:
    ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....
    Smoke a big spliff, turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.
    Thanks bob. Ery ting gonna be aight.
    What ain't a country I ever heard of. Do they speak English in what?
  • benjs
    benjs Toronto, ON Posts: 9,387
    mrvedderson wrote:
    benjs wrote:
    itsevolution..baby wrote:
    ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....
    Smoke a big spliff, turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.

    i applaud and agree with your many efforts to have people smoke a doobie, actually reminds me to put one in my hand everytime i read one
    :lol:
    What can I say - besides Pearl Jam, it's definitely one of my passions. It's harmless, fun, can open your mind, not habit forming, and really, when done in the right quantities - enhances EVERYTHING.
    '05 - TO, '06 - TO 1, '08 - NYC 1 & 2, '09 - TO, Chi 1 & 2, '10 - Buffalo, NYC 1 & 2, '11 - TO 1 & 2, Hamilton, '13 - Buffalo, Brooklyn 1 & 2, '15 - Global Citizen, '16 - TO 1 & 2, Chi 2

    EV
    Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
  • oconnb
    oconnb Posts: 4
    itsevolution..baby wrote:
    ok, so I am finally playing with a few frinds trying to get something going. None of us are very good, and just find ourselves mindlessly jamming on the same stuff for 4 hours. We seem to be able to come up with a cool riff here and there to work with , but are having lots of trouble transitioning into a chorus/bridge and back again. I know this is really really basic stuff, but we get stuck constantly. ANy suggestions? None of us are obviously versed musically, we don't have an idea of where it should be going next. Help....

    I like their idea too. And I think what they are also getting at in other words is to understand what parts you do have. music is like a mathematical map of timing and frequency. your ear will tell what agrees with. So, take the verse that you do have and add a note that is in the 4th or 5th or something that compliments that then slowly play different notes that agree with it. eventually you will find that your detour will make sense in its own world but will have commonalities that will lead back to the main road. For instance. E chord has E, B, E, D flat, B, E. You can branch off on any of those notes, or play off of A etc. move your hand around and find what matches and your ear will lead the way. There endless possibilities. But it take time, patience, and a joint to give you an open mind.
  • mfc2006
    mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,491
    when i started my old band, we started by jamming on some cover songs to loosen things up. we each picked out a couple of songs that we really liked & that we thought "defined" our musical style. when the 3rd rehearsal/jam session happened, i gave them all a rough cd of some of my earlier solo stuff to listen to & learn if they wanted to. the next session, they did the same. also, they gave me some feedback on my songs. so we worked on those a bit...re-structured them here & there. all of that communication about covers, personal musical stylings, and originals really opened the door for us. after those conversations, we really felt much more open to present a new idea or just jam something out. i think we all eventually broke out of the confines of our own comfort zones. the cool thing is that only a handful of those original songs/demos that we gave each other actually stuck around. the rest of the songs came naturally b/c we had a better idea of where everyone was coming from. those were the songs that we played the most. so, my advice is to be open. if someone has an idea on the guitar, let them present it. then, bang it out together.
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com

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