Techniques..

Squidge

Anyone got a good technique to writing lyrics/melodies?

i can write riffs and stuff all day but they only seem good for choruses,
i fail when it comes to writing riffs for a verse and writing the lyrics themselves. I am not naturally talented in that area and find it a bit difficult.

Anyone have any ideas?

Spook Fish

thats a good sensible question. some people simply strip the main riff to little chuggs or pickin with extra bits, and then beef up when the chorus kicks in. it's quite difficult to say really, you may notice some great old tracks are just one pounding riff all the way through, others stick to the V>V>C>V>C>bridge>CC>V>C>outro kind of thing. no rules really.

Lyrics are quite difficult, only depending on your imagination of course. i really like the way Ant from red chilli's does that poetic style where one line has nothing to do with the previous line, kind of personal. or try to do lyrics that you know alot of poeple can relate to. it has alot to do with yourself and how you express yourself i think. sorry i cant offer you a direct formula Squidge, maybe try to use strange / different words that dont point directly to what you mean, telling a story without really telling it. try not to be too cliche'. or you could use personal experiance, like the song 'Hitch Hiker' by PJ where ED reckons he got the idea when walking with his bro, and all these sticky plant things were stickin too there legs, sort of hitchin a ride on them and his bro called hitchhikers. there and then he probably found it funny and it stuck in his mind, resulting in being used as lyrics when he hit the studio. carry a note book and write down everything that pops in your skull.