I've had a song idea in my head for nearly a year now but I can't seem to get it onto paper.
I have no exact lyrics yet, but I know what the theme/topics will be
also don't know the melody or its details but I have a vibe for the different parts
genre's quite mixed but i think it mostly will fall in the electronic category
so how do i turn this into an actual piece of music? what software will i need? do i start with lyrics, melody, separating the song into sections? what sources should i look to? should i be studying music more? how do i do this I've been googling it for ages and I'm still so confused
I start with the lyrics, but others are different… Just whatever feels right!
Well, of course, what software you use all depends of the type of song you're going for and things like. Writing the lyrics first is a means that I find to be most effective, because if you set a melody but don't know how to put your emotions to it, what really should one do? At that point, it would be less an expression of emotion and more of a, "what in the world do I say to this rhythm??". If you ask me, anyway. May be different for some people. Depending on the vibe, the key signature you write this in and instruments you use will definitely change. So, if you want some really upbeat and pop-y song, you may use instruments such as synthetic keyboards and brass instruments. Accompanied by a major key. And if you want a slower, or sadder song, typically, more orchestral instruments like pianos and stringed instruments are used. Sometimes even woodwinds. Typically, they're in a minor key.
So, really, even if the song is electronic, it just depends on the vibe really. I could consult someone I know who makes a lot of electronic sounding songs and stuff like that. I'll ask them for the software they use, if you'd like.
Though, you can always find happy songs in a minor key and sad songs in a major key, so don't worry too much on that. Off the topic of key signatures and instruments, and back to lyrics. Every song is written differently. Not all songs have a chorus that everyone learns by their first time listening through the song. Some songs you can find to be just like free form poetry. Because, being honest, that's typically what songs with lyrics are. Poetry put to a beat.
I'm not sure just how many of your questions I've covered properly, so you can ask me anything if you're still curious about something!
for the software question, if you have a Mac, you can download garage band. Otherwise, I’m sure there are places and other software online for windows. In fact, I am 100% sure there are some decent software for that kind of thing but garage band is great for what it is but unfortunately it is a Mac only software
Whatever you find to be most productive. The two ways most people seem to start is either by writing a melody and then finding words to fit the lyrics (I believe musicians such as Adam Young use this method, though I'm not quite sure). The other way seems to be writing lyrics and then a melody (I use this method). Whatever feels best for you. You can start with the instrumentation and get the melody later and lyrics after that, if you want. As for lyric writing, songs don't have to rhyme (I know of quite a few that don't), but it's best if there's some sort of rhythm to the words–that makes them easier to sing. For instance, it's easier to sing the phrase "Close your eyes, little girl, you're a princess now, you own this world" (from Flyleaf's song "Set Apart This Dream") than "Just one thing I want to say, the circumference of the circle is pi times the radius squared" (by the way, that's not in any song I've heard, and if you find that it's easy to sing, don't let me stop you). As @furetakunai said, it depends on the type of vibe you want to have. As an example, the song "Damage" by the band RED has an angry, metal feel to it, whereas "Fireflies" by Owl City has a happy, pop-y feel to it. There are also other feels, of course, as there are many emotions. But basically, whatever works best for you. It might help to read interviews and see how other people do it, try out a few ways, and see what works best for you.
