Songwriting idea

bean

bean

Legume Liaison
Tried a new songwriting method this weekend with my buddy. Instead of coming up with a riff and playing it death trying to come up with complimentary parts and arrangements we did "15 minute demos". So, we come up with a neat riff, do a basic drum beat in Ableton then put a little synth part on top for color. Get the basic groove down then stop. Then repeat that process with a new idea. 10 minute break every hour.

If you are struggling with getting ideas together with your band try the 15 minute demo. Then go back later and work out the rest once youve had time away. That way no one gets bored jamming the same crap for an hour. I know this isn't new, just new to me.
 
bean said:
Tried a new songwriting method this weekend with my buddy. Instead of coming up with a riff and playing it death trying to come up with complimentary parts and arrangements we did "15 minute demos". So, we come up with a neat riff, do a basic drum beat in Ableton then put a little synth part on top for color. Get the basic groove down then stop. Then repeat that process with a new idea. 10 minute break every hour.

If you are struggling with getting ideas together with your band try the 15 minute demo. Then go back later and work out the rest once youve had time away. That way no one gets bored jamming the same crap for an hour. I know this isn't new, just new to me.
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Could come in handy.

My general process is to sit around thinking about funny combinations of words that lend themselves to cold hard truths about modernity.

"Spouse mouse" - a song about a middle-aged lab rat experiencing a midlife crisis in between jaunts being poked and prodded in the name of science.
 
We used to record all of our jam sessions and then go back and listen to parts and try to put something together from there.
 
That is a great way to practice writing as well. That way when you have a great idea, you are comfortable demoing it and ready to go.

My studio is set up in a way so if inspiration hits I can hit record and lay down a demo quickly. Guitar/Bass DI, guitar amps mic'd, synth pedalboard hooked to a patch bay,and a mic ready for acoustic or vocals. I am working on new pedal boards that will have one set of pedals for my strat, the second set of pedals for my G&L, both with a DI so I can reamp it later but also sent to my main amp that is mic'd.

Too many times I have fiddled around setting up stuff and lost the mojo.

Also - demoing it quickly lets you hear it in context and if you are on to something can expand or, and this happens WAY too much with me, realize that it is not my best work and scrap it.
 
What’s nice about doing that together is the external validation. One thing I’ve learned is it doesn’t really matter how much time I spent on creating a demo for an idea. I’ve fleshed out things that no one was interested in, and I’ve recorded voice memos on my phone that we turned into songs. In fact, I changed the silence button on my phone to start recording a voice memo instead.
 
We got stuck for about a week one time. I was listening to Jane’s Addiction one day when it hit me. After the intro, modulate up a half step. Switching up your music listening can be inspirational. You don’t have to like it, but if you listen to Rhythms and styles, you could break out a little more.
 
Nostradoomus said:
When I was gigging (30min opening slots) a decade ago in instrumental doom bands, at the start of our set I'd say "thanks for coming, this is our last song" and kick the mic away
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I really love this. Where does one listen to this instrumental doom experience?
 
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