Where do we find the inspiration and knowledge to create a new song from scratch? Some things to think about here.
I am often asked this double-barreled question. What comes first? The lyrics or the chords? The melody or the harmony? Perplexing question but also pretty straightforward. For each songwriter and composer it is different, of course, but the essence of your song is personal to you and you alone.
For the most part, and in my experience, I find that melodies mixed with rhythm are the first musical concepts to enter my creative mind when coming up with a new song. They are the driving forces which propel me to start and then finally to complete a song. I seem to have a much closer connection to melody than I do to, say, finding corresponding chord patterns. But once I have solidified how I want the melody to sound, I very quickly find the harmonies (chords) to envelop melody. I probably have the chord progression inside of me already, but it is the melody that brings out the progression more often than not.
Where does the creativity start? For me it starts quite simply by sitting comfortably in my favorite studio chair with my guitar and whatever other musical instruments are sitting near to me. I start a simple ‘noodling’ with the guitar, playing part of a scale pattern going up or down, and singing this pattern until I feel totally connected to its movement and impact on my being. I may also have a melody in mind that I sing, and then play on the guitar. I immediately record both the vocal and guitar part of that melody. That now becomes the early beginnings and springboard to a new song, one that will inspire not only myself but hopefully the many listeners who will hear this song.
What are your methods for writing new songs? However you arrive at the point of writing and completing a song, that creativity comes from a space within you that resonates with your being. Of course one has to have some knowledge of the instrument you are playing, whether it be your guitar or your voice. But once you have the tools at your disposal, you are ready to start your creative journey. It is a journey well worth taking.
Toby Tobias