I am New and want to start writing songs?
 

i just wanted to know some things in regards to chord arrangement. Before i start writing a song do i have to choose which key i want to do it in? If i was to do a song in C would i only use the chords that make the key of C(C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bo)? If i am on piano playing chords along with melody will the melody that i make follow the chords changes. For example if i was to play C chord and use melody notes in C and then change to Em, would my melody notes change to the scales in Em.

Thanks in advance for any help on these questions.

Just play what sounds good, figure out the theory later.

i know but i would really like to know the theory now.

Well you asked if you have to choose the key before you start writing a song. I'm telling you the answer is no.

Yeah, I mean if you have any sense of feeling for the music you can just rely on that. Theory should mostly be a retrospective thing, in my personal opinion, and the emotion should come first. But some composers like to lay ground work, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just do it however you feel comfortable - there is no standard.

i understand what you guys are saying but i would really like a basic starting ground. It will be easier for me to work out what sounds good if i have some parametres to work with. I thought everysong was in a certain key. I would really like my questions answered if anybody knows. Thx

We have answered your questions. :confused:

you havn't answered any of my question except "no" to do you have pick a key to write a song in.

Well, wasn't that what you were asking?

I'll try and answer this the best I can. It's a great question! Firstly, it's a good idea to pick a key that you want to write in. This will make it easier for you to create a basic chord structure. It is more common to use the 1st, 4th, and 5th chords in a given key (for example in the key of C, those would be C, F, and G). But you're not limited to just those chords when writing in a key. Diminished chords aren't used too often in major keys. Secondly, the melody should follow the chord progression. For example, if the chord underneath the melody is F, the accented notes in the melody should be F A or C (G too if it's a 7th chord). You can use notes from the rest of the scale too on occurred. Hope that helps a little bit.

thank you very much for the reply it was very helping. One other thing, if i the next underneath chord is Am, would i play the melody in the scale of Am once changed to this chord.

Thx again.

Well the melody should harmonize well with the chord accompanying it - in this case Am. So you would just play notes found within the chord.

ok thanks you have been of great help.

If you're really so worried about a song being in a particular key and understanding the rules of the key, etc., I don't know if songwriting should necessarily be your focus right now.

If you're intent on writing a song that follows those "guidelines" so strictly, you'd probably be better off just working on the music theory learning aspect instead of mucking it up by adding in the songwriting itself - just my two cents.

as far as theory goes you can play whatever and still be correct in music that's the beauty of it you can play whatever scale you want major, minor, ionian, hawaiian, ryuoko (i think i spelled this wrong), blues, egyptian, you can even make up your own. you can play whatever notes within Key of C while holding the C chord they can all be complentary (the F might sound weird but if you like it go with it.) same thing with Em (the F and C might sound weird but if you like it go with it.) the things in parenthesis depend more on whether they're in a higher octave than the chord, if it's higher than they're true if it's lower than B ; ____ (if you play these in the key of C with the Em every note will sound fine.) respectively, but it's okay to use those notes in that way it's your sound.1

have fun composing :)

personally for me it was much easier to understand theory THROUGH songwriting/composition.

just hammer it out - there are listeners of all kinds out there

do it acapella, do it without a tonal centre (no anchoring key), do noise even, invent the wheel not spin it, do it atonally, don't follow any scale, eschew melody, wail, scream, shout

(and put it up for us to hear)

Hey there, my best advice like some of the others are saying is to just play anything that feels right/good.

Why does nobody get music theory. Music theory is not a way to tell you how to write a melody, it's a way to describe melodies that have already been written.

With the exception of ancient pre-avant garde classical there's not a genre out there that follows them tightly. In fact, that's why they have to completely rewrite the theory book every single time something new comes out. This music is generally boring compared to more daring post 1800s composers(I don't care what anybody says: FACT). It was only really a means so snobby aristocrats can keep their music sounding snobby, and aristocratic, and give them the illusion they were superior to the folk melodies the violinist on the street was playing, and they were stealing from.

I agree with 90% of the posters above me. Just play what sounds good. If you want to learn to a particular style, learn the scales of that particular style, but only use it as a guideline. Go through the excersizes while watching TV, or subconsciously, and then write without thinking about what you're writing. Play around, improvise, break the rules a little. Make music that's your own.

Christ, man, this is the reason why we had free jazz!!!

Exactly. Good post.

Hi
Just follow for heart. Really.

There will be times music comes first and times lyrics do.
You will find in the way, what works for u best.

Good luck, music is power!

Music doesn't need to have theory behind it. Some music is defined by that. Some music, like classical composition, is defined by the strict formulas that are worked with. No one can answer your question because it's kind of like you asking someone how you should live your life. There isn't a correct answer.