How do you guys put words to your dummie lyrics?

kurt28 · 12-12-2012, 05:15 PM

I seem to be able to come up with stuff on the guitar very quickly. I mean I can just start strumming some chords with a certain strum pattern and I'll start getting inspiration for lyrics. The words them selves don't come to me. It's more like I just starting singing some nonsense words or noises and it sounds good with the music. It's like I know where the words should fall, how many words or syllables there should be and when to make fluctuations in my voice if you know what I mean. I believe this is called a dummie lyric but I'm not sure - but that's what I've been calling it. So I have my dummie lyric but I need to actually put words to it and that's the part I have trouble with. How do you guys put words to your dummie lyrics?

My definition of dummie lyric: A temporary lyric made up of nonsense words and noises to go with the music until you come up with actual words to take its place.

Thanks

kurt28 · 12-17-2012, 02:24 PM

Still no replies after a hundred views. This must be a hard question to answer.

**Janszoon** · 12-17-2012, 02:30 PM

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. The process seems pretty straightforward, you just write lyrics that fit and that say what you want to say.

Bloozcrooz · 12-17-2012, 02:43 PM

If your getting inspiration for lyrics then how are you not finding the words for the phrasing? If you already have a melody in mind, and inspiration for the lyrics then all thats left is to say is what you feel or are thinking.

Freebase Dali · 12-17-2012, 06:58 PM

Have something real to write about.

blastingas10 · 12-18-2012, 10:19 AM

I know what he's saying. He strums on the guitar, a melody starts coming to him, random words start filling in those blanks. Then the next dilemma is trashing those random words, or "dummie lyrics", and trying to write something meaningful to go with the melody.

It's hard, I've struggled with it a lot. I like to listen to music to gather ideas.

**Janszoon** · 12-18-2012, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

I know what he's saying. He strums on the guitar, a melody starts coming to him, random words start filling in those blanks. Then the next dilemma is trashing those random words, or "dummie lyrics", and trying to write something meaningful to go with the melody.

It's hard, I've struggled with it a lot. I like to listen to music to gather ideas.

I know what he's saying too, that's how I usually write lyrics. There's no special process behind it though, you just do it.

kurt28 · 12-18-2012, 03:13 PM

Yeah, that is what I meant. I get inspiration for nonsense dummie lyrics but when it comes time to trash those and replace them with meaningful lyrics I get stuck. Yeah, I guess there probably isn't any special process for doing that, I was just hoping somebody might have come up with some way of making the process a little easier. Maybe it was a bad question, I'm just frustrated that I have so much trouble with this. My favorite song lyrics that I've written were written first before any music. But, when I write the music first it seems so much harder to put good lyrics to it because of the limitations that the music brings to the lyrics.

**Janszoon** · 12-18-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt28

Yeah, that is what I meant. I get inspiration for nonsense dummie lyrics but when it comes time to trash those and replace them with meaningful lyrics I get stuck. Yeah, I guess there probably isn't any special process for doing that, I was just hoping somebody might have come up with some way of making the process a little easier. Maybe it was a bad question, I'm just frustrated that I have so much trouble with this. My favorite song lyrics that I've written were written first before any music. But, when I write the music first it seems so much harder to put good lyrics to it because of the limitations that the music brings to the lyrics.

Well, one thing I'd say that might help is to keep in mind that you don't have to be rigid about matching your dummy lyrics syllable for syllable. That's the great thing about song lyrics versus poetry, you can fudge the way you pronounce words or even toss in "doo-bee-dah" style nonsense vowels to make the melody work.

blastingas10 · 12-18-2012, 04:41 PM

I know exactly what you're talking about. I've struggled with the same things. I just quit trying and have Been working on instrumentals only. I've always had more trouble with songwriting, lyrics, melodies and all those little nuances that go along with it.

12-12-2012, 05:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
kurt28 Groupie Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 10	How do you guys put words to your dummie lyrics? I seem to be able to come up with stuff on the guitar very quickly. I mean I can just start strumming some chords with a certain strum pattern and I'll start getting inspiration for lyrics. The words them selves don't come to me. It's more like I just starting singing some nonsense words or noises and it sounds good with the music. It's like I know where the words should fall, how many words or syllables there should be and when to make fluctuations in my voice if you know what I mean. I believe this is called a dummie lyric but I'm not sure - but that's what I've been calling it. So I have my dummie lyric but I need to actually put words to it and that's the part I have trouble with. How do you guys put words to your dummie lyrics? My definition of dummie lyric: A temporary lyric made up of nonsense words and noises to go with the music until you come up with actual words to take its place. Thanks

12-17-2012, 02:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. The process seems pretty straightforward, you just write lyrics that fit and that say what you want to say. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

12-17-2012, 02:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
kurt28 Groupie Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 10	Still no replies after a hundred views. This must be a hard question to answer.

12-17-2012, 06:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	Have something real to write about.

12-18-2012, 10:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I know what he's saying. He strums on the guitar, a melody starts coming to him, random words start filling in those blanks. Then the next dilemma is trashing those random words, or "dummie lyrics", and trying to write something meaningful to go with the melody. It's hard, I've struggled with it a lot. I like to listen to music to gather ideas.

12-18-2012, 03:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
kurt28 Groupie Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 10	Yeah, that is what I meant. I get inspiration for nonsense dummie lyrics but when it comes time to trash those and replace them with meaningful lyrics I get stuck. Yeah, I guess there probably isn't any special process for doing that, I was just hoping somebody might have come up with some way of making the process a little easier. Maybe it was a bad question, I'm just frustrated that I have so much trouble with this. My favorite song lyrics that I've written were written first before any music. But, when I write the music first it seems so much harder to put good lyrics to it because of the limitations that the music brings to the lyrics.

12-18-2012, 04:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I know exactly what you're talking about. I've struggled with the same things. I just quit trying and have Been working on instrumentals only. I've always had more trouble with songwriting, lyrics, melodies and all those little nuances that go along with it.