Songwriting Tips: Which comes first – Music or the lyrics?
The music or the lyrics: Which comes first? It’s a time-honored question. And the time-honored answer? Well, it really is up to you! But you knew I was going to say that. Yes, perhaps it was predictable, and maybe it’s what everyone else says – but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, eh? So many budding songwriters get bogged down with this issue, wondering whether to pen some words first, and make a piece of music to fit them, or vice versa. They get concerned about what is the ‘right’ way to write songs. And, when it comes down to it, even if you searched everywhere you could for the definitive answer, there really could be only one: That there is no ‘right’ way. You could liken it to making a cup of coffee. Some people pour the boiling water on to the instant coffee and then add the milk. Others prefer to add the milk first, and then the water. The end result is really the same (and actually a great tool to keep that songwriting brain stimulated, I find!). For me, I don’t really like a
