Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Anybody write music after the lyrics?

Hey all, was curious if anybody here wrote the music after the lyrics were done and how that works? I've heard some people do it but I can't imagine how that would work.

This would be appealing to me as I'd love to be able to work with some tight lyrics that are already good (Lyrics after the fact often force you to fit one more line into the song even to make it fit - even if you don't like it alot). But that said - I have terrible time making music match lyrics so generally get the riff and melody down first. I might have a little phrase or something in my head, but it's more of a placeholder than anything.

So question is: Can you take a poem or piece of pre-written lyrics and craft a song around them? If so - How do you make it work? This is kindof a process question as much as anything. Appreciate responses.

31st October 2012	#1
smili Gear maniac Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 178 Thread Starter	Anybody write music after the lyrics? Hey all, was curious if anybody here wrote the music after the lyrics were done and how that works? I've heard some people do it but I can't imagine how that would work. This would be appealing to me as I'd love to be able to work with some tight lyrics that are already good (Lyrics after the fact often force you to fit one more line into the song even to make it fit - even if you don't like it alot). But that said - I have terrible time making music match lyrics so generally get the riff and melody down first. I might have a little phrase or something in my head, but it's more of a placeholder than anything. So question is: Can you take a poem or piece of pre-written lyrics and craft a song around them? If so - How do you make it work? This is kindof a process question as much as anything. Appreciate responses.