“I wanted to write songs which I think is a different thing. I wanted to write music that is informed by folk music. The chord progressions are obvious references.” ThinkingWritingDifferentWantedSongFolksObviousDifferent ThingsChordsProgressionFolk Music Author:Joanna Newsom
“I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a song, knock it into shape.” TryingSongNiceShapesChords Author:Jeff Lynne
“It's a real gift to be able to have the works of brilliant, great people to learn from and build from. It gives you so much more to draw on, and then you don't have to be all about three-chord pop songs. I don't really like that kind of writing.” PeopleGivingWritingKindRealAbleSongThreeDrawsPopsBrilliantChordsGreat PeoplePop Song Author:Regina Spektor
“I spent many years trying to write a lot like Ben Folds or John Lennon or Rivers Cuomo. I think that's healthy when you're learning to write and seeing how chords fit together and how songs take shape.” ThinkingWritingTryingYearsTogetherSongSeeingFitHealthyShapesRiversChordsFoldsLennon Author:Andrew Dost
“I sometimes try to write something that is actually really simple and I can't do it. So, then, it's not simple anymore. It's really hard and it gets all messed up. I sometimes sit down and try to write a song with just three chords and it doesn't work.” WritingTryingI CanSometimesHardSongThreeSimpleDown AndChordsMessed Up Author:Sondre Lerche
“The first thing that inspires any song is a chord progression. When I have one I really like, I get into the lyrics even more.” FirstsSongInspireChordsProgression Author:Black Francis
“Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took up a lot of space musically in the songs was really important to the way Rush developed. Geddy and Neil both were such active players and lot of the time we were all playing like crazy and it was too much and somebody had to reel it in and me being the faceless guy, I would do that.” WayImportantGuySongThreeSpaceToo MuchPiecesPlayerCrazyInfluenceHugeBandActiveChordsFaceless Author:Alex Lifeson
“I still feel like if I can get a song to work with, say, a basic beat, a rhythm, some chord changes, and a melody, a vocal melody - if it works with that, then I feel it's written and there's something there.” IfsFeelsStillsI CanSongWrittenBeatsRhythmMelodyChordsVocal Author:David Byrne
“Music to me is spontaneous, writing is spontaneous and it's all based on not trying to do it. From beginning to end, whether it's writing a song, or playing guitar, or a particular chord sequence, or blowing a horn, it's based on improvisation and spontaneity.” WritingTryingEndsSongParticularGuitarSpontaneousSequenceChordsHornsSpontaneityImprovisationPlaying Guitar Author:Van Morrison
“I tend to like songs that are very emotional, that strike a chord with me emotionally.” SongEmotionalStrikesChords Author:Martin Gore
“I wanted to get a guitar [when I was 13] so I could play punk songs because kid taught me power chords at summer camp. He was like, "You could play all punk songs if you just learn this chord and just move it around on the guitar".” IfsPlayKidsWantedMovingSongTaughtLike YouSummerGuitarCampsPunkChordsSummer Camp Author:Ezra Furman
“If I don't already know a song's chord progression, I'll stop writing and try to figure it out. I can occasionally listen to unstructured, amelodic ambient music, but I prefer no music. I don't need silence - I can write just about anywhere - but music is a major distraction.” IfsKnowsNeedsWritingTryingI CanSongSilenceFiguresMajorsMusic IsDistractionChordsProgressionAmbientAmbient Music Author:F. Paul Wilson
“Wherever inspiration comes from, it's like I'll hear a melody and chords, almost a rough structure of the whole thing [song]. I'll just hear it and chase what's in my head. The rest comes from jamming with band, improvising, seeing what comes up as well. I'll come up with it off the top of my head, catch it, sing and hum, and if something is missing, just jam, and that's the [songwriting] process.” IfsWellsWholeInspirationSongProcessSeeingMissingBandStructureCome UpRoughMelodySongwritingWriting ProcessChordsJamImprovising Author:Chris Wyse
“When I'm playing music I'm usually not thinking of surfing, just because I'm usually thinking about the chords and the lyrics, and sometimes that messes me up 'cause you'll start thinking, "Wait, how am I doing this?" But when I'm surfing, I'm usually thinking about music - whether it's an idea for a new song, or just singing a song in my head.” ThinkingIdeasSometimesSongCausesWaitingSingingMessSurfingChordsPlaying MusicNew Songs Author:Jack Johnson