Preferred instrument for writing material

[bassbloke]

Which instrument do you use/prefer when composing/writing material?

Edited July 9, 2010 by bassbloke

[BigRedX]

Whichever one I happen to be holding when inspiration strikes!

I don't have a preferred one. Also different instruments will lend themselves to different initial ideas (a lot has to do with my relative abilities on each) and the way in which the piece will develop. These days I tend to limit myself to ideas only as I find that the songs develop in a better way once the rest of the band get hold of them.

[BottomEndian]

I do it in my head. Can we have that as an option on the poll?

[Colledge]

bass is the only one i really have a connection with. when i have a riff in my head, my hands seem to manage to play it exactly... i can't do that on guitar or keys... i just don't spend enough time with them.

[Low End Bee]

The mighty Mankocaster a grotty old Korean Squier Strat is my songwriting tool.

These days we mostly jam them out from a chord progression, bass line, drum beat or whatever though.

[Rayman]

I tend to use a pen.

[ThomBassmonkey]

If you'd asked me 6 months ago, I'd have said guitar without a doubt. Getting a new bass and amp really has paid for it's self in ideas though. I've been practicing more at home and come up with little exercises to try and improve my playing, then do them to warm up at band practice and someone likes them, then next thing I know, I'm doing two hand tapping in a song (only slow, but still...interesting).

I've voted for keys too because they're IMO the ultimate writing instrument, they allow for a lot more freedom than guitar or bass IMO because you can hold down as many notes as you want (or can reach, which with big hands is quite a lot) and you can simultaneously play in the treble and bass cleff with very little difficulty. If I was writing solo stuff, it'd be most likely based around piano parts, but because of the band set up I'm in (driven by guitar and bass, the keys are only mainly in the background) I don't write on it currently.

[budget bassist]

I don't tend to start on bass usually, if it's a rock based song, i'll usually come up with a few guitar riffs first. If it's something more synthy, i'll usually start on drums.

[burno70]

Nearly always the bass first - but I think it has more to do with my playing ability in regards to keys and guitar and the sheer amount of time I spend playing bass compared to the other two.

[xgsjx]

About 60-70% of my stuff starts life as a bassline or a melody that's started as a bass idea. I used to play keys so sometimes I look at the neck more from a keyboard angle rather than a bass/guitar angle.
The other 30-40% either starts from a piece of software (like Garageband or Reaper) or sitting playing about on the acoustic guitar (sometimes a bassline from there too).

[RhysP]

Guitar or keyboards.
I'll also often start with a drum or percussion pattern of some description.

Bass is pretty much always the last thing I add.

[risingson]

This is a very interesting topic! I write primarily on guitar, and often on keys as well. Bass is my preferred instrument but it doesn't have the harmonic chordal capability that other instruments do, therefore it's hard to write songs with.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

vuvuzela & didjeridu

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='891665' date='Jul 10 2010, 11:07 PM']vuvuzela & didjeridu[/quote]
Needs MORE COWBELL!

[Wil]

Always guitar. I dont write songs often, but when I do it just sort of happens. Bass always goes on last, as without a chord progression layed down I dont have anything to weave it around.

Edited July 10, 2010 by Wil

[xilddx]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='890290' date='Jul 9 2010, 11:51 AM']I do it in my head. Can we have that as an option on the poll?[/quote]
+1

[tauzero]

Guitar, but often the lyrics come first (or at least start first).

[purpleblob]

Whatever instrument I happen to be playing at the time.

I'm not one of those who can hear a tune in his head (or maybe I am, but only when I have an instrument in front of me to try to interpret the tume). I tend to play an instrument and when something catches my attention I mould it into a piece of music or song.

[SteveK]

I have an old dictaphone. I can hum/sing any ideas that come into my head into it, along with a few verbal notes.

For me, it's better to let my head do the thinking ( ).[b] Mostly[/b], I find an instrument at the initial[i] seed of an idea[/i] stage a hindrance.

From there on it'll be bass or guitar.

Edited July 12, 2010 by SteveK

[Golchen]

drums!?!?!?! that sounds ........ a bit weird!


Keyboards for me. Easiest to scribble notes on paper at the same time.

[Spoombung]

For [url="http://soundcloud.com/spoombung/set-in-silver"]straightforward tunes and songs[/url] - step input on Logic/Mac - then I learn the stuff on bass and guitar.

For [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/The%20Stinking%20Rose/09-A%20Broken%20tooth.mp3"]elongated riffs and hybrid styles[/url] - bass

For [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/I%20Saw%20Spoombung%27s%20Daughter%20Consumed%20by%20Kirby%20Dots/05-I%20Had%20Some%20Shoulders.mp3"]electronica[/url] - Reaktor.

For free-improvisation - [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/I%20Saw%20Spoombung%27s%20Daughter%20Consumed%20by%20Kirby%20Dots/06-Jumping%20Juniper.mp3"]broken guitars, springs, clips and bass[/url]

Edited July 12, 2010 by Spoombung

[risingson]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='893151' date='Jul 12 2010, 08:36 PM']For [url="http://soundcloud.com/spoombung/set-in-silver"]straightforward tunes and songs[/url] - step input on Logic/Mac - then I learn the stuff on bass and guitar.

For [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/The%20Stinking%20Rose/09-A%20Broken%20tooth.mp3"]elongated riffs and hybrid styles[/url] - bass

For [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/I%20Saw%20Spoombung%27s%20Daughter%20Consumed%20by%20Kirby%20Dots/05-I%20Had%20Some%20Shoulders.mp3"]electronica[/url] - Reaktor.

For free-improvisation - [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/I%20Saw%20Spoombung%27s%20Daughter%20Consumed%20by%20Kirby%20Dots/06-Jumping%20Juniper.mp3"]broken guitars, springs, clips and bass[/url][/quote]

Reaktor... what a painfully complicated piece of software! Brilliant in it's uses though.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='893276' date='Jul 12 2010, 10:54 PM']Reaktor... what a painfully complicated piece of software! Brilliant in it's uses though.[/quote]


Indeed. You have to pesevere with it but it's not for everyone!

[Kongo]

I write everything I do on my Precision Bass.
As I play 6-string almost exclusively these days, my logic is, If I can write and play it originally on a basic, 4-string, 20 fret bass and it sounds good and it can be played, then when it's on my fully decked out 6-string with this pup and that pre-amp etc etc blah blah it should sound and be played / expanded on 10 times better...in theory...usually works.

Failing that, guitar maybe a few chords, if I didn't play them on bass first (Do love me chords).
Even a drum beat can get ideas pumping so I guess...Bass mostly but kinda all instruments, whatever strikes me creativity I guess.

[Supertim]

For me, my preferred writing instrument is always my trusty 1972 bic biro

Edited July 16, 2010 by Supertim