Ukulele Tabs and chords

[Ukulele kid1]

try writing your lyrics and then putting them to music. I found this much easier. also try to sing in a key that may not sound good but get it out and im work from there

[IEnjoyFancyHats]

I've tried that, by my lyrics are pretty godawful. I much prefer to have a fun chord progression/tune and work from there. I suppose I could tailor the tone of a song to what the words are trying to say, but I always try to be clever and get caught up in myself and sound like a ten year old trying to write profound poetry. It's not pretty. What kind of songs do you write?

[Sonnyday]

I just pick a few of my favorite chords and put them together. Try out different strum patterns and see what you like best. Then add some lyrics and....TADA!!!!!

[BeZo]

Well, there is no wrong way to eat a Reese's.

The best way I can explain it is through my experiences writing songs with rock/metal bands over the years. Vocals are like the guitar solo. You can take a part of the song and write a guitar solo over it using the key the riff is in, and people have gotten great results doing that. You can also write the guitar solo separately, and come up with a backing riff to it also. People have gotten great results doing that too. The difference is the result. When you write the solo first, you sometimes have to create a new rhythm and chord progression to make the solo work. Sometimes you end up changing keys, and going through movements with the solo. Sometimes the solo doesn't even sound like it belongs in the song. It all depends on what you are going for.

Now, back to the ukulele. If you are trying to write a simple, catchy song, write a simple, catchy chord progression, or a simple, catchy riff, and put some lyrics over it. If you write a catchy vocal line, you can sometimes get away with writing complex music behind it. You can also put complex vocal patterns and harmonies over a simple riff too. I guess it doesn't really matter too much, because either way can lead to great results. Just know that one or the other might end up different.

[ratmando]

I spend so much time of my day writing music, I have a tascam vocal recorder on my desk, and in my car. I also have several recording set ups through out the house. But I find the bathroom and I have an special bond, as it were. (Oh it knows me so well) My writing varies-- if a lyric hits me, I will sing it and sing it until I have the flavor of the rhythm of it, and then i will build a melody from that. For most of my lyrics, I can really visually see the beats as I put the words down. Conversely, I like to diddle with my fiddle, bang my bongos, be a kook with the uke, and i can sometimes find a riff or a pattern that I really like, build on it and see if some of my lyrics that aren't paired with a melody, or others that are, fit into that groove. What I love about writing music is that even after billions of people, and billions upon those --- some songs sound just so new to me. Not mine, granted, but some are just bone chillers, (Vedders Ukulele songs brought me back to the instrument, but Cornell and the great and still late, Woody Guthrie find a hair to stand up now and then.) I love having my life as music, and can't trade it. ever.