songwrighting

I don't know if there is an answer to this question or just different opinions. So my qustion is what is the nomal order of songwrighting? Do you just come up with a cord progression then write the lead over that? Another qustion does the lead stay in the same key through the whole song?

There is no normal way. People think differently.

About the second question... it would stay in the same key, unless there is a key change with all of the instruments. Most commonly, songs are in one key - so yeah (sort of).

I usually write the lyrics, then progression, then the Lead guitar parts (riffs and such), then the bassline.

I also usually follow a "Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Chorus, Solo, Chorus/Verse" formula.

What Skold posted is a fairly common structure that most pop (in the broadest sense) songs use. If you see something different, it's probably still fairly close to that structure with a few changes here and there.

@CRUNCH

True. However, there are also songs that completely throw out and type of planned structure, and just go with the flow.

I have really been wanting to wright something just not sure were to start. I have spent alot of time today trying to come up with a good sounding chord progression. I guess I'll stick with that until I get it then go from there.

I record the progression. I live with it for a while, maybe play lead over it repeatedly without recording that. Then I'll start the process of the vocal by scatting a melody and I might record that. Once that's done I figure out what I want the subject of the song to be. Then I write the lyric. Then I record the real vocal. Then comes the lead. After that come the harmonies if they're called for and I feel like it. As it might go to one of the two bands I'm in, I transpose it all to a lead sheet, make a demo CD and take it to the band and we work it up. I have been writing lyrics for years, and I do not know how it can be done without the musical foundation first but if that works for you, great.

I basically think, hey I'll write a song, I'll then look through all the riffs I've made and get some that seem to fit the song I'm thinking of, and arrange them into a song, make more riffs and do all this stuff. I then search the internet or go to the Libra y and learn about some random thing, Metaphysics or Nuclear Proliferation and then see how many syllables I can fit in to lines for the Verse, then Start writing lrycs. So Music then Arranging the music and adding more music in, then Lyrics.

Sometimes I make something with lyrics first, either I assign a note to some syllables. And then I just put those note under the syllables with muted note or something else around it, but I don't do this allot since I don't like vocal based songs.

I usually seem to go with the rhythms then think of a solo.
I go: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Verse B, Chorus, Solo, Chorus or Bridge, Chorus, Outro (Or end with the chorus)

You use the same song structure on everything?