How do you start off a song?

[mixin_kc]

It comes all different ways. I still journal every morning. That 'cleans out the pipes'. Then I usually sit down and write something, just move m fingers across my axe. Sometimes its practicing. Other times I'm searching for something. If it sounds good i track it, catalog it in some way, digital recorder or in the studio. I usually save it under a name that says like tempo, mood etc.

Sometimes the journaling becomes a lyric or an idea of a lyric. Other times I sit down and write a lyric out on a specific song idea I have.

Then I have a tune and I have a lyric. If I am stuck on lyric idea, I look in the journal. If i have a good lyric in the journal, I try and write something for it or look up something that might fit the mood.

So it really is both ways. But I take it seriously and i search for the discipline in the writing process. To me its a business but I have made it a point not to write to sell stuff anymore. That made it backwards for me years ago when I wrote like that. If I sell something great but it works best if I just write.

Then if during the day I hear something, I write it down somehow right away.

All in all it doesn't matter lyrics and tunes both come first.

Hope this helps.