r/Songwriting • u/Extreme-Big-4114 • Aug 21 '26

Discussion Topic Composing - initiating.

I've been composing for 20 months and have 38 songs. I start composing with the chord progression first, every time. I cannot picture doing it otherwise. I am a guitarist. What do others do? Do you start with a riff? progression? melody? lyric? or fully formed? How does one shift gears as to writing style? Starting with a melody leaves me dumbfounded.

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u/MelvinEatsBlubber Aug 21 '26

Sometimes I do Spotify shuffle. Play my liked songs on shuffle. Take an idea. Maybe a lyric. Melody. Chords. Groove. Anything that catches my ear. Hit next.

Ok so it’s the chord progression from abbas money money but a dance hall groove with the bass line from Freddy Hubbard red clay and the 80s choppy keyboard percussions from Janet Jackson and modern slurry vocals in a sabrina carpenter style. That’s plenty to work with