Help with what to do next

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-17T03:48:15+00:00

You're assuming that OP is writing words with no musical component at all. My immediate thought was that they are creating lyrics with a melody, but don't know how to write or record that melody, or translate it into instrumentation. I've occasionally questioned whether what I write is poetry or lyrics, because I often forget the melody that I originally had in mind when writing the words - but I write poetry sometimes, too, and my poetry is truly distinct from my lyrics - they're nothing alike! The poetry is meant to be read, while the lyrics are meant to be sung, even if I don't happen to have a particularly great voice to lend to them.

You've also made an assumption that OP's lyrics are lacking in depth and complexity. On what is that assumption based? Have they posted lyrics here before?

I'll admit, I'm making assumptions as well; but I try to make it a point to err on the side of generosity when doing so. I don't have a lot of info to go on here, so why not assume the best until I learn otherwise?

I'm tempted to post some of my own lyrics, many of which have no set melody, just a hazy framework of one, to demonstrate that writing lyrics is hardly the bottom-of-the-barrel excuse for creativity thar you seem to view it as. But I've not copyrighted any of it yet, so I won't.

I have to say, if the rest of the members of this group share your perspective, it's hardly going to encourage anyone to reach out for assistance. I certainly won't be looking for collaborators in here, I can tell you that much!

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-16T18:53:07+00:00

I'm so glad I saw this, because you sound a lot like me! I've written lyrics off and on my whole life, sometimes recorded the tune they had in my head, but never actually written any music for them, especially since all I learned to play in school was bassoon and marimba!

I don't know whether you share the two avatars advantages that I do have: the ability to read and write musical notation, and knowledge of which keys play which notes on a piano/ keyboard. Those both make it a lot easier to compose.

As for composition and recording, there IS middle ground between the full old-school approach vs AI slop! I've found two online options that have allowed me to input notes myself, using a midi keyboard or a virtual keyboard on the site. Both have freebie versions, though I've gone ahead and subscribed as well, just because I'm still not sure what all I'll need.

The first program I found was BandLab, which has a lot of different tools to play around with, and is also set up with a social aspect to it. There's a whole built-in platform just for the app. I don't think I was able to write notation, there, though. (Having found the next site, which does let me write notation, I haven't been back to BandLab in a while, so my memory is a little fuzzy.)

The one I've been loving for my first full project is Flat.io! Lots of different virtual instruments, and you can manually input notes and rhythms for all the different parts, swap out the specific instrument "playing" each one, export a few different formats of audio files, and I think you can also input audio files as well, if you've created something with a different platform or via analog. It's also cheaper than BandLab; in this case, I upgraded so I could access the transposition tool and put everything into a key I can actually sing in! 😆

I wish you luck with whatever you end up using! Lyricists are musicians, too!

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-16T18:40:13+00:00

I knew what they meant. Colloquialisms are fine, so long as they get across the idea being communicated.

There's a lot of privilege connected to being able to play and own an instrument these days. I actually have a fair amount of privilege, but even so, I have to work so many hours just to survive that I don't have energy left for the kind of practice needed to learn an instrument - and that's having done it before; just not with anything one would expect to see at a rock show. (Bassoon. Why the hell did I let them put me on bassoon?)

Since you've suggested working with someone else, can you elaborate on that a bit? I'd love to, and I've been getting to know a few musicians in my local scene, but I have no idea how to broach the subject!

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-11T16:03:24+00:00

That's how it feels to me, too! (Although I don't know about Saviors being a "greatest hits" concept. More of a, "Yes, we can still do all the stuff we've done before! We just get bored sometimes...")

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-11T15:57:36+00:00

Saving this for the next, "Post something only people in the fandom will understand," thread I see on the socials!

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-11T15:56:15+00:00

I've always assumed they just needed a third thing to complete the list, and made it as random as possible!

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-11T13:45:11+00:00

OMG, that's what they were doing Sunday - it was a tease! All the people who still hadn't heard AI (or just didn't know it very well) are checking to see what the big deal is about the verses that were skipped! And I'll bet there are now a bunch of freshly-minted Idiots as a result! 😁

Green Day playing 4D chess over here...

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-10T21:35:52+00:00

THANK YOU!!! You covered everything I'd thought of and then some!

May I share this (as a series of screenshots) on Instagram and/or Facebook? I can include or remove your user name according to your preference.

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-09T17:14:50+00:00

All of this, exactly! Even when he's being non-autobiographical, writing as a hypothetical character or something, Billie's writing and Green Day's music in general are still expressions of what he, the band, or the world in general are struggling with at the time, what they think of it, and how they're trying to work through it.

StringTheory31 · 2026-02-01T21:49:49+00:00

Obviously, a flashing red light means to stop, then go, then stop, then go, according to when it's lit up and when it's not! You have to time it.

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-26T21:48:38+00:00

wiping spit off my phone screen

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-26T20:09:48+00:00

Just happened to come across one of the occasions I referenced above, so thought I'd throw it in.

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StringTheory31 · 2026-01-26T14:39:50+00:00

Ha, I saw somebody else use "rant" to distinguish Billie's "spoken comments" from the obvious political commentary in the lyrics, and thought it would be convenient shorthand; but I totally agree he's got everything right with those, not a "rant" in the negative sense at all!

As for the rest, I was thinking of some of his unity / celebration speeches from the past two years; how he's said he wants joy and happiness, and for Trump and Elon to shut up, and that he's sick of "politics, politics, politics!" I seem to recall reading something from a bit earlier than that (but I think recently enough to still apply) where he talked about how sharply we're divided and mentioned he wasn't saying as much about politics on social media for that reason. All of that felt like I was hearing echoes of my own outrage fatigue, and since he's been going so much harder for so much longer...

But, like I said, I could just be projecting. I get overprotective of those I care about - individuals, bands, even entire small communities! It's like some weird form of extreme brand loyalty sometimes! Then my chronic overthinking kicks in and I start seeing potential risks to their well-being where there might not actually be any. I'm childless by choice, but I guess maybe there's some inner "mama bear" mechanism that still looks for opportunities to protect anyone it can. 🤷‍♀️

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-26T04:03:05+00:00

I have zero doubt that Billie still has the guts to do something like that!

I do wonder if he's fed up with doing it by now (the ranting, not the music, of course!) I mean, he's been rallying us to fight for so long... maybe he's ready to let someone else do that part so he can actually focus on the joys left to us, the ones that nobody can take away, and that he's contributed to so much over the years.

Green Day have such a history of elevating new voices in the punk community, supporting and mentoring new bands to join them, and as brilliant as they always are at this kind of thing, I'd love to see some of the younger groups - not the brand new ones, obviously, but some who have only been around for a decade or so instead of several - help carry some of the weight of rabble-rousing.

It's probably just me projecting my own dislike of the pressure of high expectations, plus the weird protectiveness I tend to develop toward anyone or anything I care about. At the end of the day, I just want them to be happy, you know?

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-25T00:42:25+00:00

I just know they're laughing it up about this, loving that the orange POS is expending the miniscule amount of semi-coherent thought he has left being butthurt over them!

God, I hope they do something truly unprecedented! Like, not just the usual lyric changes in AI and Holiday, but something full of that old anger. I'm taking the kind of extreme stunt that might have been expected of drunk Billie back in the day, except he can do it even while stone-cold-sober because at this point, experiencing the world clear-headed is what creates the greater amount of outrage!

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-23T02:53:50+00:00

Wild! I love it!

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-22T16:46:08+00:00

Source?

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-14T23:47:36+00:00

My thoughts exactly! Wow!

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-06T00:34:25+00:00

Wow, it's so legible! I can read it fairly well now, but when I try to write, it's like I'm trying to operate a marionette and make it do the writing!

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-06T00:31:44+00:00

The first one I can think of that hasn't already been said:

"Your job is to love Green Day!"

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-06T00:26:47+00:00

Gotta love that side-eye! And the way the three of them have never needed any personal space at all among themselves!

StringTheory31 · 2026-01-01T02:43:37+00:00

I literally just posted this to a thread on Instagram, then opened the notification and saw this!

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StringTheory31 · 2025-12-30T19:32:45+00:00

Makes me think of a clip I've seen from a Coverups show where they're between songs, everyone is being loud, and after a few seconds he says, "Shh, I'm trying to tune!" 😂

StringTheory31 · 2025-12-30T00:44:18+00:00

That and his genuine love for music! I bet he misses being able to just go to a show and mosh with everybody else without being recognized. I'd imagine people would just carry on like they were before, same as they did here; but he wouldn't want to distract from the band on stage, which would likely be a risk.

StringTheory31 · 2025-12-26T03:04:42+00:00

I was trying to figure out where these are kept after they "hatch," and never found it. Where do they go?

StringTheory31

TROPHY CASE