I have taken a songwriting class in french and rhythm (meters and accents) are usually restricting a lot how to say one thing, but it is still very easy to understand since there are rules to follow and there are no exceptions (in theory). The thing is that I would like to write both in french and in english and even though I was shown and explained rhythm a bit before, it still wasn't enough to be comfortable with how I should write. Most of it comes naturally, but since I'm not a too good musician, I'd like to be writing lyrics first and then add music, that's where it is good to stick to a rhythmic pattern. I looked a bit at iambic *-meters, and another accentuation method, but I would be interested in being shown all of this. I would also like to know what kind of rhythmic pattern is better for each main genre.

P.S. Sorry for terms that might not be the right ones since I simply translated them myself.

i know this isn't exactly what you want to hear but i'm pretty sure the method you're using now will provide you with a more unique style. i suppose having a pre-defined rhythmic pattern would help you with the flow of the words it's still something that can be tweaked to fit the rhythm by stretching and accentuating different syllables to match the beats of the music. by focusing on the main rhythmic patterns for specific styles i'd fear you might end up painting yourself into a corner and pulling a ramones - in the sense that most of their lyrics fit over the same beat. which is fine if all you want to do is write 1,2,3,4 punk rock tunes.

sorry i'm not more helpful though, i used to play with a drummer that would always end up trying to get us to play these crazy rhytmic patterns, he'd always tell me i was already playing them naturally but then he'd try to get me to count it out while playing. it's the only time i've ever really come close to smashing my guitar. really close.

Actually rhythm might be a term that is too generic to descibe this. In french, the accents must always be on the last syllable of a word and at the end of the line. And the accent must be at the same place in every line so that you can have a beat and go with that. I was wondering how to do the same in english. What are the rules and when I asked about different meters for different genres, I was asking in general, I don't want a formula all made that I have to follow all the time. I don't want to write punk music, but I guess it would be hard to do so with line of 6 meters.

well you can always write it up in french. i might not be able to accurately reply in french but i shouldn't have a hard time understanding it. or is it that you're referring to the way poems rhyme by pairing up matching syllables at the end of the lines like

a
a
b
b

or

a
b
a
b

or

a
b
c
d
-
d
c
b
a

i'm just thinking back to grade 11 english class when we did a bit on poetry now heheh although there's a definite connection between writing poetry and writing lyrics. i don't think there's a real difference between doing it in french or english just that french pop music seems to stray a lot further than the I IV V (G C D) pattern that most english rock follows. then again the french language is a lot more diverse from an earlier vocabulary level than english also which opens up the door for a lot more lyrical possibilities.

No, I'm talking about the rhythm of the words. Like iambic accentuation and all. The kind of stuff if you are a musician you don't really have to care about. Like stressed and unstressed syllabs.

Ooooohhh 'that' kind of rhythmic melody. yeah good luck with that, not exactly my forte. ironically enough i remember my dad telling me he had been working on a thesaurus of sorts to do just that. as opposed to a typical thesaurus with similar words his was about similar sounding words. although knowing him it was probably just BS. sorry i can't be any more help. maybe one of the serious theory members from the west coast will have more to offer later tonight.

Thanks for your help anyway, it is appreciated. At least it helped me explain what I meant to be understood.

Well english doesnt have very strict rules on accenting your words. You really can accent anything even out of rhythm, but it changes your meaning and context depending on what you accent. You don't have to follow iambic meter if you don't want to, and many poems don't even have a set meter or their meter is so subtle it's hard to hear.

If you want to write lyrics before writing music I would recommend writing it all down as a poem first. Putting accents on the specific words that you want to accent (for what ideas and words you want to emphasize to strengthen their meaning) and don't worry about meter. Then start vocalizing the poem, reading it to yourself. Reading out loud. Putting emphasis in the words you wanted. Beatnik style. If you are good at recognizing rhythm and meter you should hear something in the words. Trial and error from there. Give it different meters, plug it into a drum machine and try it out.

Thank you