How do beginners start songwriting?
This is a very vague answer, but, you just…start. You can read all the songwriting books and articles and listen to Songwriters talk about the process until the cows come home, but nothing will get written if you don’t sit down and begin. If you need a little more help than that, here are a few tips.
Some tips for beginners who want to start songwriting:
- Read. Check out articles and books from those in the music industry and well-known musicians who have years of experience with songwriting.
- Listen and Watch. Interviews and podcasts with Songwriters are everywhere, and each person will have a different take on how to craft a tune, and all of them are valid.
- Brainstorm. Come up with some topics you’d like to write about, from a breakup to a fight with your mom.
- Jot Down Ideas. From single words to complete stanzas, keep a notebook with you and write down everything that comes to mind.
- Piece It All Together. Once you have some phrases or lines that are all about the same topic or theme, try putting them together in a different order to see how they work.
- Sing Do these lyrics sound and feel right? If not, is it the words? The order? Maybe how you’re singing them? Take your time and play with everything!
What are the most important aspects of songwriting?
There are quite a few different aspects and factors that go into penning a great song. What are they?
Here are some of the most important aspects of songwriting:
- Melody: The tune of the song. It’s best if it’s something that will get lodged into a listener’s mind and never leave.
- Chords: You don’t need to understand chords immediately, but if you want to progress with your songwriting, you’ll want to learn not only the names of the chords, but what they sound like. That way, you can place your words over them and make a song.
- Lyrics: The words that everyone will one day be singing along to.
- Sections: Every song has different parts, or sections, to it. You’ll want to read up on what an intro, verse, bridge, chorus, and outro are. Then you’ll understand how most songs are structured.
- Theme: What is the song about? It can be love, loss, a party, or anything in between.
How do you get better at songwriting?
Like so many other things in life, there is only one way to become better at songwriting–keep doing it. There is no way around this fact, so accept it, learn to love the process, and continue churning out those tunes!
But if you want a specific roadmap, here’s how you get better at songwriting:
- Keep writing. The more songs you write, the more you’ll understand what works and what doesn’t, as well as who you are as a Songwriter.
- Share your work. Let others listen and ask for feedback. What do they love or what doesn’t work for them? Keep all of this in mind when you write your next song.
- Continue learning. Read, listen, and watch more and more. Hear from the experts and those who have succeeded in songwriting before you.
- Listen. Keep playing music! Now that you’re a Songwriter and not just a fan, you should think critically as you listen. How did a musician get a lyric stuck in your head? Why did they pick that word over another? What made someone choose one way of expressing an idea over another? Ask yourself these questions and so many more!