Question 1

Is writing a song hard?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

It can be. Even the most seasoned Songwriters sometimes struggle with writer’s block. So if you’re having a hard time getting started, you’re not alone!
But writing a song is easier when you’re feeling inspired or just in the flow. You can drum up inspiration by listening to songs you love, humming or playing a melody in response to something you’re feeling, or by taking in other art forms like movies or books.
Most musicians I know start off by coming up with one part of the melody first. Often, it’s a chorus, but it could be a song’s intro or even a verse. Once you have one or two parts of a song, you can connect them and rearrange them at will. Then, once you’ve got a basic melody, you can start playing around with lyrics.

Question 2

Can anyone be a songwriter?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

Yes! As long as you’ve got an ear for music. All it takes is practice.
It does help if you play an instrument or have experience singing, just because you’ll have some understanding of music theory, chords, and rhythms. But you can teach yourself how to write songs by studying the work of the Songwriters you love.
Just keep writing. And ask for feedback. Do this consistently and you’ll improve.

Question 3

What makes a good song?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

“Good” songs are subjective. One person may love a song while their friend may hate it. But what it really comes down to is emotion. Is this song able to conjure up some strong emotion in the listener?
Usually, this emotional feat is accomplished through the melody. A catchy melody can worm its way into a listener’s ears (and heart) and a surprising melody can make a listener stop in their tracks.
Good songs are the result of good craftsmanship by the Songwriter. This means using songwriting elements like song structure, chord changes, and so on as the bones of songcraft and then fleshing them out with emotion and authenticity.

Question 4

How do you start writing music for beginners?

Caleb J. Murphy · Accepted Answer

Assuming you already know how to play an instrument, the next step is to play other artists’ songs. This will help you learn interesting chords, chord changes, melodies, and lyrics. Using those songs as inspiration, you can start building your own chord progressions, composing your own melodies, and writing lyrics that are personal to you. Playing songs you love is the best way to make songs you’re proud of.

Question 5

How do I write my first song?

Caleb J. Murphy · Accepted Answer

There are many ways to start making music, but try these steps:

Look at your favorite song’s chord progression and change it slightly to make your own progression
Find the rhythm and tempo of your chord progression
Structure the song (start with Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus)
Come up with the chorus melody and try to make it catchy
Come up with the verse melody
Write lyrics that fit the cadence of the melody (get inspiration by looking at the lyrics of your favorite songwriters)

Question 6

How long does it take to write a song?

Caleb J. Murphy · Accepted Answer

There’s really no way to tell. You may sit down for 20 minutes and dump an entire song onto the page. Or you may spend years looking for that one lyric that will finalize a song. The key is to always be writing and creating and to hold onto every idea. You can even take multiple unfinished songs and combine them into one new song. Just don’t be hard on yourself if it’s taking you a while to finish a song – every songwriter has struggled with that.

Music Career Finder

Start Here: