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Writing a song: Where to begin?
When it comes to songwriting, and how to write a song, getting started is often the most challenging part.
The best place to begin writing your next song is by focusing on its main melody or central chorus. You can build the rest of your song around your hook or key chord progression in place as soon as you have your hook or key chord progression.
If you’re having trouble coming up with the perfect melody right away, don’t worry. This method isn’t for everyone. For some songwriters, starting with their song’s main riff or hook might not be the best choice.
Songwriters sometimes begin their tracks by writing a killer intro that will inspire them to write the rest of the song naturally. In other instances, the lyrics are written before thinking about the music. When it comes to writing a new song, there are no rules. Choosing a starting point depends on the songwriter, the song, and the original inspiration.
Sometimes you can also stay focused on your song’s idea by starting with a title. You should try to formulate a phrase of a few words that sums up what you would like to say.
If you have difficulty finding an interesting phrase, search for one that suggests an emotion or situation to you. You might want to consider using an image in your title to give it more interest or an action word to make it more engaging.
Create a question list using the title
It is arguably true that lyrics are the most significant part of your song unless you are producing instrumental music. The process of writing lyrics can be frustrating and difficult, especially for amateur songwriters.
The first step in writing a song is to decide what it will be about. To fit your lyrics around your melody, you could write down exactly what you want to convey in your lyrics, then play around with their rhythm, structure, and cadence. Your chorus should have a catchy lyrical hook, while the verses and bridge should revolve around your theme.
You should also consider chord progressions when writing your lyrics in order to find a natural flow.
To begin, consider what you want to say about your title and what your listeners might be interested in hearing.
Put together a list of questions. Include questions such as: What is the meaning of the title? What do you think of it? What caused this situation? How do you think or hope things will turn out? You will need three to four questions.
Here is an interesting video that can help you:
Make a structure for your song
The most popular songs of today follow a song structure such as Intro / Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus / Outro. In order to build anticipation, some add a short section called a “pre-chorus” or “lift” between the verse and chorus.
Each verse, pre-chorus, and chorus has its own distinguishable melody that can be recognized by the listener.
Here are some common song structures:
Experience-driven writing
Artists have often drawn inspiration from real-life events and traumas to create some of history’s most memorable songs, as obvious as that may sound.
Life experiences can be used to positive effect, regardless of how difficult they are or how great they were. Don’t be afraid to put your feelings into a song.
If you feel inspired at the moment, record it!
When you’re a songwriter, nothing is more frustrating than coming up with an amazing melody or riff and then completely forgetting about it an hour later.
If you don’t record your ideas while they’re fresh in your mind, it’s wise to make a note of them. This is even if it’s just a quick note on your phone. The reminder will come in handy later when you return to work on the song.
Build on what you have and keep it simple
To accelerate your songwriting process and figure out the structure of your song, keep your track as simple as possible at first. Most complex songs from 5 or 6-piece bands were first strummed on an acoustic guitar with a few chords.
If you have the song’s basic structure in place, you can then add drums, strings, brass, or any other additional elements you want. You don’t want to complicate your track right from the start.
Overthinking isn’t a good idea
The worst critics are often musicians and songwriters themselves. Being too harsh on yourself will prevent you from getting anything done, so it’s critical to keep an open mind.
Even though you should carefully consider each aspect of a new song, it’s often easier to get things done if you just let the songwriting process flow, stop worrying, and just let it happen. You can be your own worst enemy if you overthink things. You can always come back and make changes to your song after you have the basics down.
Taking breaks is important
When ideas aren’t flowing as easily as you’d like, writing a song from scratch can be frustrating and mentally exhausting. You may find that a 15-minute break away from your instrument or lyrics pad is all it takes to get the creative juices flowing and prevent your mind from becoming too cluttered to see the ideas and inspiration you’re seeking.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how long it takes to write, as long as the end product is good. No matter how long it takes, it’s all about the product.
Request feedback from others
When you’ve spent hours and hours working, changing, and creating your song alone, it’s easy to lose sight of how good or bad it is. Therefore, find someone you trust to give you honest advice, whose opinion you value, and ask them to review it.
They may be able to give you some fantastic insights into how it can be improved. It is not necessary to only express yourself to someone who might be afraid to hurt your feelings – you want to hear honest opinions, not just yes-men’s opinions.
Work with other musicians
When you’re struggling with writer’s block (it happens to everyone at some point), collaborating with other musicians can help you break new ground and get a fresh perspective. Let them know what you’ve got so far, chat about any new creative ideas they may have, and see what happens.
The most effective way to improve your music is to get a fellow musician to give you their opinion. When it comes to thinking, two heads are always better than one.
Take risks and don’t be afraid to fail
It may sound cliché, but if you’re struggling and failing to write the song, but you know is inside you, keep going. Songwriting doesn’t have a secret formula, except for hard work, positivity, and talent.
Last Words
The process of writing a song is usually accompanied by a lot of questions. It depends on whether the individual is a beginner or a more experienced musician.
People would often ask: How do you write a song? How to start writing a song? How to write lyrics? How to write good lyrics? or maybe How to write a song for the first time?
Hopefully, we were able to answer most of your questions in our article. It’s important to remember that hard work keeps your inspiration high.
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” ― Pablo Picasso!
