Writing your first song
Not knowing where to start when writing your own songs can be frustrating. The one thing to remember is that there are virtually no rules. A lot of famous artists would not have made it to where they are without coming up with their own unique style and way of writing songs, and many stick with the same format and structure throughout their whole career! So, finding a process that suits you as a musician is a good place to start.
So, where DO you start? It might sound obvious but like most things, start with what you know. Here are some tips to help you utilise your respective instrument when writing your first song.
GUITARISTS
- Begin with a few chords that you can play confidently. You can always alter and add to chords afterwards
- Use scales you have learned to create a melody that sounds great to you when it’s played over your chords.
- If you like rock music, try playing the chords as power chords
- If you have any guitar pedals, try creating an interesting guitar tone or add an effect on to your sound to make it unique
DRUMMERS
- Start with a beat that you understand and can play well. You can always add to or change it later.
- Change the tempo of your beat to see whether you prefer the song played slower or faster.
- Try to incorporate rudiments into your beats and fills, for example flams, paradiddles or rolls.
- Think about dynamics. Maybe your chorus would benefit from your verse being quieter.
BASSISTS
- Take a few notes that work well together and play them in a simple sequence
- Now, within the correct scale, add passing notes to make the transitions between each important note more interesting
- Change the rhythms to see if you can make it groove even better
- Experiment with different octaves, some notes might sound better higher or lower in certain parts of your song
PIANISTS
- Use a key that you find easy to play in. You can always learn how to play your song in a different key afterwards.
- Find 4 chords that work well together and try inverting them to make them playable with the left hand only
- Using scales, arpeggios and broken chords, try to come up with a lead melody that your right hand can play
- Experiment with playing in different octaves. If your song has a quiet section, try playing an octave higher
SINGERS
- If you’re writing lyrics, start with a topic you are passionate about and write down words related to that topic
- Highlight words that rhyme or sound the same and use shorter words to fill out your lyrics when needed
- Make sure the key of the song suits your range and you can hit the highest and lowest notes in the song confidently
- Try singing different parts of the song in both your chest and head voice to see what is most comfortable for you
I believe that having a strong understanding of music theory can dramatically speed up the songwriting process. Everyone thinks differently but the best music in my opinion has light and shade. Experiment with highs and lows, loud and soft, simple and complicated, and my top tip… pure silence in a song can have the biggest impact of all.
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