WilsonBlock1000 Radio

How to Write a Song

Posted by on

 



One question I get asked all the time as an artist is how do I write my songs. Most songwriters have some sort of method to their madness. There are times when I have improvised lyrics while playing on the piano and then there are times when a lyric may drop into my head as I am going about my day. Inspiration can come at any time and at any place, so as a songwriter its best to have something that you can always note your ideas on with you. Below is a simple, introductory method to writing your first song. 

How to Write a Song:


1. Come Up With A Song Idea
Song ideas can come from something that inspires you, a movie you’ve recently seen, or a book you’ve read. You may even be inspired by a challenge you are facing in life. Because I am a Christian singer-songwriter, most of my song ideas have come from something I’ve heard during a sermon at church, a devotional I’ve read, or a life experience. You can be inspired by anything. Don’t limit yourself and be open to new song ideas.

2. Write The Chorus/Hook
The chorus is the most important part of the song. This is something that you want to be catchy, yet simple enough for a child to remember. Look at some of your favorite songs. Why are they your favorite? Take note of the melody and the simplicity of the song lyrics. 

3. Determine A Melody For Your Hook And What Key Your Song Will Be In
For this step, it helps to have some knowledge into playing an instrument, but it is not required. As a self-taught piano player, one of the things I love doing most is improvising on the piano and experimenting with different chords. Don’t overthink this step. Some of the best songs have come from the simplest chords and chord progressions. Start where you are and build from there. 

4. Write The Verses
The verses are all about telling a story. What picture do you want to paint for your listeners? You also want to consider a rhyme scheme for your lines. Again, find a song that you love and practice replicating the song’s verse structure. If there is a rhyme with every other line try that. There is no one way to write a song verse, but my best advice here is to learn from other examples.

5. Write The Bridge
The bridge of the song is an expansion of the chorus. It doesn’t tell too much but it brings everything together. The bridge can be thought of as the final idea of the song. The bridge is not required, however many songs utilize the bridge to introduce a new song perspective or idea. 


If you are new to songwriting, a good idea may be to find a song that you really like and model your song around the same structure of the song and lyrical style of the song. For example, when I wrote my song “He Saved Me”, I used Alicia Key's “Girl on Fire” to get an idea of the song structure.  There are so many great songs out there, do your research and start studying the techniques used in some of your favorite songs. What do you like most about them? 

As with anything, the more you engage in songwriting, the easier it will become. Consider taking a songwriting workshop, or course, or find information on YouTube. Whatever you decide, get started writing today. Happy Writing. 

This is ME! My blog will discuss and display my passions and interests. Hope you enjoy. Happy reading!

Comments

Post a Comment

Local Music Scenes

Music Scenes

Adelaide Music Scene African Music Scene Akron Music Scene Alabama Music Scene Alaska Music Scene Albany Music Scene Anchorage Music Scene Arizona Music Scene Arkansas Music Scene Atlanta Music Scene
Australian Music Scene Bakersfield Music Scene Baltimore Music Scene Beverly Hills Music Scene Boston Music Scene Brampton Music Scene Bronx Music Scene Brooklyn Music Scene Buffalo Music Scene California Music Scene Canadian Music Scene Charlotte Music Scene Chicago Music Scene Chicago drill music scene Cincinnati Music Scene Cleveland Music Scene Cologne Music Scene Colombian Music Scene Colorado Music Scene Compton Music Scene Connecticut Music Scene Dallas Music Scene Daytona Beach Music Scene Denver Music Scene Detroit Music Scene Durham Music Scene Finland Music Scene Finnish Music Scene Florida Music Scene Georgia Music Scene Germany Music Scene Ghana Music Scene Greece Music Scene Greensboro Music Scene Hawaii Music Scene Hiram Music Scene Honolulu Music Scene Houston Music Scene Illinois Music Scene Inglewood Music Scene Iowa Music Scene Ireland Music Scene Jackson Music Scene Johannesburg Music Scene Kansas City Music Scene Kansas Music Scene Kentucky Music Scene La Habra Music Scene Las Vegas Music Scene Lexington Music Scene London Music Scene Long Beach Music Scene Long Island Music Scene Los Angeles Music Scene Louisiana Music Scene Louisville Music Scene Maine Music Scene Marion Music Scene Maryland Music Scene Massachusetts Music Scene Melbourne Music Scene Miami Music Scene Michigan Music Scene Milwaukee Music Scene Minneapolis Music Scene Mississippi Music Scene Missouri Music Scene Munich Music Scene Nashville Music Scene Nevada Music Scene New Jersey Music Scene New Mexico Music Scene New Orleans Music Scene New York State Music Scene Nigeria Music Scene NorCal Music Scene North Carolina Music Scene Oakland Music Scene Ohio Music Scene Oklahoma Music Scene Ontario Music Scene Oregon Music Scene Oxnard Music Scene Pennsylvania Music Scene Philadelphia Music Scene Phoenix Music Scene Portland Music Scene Rhode Island Music Scene Rochester Music Scene Sacramento Music Scene Salt Lake City Music Scene San Antonio Music Scene San Bernardino Music Scene San Diego Music Scene San Francisco Music Scene Seattle Music Scene South Africa Music Scene South Carolina Music Scene St. Louis Music Scene Tennessee Music Scene Texas Music Scene Tokyo Music Scene Tulsa Music Scene Utah Music Scene Vallejo Music Scene Vancouver Music Scene Virginia Music Scene Waco Music Scene Wisconsin Music Scene Wyoming Music Scene altadena music scene american music scene local music scene music scene new york music scene northwest music scene pasadena music scene seattle music scene toronto music scene
Show more