Hey songwriters,
Last time I posted the 8 steps to help you write a song, and I'd like to repost it with further explanations:
1. Start with a lyrical theme: eg falling in love with someone
2. Brainstorm: don’t pick your instrument just yet, creating music will distract you
a. Get a pen and paper, and brainstorm every phrase, word, idea associated with your lyrical theme (eg falling in love, not being able to breath, i can’t sleep, I’m thinking about you)
b. Don’t write down any music just yet. Let the ideas come into your head but don’t act on them
3. Find different ways to say what you want to say
a. Find a new way of saying your lyrical theme
b. Cheat with google images, search quotes on your theme
c. Use the images and quotes for inspiration
d. Expand knowledge or what others have said, this isn’t plagiarism
e. Don’t use the quotes word for word but use the concept to create the song
4. Planning the layout of your song
a. Don’t write any music just yet, it’s not time
b. Take your brainstorming notes and plan the song out
c. Workout what the song will say
d. Mindset: a song is a mini movie, add a storyboard that has 3 parts.
e. No lyrics yet but the gist of each section
f. For example:
Verse: feeling growing since meeting you
Pre-chorus: I found you
Chorus: I love you
5. Know why the song exists
a. Have a point, in the song you say what the point of the song is
b. Know why the song exists and hot it’ll move the listener
c. Go over your plan and doublecheck
6. Prosody
a. Where the musical theme matches the lyrical theme, sad song minor key, happy song, major key
b. Try different tempos and keys
c. Start playing an instrument and get the feel of the song
d. Try as many different sounds until everyone agrees on one
7. Writing the song
a. Turning ideas into lyrics
b. While playing the instrument, use the layout of the song to fill in the gaps
c. Write both the melody and lyrics at the same time, using the music and the notes.
8. Do rewrites
a. After the initial draft, create as many revisions necessary until you turn a good song into a great song
b. Remove any words or lines that won't be missed if they're out and are not needed to convey the message
c. Find more concise ways to say things.
d. Try adjusting the initial melodies and improve on them. Use Prosody
Last time I posted the 8 steps to help you write a song, and I'd like to repost it with further explanations:
1. Start with a lyrical theme: eg falling in love with someone
2. Brainstorm: don’t pick your instrument just yet, creating music will distract you
a. Get a pen and paper, and brainstorm every phrase, word, idea associated with your lyrical theme (eg falling in love, not being able to breath, i can’t sleep, I’m thinking about you)
b. Don’t write down any music just yet. Let the ideas come into your head but don’t act on them
3. Find different ways to say what you want to say
a. Find a new way of saying your lyrical theme
b. Cheat with google images, search quotes on your theme
c. Use the images and quotes for inspiration
d. Expand knowledge or what others have said, this isn’t plagiarism
e. Don’t use the quotes word for word but use the concept to create the song
4. Planning the layout of your song
a. Don’t write any music just yet, it’s not time
b. Take your brainstorming notes and plan the song out
c. Workout what the song will say
d. Mindset: a song is a mini movie, add a storyboard that has 3 parts.
e. No lyrics yet but the gist of each section
f. For example:
Verse: feeling growing since meeting you
Pre-chorus: I found you
Chorus: I love you
5. Know why the song exists
a. Have a point, in the song you say what the point of the song is
b. Know why the song exists and hot it’ll move the listener
c. Go over your plan and doublecheck
6. Prosody
a. Where the musical theme matches the lyrical theme, sad song minor key, happy song, major key
b. Try different tempos and keys
c. Start playing an instrument and get the feel of the song
d. Try as many different sounds until everyone agrees on one
7. Writing the song
a. Turning ideas into lyrics
b. While playing the instrument, use the layout of the song to fill in the gaps
c. Write both the melody and lyrics at the same time, using the music and the notes.
8. Do rewrites
a. After the initial draft, create as many revisions necessary until you turn a good song into a great song
b. Remove any words or lines that won't be missed if they're out and are not needed to convey the message
c. Find more concise ways to say things.
d. Try adjusting the initial melodies and improve on them. Use Prosody
10 props
Dec 09, 2022