Creating good music is tough. There are so many steps that go into the process, and it’s important to make sure you’re being critical at every step of the way. But don’t worry! I’m here for you.
As a professional songwriter, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about creating the best songs possible. So, without further ado, here are (what I believe to be) the top 5 tips to write the best song you can:
Some people want to be rock stars, some just want to write songs that others will perform. Regardless of why you write music, there are five key things you can do to make sure the song you are writing is the best it can be.
1. Write a catchy first line that makes the listener want to hear more of your song. You have about 10 seconds to keep them interested after they hear the first line before they move onto something else.
2. Don’t give away the ending of your song or story in the first verse or chorus. If you do, there is no reason for them to listen farther than that.
3. Keep your melody simple and singable – don’t try to cram too many notes into a small space and avoid going too high or too low unless it’s necessary for the song. Try not to use words that are difficult to sing unless it’s absolutely necessary for your song (for example: “bright” has two syllables that require two different pitches depending on how you stress the word).
4. Use repetition in a way that doesn’t bore your listener – this is where many songwriters get stuck because they think repeating something makes their song boring when in fact it helps people remember what they’ve heard
5. Make sure your verse has rising action. Every scene in a movie has a beginning, middle, and end. It’s the same thing with a song: you need to make sure that each verse starts off slow and builds as it goes on.
You can do this by varying your key, using more instruments or having them play louder and more intensely as the song goes on, playing around with different rhythms (steady quarter notes at first, then perhaps eighth notes or sixteenth notes towards the end), or even just playing harder. Using lyrics that build upon each other is another way to add to the intensity of each verse: think of how the chorus builds upon whatever is said in each verse.
The verses of your song should be like little stories themselves: they should have a beginning, middle, and end. The first line of your chorus should be like that big reveal you’ve been waiting for in a movie: it should tie everything together and add finality to what was said in each verse before it.
4. Make sure your chorus is catchy! The best choruses are usually simple and repetitive, so you should try to craft something that’s easy for listeners to remember and sing along to later. Think about some of the most popular songs out
As a professional songwriter and composer, people often ask me how to write a song.
I usually answer with a standard set of tips I’ve learned over the years as I’ve written hundreds of songs for myself, other artists, and for records, film, and television.
1. The first thing you need to do is pick up your guitar or sit down at the piano and write down all of your musical ideas. If you are a composer writing for orchestra, then this step would apply to your orchestration skills.
2. Next, you need to sing or hum every melody and lyric idea that you hear in your head. I always recommend recording them on an iPhone or iPad if possible so you have them forever.
3. After that’s done, take all of those musical and lyrical ideas and see what fits together melodically and lyrically with each other. You can use software like Logic Pro X or Ableton Live to help you with this process if you are unfamiliar with music theory or don’t know how to play any instruments, but it’s not necessary if you learn music theory!
4. Once everything has been arranged properly into verses/choruses/bridge sections etc… now it’s time to record! This part will take
In a world where we are so often overwhelmed with information and options, it is important to think about what we want to say, how we want to say it, and who we want to say it to. If you want your song to make an impact on the world around you, you need to break through the clutter by getting attention first. The best way to do this is by writing a great song.
No matter what genre of music you are writing in, whether it is rock, pop, country or heavy metal, every song has a structure that needs to be followed. There are many different ways that you can go about writing your song but the following tips will give you some ideas to help get started.
1. Create Your Hook
The hook is the very first thing that someone will hear when they listen to your song for the first time. It is the part of your song that will stick in their head and play over and over again after they have heard it just one time. This can be done through a catchy melody or even a strong lyric line that stands out above everything else in your song. You don’t necessarily need both melody and lyrics for this as long as one of them stands out enough for people to remember it easily.
2. Write
What’s the best way to write a song?
1. Do Something
2. Do More of That Thing
3. Ask For Help and Criticism
4. Use Your Ears
5. Do Something Else
1. Write about something you care about
Write about something that you care about, because it will make the entire process much more enjoyable. Writing songs can be tedious and laborious at times, but if you’re writing about a subject that you truly enjoy, then it will shine through in your lyrics and melody.
2. Start with a melody
A lot of songwriters start by writing the lyrics first. They hear a phrase or get an idea for something they want to say, and they begin writing words. For some people this can be effective, but I usually find it more challenging to try and write words and melody simultaneously. If I start with a melody, then I can create a picture in my head of what I want to say in the song. As the melody unfolds and takes shape, the lyrics seem to come much more naturally to me.
3. Record a quick demo
Even if you don’t have access to professional recording equipment or software, record a quick demo of your song as soon as possible. You don’t need anything fancy; most modern smartphones can record audio at reasonably good quality levels. In fact, even if you’re just using your phone’s voice memo app, save your song as soon as possible so that you don’t forget it