Writing lyrics and melodies in all music genres is a simple and creative process. Learning how to use hit songs as patterns is able to help a person to discover exciting songwriting techniques.
“Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell” by Robin Frederick is an excellent guide to study how to write a song. The author has written more than 500 songs for audio products, record albums, TV and theater.
If you ask her ‘how do you write a song?’ she would say there is some magic about songwriting. “No matter how much I know of songwriting or how many songs I have written, I am still a little amazed that it can happen at all.”
How Do You Write a Good Song?
A song that either expresses your feelings and thoughts or reaches other people is a good song itself, even if nobody else thinks so. A really good song helps people to understand and feel something better and deeper.
Songcraft
Good songwriters use songcraft (the song-building tools and techniques) to make their songs emotionally memorable. “Song craft” have been invented not to force people create formula songs of no originality but to help listeners to experience, understand and remember the emotional message over hundreds of years.
How to Start Writing a Song?
Getting started with a song is perhaps one of the most difficult and important tasks in songwriting. Still, you are to overcome a lot of inertia, having a vague idea or a feeling what to express. None of the lyrics, melody, or chords comes first. That’s the title to sound true in your ears, appealing you most. The title is to be the line remembered by everyone and which will define the song message. Only then it will be your further guide on how to write a song. Images, action words, short phrases usually make good titles, newspaper headlines will also make you full of good ideas. Other people, television, magazines may capture your attention too. So start making a list by:
- Asking questions what this title is the answer to and what this song is about; those of the strongest emotions for you are the song you should write, because a song is a discovery process.
- Making a list of related/contrasting words/phrases/images the title suggests you. Write them down, do not think about making sense or rhyming at this point.
Why Is It a Deal with a Song Structure?
A song structure is one more important aspect of how to write a song. Most contemporary hits of today are conversational, emotional and intimate verses with a big chorus.
- Verses have the same melody but different lyrics.
- Chorus may be heard 3 or more times.
- Bridge has a different melody/lyrics/chord progression from the chorus or verse and provides a break.
- Pre-chorus lets listeners know the coming of the chorus.
Well, choose a recognizable structure and label the lyrics, verses, choruses, bridge.
Only Hit Song Melodies Practiced to Write Lyrics
Observe the lyrics through recent hit song styles you’d mostly like to write in. Choose a hit song and spend some time with it. Look for a new title, if necessary. Don’t make too much effort to find rhymes; it’s more important to sing what you feel.
Remembering that listeners know absolutely nothing about you, you may invite them into your song!
What Is Next?
If you play keyboards or the guitar, that’s enough to get an emotional feeling about this song. Keep working on the lyrics and putting music to it until you are genuinely excited. If you do not play any musical instrument, find a music collaborator.
Writing Chords, Melodies & Rhythm
Writing all these things does require some basic skills on musical instruments. Recognizing chord names and playing them is all you need.
Songwriters are not generally great musicians. They simply know chords, song craft and how to follow the emotions. Once you have written a song with a memorable melody, emotional lyrics and good structure, you will want to make a demonstration. Revolutionized recording technologies have all the necessary things for your home recording.
One Last Thought about How To Write a Song
Of course, all the advice given here is only a doorway into songwriting. All you need to know is right here and there: study your favorite artists’ songs to learn from what they are doing. Thankfully, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Don’t worry if you sound like anyone else, as nobody possesses your voice, ideas, thoughts, or your talents.
May your songs just flow!