How to Write Good Songs
Anyone who has taken the time to read and write music can write songs. What constitutes a good song is most often a matter of taste and can depend upon the person listening to a particular song. Using the basics of music composition, you can write songs that are pleasing to the ear.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Write a structure for your song first. Different composers work using different methods. For a beginner, it can be helpful to know how you want to structure your song. A simple song structure might contain two verses, a chorus, then another verse followed by the chorus repeated two or three times. You can alter this pattern as you write more songs. The verses should tell a story or set up the theme of the song lyrics. The chorus is usually the part of the song an audience recognizes immediately and sings along with. The chorus will often contain the title of the song or rference the theme in some way.
-
2
Write your song using an instrument that is most comfortable to you. This is ypically an acoustic guitar or a piano. Get the basics of the song down first. This will help you cement the structure and hear the melody, rhythm and tempo.
-
-
3
Write the lyrics (words to your song) on a sheet of notebook paper. Some composers begin with a progression of chords first, but starting with lyrics can help provide a roadmap for where your chords will change in the song.
-
4
Play the chords that have the sound you're looking for in your song. At first, don't worry about how fast or slow you will play the chords or what rhythm you will play them. Get the order of the chords down before you do this. Strum or play the chords while you sing the words. Write the name of the chord above the words in the song where the chord goes, placing the name of the chord directly above the appropriate word as close to the correct position as you can. When you finish, you will have what is called a lead sheet. The chords and lyrics are the building blocks for further developing the song.
-
5
Flesh out the song by playing and singing it through to establish the rhythm and tempo. Record the song so you can listen to it objectively. The recording will also be used as a tool when you begin adding other musical elements to the song (solos and additonal instrument parts).
-
6
Finish the song. Many composers write every part of the song piece by piece. Some composers put together a lead sheet and recording, then take the song to their band, where each member will play various parts and build upon the song. Writing a good song is a process that requires you to listen to what you're writing. That's the key to writing a good song. Let your ear be the judge of what you've composed.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Songwriting is a personal form of artistic expression. Experiment and try new subject matter in your lyrics. Learn new chords and melodies and apply them to your art. Don't settle for the first draft of a song. Play it several ways to see which style best fits the song.
