Developing a Theme for Your Rock Song

Video Transcript

"There are many different approaches to writing music. There are many different ways to go about it. Some people are lyricists and their strength is in in lyrics and they'll oftentimes write the lyrics first and then go back to fit music in or have somebody else fit the music in. Some people are really good at writing guitar licks and some people are really good at writing chords and they do that first and then fill the lyrics in later. Some people are just good at blending the two. There's so many different types and approaches to songwriting that it really, you do have freedom in that. However, if you are starting out to write a song, especially a rock song, we've got to think, one of, some of the first things we need to think through in developing that and probably the first step in the approach in how to write a rock song, whether you're going to write lyrics or chords first, you need to come up with a good theme, you need to come up with something that you're going to try to say that's going to be capturing the hearts of people and you're going to want to do those things before you really even write your lyrics or your music. Because your music, depending on your theme, your music and your lyrics are going to really have to fall into place after that. And then, after that, it really depends on what you're comfortable doing. If you're more comfortable writing the lyrics first, write the lyrics. If you're more comfortable with coming up with the music first, come up with the music first. Sometimes, it's a little blend of both you come up a little lyrics or you come up with a hook in your mind and then you come up with the chording or vice versa. Or you come with a cool guitar riff and kind of center it around that. However, the first thing that you've got to do and the first approach that I would suggest, is trying to develop your theme. Because you want your music to fit around that theme. So that's kind of how the different approaches you can take to writing rock and roll music."