Songwriting and performance are two separate things, but one intrinsically affects the other. Write your songs with performance in mind, and keep your songs’ rhythms and cadences in mind when you plan your performances.
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Consider using word associations as a technique to drive your lyric brainstorming process. Start with a concept and expand it to encompass all the other clusters of words and images that go along with that concept.
In doing so, you may find your writing go into new, unintended directions that could unearth something singularly interesting and possibly even revolutionary.
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If you tend to write chord-heavy songs, try limiting yourself to three or four to force your songwriting into a new paradigm. On the other hand, if you write with very few chords, try to expand your horizons by writing with more. You may just elicit howls of appreciation from your listeners.
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Look to your own life for experiences that will translate well to songs. Consider writing the song in a way that makes the experience more universal, so it will resonate more deeply with your audience.
This concept of taking something that specifically happened to you and making it relevant to an audience is something you’ll probably revisit again and again as a songwriter. Take some time to refine it as part of your songwriting process.
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Often, finding a rhythm that works is the hardest part of getting your songwriting process in motion. Once you have a really solid rhythm, you can shape the lyrics and music around it.
By deciding on a certain rhythmic pattern, you’ll have a strong foundation for your composition. Think of different variations and consider playing an existing piece backward to find new rhythmic directions for your music.
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Clarity and focus will only help to sharpen your songwriting. Ideally, you should be able to summate what your song is about in a single sentence (or even better, a single tweet).
Overall, clarity leads to deeper understanding and heightens emotional impact for your compositions. These things, of course, will only make your songwriting process better.
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These days, there’s almost no reason that you should go without having your own personal studio for rehearsing and refining your tunes. After all, the technology is readily available, and it’s reached a pretty solid price point for most musicians.
Before you build a home recording studio, though, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about these four key considerations. They’ll help you get the sound you want at an affordable price.
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The next time you sit down to write a song, try starting with a particular musical component. Whether you start with melody, harmony, lyrics, structure or rhythm — just choose one you don’t usually concentrate on.
Doing this will help you to step outside the box and focus on something different. This could help you take your songwriting into a new direction entirely, or at least, it might help you produce a piece of music that’s unique to your repertoire.
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If you suddenly have an idea that doesn’t work with the song you’re currently writing, save it for your next song. Don’t force anything, or the result will sound artificial.
The bottom line: Never make your song go to places that it doesn’t want to go. If you write enough, you’ll probably find that your songs have their own opinions.
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As you write, don’t forget that your song will ultimately become a performance. Try to envision not only what the lyrics are saying and how they sound, but also how you’ll deliver them in front of an audience.
If you’re still a little new or unsure of yourself on stage, you might want to read up on some performance tips for singers. The more thought you put into your stage presence as you write, the better the subsequent performance will likely be.
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Tap into your passions and tune in to your emotions if you want to write a really impactful song. Without passion or emotion, day to day life is colorless and dull — the same will probably hold true for any song that lacks these traits.
You don’t want to send your audience to sleep. Choose a scenario or an issue that really resonates with your own life, and use it to fuel your lyrics.
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Raw talent is an asset, but don’t rely on it to carry you all the way on its own. It will take you part of the way to greatness, but only determination and hard work will take you the entire distance.
Don’t be one of those musicians who use their innate talents as a crutch. Use it as a springboard to reach your full potential.
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Aside from following a few fundamental principles of music, there really are no wrong answers when it comes to writing songs. Although some lyrics and melodies are catchier than others, your writing can be revised until it achieves this.
Therefore, write a lot and write often. Don’t let writer’s block get in your way.
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