Change your phrasing patterns between each section to create more engaging melodies. Set a pattern and match it each time that section comes back to repeat your most powerful melodic moments.
This is an excellent way to make your songs more musically interesting. And by doing so, you’ll peak your listeners’ interest and create more memorable songs.
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All those song snippets you’ve written down in moments of inspiration are like building blocks for fuller compositions. Never write off a song just because the idea didn’t complete itself right away.
Instead, do your best to refer back to your ideas in moments where you’d otherwise be stuck or paralyzed by writer’s block. This is among the many ways to overcome writer’s block in your songwriting.
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Try keeping a list of potential song titles hanging in the wall of your practice space. Any time you hear a catchy phrase or have a compelling idea, add it to the list.
This will help to keep your creative process in constant motion. Every time you see the list, your mind will be trying to add new ideas to it and you’ll start thinking of lyrics to add to existing titles as well. While there are many unique ways to get your creative juices flowing, this is an effective go-to technique.
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If you need something to get you started in the right direction, you could always try using a melodic fragment from a public domain song. An ages-old folk song or even a nursery rhyme will do. Work it and rework it until you’ve made it your own.
By the time you’re done, it probably won’t be recognizable at all. Ideally, the only thing left will be the ghost of that melodic fragment. The idea here, of course, is that it’s just another of the many ways to boost your creativity.
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Your best bet to succeed as a musician is to live a life that’s worth writing and singing about. Very few (if any) musicians ever gained a cult following by sitting on the couch all day mindlessly watching television.
The trick to succeeding in the music industry on your own terms involves living life on your own terms. Use this heuristic to guide you, and you’ll never go wrong.
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Choose a natural starting point for your song instead of trying to force it. In essence, let your song begin where you feel it’s supposed to begin.
If your brain naturally starts with a melody, then just throw some nonsense words into the mix until the right words form to take their place. That’s how Paul McCartney wrote “Yesterday” — his original version of the song was about scrambled eggs, and he used the phrase as a placeholder until his real lyrics had mentally congealed for him.
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Knowing the most popular song structures (AABA, Verse Chorus, AAA, etc) will allow you to know how to play with the form and which rules to break.
In a modern sense, AABA is by far the most popular song structure. It has two two musically similar verses and a bridge, and then it returns to another verse. Along with the different variations of this form (AABABA, ABAB, etc.), this form constitutes almost all of the music you hear these days.
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Don’t get hung up on a single line of your song. If you find yourself hitting a creative wall with one part, just write down the general idea and move on to the next one. You can come back and refine it later.
By doing this, you’ll create a certain rhythm to your songwriting workflow. This will allow you to produce content with regularity and it will reinforce your general discipline as a songwriter. It will also ensure you don’t find yourself in a situation where your songwriting habits are the reason you can’t finish a song.
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If you’re always trying to use the same sounds and shapes, try using your available musical effects or software to inspire your writing.
You’d be interested how you can create musical segments that come directly for timing and rhythmic effects. Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, for example, uses effects to push his creativity to the next level.
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If you’re already thinking about song dynamics as you’re composing each part of your song, then you’re giving yourself an advantage performance-wise. Are some parts going to be louder than others? Is there a need to create smooth transitions between the segments?
While most songwriters can put a melody together, very few are aware of the importance of musical dynamics. Figure out the dynamic range of each song you write as you write them, and your compositions will doubtlessly be enhanced.
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If you’re writing with a band, then you could take a page out of creative writing workshops. Have each member write their own song and then take turns offering constructive criticisms on everyone’s efforts.
Check out this Songwriting Workshop Handbook for more information on doing your own workshopping. Assuming you manage to do it successfully, you could engender a strong creative dynamic in your band.
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By finding a solid balance between repetition and novelty, your songs will be considerably strengthened. This is because listeners like to hear elements of the familiar mixed with unexpected and unique approaches.
If your songs have ever seemed as though they weren’t engaging or as if they weren’t transitioning fluidly, then your songs probably are lacking in this balance.
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That amp goes up to 11, so crank it up. This doesn’t actually mean you have to play the loudest show possible (although it helps), but make sure to crank your energy level all the way up (plus one!).
If you do this during every live performance, you’re bound to gain some kind of grassroots fanbase. After all, if you can’t get excited about your music, then why should your fans? This is just one of the many reasons to play live, but it’s one of the best.
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You’re creating a narrative whenever you’re putting lyrics together into a song. Without context and a well constructed narrative flow, your listeners aren’t going to know where your lyrics are going. They’ll get left behind.
If you’re looking to combine music and the personal narrative, all it really takes is some conscientious work. The personal narrative, specifically how it interacts with music, has the potential to engage your listeners on an emotional level.
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Hard work and persistence will take you 90% of the way to greatness; raw talent only accounts for the other 10% of success. Don’t ever fool yourself into thinking you can just float through on your natural abilities.
Being naturally gifted, in fact, has an interesting effect of putting you at something of a disadvantage. You may feel more complacent if you don’t think it’s 100% necessary to practice and work as much as possible. Check out this blog post titled “Talent or Hard Work?” to find out more about this phenomenon.
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