It is not always a bed of roses when it comes to song writing. The assignment can be difficult to do, especially when your creative juices aren’t flowing. Knowing a few expert tips for song writing will come in handy while you’re spending hours upon hours trying to pen a single lyric.
A list of song writing tips for beginners might go all the way to Mars and back and still not cover every aspect of the trade. Learning several expert tips for song writing, on the other hand, will not make you a better songwriter until you put them to use.
Best Song Writing Tips for Beginners
Here are some expert’s song writing tips for beginners to begin their song writing journey:
Start writing
Make it a habit to do so. Start over and over until you’ve exhausted your options. This is one of the most important song writing exercise to do daily. Keep it in good shape. As often as possible, start new tunes. This is the most important thing you could do to improve your song writing. All of the other song writing advice is useless unless you can start writing new songs.
Take a stand! Begin a new song every day for the next 30 days. It’s fine to use only the melody and fundamental chords. The objective is to get into the habit of writing songs. It’s a challenge. Keep up the good work! This is the foremost expert tip for song writing.
Write a verse and a chorus over a “new” chord progression
Try emulating a chord progression from a favorite song. If you can’t get the old song out of your head, try changing the strumming pattern or groove by slowing down or speeding up the pace. Alternatively, take a chord progression you like and replace only one of the chords with a borrowed chord.
Another song writing tip for beginners is to keep things basic and write over a two-chord chord progression. The easier it is to write a contrasting chord progression, the more minimal the chord progression in the verse is.
Do not wait for inspiration
Every expert songwriter believes that the creative process begins when you get up in the morning and continues until you go to sleep at night. Creativity should be as inherent as eating and drinking throughout the day.
Seeing and hearing things in regular situations: kids and partners at home, talking and spending time with others, gaining other people’s ideas and perspectives, going for a walk… to be honest, life itself is a source of inspiration.
Stay motivated and don’t give up
It can be onerous to stay motivated, especially if you are working part-time or studying in your spare time, but you must persevere. Make time to unwind and enjoy life, as this will aid in the development of new ideas. One of the most important song writing tips for beginners is to stay motivated.
Accepting rejection might be difficult, but it is a normal part of the process. It doesn’t imply you’re not good at what you do. It’s almost always not your talent; it’s simply not what they’re searching for.
Be consistent
Expert song writing tips include being consistent. It takes a combination of factors to write songs that actually affect people. While inspiration is important, the most important aspect of effective song writing is doing it as often as possible. The single most important song writing tip for beginners to achieving song writing success is consistent practice and work at your craft. It lays the groundwork for the magic to enter and affect your melodies and lyrics.
Listen to other songs
Expert songwriters suggest listening to the work of other songwriters, particularly hit songs. The goal isn’t to duplicate them exactly, but rather to obtain a broad grasp of what’s feasible and what works. Check out songs from 60 years ago as well as more recent releases.
Finally, write the kind of music on the issues that concern you. Remember that what others write about is about what they’re feeling, so stay true to yourself.
Avoid the obvious
One of the most common mistakes that beginner songwriters make, is using the same cliché lines. Expert songwriters suggest avoiding clichés as they become tedious after a while. Try to come up with creative methods to say things in your song writing. If a lyric appears to be too “predictable,” change it up for a more fascinating phrase. If you’re stuck utilizing the same words again and over, try using an online thesaurus to come up with new word combinations.
Accept mediocrity
As a beginner songwriter, you must be willing to believe that your first tracks are unlikely to win a Grammy. Song writing is a skill that requires time and practice to master. Consider the first tracks as stepping stones on your journey. With each one, you’ll improve. Allow yourself to write tunes that aren’t so wonderful. When you have a lot of experience and can generate high-quality tunes, it’s time to stop accepting mediocrity. Cut yourself some slack until then.
Learn to play an instrument
Expert song writing tips include learning to play an instrument. On a harmony instrument like a guitar or a keyboard, learn to play and understand the construction of chords. You don’t have to be a marvel, but knowing how to construct chords and how they relate to one another will aid you in turning your thoughts into tunes.
Collaborate
It’s not always necessary to have someone else in the room to bounce ideas off. Finding a collaborator is now easier than ever because of the internet. Facebook groups are an excellent place to start for beginners where they can collaborate with expert songwriters.
On social media sites, look for expert songwriters, DIY music, or genre-specific organizations in your area.
You don’t even have to be in the same room; you may work together via video chat from the corners of the planet.
Be open to editing your song
It’s usual for beginner songwriters to be overjoyed when they finish their first song. You’ve spent so much time trying to come up with the perfect hook, written verses, and choruses that fit together, and set them to a fantastic tune.
Going back in and eliminating sections and thinking out what would be a better match is the main thing you would want to do at this stage. But expert songwriters advise, that’s precisely what you should do before calling a song finished. Before you call it a day, make sure you’ve exhausted all options. So when you listen to a wonderful song on the radio, remember that it has been thoroughly analyzed and modified.
In conclusion, song writing is not only an art, it is a skill that can be honed and sharpened. The world of music isn’t as formidable ad it seems. With perseverance and dedication, you too can make your mark.
Other Important Links
Learn Lyric Writing from Sameer Anjaan
Learn singing online with Monali Thakur
Join Unlu Lyric Writing Fellowship and Become the next great Lyricist
Join Unlu Community of Lyricists, Singers, Composers, and Producers
