Songwriting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, now I know that following a how-to to do something aesthetically pleasing can be pretty fickle. What I won’t or can’t do is tell you how to be you. I can give you the basics of this. The most important thing about songwriting is to express yourself, express you. Why is your favorite song your favorite? Perhaps it is because it completely describes how you feel, the thoughts in your head, or even evokes certain action from you. The only way to genuinely do that and have others relate to you is to write from inside of you. Nowadays there is a particular pattern to mainstream songwriting. It’s pretty much like this and doesn’t vary much:

Format

• Intro (ad lib)
• Verse ( The Meat of the song)
• Hook (Summarizes the song & is usually catchy)
• Verse
• Hook
• Bridge (Allows the song to change tempo or melody and builds the final climax to the song)
• Hook
• Outro (ad lib)

 

 

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   Now of course if you want to be completely off the wall and write however you please (as I sometimes do), feel free! This pattern is proven, tried, and true. However, how does anything new get created? The Geniuses who have completely revamped the music industry have been called every name in the book and discouraged from their new endeavors until…people latch onto that sense of individuality that music gives. Why is it individual and unique? They tried something completely new! Robin Thicke’s refreshing soul, Tynisha Keli’s dramatic vocals, Mary J. Blige’s brute vocal strength, & Michael Jackson (and everything about him) are just a few people bringing something fresh and vibrant to the table. I don’t mean to imply that these artists all use unorthodoxed methods of songwriting, I mean to express that they all did what was them. Don’t be afraid to change the game. I do want to inform you of what the music industry is already using and depending on, solely because people are so used to hearing it on the radio and television.

Topics

If you want to write a song which reaches the same genre of music you listen to, pay close attention to what these songs are talking about. Are you bonkers about love songs or are you drawn to political music? You DO NOT have to stick to a particular topic unless you want to. Babyface Edmonds is infamous for his love songs. Do you want to be? My personal suggestion is that you pick a song topic for a song that you feel strongly about. You will likely have more specialized knowledge, strong opinions, and general interest in the subject at hand. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

Emotion

The song must convey some sort of feeling. Your song is probably for humans and many of us operate from feelings. A great song makes people say “I can see how they feel!” Pay attention to the type of emotion you want your song to portray. You may not be a singer to practice this, but at least have an idea of how it should sound if you ever want the world to hear you!

I deeply encourage you to take these 3 cornerstones of songwriting that I’ve discussed with you and make of it what you will. I did not want to give you too many steps because I would have made you a clone of me. Take what I have given you and put your own spin on it!!! Most importantly, LOVE WHAT YOU DO.