How to write a song for beginners

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Wether you are a professional songwriter or just enjoy music and want to start writing your own songs, writing and making music can be so rewarding. Start off your song writing journey the right way with my top tips.

Song writing from the beginning. Where do i start?

Song writing and music creation can vary so greatly and that also includes how we begin! Some like to start with an instrument, some with a melody and some with lyrics. There is no correct way to begin! Not one is easier for everyone. Many different artists write their songs in vastly different ways.

At the Melbourne Music Festival in 1991, Billy Joel said, “I find I write best when I sit myself down, have a coffee, go into wherever my space is, and I have to have something that I like to look at because there’s a lot of dead time in the writing process … I like to have a view of the ocean.”.

That's one way to write! Try the Billy Joel way, go sit by the seaside and see if anything pops into your mind! I, myself had tried this way and it is the way I came up with quite a few of my song topics/ideas walking by the ocean.

Wether you are writing at the beach or in your room, get into your own little bubble. I often shut out the world and get into my own head (in a good way). I get into my feelings, a good deep dive and bring that out in my words. It can be extremely therapeutic and beneficial for ones mental health and deliver amazing mental clarity.

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Starting with instrumental:

Start with a melody, start with a lyric, start with a couple of chords? Try each one and see which comes naturally to you. What comes naturally to you might not come naturally to me. To begin, I say sit down at your piano or with your guitar and strum a few chords. Is there a melody that pops into mind when you hear these chords? What vibe are these chords giving? Get into the frame of mind someone might be when feeling that emotion or have you perhaps felt that way? Dive into how you felt then, relive that event. Describe how it made you feel and paint the picture and story for the listener.

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Starting with lyrics:

I write songs both ways, sometimes with chords and sometimes with lyrics. I would recommend trying them both. Sit down by yourself in your own safe space with a pen and paper. (Pen and paper is better than the notes app because you can go back and look at changes you made and it also lessens distractions). To people who really struggle to begin, I usually recommend they write 5 words. 5 emotions they feel. 5 silly words. 5 things that have happened to them. With these three words you can build a foundation of the lyrics. Turn these words into lines, play out the story with them. You can start with five words and end with a whole song!

Once I've written it, what next?

So, you have a full page of lyrics. What do you do now? Next step, if you haven't already is to make or find your backing music. You can start with a few chords to lay your songs foundation or, if you don't play an instrument, you can find lots of great options online or create one on garageband! Once a backing track is created, you can start humming a melody and fit this in with your lyrics and then your song has been created! You can now use this song as a guide to take to a recording studio or record and edit it at home.

Recording your hit!

If you can afford it, going to a recording studio is an amazing experience! You will learn how to use top equipment by watching a producer do its magic! Watch and learn but also get involved, its your art and the producer wants to hear what you like, so dont be shy to tell them how you like it! By working with a producer, you get to brainstorm ideas with them on what could be changed and improved which is great to hear from another persons (especially a professionals!) perspective.

If you can't afford to or would prefer not to, you can record and edit yourself at home! There are many free software's you can get started on! I started out on Studio One. It has a great beginners guide and is a great place to start your music recording journey. There are also so many great tutorials on how to edit on YouTube!

Extra Tips for songwriters!

To begin, focus on quantity not quality. Now, this one is one i found hard to digest at first but it truly works best this way! In the beginning, you are just getting used to writing and you need to do this by writing lots. Write frequently and it will become easier each time. Yes, its the cliché, practice makes perfect!

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Listen to music often

Listen to other artists often. By listening to other artists, you can get a sense of how others write. This is not so you can copy them exactly but so that you can pull ideas from how others write. Its important to listen to a range of music and music styles, this will make your knowledge of music more diverse and strengthen your appraising side of music (this is the audible side of it) this includes recognising styles and instruments.

Document every idea

Anytime a lyric comes to mind, write it down. No matter how rubbish you think it is, it doesn't matter, write it anyway! You may like it later! Carry a small notebook with you to jot down ideas and you can come back go it when you're stuck for ideas! If lyrics or melodies hit you when you're out, document them digitally! Although I have previously stated that pen and paper are better, using the notes app when it is needed, is totally okay! As long as it is written somewhere! You may get an idea for a melody when youre out and about, perhaps whilst walking the dog or in the supermarket. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to take out the voice memos app and record it, even if it's just a few seconds, you don't want to forget it!

I hope this guide and tips helps you write more songs and helps you ease yourself into the world of songwriting! I wish you the best of luck on your journey! Stay tuned for more music tips and advice coming soon to my blog.

Thank you for reading,

Melodicbee x