How To Write A Song
How to write a song in 3 easy steps
Yesterday I took my kids to go visit their dad for Spring Break. It was an emotional time for me because my kids have been talking about going to live with their dad and I know that it might not be too long before I don’t see them every day. It’s an emotional thing for a mother to let go of her kids and let them live somewhere else. This was definitely a time where I needed music in my life. Years ago, I would have just cried and let someone else try to say what I was feeling in a song.
But, now that I have learned a simple method of writing songs, I can easily express how I’m feeling and hopefully comfort another person going through a similar challenge. This method of songwriting isn’t something you’ll read in a book or learn in college. In fact, those kinds of things are what paralyzed me for so long. I was always getting out manuscript paper, trying to figure out what key I was writing in and what time signature the song should be in. Then, I would slave over the melody and look up what notes would logically go with that melody and hope I was doing it just right, worried that if someone who really knew what they were doing ever saw it, they would give me an “F” for a grade.
How To Write A Song
Well, I have discovered a method that works for me, which was quite by accident. It has freed me from worrying about all that music theory stuff that was holding me back. This has unlocked my music from within and let me express myself in a way that I was unable to do before. I hope it will help you.
Go for a long ride in the car and sing to yourself as you drive. Just make up anything and sing out loud. This doesn’t work with the radio on, so make sure you’re in your car alone and the radio is off. Long highway rides with not much to take your mind off your singing works best. City driving doesn’t let you relax enough and you have to concentrate too hard on your driving. If you don’t have any place like that where you can drive really far and not think too much, then go to a place where you can be alone for a long time (a park or the mountains or anyplace you find inspiring and peaceful).
Usually this works best if you have something that you feel strongly about or are really emotional about. However, there are lots of silly songs about nothing, so that’s not crucial. Make sure you repeat it with the same chorus and different verses and sing it over and over and over and over. Make up new words and try them out and something will stick. If you have a voice recorder, this would be a great time to record the song so you don’t forget it. If you can’t record it, just keep singing it over and over and over, teaching yourself how it goes so you won’t forget it.
Go home and write down the words on a piece of paper, with spaces between the lines. These spaces are where you will put the chords when you figure out what they are. With the words in front of you, sing the song again, remembering the tune and how you felt when you were driving.
For the next step, you need a guitar or a piano, whichever you feel more comfortable with. I play both and like composing with the guitar better. Then, I can arrange it on the piano, later. Whatever works for you is perfect. Play a chord and sing the song with it, changing chords when it doesn’t sound good. I just play a few chords until I find the one that sounds perfect with where the song is going. Then, I write which chord I play above the word in the song where the chord change takes place. When it’s all figured out, I play the song over a few times, listening for awkward chords that may need a little revision.
For years, I was afraid to write music, thinking that I had to play what someone else had written to be any good. Now that I have discovered this easy method for writing music, I have been able to write songs quickly and easily without worrying so much about music theory and whether it’s right or wrong. I don’t have to slave over manuscript paper writing out all the notes and figuring out the rhythm and the time value of notes and things like that. Since this has made such a difference in my life, I wanted to share it with you and hopefully it will help someone else to be able to write music effortlessly and share their feelings with the world.
6 Responses to “How To Write A Song”
Leave a Reply
Recommendations
Hi Amy
My oldest son is a song writer. He has written any songs for a number of bands he has been involved with
Jennifer,
That’s so great. I’d love to meet him. No wonder you have such an interest in music.
That would be an emotional time (children leaving) and I’m sorry that you have to face choices like that. I pray that God will redeem it for His glory and give you wisdom in the choices you make. Blessings!
Yes, it is a trying time. Thanks for you thoughtfulness.
i think this will really help me… i’m really searching so hard on how to write music but all i get is “this cant be taught”… at least now i have an idea on how to start…. thank you amy…
Angelica,
You are so welcome. I hope this works for you. It seems that everyone has to find the way they feel comfortable with. This is my way.