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Many people think that songwriters just sit down and voila!?a beautiful perfect song magically starts pouring out within seconds. While this does happen sometimes, its the exception and not the rule. It takes hard work and some preparation, and there are lots of tricks and tools used by professionals that can help get you off on the right track. The Most Important Points What do you need to know in order to write a song? Many people, including professional musicians and singers , feel that there are a number of important things they absolutely must know even before they can begin. The problem is, they have no idea what these things are or where they can be learned. But in reality, the only curcual element you absolutely must know before you can write your first song is, simply that you can do it. So the good news is, you dont need any special knowledge to write a song. You can go and write one now. But it doesnt mean its going to be a great song. With a few extremely rare exceptions, songwriters usually spend several years learning how to make a good song great. The First Rule of Songwriting The one unchangeable rule of songwriting is this: All rules are subject to change. If you walk into a publishers office with a song thats a surefire hit for 1987 you will probably walk out with a disappointed look on you rface three and a half minutes later. But that could change next year: Eighties revival music could be the next big thing. Of course, it could be Bolivian folk music or polka you just never know. A few years ago, salsa and Christian contemporary formats werent even listened on major music charts. These days, you can make serious money writing for these genres. Most rules of songwriting have changed at one time or another. Think lyrics are must for a pop hit? Look up Floyd Cramers "last date" or Vangelis?s "Chariots of Fire"- the melody may be the most crucial element. On the other hand , most rap songs replace melodies (as they are recognizable to poeple brought up listening to the twelve-note scale, used in most popular music) with music samples. The piont is this: Pay attention to whats goin on right now and try to figure out what will happen next . Trends in popular music can change quickly and dramatically. Its not unheard of for a publisher to fire half of they songwriting staff after a market change. the rules change from time to time. If you know them, you?ll be prepared for the changes and able to deal with them. Its up to You You need to pay attention to the trennds if your goal is to make money and earn artistic kudos with songwriting. Otherwise, you can write songs any way you please and n one can stop you . There are, however, guidlines that can hlep make your songs enjoyable to more people, yourself included. The songwriters Toolbox The first order of business for beiginning songwriter is to assemble the tools needed for the job. Which tools you need is your decision. The important thing is to assemble them in one place and keep there when not in use. Otherwise, you may find that your significant other has written a grocery list on your new song or your dog has made a chew toy of your lucky lyric pen. A desk drawer makes a good songwriters toolbox, and book bags have the advantage of being portable. Some writers even pack the bare essentials into their guitar cases. Things you might want in your toolbox are simple. something with which to write lik ea pen, something on which to write like paper, some reference books and a small, portable recording device. Pens, Pencils, Chalkboards, and word Processors Some songwriters can write on anything or with anything. As rumor has it a popular rolling Stones song was written with an eyeliner penciel on the back of a hotel room orioning board. Other songwriters are particular, even superstistius, about what they use. The most popular combination is probably a #2 pencil and yellolw legal pad. some songwriters prefer ballpoint pends and unlined paper. Others prefer a mechanical pencil, a gum eraser, and elevelin line paper which allows for the melody to be written aboive the chords in standard notation and the bottome line for lyrics. Some even use large chalkboards. Many songwriters find that a computer gives them the option of creating multiple versions of a song, cutting thand pasting words or lines to different places, and having ready tpo print lyrics sheets when finished. Try all of these options and find the one that works best for you. Whatever you use, make atleast two copies as asoon as the song is finished. Put one in your toolbox and put one in a safe place other than your homie. Why? If your computer crashes your house burns down, or your significant other goes in sane and starts merrily feeding your songs into the shredder, you?ll be glad that you have extra copies stashed away. You?lll also want a recording device to capture the melody and gorove of your song. Portable recorders with built in micropphones are available in a number of recording formats and are perfect for your toolbox. Make sure the recorder you buy has either removable media somethin you can take out of the machine and copy like a cassette or a line out so you can transfer the recording to another medium. Reference Books Every songwriter should Own Somewhere , you?ll want to keep a stash of books to be used as part of the songwriting process, and you may want paperback versions if you travel frequently. Heres a list to get you started: A new dictionary that includes slang terms, a rhyming dictionary, a thesaurus and or synonym finder, atleast one book of popular quotations, a set of encyclopedias, recent newspapers or peridicals for song ideas. Also consider reference books that list homonyms, homophones, antonyms, phrases , sayings, quotes, puns, and so forth-anthing helps you thinka bout words. many of these refernece materials can be found in software or online versions. A Good Writing Environment Where do you plan to write? Finding a place, or several , where you feel comfortable can boost the rcreative process. Many songwriters talk of hot spots, places, or rooms where they write well. Some successful writers have getaways in the mountains or by the ocean where the peace and beauty of the surroundings brings out their best work. Some find htey do their best writing in the car, on a walk, in a coffee shop, or on a city bus, Find out what works for you. Caffeine and Snacks Coffee and other caffeinated beverages can be a songwriters best friend- or worst enemy. Caffiene makes the brain work faster, effectively rasing the IQ. Some songwriters find that ideas flow more quickly after a cup of coffee, tea , or other caffeinated beverage. However some people get jittery and have trouble cofucsing . If you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or any condition that might be affected by caffeine, drinking coffee may not be the best thing for you. Blood sugar also affects the mental process. What you eat before and during a writing session can inclufence your creativity and prodcutivity. A low blood sugar level, as you might be have after a heavy meal or several hours without eating. Can make you feel tired. An especially high blood sugar level, like you get after your fifth candy bar in a session, can make you feel euphoric, fidgey, or even sick. Many songwriters are compulsive snackers who work with a pen in one hand and a bowl of goodies in the other. Healthy snacks like fruit will boost the blood sugar without the burnout factor for the songwriter who just needs something to chew on- and you?ll still be able to fit into your tux when the Grammy people call. Consider the Lighting Light level and type can affect the mood. Many songwriters find that diffuse light- like that from lamps, track lights, and upward facing halogen lamp is bettter than bright overhead lights. As a gerneral rule, try not to use older style fluorescent lights in your writing environment. many writers report a drop in creativity when working in settings with this kind of light. regular light bulbs, halogen bulbs, and the new " natural" fluorescent lamps all get high marks from most writers. You will also want to find out what time of day works for you. Some people are at their creative best in the morning, some in the afternoon or evening and some late at night. You may find that you have one peak time , that you have two three spots that work well., or that any time is a good time to write a song. The pitter Patter of Little Feet Heres a common complaint. I had this great idea going and I was just starting to write it down when?" A ringing phone, aa knock at the door, a barking dog, or a child attemping to set the dog on fire can all interrupt the creative process. What can you do about it? usually, a little planning and some help from a spouse, family member, or afriend can prevent these problems before they occur. If theres someone in the house who can screen calls, watch the kids, and answer the door, ask them, beg them , pay them if you have to. It?ll make your writing time much more pdocutive. Otherwise, turn off the phone, put a note on the door, put the dog out and send the kids to the movies before you get started. Distractions dont just cost the time they take up , but also the time spent regaining focus and finding the gorove to get the feel of that song again. If you cant remove distractions do your best to ingore them. Getting mad will only make things worse. Interruptions happen. Sometimes you just have to grin and beat it. Where do I begin For many songwriters, getting started is the absolute hardest part of writing a song. Some write down the first thing they think of, knowing that they can rewrite or make changes later. Others use techniques like brainstorming or word palettes to get the creative juices flowing. Many start with music and worry about lyrics once a mood has been established through composing. In short there are many ways to begin a song. It doesnt matter where you start. What matters is that you do. Starting with an Idea Starting with an idea is good if theres something going on that inspires or moves you. Current news, neighborhood gossip , books, movies, and relationships provide a never ending source of new ideas for songs. Learn to look and listen with a writers eyes and ears you?ll be amazed how much there is to write about. Starting with Words The different meanings of a word, the rhythm of particular phrase, the sound of a rhyme, or the flow of a sentence can all be good jumping off points to writing session. Dont be afraid to doodle or play with words as if they are building blocks or puzzle pieces. If you find a word or phrase you like look for other words and phrases that go with it and find rhymes for all them. Try twisting or reversing the meanings of things. countless songs have been written with a common pharse as the starting point. Even if you start with an idea, you may want to look for a short pharase that sums it up nicely. A short phrase uused as a entral theme is called a hook. Many professionals prefer to start with a hook and build a song around it. Starting with Music A bit melody a chord sequence or an instrumental lick have inspired countless songs. Some writers prefer to create within the confines of the imagination, whereas others may hum, whistle, or poink around on the guitar or piano, looking for the little something special that gets things moving. Many songs use identical chord patterns but, if they words and melodies are different, poepole dont usually notice. A good exercise is to matake the chords from a favorite song and write your own songs over them. Try putting familiar chords patterns to a different groove or arranging the chords in a different order. Starting with a beat or Groove Starting with a beat or groove is a great way to write a specific kind of a song. Left to their own devices, most songwriters write ballads slow songs nine out of ten times. Publishers and recording artist, however are usually looking for fast songs up tempos. See a problem " A good way to overcome the natural inclination toward ballads is to write to a beat or groove from a drum machine. REalistic Expectations Dont expect your first song, or your first hudnred to be hits. It took years or decades for most successful songwriters to start writing cuttable songs. More importantly, it usually takes writing lots of bad, mediocre, and good songs to work up to writing great ones. Give yourself time to grow artiscally without the pressure of coming up with a hit songs right away. Remember, writing a bad songsi s more fun than not writing at all. Even hit writers come up with a stinker every nonw and then. As you learn and develop , you percentages wil improve. Theres no preset number of songs you must writer before you get a winner. Some songwriters write thousands of songs and never get a break. on the other hand , Laura Nyro and Holly Tashian each had cuts (commercial recordings ) with their very first songs. for most songwriters, it takes a few dozen songs to get to the first good one oand several times more to start writing cuttable songs. Just remember , if you go see a publisher with three pretty good songs, you probably wont be invited back. Give yourself time to learn what you?re doing. After your hundredth song, you will probably look back at the first masterpiece and laugh cring or both. Many songwriters astart with smiple songs for and about their children, families, and friends. This has the advantages of behing a topic you know well and built in market who wouldnt be tickled to have a song written for them ? As with all writing , start with what you know keep it real, and worry about the fine pionts later. Above all, have fun and enjoy the opportuniy to express yourself music. When is a song finished Thats your decision to make, and of course you may change your mind later. Market changes and artisic growth can lead you to change a song that was finished years ago. A better question maybe is it complete ? Or is it done for now ? heres a handy checklist to help you dtermine if a song is complete: Does it say everything it needs to say ? Is everything said in the best possible way ? Does each line say something? Is there any unnecessary information that doesnt add to the songs ? Are the tenses and view points consisten and easy to fllow? Are the parts of the story in the best possilbe order ? do the words of one section connect well to the next ? Do the melodic elements flow and connect from section to section ? Is the songs lenth approximately where you want it to be? Does it feel done? Editing and Rewrites A change often made in completed songs is editing down for time. Radio stations want songs in the two and half to four minute range. While its true that many songs outside these parameters have become hits, its much easier to get airplay for a three minute song thatn for a five minute song. Solutions mayb e as simple as speeding up the song a little be careful not to push the tempo to a pace that rushes the singer or ruins the feel of the songs or removing or shortening intro sections and instrumental passages that arent adding anything important to the song. Cutting out entire verses is an potion: advanced options include condensing two verses into one, cutting a verse in half, or using an implied chorus-a severely shortened chorus sually just hit the first line that lead directly to the bridge or to a fadeout. You may also find it prudent, from time to time, to edit for content and market. Certain words, topics, situations , or portrayals of racial or ethnic steriotypes may hinder a songs chances of behind recorded or played. Its not only what you say, but how you say it: a rap song can get plenty of airplay with a lin like " keep gettin hassle by the cops . Fo? a playa the heat never stops." But a line that goes: " metro cops nazis got me in snitches. / get me an uzi they?ll be dead songs of ? " probably wont get played . Neither of these examples would be appropriate language for a country song- they just arent consistent with this particular genre. Keep in mind the intended audience for a song and ajdust the language to get the story or message across to that group. As you become a better writer , go back over your catalog of songs every so often to fix problems that you couldnt solve or didnt i see back in your newbies days. You may also want to regulary check the language, situations, and musical content of your songs to see if they are relevant in the current market.
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