Song Writing #2

Song Writing 2. Basic elements of song writing

How to write a song. Well, this is clearly going to be a train wreck. How to write a song. There are so many ways to approach this topic, and they are all terribly different. More often than now, I would recommend that you never try to force a song. You just have to really feel the mood, and have that idea within you. At that moment, the song will almost write itself. Mind you, this will be a long song with twenty verses, and two bridges, with a chorus that never manages to remain the same.

These songs will require a good number of hours in editing, but they will speak to you in a very powerful way.

However! In this case you have to write songs. You need to write six. These songs will be written one way or another, so we will take a look at how to write a song, when you have a limited amount of time to get them out. Think of it as turning yourself into a song-writing factory!

First:

1. Are you writing a song based on personal experiences?
2. Are you allowing yourself to be inspired by others work?
3. Are you writing a song based on an event?

Once you’ve answered that question, song writing will become much much simpler.

Next, think simple…

VCVCBC

Yes, that right there? That’s how you write a song. But what does it mean? Why, it translates as Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus.

Now why? Why are songs written like this? Think about what songs are trying to do. They are telling a story. It’s either personal, or event driven. It’s trying to create an emotional appeal. The Verse allows you to explore the issue, while the chorus allows you to view the repeating / concluding events. The bridge, it’s there to switch things up, change the pace again, and make a good final point before things settle back with the chorus.

If you write music, you may want to try coming up with the chords / music first, and then free styling the lyrics as you go (keeping what works, discarding what doesn’t.) If you want to write lyrics first, and then try to fit the music in after, that’s fine too.

There is no wrong way to write a song, as there is no wrong way to write a poem. In fact, you may want to simply take your poetry and add music to it. There you go, instant song.