7 Things That Make for a Better Songwriter
Coming up with new, addictive melodies and lyrics can be a challenge for even the best songwriters. Every songwriter has to go through writer’s block at one point or another in their career. Fortunately, there are various approaches to writing songs, and combining these tricks can help you cross every barrier.
To help you out, we have selected the 7 things that make for a better songwriter:
- Don’t Be Afraid of Failure
Being a perfectionist in the music world is the biggest mistake you can make. Every songwriter has memories of struggles and failure when writing songs, but that did not keep them from writing, did it?
So, the first thing you must do as a songwriter is write a lot. The aim is to achieve some improvement overtime, and you can always change the lyrics or melody on your second or third attempt. Thinking that you can achieve perfection at once can be detrimental to your songwriting career.
- Get Some Feedback
When it comes to songwriting, your goal is to make others happy with the music. It is easy to fall in love in your own song, but a good song is one that others love, too.
Value feedback and ask people to tell you what they think of your song. Seek honest opinions. These will guide you to your perfect song.
- Use Your Experience
“My experience with song writing is usually so confessional, it’s so drawn from my own life and my own stories.” -said Taylor Swift, a popular American songwriter and singer.
This is probably something you already know, but you might not have taken it seriously. Most of the popular songs in history are based on personal experiences and real-life events. Use your experience to achieve the same strong effect through a song.
- Record Every Spur of the Moment Idea
Have you had an excellent melody in your head or a lyrics idea that faded away because you did not record it at the time? Make notes of your ideas while they are still fresh to avoid this frustrating feeling. A short recording on the phone or several words on a piece of paper can serve as a reminder when you get the time to work on the song.
As Conor Oberst said: “There’s still a lot of mystery to songwriting. I don’t have a method that I can go back to – they either come or they don’t.”
- Keep the Track Simple
We don’t say that you have to create simple music, but your first attempt at it should always be as simple as possible. You will build on it and accelerate the writing process on the second and every next attempt.
Once you have a basis of a song, you can move on to adding instruments, background lyrics, etc. Overcomplicating things from the beginning can only cause you a headache later.
- Work with Others
If you work with other musicians, you will learn that everyone has a writer’s block at some point or another. Collaborating them can offer you new ways to create songs, get you a fresh perspective on the existing tracks, and keep you open to new songwriting challenges.
- Take Breaks
Writing a song can often be frustrating, so make sure to take short breaks in between. Staying away from the instrument or the pad for at least 15 minutes can help your creativity and motivation, and get you back on track with fresh ears.
Are you ready for your next songwriting challenge? Turn your ideas and talents into the most addictive song there is and remember, the best songwriters create from the heart!
BIO
Laura Buckler is an author at Essays Scholaradvisor and a lifestyle writer who has created thousands of articles for magazines, newspapers and other Internet publications. She is dependable and very hard working. When Laura is not writing, she is spending some time with her little girls and a dog named Jacky. Find her on twitter.
