In the first installment of How to write a song, We will be looking at the very beginning of the writing process. There are several ways that people use to get the creative juices following.  Lets take a look at some of them.

The beginning of most songs start with one of the following, Lyrics, Harmony, (Chord progression) Melody, or a guitar lick or musical phrasing.  There are no right or wrong ways of starting to write.  Many great song have been started in all of these ways.  Most of us tend to lean towards one method naturally more then the others.  Myself I tend to be more of a guitar lick, or chord progression kind of a guy.  It is important for each of us to find the way that is most comfortable for us.

There are some good ideas and principles to keep in mind as you use these different methods.

Lyrics

Starting with a phrase or sentence is a great way to start writing.  A catchy lyrical phrase or a hook can make or brake a song, so if you get a catchy phrase in your head then run with it.

Music Harmony

Grabbing your instrument of choice and creating an interesting chord progression, can also be a great way to start the creative process.  Some times you can get a tune in your head and bring that to the instrument as well.  This method does work well just be aware that when writing this way on the guitar it your melody can tend to have a limited range when writing this way if you are not careful.

Music Melody

Creating a melody is also a great way to start a song, though I think it can be more difficult to do, (that may just be me) if you can do it with the melody first it can often make for a great song.  Melody tends to get lost in a lot of modern music, so if you can create a good melody it will stand out from the crowd.

Musical phrasing or lick

Finding a great sounding guitar lick can go a long way in making a great song.  There are some drawbacks to it though.   Even with a good sounding guitar part make sure the other aspects of the song like the melody are strong as well.

There is no wrong way to start writing a song, it really is a personal preference, that we develop.  It is all good as long as the song gets done.

One thing you can try if you are having a hard time starting a song, is to trying starting in a way that you usually don’t do.  Sometimes this can give things a jump start and get you on your way.  When you are stumped it is worth a try.

We will be looking further into how to write a song in our next lesson.