Arts >> Music >> Songs & Lyrics

Steps for Song Writing

Writing a song is essentially writing poetry that goes to music. Musical lyrics are just one division of poetry, so it is conceivable that any poem could be put to music, with the right scansion and tempo. Writing a piece of music is no easy task, however. It takes consideration, artistic daring and an appreciation for musical theory and form. There are several steps that you can follow when attempting to write a piece of music to make it as good as it possibly can be.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find something that inspires you. The hardest part in writing a song is finding an award-winning idea that you can truly be passionate about. Do not try to write a song based on events or circumstances that you do not know about or have never personally experienced. Read some poetry, take nature walks or listen to other music to find your inspiration.

    • 2

      Write the music for the song. It is much easier to write most -- if not all the music -- before writing the words.

    • 3

      Develop a chorus. The chorus is the part of the song that is played numerous times during the song and is basically the core of the musical piece. Once you have your concept, the chorus comes next.

    • 4

      Write your first verse. This is the narrative or leading action of your song that builds up to the chorus each time. A piece of music should always have at least one verse.

    • 5

      Write any following verses. Though you do not need to have 10 verses, two or three is normal.

    • 6

      Write any other aspect of the song you wish to include. A song needs a chorus and a verse, but it can also have bridges and pre-choruses.

    • 7

      Practice the song with the music.

Songs & Lyrics

Related Categories