Take your notepad and write 12 bars for your new song.
Choose the Key for your song. Adapt it to the roman numerals you see in the 12-Bar Blues chord progression. For example: If you choose the Key of 'C', the ''I'' chord will be 'C7,'
the ''IV'' chord will be 'F7,' and the ''V'' chord will be 'G7.'
Choose a rhythm or style for your song. It could be some type of blues, rock, ballad or other.
Decide a theme to write about. Brainstorm on possible lyric ideas.
Grab your instrument. Play the 12-Bar Blues chord progression repeatedly. Come up with melodies for each phrase. Capture these melodies via a recording device, music notation or guitar tablature.
Choose a melody for Phrase 1 (Bars 1 to 4). Use the same melody or create a similar melody for Phrase 2 (Bars 5 to 8).
Choose a contrasting variation of the preceding melodies for the last Phrase (Bars 9 to 12).
Re-write your lyric ideas and match them to the melodies you chose. Pat Pattison, professor at Berklee College of Music, recommends: Try to express images with your words. For example, instead of saying: ''Your love has turned cold',' you could say: ''Your eyes are now two ice cubes that have frozen my soul''
Summarize the essence of your story/lyrics. Create a repeatable phrase that sums it all up. This will become your Refrain. The remaining lyrics can be material for the other phrases.
Decide the instrumentation you imagine for the piece. Write it down. Consider timbres, colors and textures for the concept.