Songwriter Advisor Blog

In Part 1 of this series we learned that songwriters can actually train their minds to create ideas and starting points for songs when they least expect it, in hopes of coming up with original, catchy songs when the inspiration strikes!

Without getting too technical (I might confuse myself) I can tell you our minds filter all the stimulation we absorb through our five senses, and if you’re a songwriter, with proper training and knowledge, you can subconsciously harness all that power running through your mind’s filter and eventually allow song ideas to spring into your head! 

“How do I do that?” you ask.   The answer is less complicated than you probably think.  This is what you have to do, step-by-step:

1.  Learn all the songwriting basics necessary to write songs.  Check out this free beginner songwriting guide, this free step-by-step songwriting guide, or consider a more complete but lengthier songwriting guide such as Six Steps to Songwriting Success, Revised Edition (Due out 10-02-2008): The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songswritten by Jason Blume.

The point here is to learn all the necessary songwriting basics so you have strong knowledge of all the sections used in songwriting. These include; intro, verse, prechorus, chorus, bridge, instrumental, raps, and spoken word parts. You need to train yourself to automatically recognize the different sections that make up songs and how they are used. This takes studying songs and actually writing your own songs (although it’s helpful, you don’t even have to know how to play an instrument to learn songwriting basics).

2. Listen to your favorite songs and pick out the most interesting parts such as the song hook, parts of a verse, a certain rap line, etc.  Now, what you’re looking for is a short catchy line that stands out as being the most memorable part of the song.  As mentioned in Part 1, these are also song areas for you to study and analyze: 

1. a great original song title
2. a catchy melody (usually a short musical phrase)
3. an interesting lyric
4. an infectious rhythm
5. a pleasing harmony
6. any other song component

For example, in Leona Lewis’ smash hit single “Bleeding Love” the part that stands out most to me is, “I keep bleeding I keep, keep bleeding love.”  This is a very short phrase that keeps repeating as the song’s hook.  It contains interesting lyrics and a catchy melody, the most common example as it relates to this exercise.  A great original song title is also there to boot!  This short phrase could have definitely been an idea that just popped into a songwriter’s head!  This sort of thing happens all the time to hit songwriters and you can do it, too. 

3.  Once you know all the songwriting basics and you’re able to recognize different parts of songs, the next step is to really dive deep into writing your own original songs.  You may have already started to compose your tunes by now anyway, but I’m talking about continually and consistently trying to write songs.  You will eventually reach that “zone” where song ideas spring out like water from a faucet!  Many pro songwriters swear they become so consumed by songwriting in phases (usually a few weeks) several times a year because the ideas just don’t stop!    

The trick is to know all the songwriting basics, to know what to look for in songs, and to become really active in your songwriting by continually trying to compose songs. 

The more songs you write, the more experience and knowledge you gain, and before you know it, you will reach that “effortless zone” those pro songwriters seem to reach all the time.  For some songwriters, reaching “songwriting mode,” a condition created by yourself whereby you effortlessly come up with great song ideas, can take a few weeks to several months to a few years.  It depends on how hard you really want to work at your songwriting craft.     

 Be patient-with experience and practice, there’s no doubt you will eventually get to a point where great song ideas stream into your head.  Just don’t try to force the ideas into your head-this will create too much stress, and you’ll actually regress instead of progress.  I know-’cause I’ve been there!

If you’re looking for a great idea for a song that’ll affect your listeners, look no further than your life experiences.

You see, chances are that many people have experienced much of what you have, so they’ll be able to identify with your songs!

On a sheet of paper or on your computer, start listing moments or periods in your life that you believe people will be able to relate to.  Using my own life as an example, here are just a few:

1.  I’ll never forget the first day I saw my wife–it was at a hot Miami dance club.  She walked in and looked a little out of place (because I didn’t want to believe she was a barfly-boy if she reads this I’ll really be in trouble!).  Anyway, I struck a conversation with her, and she blew me off, basically saying she was not interested!  (*****I wrote a country tune to this called, “She Doesn’t Know It Yet”)     

2.  I had a good friend who was facing a gigantic family crisis and I lent as much moral support as I possibly could.  My friend eventually got back on track and was very grateful.  (******I wrote an R&B ballad to this life experience called, “Find Your Way Back Home”)

3.   Living on South Beach for a few years, I remember people-watching, specifically while having an early morning breakfast at the 11th street diner at 3:00 A.M. every now and then as the most original, peculiar people would pass by.  (*****I haven’t written anything to this yet, but the title, “Why Be Normal?” is dancing in my head for perhaps a dance song)

4.   Like most every person on this planet (hint! hint!-this has to be a great, universal topic) I’ve lived through many ups and down, joys and heartaches, failures and victories. (*****I took one specific, proud period in my life and turned it into an inspirational song called “I Shall Prevail”)

I can literally go on and on!   But I’ll stop right here and give you one last tip; Once you pick a song idea out of one of your life experiences, concentrate on specific things that occurred, i.e., “She strutted in through the double-doors/and into the smoky room/her ruby-red lipsticktold me I was doomed……..  You get the idea!