Ever wondered how to write a song? Want to write better lyrics but don’t know how? Well today I’m going to share with you some of my best songwriting tips, so you too can put together a professional sounding song.
Writing a good song is a skill. With enough practice anyone can write one, but with the right technique and imagination you can create a master piece. While the imagination side of things is largely down to you (Although we give you some ways to generate ideas later in this step by step guide), the technical side of things is where we can help you out.
In all honesty, there is no one way to write a good pop, rap or rock song. Everyone has had different experiences, emotions, and beliefs, and all of these things will play a big part in the way you put it together. That said, there are certain best practices you can follow to make the most out of your songwriting process. This is what we hope to pass on to you today; proven techniques that will have you writing better songs each and every time.
This guide will help you no matter what genre of music you make, and whether you want to write lyrics as a singer, or write rap lyrics to a hip hop beat. Either way, these tips should be relevant for you.
So, let’s look at how to write a song. If you enjoy this article, please share it via social networking sites as a thank you, and / or link to it from your own site.
* The above video is an audio version of half of this guide. To see the full guide, read to the bottom of this post.
Bonus: Get Your Free Song Ideas Ebook
Better than a song ideas generator, get your free song ideas ebook by clicking one of the below social sharing buttons. It’s 100% free and gives you plenty of lyric ideas for writing the perfect song:
Different Approaches On How To Write A Song
Ok, before we go into the technique of putting your lyrics together, we need to look at the different approaches we can take to song writing. There are two main ways you can go about doing this:
- Writing lyrics first then finding an instrumental to match it after, or
- Writing to a pre-made instrumental or beat.
Both methods have their pros and cons. For example, the first methods means you can write lyrics no matter where you are, which of course is a good thing. All you need is somewhere to write the lyrics down (So you remember them later), and the motivation to create a great song. And if you have a smartphone, you can use a notepad app to write your lyrics on the move. You can then match your lyrics to a beat later on, or simply sing or rap them acapella to your audience.
This method can be very handy, as many song writers get inspiration at the weirdest times. You could be sitting on a bus and get an idea for a song, or you could be half asleep and suddenly jolt awake as you think of an epic chorus. Of course, in these instances it’s not really practical to bring out your music player and start finding a backing track to write to.
When inspiration hits like this, it’s often a better idea to simply write down your ideas on your phone or on a bit of paper, and finish it off later when you are in a better position to do so. This is why many song writers walk around with their note pad to take down any lyric ideas that come to them.
The downside to this methods however can be finding the right backing track after. It can occasionally (Not always) take a while to find the perfect instrumental to fit with your lyrics, so bare this in mind if you decide to take this path.
The other option is to find a beat first, then write lyrics over it. If you want to develop the skill of writing lyrics to a song, you need to pay close attention to the melody or rhythm of the backing track in question. If you have a beat or instrumental you want to write something to, you need to play it and listen to it for a while.
Get a good feel for the song, and allow inspiration for ideas to enter your mind. You should try to make the lyrics you’re writing down connect with the way the instrumental makes you feel. The more feelings and emotions you inject into your lyrics, the better the song will usually turn out.
Some musicians however, find it hard creating lyrics like this. If you’re having troubles using this method, a good idea is to think of a subject for your song first, then write to the beat once you have a subject matter firmly in your mind. This will then allow you to focus only on writing lyrics around this theme, and writing to the same speed and structure of the backing track.
You don’t have to stick to just one of these two strategies, you can try both and see which one works best for you. I know people that use both methods at different times, so don’t feel you have to just stick to one.
Songwriting Tips – Coming Up With A Subject For Your Lyrics
Coming up with a subject for your song is the first thing you should aim to do before you write a song. While it’s not 100% essential, it’s often a good idea to have our song following a rough subject matter which our listeners can relate to.
Many songs don’t have a set subject matter, and can still do well if they’re catchy and appeal to a specific target audience. That said, choosing a subject matter will make things a lot easier for you when it comes to writing song lyrics. It’ll also mean that your fans will be able to connect with your song on a deeper level, as they will be able to relate to what you’re saying.
There are a few ways to come up with ideas for your song. Firstly, you can build on a line that you have already created. You may have written down a line in a moment of inspiration, and you may find you can create a whole song around the theme of that line. This is often the easiest method, as you most likely have feelings about this subject if you’ve started writing about it.
A second method is to decide you want to write about a specific subject, and go on to create your lyrics from there. So for example, you may decide you want to write about something because it’s an experience you’ve been through before. Or you may see something you have an opinion on / think will make a good song, and write about it accordingly.
A final option is to get inspiration from a backing track. Sometimes when you listen to a beat, you will start to get ideas for what a song should be about. Ideas will flow to your mind, and you can pick one of these and build out the song from there.
Once again, all of these methods can be used by any one musician. You don’t have to pick one method for how to write a song, you can use the various different techniques at different times.
Once you have a subject, let’s look at the lyric writing. We don’t want basic or childish lyrics, so this is something we’ll need to practice on.
How To Write A Chorus For A Song (Creating The Hook)
If you are a beginner songwriter, the easiest way to start writing your own songs is to begin with a hook (Also known as the chorus). If you’re writing to a beat, you will want to listen to it for a while, and begin writing down everything that starts coming to your mind. These will usually be a line or two of lyrics, or a set melody structure you can write to. Once you have brainstormed a few ideas onto paper, you will hopefully have a stand out idea you can base your chorus around. If not, continue with this process until you do. You can get some ideas on being more creative with your songwriting here.
You may also find you have written more then one idea for a good chorus. If this happens, pick the one that is most suited for this song, then save the rest for other future songs you write. That songwriting tip will mean that you are already ahead when it comes to creating a new piece, and will make the song writing process a lot easier the next time around.
Developing a good chorus is critical when it comes to making good songs, because the chorus is what connects each verse to one another. While it doesn’t need to rhyme, it will need to be catchy, and instantly grab the attention of people that hear it. While there are some exceptions to this rule, writing catchy choruses are often the way to go.
Depending on your target audience, you may also want to make your song lyrics easy to remember. If you keep your chorus lyrics basic but easy to sing along to, this can help your song stay in people’s mind. This will mean more people will hear, as not only will it get played more, but people will be singing it so others will hear it like that too. This tactic works especially well if you want your songs to appeal to kids, as they pick up on catchy song and lyrics very easily. They can also bug their parents till they go out and buy your song, which can only be a good thing. 😀
If you don’t want to go for a fully catchy chorus but want people to sing along and support your song, another option is to look for current news that most people are debating about, and try to incorporate how you feel about the matter into your lyrics for the chorus.
Nine times out of ten, there are other people out there that feel the same way you do about the subject. This will give you an audience that will support your song simply because they can deeply relate to what you are talking about in it.
One key thing to remember, is to try and make your chorus flow smoothly with the melody of the instrumental. It doesn’t matter how good the lyrics in your song are if they are off beat, so make sure you make your lyrics and song sound like they belong together.
Creating The Verses For Your Song
Once you have your song’s hook, you now know what the subject of your song is going to be. So now all you have to do for the verses is make them stay consistent with the theme of the song.
In your first verse you want to grab your audiences attention quickly so they want to hear more. The first verse is where you need to inject the most emotions into your lyrics, as it’s often one of the first things your listeners will hear.
A great way to get ideas for the first verse is to use the phrases you used in your chorus. This will of course mean that the subject matter stays the same, and will also sound more familiar and appealing to the listener.
In the 2nd verse you continue to build on everything you stated in the first verse. Make sure the 2nd verse is still going on with the same theme, so anyone that has connected with the song so far will continue to be absorbed with what you have to say.
The great thing about song writing is that you don’t have to include a lot of details about everything you’re saying in the song. It’s possible to keep things relatively brief while still getting your message across to your audience.
After the first or second verse, you may want to include a ‘break down’ section. This is a part of the song that is different from the rest, both in terms of the backing track and lyrical delivery. It is usually slower and more mellow the the rest of the song, so when the song returns to it’s usual pace, it has more of an effect for the listener.
In this break down, you can either talk, leave it free from any lyrics or voice, or sing your lyrics as normal. Whatever you decide to do, try and make it sound different from the rest of the song.
If you decide to include a 3rd verse in your song (This will depend on how long your song is already and whether or not you’ve anything else to say), this 3rd verse should once again keep the theme of the song going. Don’t go too far off topic, and start getting ready to end the song. When you are finishing the song, you should end it with a strong final message.
Checking Over All The Lyrics You’ve Written
Once you are done writing your final verse, it’s time to read the lyrics you just wrote, and make any necessary changes to the song to make it better. Going back over your work will allow you to spot errors and make sure the overall concept of your song works together.
It’s also a good idea to sleep a night or two on your draft copy of the song, as this will allow you to see things fresh and see if you can change your songs for the better in any way.
How To Write A Song For Beginners In 2019 Conclusion
And that’s it. Writing songs isn’t hard, but does require some practice and experience. The more you practice writing songs, the better you will naturally become. You will find you start to write your lyrics a lot faster, and you will naturally become better at structuring your songs.
Now that you know what you need to do to start writing your own song lyrics, pick up a pen and start writing. Good luck. 🙂
P.S. Remember though, none of what you’ve learned will matter if you don’t know how to get your music out there and make people WANT to hear it. Want to learn how to do that? Then get our free music marketing ebook emailed directly to you!
Most of the guides on this site are by Shaun Letang - the founder of Music Industry How To. You can read more about him and this site 
truly agree with all the ideas n ways y’all posted about “writing a good song” .
bottom line for me is to try to be able to be as flexible as possible ! .
Good stuff Wan, great minds think alike right. 😉
Flexibility is very important when it comes to song writing. Sometimes you may want to say something, but have to word it differently so it flows with the rest of the song.
Thanks for reading.
Good thinking! 🙂
Love Maddy.
Do you need to be really creative to write a song ?
Creativity helps, but if you’re not naturally creative you can practice and you’ll become more so.
I want to make music but I cant find an app to use. Which app can I use?
this is helpful (:
Glad to hear it Claire 🙂
well this is a little compilcated for a beggnier because i want to write a song but this is a little compilcated but it is very good advice for everyone i would say but a little less understood for beggniers
Sorry,
a reader of your website.
Hi Sarah, sorry to hear that. What did you want to know about the songwriting process that you’re not clear on? Let me know and I may do a follow up post simplifying it for you and others.
I think this is a lot of word for beginners though i am not a beginner so it was good advice for me.
Glad you found it helpful, beginner songwriters can read it bit by bit if it helps.
Hi, my name is Heba and I am eleven years old and I found this very helpful. Anyway, next year, in my school their going to do a Talent Show and I want to make a beat of my idea,but I don’t know how. Could you please tell me how? And is beat have to be repeated?
Hi Heba. Your best bet is to get a beat from someone who already produces, as this’d mean you can get a good quality beat quickly. You can find music producers on forums related to your genre.
If you do want to make your own beats though, the following guide shows you where to get cheap music production software which you can use to make them. Good luck at your talent show, let me know how it goes. 🙂
I love this pls do more
Two new guides go up every week Ajibade, be sure to like my Facebook page to be updated on when. 🙂
Is it advisable for someone to be a musician of rap and r&b genre at d same time?
There’s absolutely no problem with that Michael, if you can do both to a good level then go for it!
Tru
But if you don’t have enough time to do both you will lose both of your carriers, won’t you.
If you don’t have the time to do both do one. 🙂
Hi Shaun, I just wanted to ask If you can use the same beat from another song you like? I’m not going to completely Copy it, Its just hard for me to make a melody for the song since i don’t know how to play any instuments. I’m starting to get interested in writing songs. Melodies and tempoes are not my thing. Thanks for the help =)
That is possible. Depending how far you’re going to take the song however, you may need to get permission from the producer if it comes to releasing the song. But good luck with the writing. 🙂
hey bro wen your wrighting a song do u use a beat some times from other rappers
Yes, there’s nothing wrong with doing that at all!
Can we make albums and sell them in stores for fame, or do we need a record label to do that?
It’s possible to get your album into stores yourself Angel. You’ll need to build your name up to a good level to get into some of the bigger stores though, and it will cost money to get the units pressed up and all the CDs distributed. If you want a cheaper way of getting your music out there, you may want to use a digital distributor like Songcast to get your music on iTunes, Amazon MP3 etc. This is recommended when you’re starting out.
hey, i was thinking about writing a songbut i cant start it off . have you got any ideas?
Hi Rebecca. It’s best to start off with something you feel strongly about at the time. Are you thinking of love? Of annoyances with work or school? Of how you want to be the best person you can be? What ever it is, start there, and write down those feelings to make a song which genuinely represents you. Good luck. 🙂
A really long move across country any ideas?
Hi Katelyn, what do you mean by that?
I have been writing songs for 10 years and recently had a tragic experience in which my fiance’ of 4 years broke up with me. I was so depressed and wanted to write it all down, but I had writers block. This article got me out of rut! Thank you
Wow, sorry to hear about your ex fiance’ Kerry. Glad to hear the guide’s got you out of your rut though, hopefully expressing your feelings through song writing will help you cope with the break up that bit better. All the best with your future.
Hi im a beginner in songwriting i have some titles but cant think of anything… some of them are Im dieing, tears, read my mind. Here is a little bit that i have come up with -your on my mind your in my thoughts your in my prayers. Hope you can help.
Hi Steph. Your best bet is just to think of a subject close to you, that you have a lot of opinions on. Then record yourself for five minutes talking about this subject. All different areas of it. Or if it’s something you think about a lot but don’t know everything, also ask question in there then try and give your view whether right or wrong.
Once you’ve done that, listen back to it and make a song out of some of the things you’re saying. All the content will be there, you’ll now just have to structure it so it sounds good together. Good luck. 🙂
Hey! I’m going to make a song for a talent show, and I want to sing a fast love song, but I don’t have a beat. Is it boring without a beat? I can’t play any instruments, so this is going to be difficult.
Hi Cassidy. Going acapella (Without a beat) can be good if you’ve got a good voice. That said, getting a beat isn’t a bad idea either. You may even want to start out by doing the first verse acapella then the rest with a beat.
With regards to getting a backing track, have a look on https://soundcloud.com/ and search for the kind of beat you want. Get in contact with the producer, tell them you’d like to use their beat for a talent show, and see what they say. Furthermore, some producers put their beats up for anyone to download, so if you can find one of those, use that. That’s the quickest way to do things.
Good luck at your talent show, let us know how you do. 🙂
wow, this is seriously helpful, but do you have any ideas for how to keep the chorus to fit the verses? Sometimes i find it hard to keep a consistent “theme” and the chous won’t always fit in with the verses, as a result! (as I play with a guitar, the strumming patterns can end up being disrupted, too)
Hi Mike. One idea is to write the chorus first. Have this include your main point, then elaborate on the point in the verse. That should work.
Hey my name is glenn and I’m 13 I have always been wantin to write a song bout how much I love this girl. She has helped me through a lot so I thought I should give somethin back. I don’t know how to start. If there’s anyway people can help plz let me know and I don’t know wat I should put in my lyrics. I need bad help. Oh and I’m hopin I can make it sound country
Hi Glenn, that’s really sweet. Your best bet would be to write down how you feel about her, and turn that into song. So mention how she helps you, how she makes you feel, and how you’d help her out. From there match it to a country instrumental, and make it flow with the track. If it’s your first time writing a song, maybe use the same melody as another song. Good luck. 🙂
Every Glenn I know is so sweet! You remind me of my brother (whose name is Glenn). When your singing it hold out the second vowel sound and it will sound more country. If you hold out the first it will seem more classical.
I need help beginning a song. Any ideas???
Hi Sarah. I’ve given some ideas already in the above comments, so check them out. 🙂
I am a guitar player, in the process of learning bass, and I wanted to write a few songs to play. I have found this very helpful, thanks!
Anyways.. I have a couple songs written already, but I am not sure how they would sound in front of a person, plus I am way to scared to perform in front of anybody. My point is.. I need some help with stage fright. I can’t even play in front of myself, I might sound like a total wuss, but do you have any tips? Just curious?
Hi Gabriel. You may want to check this guide on dealing with gig nerves. Good luck. 🙂
Hey 🙂 Recently, I have got really interested in writing songs (otherwise, Im a dancer), but I cant think of a theme or topic. I keep geting confused that whether i should write it on myself, or my parents or my friends…and also Im jst 13! So please can you help me out? Thanks 🙂
Hi Khushi. Read the above comments as in a few I give advice on picking a song subject to write about. Good luck. 🙂
Hey guys I’m Lil brother… and I have some suggestions for you… to make a song
First Off Big Props To our guy Shaun Letang for taking the time to discuss this topic….
Thank You Shaun!!!
Some words of wisdom…
Just let go and let flow.
Record or write it all down just keep flowing.
Then go back and tweak you r work…. and above all else… let no shatter your dreams….. just do it and do it right the first time and and enjoy the ride.
Thanks for the props Lil Brother, and thanks for the additional advice. I’m sure some of the readers will find it useful. 🙂
Hi Shaun, incredibly helpful tips above thank you! I’m planning to jump into College in a few months to become a music producer & with my passion for music I want to be as successful as I can, and obviously the job will not only require a knowledge of songwriting but I’d love to know personally as well just to help my own music.
I’m really just starting to take a step in songwriting but I’ve often realized that my work looks clumpy and a bit simplistic and childish. It’s not that I’m worried it wont change but I would like to know what kind of tips you might have as far as critiquing your work and helping it come along more smoothly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
One of the most important tips I can give you is this: Not every line in your songs has to rhyme with the next, as long as your lyrics ‘flow’.
One of the biggest reasons for lyrics sounding childish and basic is because people try and find matching / rhyming words too much. This isn’t necessary to write a good song, if fact sometimes it’s best to have the lyrics make sense and have real meaning instead.
As long as the lyrics don’t sound awkward on the ear when put to a beat, just say what you feel. You’ll find this gives you less ‘young’ sounding lyrics, and will open you up to writing a whole new style of song. Give it a try. 🙂
Hey Shaun I’m Leon and I’m 10 i want to make a love song for this girl I like and I’m just not creative I need help thanks.
Hi Leon. A good idea is to listen to other love songs out there and learn their lyrics. You’ll start to see how they’re put together, and it’ll help you discover what’s possible. The more you do this, the more creativity you’ll start to get.
Being creative doesn’t come overnight, but listen to more songs and keep trying new lyrics out. Even if they don’t sound good at first (Any you try and write), you’ll find as the weeks and months go on you’ll become better. It may sound like a long process, but you’re young, and in a year or two with enough practice you’ll be a really creative lyric writer. 🙂
Good luck with your song, I hope it goes well.
P.S. Check out some of the above comments I left for more song writing tips.
Someone give me a line or an idea to start with please 🙂
Okay, what do you like or hate? Have you ever felt alone? Even though I am just beginning i feel that some of my best starts are about my feelings. Hope that helps! :3
I think you should do what you feel in your heart and follow what your heart thinks and mind lol
Hi. I am 13 and I wanna write a song. No duh. Yet I’m stuck! I have one its called relay race. It goes-my heart skips a beat wonderin’ why my feet, can’t touch the ground im spinning round and round and round, wheres the finish line now? I have a melody for that much but im stuck for the rest of the words and melody. Help! I also have titles for other songs. Some of them are: gone, darkness, invisible, dance, and bewitching lullaby. What do you think?
Those are some good title Lark, definitely something you can work with.
I’m guessing your song’s a love song? If so, go on to talk about the girl. Maybe what she looks like, may where you’d take her on a date and the like. 🙂
well Im a girl
I am a girl sorry for the confusion
Nice i’m also stuck on a song but i came to the website for a reason….
Hard making a song at a age like this am I right?
I am 11 younger than you.
The more you practice the better you’ll get. Don’t give up. 🙂
Hi I’m having some trouble with ideas for a song that I want to write. It would really help if I have a line, topic, or even a beat. So please try to respond to me by my email or on the website when you have time. Thank you.
Hi Patrick. Have a look on SoundCloud, on there you’ll find producers which will let you use some of their beats to write to. Topic wise, just talk about whatever is on your mind. It could even be a song about writing a song if you’ve got a lot of thoughts on that. 🙂
Good luck, and check the other comments for more ideas for what to write about.
Hey Shaun, There’s something I need to ask. Umm, I’ve been writing a lyrics for a couple of days, but still didn’t work on me. I just don’t know how to make a smooth line,the flow like I wrote this “I am a teenager who has such a big dreams? ” I dunno whether its true or not. Dear Shaun, please help me :/
Keep going Nur, it can take a while before everything flows properly. Your first line is something to build on and I’m guessing it is true. 🙂
So now, think of a word that rhymes with ‘dreams’ and put it at the end of the next line. For example:
“I am a teenager who has such big dreams,
I’ll aim for the top ’cause I have the means…”
And go from there. The end of the next line could either rhyme with that one or start a new rhyming word every two lines. Good luck. 🙂
Hello! I am Tiana, a 14 year old girl. I always wanted to get into the music industry as a songwriter or participate.
Hi Tiana. It is possible, good luck with your journey.
So I can get the whole background thing okay, but I struggle with getting the melody right. (I am trying to do this thing from scratch) Any help or tips I can use. And I always feel like I am copying it from another song. How can I get my original song to sound even more original? I would appreciate it if you helped this poor 15 year old. Thanks!
The best way to write original lyrics is to brainstorm random words and subjects, then write to those. Even if you don’t end up using those songs, it’ll help you think outside the box and allow you to write more original lyrics in future. I’ve added more ideas for original lyrics and melody above, so have a look. 🙂
Anywhere online I can get my song critiqued?
I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are some. There’s a post on Music Marketing World about where to get your music reviewed, go on that site and search it using the search form.
Can someone please help me im trying to write a Christian song because my grandfather passed a few days ago and im trying to write a song to remember him by can i have any ideas please im only a 15 year-old boy also Silver is my nickname
Please answer me with my email i am currently in school and look at my email every day around 4 EST so if anyone has any ideas to help like lines, lyrics, a beat, or anything it would be a great help
Sorry to hear about your grandfather Silver, that’s really sweet writing a song for him. It needs to be a song coming from the heart though, and isn’t something people can help you with lyrics wise. Beast wise have a look on SoundCloud for one to use. Good luck putting together something that really means something to you.
I want to write a country LOVE song for my boyfriend and he doesn’t like country what should I do. Also I need help coming up with ideas for some song lyrics anybody
Is there any other kinds of song you could write for him? What kind of music does he like?
I am a music fanatic, but don’t play any instruments. Just recently writing a song came to mind. Is it possible to write a song and have someone else sing it?
Yes, that is very possible. A lot of people write songs then sell them to singers.
Also wouldn’t be a bad idea to touch up on some vocabulary. Enhancing that can expand your writing lyrically providing deeper meaning, and creating more options for rhyme execution. Alliteration always sounds pretty chill in raps. Be confident too. You have the opportunity to express yourself in your own way which makes you happy, good vibes!!
Very good advice Frankie, take note people. 🙂
Thank you!
You’re welcome Manny!
Thank you a lot for your article Shaun and Jason. You helped me. I took a note while reading it. I’ll return to it occasionally to check your tips again. And now I will move to marketing tip. Have a great day!
That’s really good to hear Sunyoung, I’m glad it was helpful. There are other singing related guides on this site as well, so have a look around and see if you find anything else useful. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Hi, I’m Tanner and I’m 10 years old and I found this very helpful. Infact, I wrote a Love song called “Love Me Baby”. I think it’s pretty darn cool!!!!!!!!
Nice one Tanner, congratulations on your first song! 😀
I love to write songs since I was a little girl and I believe anyone can become a song writter and become a star.
Anyone can write a song if they practice enough, becoming a star it harder but it can be done with enough talent and determination! 🙂
That is good advice but i want to know if this chorus would work
why would i wait for you
when all you have done
is make me think
that you could possibly
love me for me
Thanks Sophia. And yes, it will work as a chorus if you’re happy with it. 🙂
Yeah a wrote a song for a boy I like and in a part of it it says do you want to go out with me. And guess what he said YES thanks this website got me da love of my life ;P
Awww, that’s so sweet Deja. Congratulations! Glad I could help. 🙂
Believe this in the past hours a wrote 5 songs: Who is he, Nature, We are not so perfect, Love, Honestly and fire. This is one of the best websites ever thanks Shaun Letang you are the best ever song writer I know and once again you the man.
HEY BABE THANKS 4 THE SONG CYA AT SCHOOL ON TUESDAY LOVE YA BYE HUGZ AND KISSES.
Wow, that’s a lot of songs Deja!! Glad you’ve got things moving, well done! And thanks for the complement. 😉
If I want a catchy song and I can’t think of a theme/subject how do I get one without it being silly, can you give me a theme/subject.
Common subjects are love, money, having fun, and random subjects. You can make a song about anything catchy, it’s more about how you do your vocals. Catchy songs usually have repetitive choruses or rhyme / flow well.
I don’t have a website but at the same time trying to write a song
Hi Lenny. Look in the sidebar of this site (Left) and you’ll see a guide which shows you how to make a website quickly and easily. 🙂
Hi! My name is Bella and I am 13 years old! I am writing a song for my boyfriend that is leaving for vacation, and I only have a verse done and no chorus! It goes like this….
I think about you when I close my eyes, I think about you every moment of my life, cause your always in my mind. OOHH! Sometimes I get in my own way but I swear to you I will change!
Please help me finish the song!
Hi Bella, that’s nice of you. Song sounds good so far, can anyone reading this help her finish it? 🙂
Hi. I have a garage band and I have half a song for my boyfriend nothing for the second verse HELP PLZ.
Hi Monica. Hopefully some of the readers of this site can help you finish your songs, if anyone can leave a comment below please.
How many verses do you need in a song??
Also how many times shpuld you us the chorus??
I need help with the actual lyrics- if that makes sence?
I need to ask a few questioms about song writing but dont know where to start..
Would it help if i told you the situation im in ? 🙂
You can ask on here Paige, I’m sure people will be able to help you out. 🙂
i want to ask one thing, does song writing requires musical knowledge too?
can’t i just write a song without any knowledge of music. just like a poem.
It’s best to have music knowledge, as if you ever want to put the song to a backing track, at least the structure will already be suitable. If you write using a random structure, it’s often not going to sound good on the ears.
These tips are very helpful to people who already got an idea, but not beginners. Keep up the good work man and please explain more.
Hi Paul. Is there anything particular about song writing you wanted to know about? If I know then maybe I can write something else simpler for you.
Can i share some of my song that i made ok here it goes:
Don’t be afraid don’t try to hide open your wings and be a butterfly you are more perfect then you seem to think you loveable that’s what I think.
Thank you for looking at this I hope you liked it.
Thanks for sharing Lacey, sounds good. 🙂
Hi! I read your article and it gives amazing advice.
I am having a few problems on writing a song still. I have a few emotional topics that I could write about but I don’t know how to EXACTLY put the song altogether. I am also a beginner and I have bad stage fright. I also would really like to get noticed and really overcome my stage fright.
If you could give me a few tips I would be more than happy!
Thanks!
Hi Ashley. With regards to putting the song together, there’s no right or wrong way if you’re speaking about something you have specific thoughts about. As long as you’re lyrics are going in time to the backing track, just get your thoughts down and make sure the timing is the same each time.
I’ve written a guide looking at dealing with stage fright, you can check it out here.
Good luck!
Hello, I’m Georgia, I’m 13 and I found this quite helpful. I love music and have written a song before but…. I don’t think it’s that good and I don’t really have anything to base it on….. Friendship? Love… Maybe? I don’t know….. But I’d appreciate if you could think of anything I could maybe use…. (;
Thank you!
Georgia.
Hi Georgia. Friendship sounds like a good thing to base it on, either your friendships or friendships in general. Let us know how it goes. 🙂
Heh Shaun , my names Darryl. I’ve been doing some research on songwriting. I’ve been writing myself for about 25 yrs. I’ve decided to start my own website to help people with there songwriting problems. After reading in your comments section, I realized there is plenty of information that I don’t have. I place a link to your site, to help with those question I can’t answer. I hope that is OK?
regards Darryl
Hi Darryl, thanks for reaching out. That’s fine putting a link on your site to over here, it’s much appreciated. I hope your readers find it useful. Good luck with your site. 🙂
Hi , um, I’m trying to write songs, and can’t seem to get a good beat. Or idea. I guess this is more difficult than I thought. Maybe I’m just not cut out for it? I don’t know. A little help would be dreamy!
Ellie 😛
Hi Ellie. Yes writing a song can be a bit hard at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. Don’t give up, keep at it and you’ll get a lot better. Read this guide for tips on songwriting, and listen to other good song writers. What are they doing which you aren’t? Learn from them.
Hello, um whenever I am somewhere peaceful away from where people can hear me. I just start singing ( make sure it makes sense) and just let that beautiful voice sing. If it sounds pretty good, then you should record the beat you like in the song, or the whole thing, and listen to it after. Start upgrading the song your writing and try to sing it everyday, and just let it become very catchy. Then begin to write your song, make sure you remember your beat, and show that very close to you see it. This is just how I do it. Hopefully my advice is helpful.
Thanks for the advice Nyah, hopefully it helps Ellie and others write a better song. 🙂
Hi. Is there a special technique for composing a piece of music for instrumentals only or is it the same procedure? Also, I find it very difficult to compose rhyming lines. What can I do?
Hi Opyjoe. Composing instrumentals only with no lyrics uses some of the same theory (e.g. song structure) but you’ll need guides more specifically on that. Search the producer based guides on this site to make instrumentals.
When it comes to rhyming lines, have a look at how bigger songwriters do it and learn what makes them good. It’s a lot of trail and error, but over time you’ll get there. Have a look at my other songwriting guides (e.g. search the one on Creative Songwriting) for more specific and helpful tips.
Hi, Sir. My name is Fidelis from Nigeria, I have never been thought about composing a song but I grew up as a song writer and a singer but what you done has shed more light to me. Please Sir, can I compose a song without a chorus from begining to the end of it?
Hi Fidelis. Yes you can, you don’t need a chorus to make a song. Many rappers don’t use choruses. That said they can help make your song catchy, so make some some have them.
Hi Fidelis. Yes, you can write a song without a chorus. It’s often done, especially in the rap genre. But just so you know, choruses can help make your song catchy and therefore have more people singing and promoting it for you.
I have a problem with my chorus I was trying to compose, here it goes:
Baby I am crazy, o weh,
The way she’s moving say she’s killing me slowly,
Put off ya cloths, am ready o weh,
Having problem with the last line, can anyone help me out?
Hi. I am from India. Shall we start a band? I am searching for people who are interested in singing. If you are interested we will do some songs.
Email: arvide999 @ gmail.com
Hi my name is K-Stone and I am 16yrs old. I can sing but to write it down I will practically forget all that I have sung previously. Please, what do i do?
Hi K. Your best best is to keep going over the lyrics on paper for a few days until it’s all in your mind. Do it before bed, and read / sing your lyrics again in the morning. And through the day. Eventually it will stay in your mind with the song on paper.
You should also try and associate some lines of your lyrics with others, so as soon as you sing one line, the other pops into your head. Let us know how it goes after a few days of practicing from the paper. 🙂
Hello thanx for the advice really useful as I am a beginner but what about writing a melody? I have a little bit of chorus but I can’t get the melody down. What are your tips and thanx again.
I wanted to follow my idol’s steps and become an idol and at the same time a song writer, but the thing is I have no idea how to write a song. Sure I am very good at writing poems (not bragging) but I surely need some help at songwriting. So I searched google and found this website. It helped me understand a lot about songwriting. So thank you for for creating this site and i hope you can help even more people understand everything about song writing.
One more thing…. I’m quite confused… does the lyrics of a song have to rhyme?
I am a beginer! Which mean I really need help writing songs…
What other than the tips mentioned above do you need help with Laticia?
Someone who went to a music school once told me that there was a term for writing lyrics to a song that makes no sense. Do you know what the term is?
Nice advice I’m working on one called fire heart
I want to write music like Chris Brown. I don’t know how I could possibly do that… Help
I love music a lot and I am also a composer of music. But I have a little problem with my voice, it cracks whenever I sing. Do you have any ideas to stop this?
I want to write hip hop like Migos or anyone who’s good. I need help, I’m a beginner. I’m 20 years old and I want to become a songwriter.
I have been writing a lot of songs but I just need help to see if they make sense.
The tips are really interesting to go through. @Alexis I advise you make new friends and ask them to listen to your song. What they tell you will motivate you because I already believe what you create is awesome. I am Conscience from Nigeria. Message me on Instagram.
Hi my name is Shreya and I’ve just turned 14 a month ago. I’ve recently found out that writing songs is something which I truly love to do!! Your tips are very helpful!! Thanks so much!!
Also my first song is called “scrolling in the dark”.
While this article and video have some very good information the part about not needing details in a song I could not disagree with more. The only exception is writing for sync as yes, there you do not want details because they might conflict with what’s going on the scene. However, aside from that the details are what takes the listener on a journey and allows them to relate to the song thru their senses. Which paints a better a better picture…”I remember way back when we hung out” or ” It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long”. The latter puts you in a place and gives you an image. You may say well Pop lyrics don’t have detail…look at Katy Perry or Keshia…”Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack” not… “I had a drink”. One my song writing mentors, hit writer Jason Blume says it best… A.I.D. = Action Image Details. When you add these elements your song goes to another level and will better connect with your listeners.
Nice, I just need help for you guys. I have been writing gospel songs.