The Art and Craft of Songwriting

song

The art and craft of songwriting is a great way to develop your talent.

The first step in writing a song is to choose the concept, title, lyric, melody, and hook of the song. Using these elements helps you shape the rest of your song into a more polished and complete work of art.

Depending on the genre of your song, there may be some established rules for song structure that you can follow. However, it is always a good idea to challenge yourself and try new things in your music.

Start with your concept, then write a lyric and melody that fit the theme of the song, as well as an intriguing hook. This could be a repeated line or phrase that has an appealing rhythmic lick, a catchy chorus or vocal refrain, or even something like a short instrumental section.

Approach your lyric-writing with both structure and spontaneity, like a poet. You might know what the song will be about in broad terms or have a few lyrical ideas already written; but learning to let your words flow is an important part of songwriting.

Once you have the concept, lyric, melody, and hook in place, the next step is to decide on the song structure, which usually involves an introduction, verse, chorus and bridge. Adding a pre-chorus, refrain, or instrumental solo can also help your song stand out from the crowd and make it more unique.