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How do I
improve my songwriting?
The best way is to constantly and persistently study what
hit songwriters do. Learn from the best. Listen to the radio
and take notes on what hit songs have in common. What is their
structure like? Do they end verses on major or minor chords?
Do they have a bridge? How many bars are in the intro?
The best novelists are people who constantly
read, and the same just might be true of songwriters. Reading
helps develop a writer's sense of worldliness. The more things
you know about and understand, the more you can write about.
Reading books
about songwriting will also put you at a tremendous advantage.
Become obsessed. Study and write every day.
You couldn't be a starting quarterback in the NFL without
spending years in training. The same is true of great songwriters.
They are rarely, if ever born into this world as great songwriters.
They become great by learning from the great writers who came
before them.
Hint: Stay current. Don't write songs that
could have been hits when you were twenty-one (unless you
are twenty-one). Write songs that will appeal to today's audience.
Remember that you aren't competing with your
friends and peers. To really be in the music business and
get your songs cut, you need to be competitive with the top
writers of the day.
What if
I just write lyrics?
Frankly, it's exceptionally rare that someone in the music
business asks, "Can you find me a lyricist - quick?!"
Not to say that somebody who is strong with melodies might
not look for a collaborator whose strength is lyrics. But
it is very rare that a record label would hunt down somebody
who just writes lyrics.
Could working
with another songwriter improve my chances of success?
Yes, in at least two ways. Number one: Two heads are often
better than one. You just might write a better song with a
collaborator.
Number two: If you're really lucky, the person
you co-write with may be more advanced and/or better connected
than you are, giving you a leg up on getting your songs cut.
Songwriting Articles
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