Coming up with new song ideas can be one of the most difficult aspects of songwriting. It's not always easy to find something interesting to write a song about. Here are some songwriting tips that will help to get the creative juices flowing!
1. Read a Good Book
Or watch a movie! Anything that is moving or thought-provoking can do the trick. Take the story you just saw or read about and distill it down to its essence. This is a task unto itself and is where the rewrite comes into play. But you will have conquered one of the hardest steps of writing a song: Finding something to write about! You don't even have to write about the whole story. Choose one aspect of it, or describe the nature of the relationship between two of the characters.
2. Are You Playing Around?
Just noodling around with a melody on the guitar or piano can trigger some great song ideas. I always prefer to start with melody anyway, so this is a method that tends to work well for me. To keep things fresh try playing and writing a song in a different tuning or a key you don't normally play in. This will help to spark your creativity and it will keep you excited because those unfamiliar chords will sound so new to you.
3. Good Morning Pages
In Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, she suggests adopting the practice of writing three pages of whatever pops into your head right after you wake up each morning. She calls them Morning Pages. You needn't worry about whether or not they make any sense; just write them. When you read over them later you may be surprised at what jumps out at you. I have come up with many good song ideas this way.
4. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Keep your ears open for interesting phrases when you're out and about. You never know when or where you'll hear one but you'll know it when you do. A great line can practically write a song all by itself. However, don't overlook the common or the cliché. "It's Complicated" and "See You Around" aren't bad song titles.
5. What Lies Beneath
Take some time to ponder the meaning of life. You don't have to get all religious (but you can if that's your thing). Try to catch a glimpse behind the curtain. What's it all about? The so-called "coincidences" we all experience, the extra special connection you share with that particular person. Write a song about these things! The mystery of our existence is a gold mine of great song ideas.
6. Love of My Life
This one's obvious! Writing a song about your significant other is always a great idea. Love songs will always be the most popular of all song ideas. They will never go out of fashion and they will always take on a special meaning for anyone who has ever been in love. Write a song for the special love of your life. Take your time and make it a good one. It will bring you closer and you will have a great love song in your repertoire. I'm going to go and write a song for the special love of my life. It's going to be a good one.
7. Go Shopping
Yes, you read that right! "But what does going shopping have to do with songwriting?" you ask. Nothing! Sometimes you just have to get away and treat yourself to a new pair of shoes. Pamper yourself with a facial. We have to remember that we are people first. We must get out there and live. Go for a hike in the woods and soak in all of the sights and sounds. Go to the local museum and learn something new about how we used to live. The deeper our knowledge and the richer our experiences, the more we have to draw on when writing a song. Don't neglect this last tip. It may be the most important one of all. Happy writing!
1. Read a Good Book
Or watch a movie! Anything that is moving or thought-provoking can do the trick. Take the story you just saw or read about and distill it down to its essence. This is a task unto itself and is where the rewrite comes into play. But you will have conquered one of the hardest steps of writing a song: Finding something to write about! You don't even have to write about the whole story. Choose one aspect of it, or describe the nature of the relationship between two of the characters.
2. Are You Playing Around?
Just noodling around with a melody on the guitar or piano can trigger some great song ideas. I always prefer to start with melody anyway, so this is a method that tends to work well for me. To keep things fresh try playing and writing a song in a different tuning or a key you don't normally play in. This will help to spark your creativity and it will keep you excited because those unfamiliar chords will sound so new to you.
3. Good Morning Pages
In Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, she suggests adopting the practice of writing three pages of whatever pops into your head right after you wake up each morning. She calls them Morning Pages. You needn't worry about whether or not they make any sense; just write them. When you read over them later you may be surprised at what jumps out at you. I have come up with many good song ideas this way.
4. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Keep your ears open for interesting phrases when you're out and about. You never know when or where you'll hear one but you'll know it when you do. A great line can practically write a song all by itself. However, don't overlook the common or the cliché. "It's Complicated" and "See You Around" aren't bad song titles.
5. What Lies Beneath
Take some time to ponder the meaning of life. You don't have to get all religious (but you can if that's your thing). Try to catch a glimpse behind the curtain. What's it all about? The so-called "coincidences" we all experience, the extra special connection you share with that particular person. Write a song about these things! The mystery of our existence is a gold mine of great song ideas.
6. Love of My Life
This one's obvious! Writing a song about your significant other is always a great idea. Love songs will always be the most popular of all song ideas. They will never go out of fashion and they will always take on a special meaning for anyone who has ever been in love. Write a song for the special love of your life. Take your time and make it a good one. It will bring you closer and you will have a great love song in your repertoire. I'm going to go and write a song for the special love of my life. It's going to be a good one.
7. Go Shopping
Yes, you read that right! "But what does going shopping have to do with songwriting?" you ask. Nothing! Sometimes you just have to get away and treat yourself to a new pair of shoes. Pamper yourself with a facial. We have to remember that we are people first. We must get out there and live. Go for a hike in the woods and soak in all of the sights and sounds. Go to the local museum and learn something new about how we used to live. The deeper our knowledge and the richer our experiences, the more we have to draw on when writing a song. Don't neglect this last tip. It may be the most important one of all. Happy writing!
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