Over the years, a common question we’ve been asked by budding songwriters is “What are some of your top tips for beginners?”. In this article, we aim to answer that question with 5 practical, and actionable tips that we wish we knew when we started out.
The article titled “5 Practical Tips For Beginner Songwriters To Embrace” from “How To Write Songs” provides essential advice aimed at novices in songwriting. Authored by Veronica Tan, the content is structured around a video titled “5 Mistakes Beginner Songwriters Should Avoid” and offers actionable insights to improve songwriting skills. Here’s a summary of the five key tips provided:
- Watch Your Pronouns: Songwriters are advised to maintain consistency in pronouns within their lyrics to avoid confusing the listener. This consistency helps in maintaining a clear narrative perspective.
- Change Your Starting Chord: To differentiate song sections more clearly, songwriters should avoid starting every section with the home chord (tonic chord). Experimenting with different starting chords can help maintain the listener’s interest and enhance musical storytelling.
- Vary Your Melodic Phrasing: Rather than starting every melodic phrase on the first beat, varying the entry point of lyrics can create a more engaging melody and give both the lyrics and the melody space to breathe.
- Write More: Emphasizing quantity over perfection, the article encourages songwriters to write more frequently. This practice helps in overcoming perfectionism and fear of failure, fostering growth and creativity.
- Start From a Hook: Instead of writing songs from beginning to end, starting with a hook or a core message can focus the songwriting process and make the central theme more impactful.
The article ends by encouraging persistence and critical revision as key to advancing songwriting skills. For more details, examples, and explanations, check out the accompanying video.
Source: 5 Practical Tips For Beginner Songwriters To Embrace – How To Write Songs
