Songwriting is an art form full of choices, and one of the first decisions every songwriter faces is where to begin: with lyrics, with music, or perhaps with both at the same time. This choice often shapes the creative journey of each song and impacts how the final piece sounds and feels.
Starting with lyrics tends to emphasise storytelling and emotion, while beginning with music often opens the door to a strong melodic or rhythmic foundation. Some songwriters even combine the two, crafting words and melody in tandem to let each element influence the other.
Each approach has its own advantages and challenges, and finding the right one depends largely on the songwriter’s unique style and intentions.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and potential obstacles of each method—lyrics-first, music-first, and a hybrid approach—to help you decide which path might bring out the best in your songwriting.
Whether you’re aiming for deep storytelling, catchy melodies, or a balanced blend of both, understanding these approaches can give you a stronger start on your next song and build confidence in your creative process.
Starting with Lyrics
Beginning with lyrics puts the song’s story or message at the forefront. For many songwriters, this approach allows them to centre their ideas and emotions, creating a solid foundation for the music to follow. Here’s how this method can shape the songwriting process:
1. Clarity of Message
Starting with lyrics lets you focus on what you want the song to say. With the message clearly defined from the beginning, it’s easier to build the song around specific themes, emotions, or stories. This clarity can lead to a more impactful and cohesive song, as the words carry the primary meaning, and the music supports it.
2. Flexibility in Genre and Style
When lyrics are in place first, the music can be adapted to suit the story’s mood and theme. For example, heartfelt or reflective lyrics could work well with softer, slower music, while high-energy lyrics might lend themselves to a faster, more upbeat arrangement. This flexibility allows for exploration across various musical styles and helps align the music with the lyrical content.
3. Strong Emotional Impact
By crafting the lyrics first, you can tap into the song’s emotional core. You might focus on specific phrases, imagery, or metaphors that highlight the song’s deeper meaning, and then find music that enhances these emotional elements. For songs with complex or deeply personal themes, starting with lyrics can bring out a sense of authenticity and raw emotion.
Challenges of Starting with Lyrics
Although a lyrics-first approach has many benefits, it can also come with challenges. One of the biggest obstacles is fitting the words into a melody. Lyrics created independently might not naturally match a melody’s rhythm or phrasing, which can lead to adjustments and compromises along the way. Additionally, this approach may feel limiting if you’re trying to build a melody around rigidly structured lyrics.
Starting with lyrics can be a rewarding way to create a meaningful song, especially if the message is your top priority. By focusing on words first, you establish a strong storytelling foundation, which can guide your musical choices later in the process.
Starting with Music
For many songwriters, beginning with music offers a more instinctive, emotion-driven path to song creation. Whether it’s a catchy chord progression, a melody, or even a rhythmic groove, starting with music sets the tone and atmosphere of the song early on, often leading to new and unexpected lyrical ideas. Here’s what makes this approach appealing:
1. Enhanced Melodic Flow
Without the constraints of pre-written lyrics, the melody can evolve naturally, following its own rhythm and flow. This freedom allows you to experiment with interesting melodic patterns and phrasing that might be more challenging to achieve if lyrics were guiding the structure. By focusing on the melody first, you’re giving it the chance to become a defining feature of the song, creating a memorable hook or theme that resonates with listeners.
2. Spontaneity and Inspiration
A compelling chord progression or musical phrase can spark inspiration, setting the stage for lyrics to follow. This approach can make the songwriting process feel more organic, as the music often leads to fresh, unplanned lyrical ideas. For some writers, this spontaneity is a crucial part of creativity, allowing the song’s vibe to unfold naturally, rather than being tied down by a pre-existing narrative.
3. Guided Lyrical Framework
When the music comes first, it often suggests the song’s rhythm, pacing, and mood, which can guide the lyrics in a natural way. For example, a smooth, flowing melody might call for a gentle and introspective lyric, while a strong, driving beat might inspire more direct or high-energy words. The music provides a structure that lyrics can adapt to, making it easier to find a lyrical flow that fits seamlessly within the melody.
Challenges of Starting with Music
While starting with music can lead to a strong melodic and rhythmic foundation, it may also present challenges for storytelling. Finding the right words to fit a pre-existing melody or rhythm can be difficult, especially if you have a specific story or theme in mind. This approach might require more flexible, adaptable lyrics, which could limit how complex or detailed the message can be.
Starting with music can be ideal for songwriters who find inspiration in sound and rhythm. By letting the music guide the process, you create a song that captures a feeling or mood early on, with lyrics that follow naturally. This method is particularly effective for songs that prioritise catchy melodies and strong musical hooks.
The Hybrid Approach
Some songwriters find that a balanced, hybrid approach—developing lyrics and music together—offers the best of both worlds. With this method, words and melody are crafted in tandem, allowing each to influence the other from the beginning. This synergy can make for a cohesive, adaptable song that feels fully integrated in both message and sound. Here’s why the hybrid approach can be a valuable option:
1. Flexibility and Adaptability
By creating lyrics and music simultaneously, you gain the flexibility to adjust either element to complement the other. If a particular lyric doesn’t flow smoothly within the melody, you can tweak it immediately or adjust the music to fit. This approach allows for a more dynamic interplay between lyrics and music, giving you the freedom to shape both in a way that feels natural and balanced.
2. Balanced Emotional and Musical Impact
With lyrics and music developing together, the song’s message and mood become intertwined. Each lyrical phrase can directly inspire a musical response, and each musical phrase can, in turn, shape the words. This can cause a song that has both emotional depth and melodic appeal, where neither the lyrics nor the music overshadows the other. The result often feels cohesive, as both elements are crafted with a unified goal in mind.
3. Enhanced Creativity and Flow
Working on lyrics and music together can avoid creative blocks. If you’re stuck on a line, you might experiment with a new chord or melody that inspires fresh words. Likewise, if a particular lyric feels challenging, a change in melody or rhythm can open up new possibilities. This give-and-take process allows for a smooth creative flow, as you’re not locked into making one element fit around the other.
Challenges of the Hybrid Approach
The hybrid method requires patience and a willingness to experiment, as you’re balancing both lyrics and music from the start. It may take longer to reach a final product, as constant adjustments to both elements are common.
Additionally, this approach requires an openness to change, as ideas often evolve during the process. While this can lead to unique results, it may feel less straightforward compared to focusing solely on lyrics or music.
The hybrid approach is well-suited to songwriters who enjoy flexibility and an open-ended creative process. By allowing lyrics and music to grow side by side, this method helps create songs that feel unified in both sound and message, giving each element equal weight in shaping the final piece.
Tips For Finding Your Preferred Approach
Choosing between lyrics-first, music-first, or a hybrid approach isn’t always straightforward, especially if you’re still discovering your songwriting style. Experimenting with different methods can help you find the approach that feels most natural and inspiring. Here are some tips for exploring these methods and building confidence in your creative process:
1. Start with What Comes Most Naturally
Notice where your initial inspiration usually comes from. If you often find yourself jotting down lyrical ideas, starting with lyrics might feel more intuitive. If, instead, you frequently pick up an instrument and play around with chords, beginning with music could be the better fit. Leaning into your natural inclinations can make the songwriting process feel more fluid and enjoyable.
2. Experiment with Different Methods
Sometimes, the best way to discover your ideal process is to try each approach in different songwriting sessions. Dedicate one session to writing lyrics first, another to developing music first, and a third to a hybrid approach. By trying each method, you can get a sense of which one allows you to best express your ideas and capture the mood you’re after.
3. Consider the Song’s Purpose
Think about the message or feeling you want the song to convey. If the song’s theme is deeply personal or story-driven, starting with lyrics might help you refine your message. For songs that prioritise rhythm or vibe, beginning with music can provide a strong melodic and emotional foundation. Adapting your approach to suit each song’s purpose can add variety and depth to your songwriting portfolio.
4. Stay Open to Change
Songwriting is often an evolving process, and it’s common to switch approaches within a single song. If you start with lyrics but feel stuck, let the music lead for a while, or vice versa. Staying flexible and open to change allows you to adapt as the song develops, creating room for unexpected ideas that might make the song even stronger.
5. Practice Regularly
Like any skill, songwriting improves with practice. The more often you write, the more you’ll discover which methods work best for you. Set aside time for regular writing sessions, even if you’re only developing ideas rather than complete songs. Over time, you’ll build confidence in your approach, and the process will become more intuitive.
Finding your preferred approach to songwriting is a personal journey. By experimenting, staying open to different methods, and practising regularly, you’ll gradually discover what resonates most with you. Remember, there’s no “wrong” way to write a song—only the way that helps you create music that feels true to your unique voice.
In Conclusion
Songwriting is as varied and personal as the artists who create it. Whether you’re drawn to the clarity of starting with lyrics, the spontaneity of beginning with music, or the balanced flow of a hybrid approach, each method offers unique benefits. By exploring these approaches, you’ll discover which one best captures your ideas, emotions, and style.
Remember, your preferred method might shift from song to song, depending on the story you want to tell or the feeling you want to evoke. Songwriting isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, and each approach has the potential to lead you to a song that resonates. The key is to stay open, experiment freely, and trust the process that feels right for you.
With practice and self-discovery, you’ll gain confidence in your creative choices, allowing your songs to take shape with authenticity and intention. Ultimately, it’s not about choosing the “right” way to write a song but about finding the approach that helps you bring your musical vision to life.
So, how do you start off writing your song? Lyrics first? Music first? Or both? It would be interesting to get a good cross section of answers to this question as the process of writing songs is as many and varied as the amount of songwriters around the world that participate.
