3 Tips for Songwriters

The way in which songwriters and musicians approach the way they write and compose music is an interesting topic. Many musicians have a certain process when it comes to making great music and swear by these processes regardless of what others have to say. Let this article help relieve the burden of songwriting with a few helpful tips.

1. Don’t Force It

Trying to forcefully crank out musical masterpiece after musical masterpiece is definitely not the way to go about songwriting. Although constantly writing can help you improve your skills as a songwriter, too much time spent writing songs can lead to songs of lesser quality, burn you out as a songwriter and even make you lose faith in your ability to write songs. Usually a combination of the three things just mentioned has a negative effect on the songwriter. Relax, take it easy, you don’t have to write every minute of every day. Instead, wait until the moment is right. You, and only you, will know when the creative juices are flowing properly. Also, you shouldn’t let others push you to write more songs. Writing when you’re simply not feeling it is a great way to lose interest or come up with lesser-quality songs.

2. Look Around…It’s Inspiration

The world is your oyster. One of the key characteristics of songwriters is their ability to be aware of their surroundings. So many ideas for songs can be found if you simply open your eyes and observe what goes on around you. If you’re a busy person, it shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to make a couple new observations each day. The main point is to make an effort to observe the things around you in more than just a passive way. Even the simplest of things can be turned into great songs. Open your eyes to what goes on regularly in your life and you’ll be surprised at what you find.

3. Be You

Some songwriters strive to be like other songwriters that are currently successful, which is very understandable. But when it comes down to a competition of who’s better at writing that particular songwriter’s style of music, odds are the winner is going to be that other songwriter, not you. In order to remain competitive as a songwriter, you need to create your own musical brand or identity and work at coming up with a style that’s interesting and unique. Don’t be so overly unique that your music won’t catch the attention of listeners. Try to maintain the slightest amount of uniqueness that will catch the ears of your fans but won’t have them wondering what the heck you’re trying to do in terms of making music.