NJ LOGIC, PT 2: HOW TO WRITE A GOOD SONG LYRICS
19 April 2017
continuation...
3:Experiment with other structures. There are of course, many different standard song structures. You can try AABB, ABA, AAAA, ABCBA, ABABCB, ABACABA, and so on.C usually signifies a bridge, other letters that you see cited elsewhere likely just mean that that section of the song is none of the traditional parts and is unique to itself (sort of like taking a verse from a different song and putting it in).
4:Try free form songs. Of course, if you want to challenge your skills, you can try to write something that breaks from traditional forms and does not follow a standard structure. This can be very challenging though and is not the best way to get started.
5:Use stream of consciousness exercises. Stream of consciousness writing is where you just write and keep writing and don't stop: just write everything that comes into your head. This will capture many ideas that change quickly but it can help you find ideas when you're really lost.
6:Look at existing songs. Look at songs which are known for great lyrics to get inspiration. You can learn a lot from thinking about what makes a song good vs what makes a song bad. Look for the kinds of things they talk about, how they talk about them, what rhymes they use, the rhythm of the lyrics, etc.
7:Use your own opinions on what type of music you want to write, and figure out what types of lyrics you like and dislike. Previously, this step advised what constituted good lyrics and what indicated bad ones, but it's really up to you what kind of music you want to write. You, whether you believe it or not, are a growing artist, and as an artist, you can use your own path and formulate your own opinions of various fellow artists and their work. So, if you want to write something similar to Eminem rather than classic Frank Sinatra, don't let someone tell you you can't write how you want to.
8:Look at existing poems. If you're hard up for inspiration but you want to keep practicing your song writing, try adapting existing poems. Older poems (think Lord Byron or Robert Burns) have wonderful ideas but might not seem all that modern. Take on the challenge and adapt them. Can you make a rap song out of Shakespeare? A folk song from E. E. Cummings? This type of challenge will improve your skills and give you a great starting point.
9:Be true to your style. Don't ever look at how others write songs and feel like you have to do the same; everyone has a different style. Some write freely from their mind's eye, while others write with a specific intention. While there are lots of rules and conventions to music, at the end of the day it is a creative venture, which means that the most important thing is that it expresses you.
10:Keep writing to get to the good stuff. Get a journal and be ready to write down a lot of stuff that won't work in order to get to the stuff that does. This is how the creative process works: everyone has to make bad things on the way to making good things. Write as much as you can until you feel it is finished or ready to be set aside. To even write a single word or sound is an excellent start. Let the song ferment. Songwriting takes time!Keep everything. If you write a single sentence of a song down, it always leads to something else sooner.
...to be continued...
3:Experiment with other structures. There are of course, many different standard song structures. You can try AABB, ABA, AAAA, ABCBA, ABABCB, ABACABA, and so on.C usually signifies a bridge, other letters that you see cited elsewhere likely just mean that that section of the song is none of the traditional parts and is unique to itself (sort of like taking a verse from a different song and putting it in).
4:Try free form songs. Of course, if you want to challenge your skills, you can try to write something that breaks from traditional forms and does not follow a standard structure. This can be very challenging though and is not the best way to get started.
5:Use stream of consciousness exercises. Stream of consciousness writing is where you just write and keep writing and don't stop: just write everything that comes into your head. This will capture many ideas that change quickly but it can help you find ideas when you're really lost.
6:Look at existing songs. Look at songs which are known for great lyrics to get inspiration. You can learn a lot from thinking about what makes a song good vs what makes a song bad. Look for the kinds of things they talk about, how they talk about them, what rhymes they use, the rhythm of the lyrics, etc.
7:Use your own opinions on what type of music you want to write, and figure out what types of lyrics you like and dislike. Previously, this step advised what constituted good lyrics and what indicated bad ones, but it's really up to you what kind of music you want to write. You, whether you believe it or not, are a growing artist, and as an artist, you can use your own path and formulate your own opinions of various fellow artists and their work. So, if you want to write something similar to Eminem rather than classic Frank Sinatra, don't let someone tell you you can't write how you want to.
8:Look at existing poems. If you're hard up for inspiration but you want to keep practicing your song writing, try adapting existing poems. Older poems (think Lord Byron or Robert Burns) have wonderful ideas but might not seem all that modern. Take on the challenge and adapt them. Can you make a rap song out of Shakespeare? A folk song from E. E. Cummings? This type of challenge will improve your skills and give you a great starting point.
9:Be true to your style. Don't ever look at how others write songs and feel like you have to do the same; everyone has a different style. Some write freely from their mind's eye, while others write with a specific intention. While there are lots of rules and conventions to music, at the end of the day it is a creative venture, which means that the most important thing is that it expresses you.
10:Keep writing to get to the good stuff. Get a journal and be ready to write down a lot of stuff that won't work in order to get to the stuff that does. This is how the creative process works: everyone has to make bad things on the way to making good things. Write as much as you can until you feel it is finished or ready to be set aside. To even write a single word or sound is an excellent start. Let the song ferment. Songwriting takes time!Keep everything. If you write a single sentence of a song down, it always leads to something else sooner.
...to be continued...
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