Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

You can make a song with a beautiful melody, but if the lyrics are not good, it will all pull it down. Whether you're just a lyricist or want to learn how to write both music and lyrics, wikiHow can help. Start by reading this article and following the instructions, we will guide you from standard song structure to choosing music, as well as refining words for the lyrics.

Steps

Part 1 of 6: Understanding the basic structure

1. 

   Start with the AABA structure. It can be said that AABA is the most common structure in modern famous songs. In music, A refers to a piece of music and B is a chorus. In other words, the AABA structure is the first gauge, the second gauge, the chorus, and the last piece of music. You should experiment with writing music following this basic structure before moving on to a more complex form.

2. 

   
   
   Understand parts of the song. A song is divided into several parts. Whether or not your song includes all of those parts is up to you. These sections are organized into the composition that is commonly used in most songs, so to understand a song, you should understand the parts of the song, including:
   • Intro - this is the prelude to a song. Sometimes the piece sounds different from the rest of the song, it can be faster or slower, or even non-existent. Many songs don't have a foreplay, so you don't necessarily use it either.
   • Segment - this is the main lyrics of a song. Segment usually accounts for 50% or twice as many chorus lines, but not necessarily. What makes the segment characteristic is that the melody between suffering is the same but the lyrics are different.
   • Chorus - A chorus is a part of a song that is repeated in melody and lyrics. This is usually the most catchy part of a song (also known as a hook).
   • Transitions - The transitions are a common part of song structure, but not all songs. This piece is usually placed after the second paragraph and has a completely different melody in the whole song. Transitions are usually short, only 1-2 sentences, and sometimes lead to transitions of the song.

3. 

   
   
   Try out different song structures after you've mastered the basic structures. Of course there are many other writing structures besides AABA, you can try AABB, ABA, AAAA, ABCBA, ABABCB, ABACABA, etc.
   • C is usually the notation for transitions, the other characters you see somewhere mean that the song is not written in a traditional structure and has its own originality (imagine like taking segments of the other song is merged into this song).

4. 

   
   
   Free structure test. If you want to challenge your skills, you can write a song with a structure that is not traditional and does not follow the usual standards. You can try this method if you want a different approach to music writing. However, it will be quite challenging so it is not recommended for beginners. advertisement

Part 2 of 6: Find inspiration

1. 

   
   
   Practice writing music according to the stream of thought. Writing in line of thought means that you just keep writing and writing down everything that comes to mind. This way you can quickly capture ideas that come and go, as well as find ideas when you are stuck.
   • Practice like that every day to help yourself brainstorm. Over time, this practice helps you write better music.

2. 

   
   
   Look at the available music tracks. Listen to popular music with good lyrics for inspiration. Additionally, research the songs you like and explain why you like them. You will learn a lot from meditating on what makes a good and bad song. Find out what topics the song refers to, how to mention them, pay attention to the melody of the song as well as the lyrics rhyme.
   • The way you rate a good song can be different from everyone else. Focus on what you enjoy because that's what matters.
   • To practice, you can rewrite the lyrics for the music you like. You can change a few lines or rewrite all of them.

3. 

   
   
   Decide what topic to write. Decide what kind of music you want to write lyrics for, and decide what kind of lyrics you like or dislike. This really depends on the genre of music you want to write. Believe it or not, you are on your way to becoming an artist, and as an artist you can go your own way and make your own judgment about the work of other artists. So, if you want to write something like Avril Lavigne's rock instead of the Frank Sinatra classic, don't let other people's opinion influence it.
   • If you're not sure what kind of music you want to write, then listen to your favorite songs and find common ground between them.
   • Find out the musicians who wrote the songs you love. Then study their works to identify trends and evaluate style.

4. 

   Read poetry. If you are running out of inspiration but want to write music, try reading poetry. Old poems (like that of Lord Byron or Robert Burns) have good ideas but the words are not modern. Then try to transform them.Can you write a rap based on the work of Shakespeare? Writing folk songs from E. E. Cummings? This challenge will help you improve and be a good place to start.

5. 

   Loyal to his style. Don't be pressured to write a song similar to another because each artist has his own style. Writing new style music is completely acceptable! Some musicians write freely from the mind, there are writers with a specific purpose. Although music has many rules and rules, in the end it's also a bold creative journey, meaning that the most important thing is still something that shows your essence.
   • Writing music is an art form, so it's good to develop your own style. Don't feel like you have to do what other people do.

6. 

   Write regularly to produce a good idea. Prepare a notebook and write a lot, because in your bad ideas you will filter out what works. That's how the creative process works: we have to sift the sand for gold. Write as much as you can until you feel complete or ready to set aside. Writing a word or a note is also a great start. Let your songs ferment. Writing music requires a long process.
   • Writing lyrics has to go through many stages. Don't worry when what you write down doesn't seem like a song at first. You can shape it gradually.
   • Store everything. If you write a piece of music, then soon that line will lead to a good song or something.
   • It will be fine if your song is not good. You can always check back for better writing.

7. 

   Write all the time. You should start by practicing writing wherever you are. Write about your feelings. Write about the world around you. Write about people or things that interest you. This will help you find the words that can be used for the song. You can write a poem that can later be composed (it could be a complete poem or just a few short lines that you want to scrape into something later). Remember: what you write doesn't have to be hopeless, angry, or emotional. The laundry list can also be poetic if well-written.
   • Diary can be a great source of inspiration for a song. For example, every time you go through difficult moments, you can write lyrics that capture the frustration, despair, or hope you have experienced. This will help your listeners feel sympathy with you.
   • Sometimes you get stuck, this happens to everyone. The best way to get through this stage is to write down whatever word comes to mind. Don't worry about it or not.
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Part 3 of 6: Finding words

1. 

   Use action to express your emotions. "I'm sad today, today I'm drunk, my lover left me ..." ... Don't. Don't write like that. Your song will quickly fall into oblivion. A good lyrics, as well as a good sentence, will make us empathize with the experience in the sentence, not because the author tells us to feel that way. Try to use metaphors to express your emotions, not to bludgeon your audience if you are happy or sad.
   • A good example of this style is found in this article The Animals Were Gone by Damien Rice. Instead of writing I'm so sad, I used it The night I dreamed of you, and wished I wouldn't wake up; Because waking up without a child is like drinking water from an empty glass.
   • Brainstorm to see what ideas you can use and choose from, or build your work on existing ideas. Ideally, you should get inspiration for this step.

2. 

   
   
   Put rhyme to make sense. You know badly written songs lead to cheesy lyrics? The reason is because they overuse rhymes or use it too badly. You should avoid writing lyrics that rhyme together from top to bottom, and if you do rhyme, sound natural. Don't try to put the weird word in just to get the sentence to rhyme. Seriously, a good song doesn't have to be rhyme. Every countless number of songs have no rhyming lyrics.
   • Good example: "You make me come back to life / Only see the smile I already know / The sun shines - oh my!"
   • Bad example: "I love the cat / Nagging cat / The tail is like a panther / The cat is a bit fat ..."
   • Naturally, this can be customized according to the music genre. Like rap music uses more rhymes, but that is not the rule of composition. Just their style like that.

3. 

   
   
   Try out non-standard rhyme combinations. If you want your rhymes to be more special and not cheesy, then try other rhyme styles. There are many more rhyming ways than what you learn in school. Discover how to rhyme homophones / consonants, rhyme, transcription, force to rhyme, etc.
   • For example, the song Same Love Macklemore's uses non-standard consonant rhymes: lately / daily, anointed / poisoned, important / support it, ... etc.

4. 

   
   
   
   
   Avoid flute molds. You should avoid cliches as these will make the song not stand out and show off your special talent. If you write "I'll kneel before you" (while begging), "walk down the street" (the character is a girl, or it's you, whoever it is), or "you can see No ”, chances are you need more practice. advertisement

Part 4 of 6: Music knowledge

1. 

   
   
   Understand musical notes. Do you remember the law of conservation of mass in science class (the idea of ​​how much matter is reduced here, there will be more matter increased elsewhere). This law also applies to music. Learn about how notes work (field watch, rhythm, note, silence, etc.) to make sure the lyrics match the music. In short, you should make sure that your lyrics have an almost equal number of syllables with the rhythm and the melody stays steady (don't have to speed up the melody to match overly long lyrics). .
   • Imagine this writing step like 4 cups of water. Now you have to pour half a cup of water into the 5th cup, which means you now have two half-filled cups. Other full cups you cannot add more water. As in music, you cannot add tempo in one segment without compensating for another (usually using a silence).

2. 

   
   
   Starting with existing melodies. When you first start writing music, if you're just composing by yourself it's best to start with a pre-set tune. This is an easy start for most people to practice writing lyrics to match the music. You can write your own tunes by working with a friend who is good at it, or sticking to a classic melody, such as folk songs (just make sure the song has become public property. plus).

3. 

   
   
   Keep everything in about 2 octaves. Not everyone has the same vocal range as Mariah Carey. When writing music, keep the notes at a reasonable range so someone can sing it, so avoid anything beyond 2 octaves, unless you're writing music for someone who can sing that much.
   • If you are writing for yourself, you need to know your range. Start your voice first, then hum and lower your voice as low as possible. The lowest note you can lower your immersion voice to is your lowest pitch. Then let the money as high as possible. The highest note you can hold for 3 seconds is your highest pitch.
   • If you want to expand your vocal range, repeat this exercise over and over, but try to reach a wider range each time.

4. 

   
   
   Add pauses for the singer to breathe. Singers are human too, so they still need to breathe. Allocate two to four more beats around the song so the singer can take a breath. This also gives listeners time to catch up with the lyrics.
   • A good example is the American national anthem, after the line "For the land of the free". There is a break before entering the phrase "And the home of the brave", allowing the singer to rest after several heroic schools before.
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Part 5 of 6: Complete the song

1. 

   
   
   Re-read what has been written. Let's identify the big picture of the song.Is the song structure narrative, declarative, or descriptive? Have a call to action, direction, or welcome? Does it reflect any philosophy? Or is it completely ridiculous? Is the song structure diverse? You should start by looking at each word and then making changes as needed to make the whole song match. Think about what the lyrics convey and how it balances with what you want to say. Do you like the sounds created by the placing of consonants and vowels? Does a sentence have many meanings? Are there any outstanding phrases? Would you like to repeat any lyrics or words? Remember that when listening to a song, the audience is only immersed in the most outstanding passages.

2. 

   Rewrite. Who says you can't change what is already written? If you like the original then keep it. But most of the lyrics need to be played with the music to be perfect. A good song can be drafted in a single pass, but most of it takes longer than that. You even have to edit the stanzas to make the song homogeneous. Sometimes this causes the whole song to change its meaning completely.
   • Try to write a good first sentence to attract the attention of the audience.
   • Watching a song over and over is the best way to write better lyrics.

3. 

   Consult from others. Once you've finished the song, share the preview with everyone. Although they can only read the lyrics, they also have suggestions that are out of the way or sound a bit weird. Of course, music that is subject to the public's discussion is not a good idea, but if you come across an opinion that can be agreed upon, then fix it quickly.

4. 

   Do something with your song! The world has become a better place thanks to the sharing of creative achievements by people. If you're afraid it's okay, writing a song doesn't mean you have to go on stage. But you should write it down or record it to share with everyone. Don't hide your wonderful work. advertisement

Part 6 of 6: Consolidation of knowledge

1. 

   Learn how to write a song. If you've never written a song before, then you'll probably need to learn more about songwriting. This is no different from writing lyrics, but there are basic rules and guidelines you can rely on.
   • By practicing, you can learn how to play the instrument yourself. But you'll probably want to sign up for a class. This will make it easier to grasp techniques and concepts like chord beams.
   • Learning how to write music will help you learn how to write the whole song instead of just the lyrics.

2. 

   Learn how to read music. Although this is not so essential, understanding how a song works will improve your writing skills. Maybe you can even write music for other people to play.

3. 

   Improve singing ability. Good singing ability also helps you capture the notes you need to find for the song. Practice your vocal skills and you will be amazed at its benefits.

4. 

   Basic instrumental skills. Knowing the basics of playing instruments also helps with music writing. Consider learning the piano or playing the guitar. Both instruments are self-taught and not overly complicated.

5. 

   Compose melodies with lyrics. Try composing a piece on guitar, as well as singing along to the guitar while composing melodies. Finally, add keyboards, drums and bass to make the song even better. advertisement

Advice

• Remember that there are no rules for music writing, only a guide. Creativity really has no barriers.
• Sing the song silently in your head to visualize what the music sounds like.
• Your song can be repeated in several places, but be sure not to do too much.
• If you have an unfinished song, keep it as well. You can get ideas from such drafts, or if there are multiple drafts, you can combine them and write another song.
• Never dismiss an idea for a song because it's "too stupid". A lot of good songs are about weird things.
• You should have a music notebook or document kept on your computer. This helps you organize your thoughts better.
• Try to write meaningful lyrics.
• Think about who will listen to your music. Consider if this is what you want them to hear.
• Write down a word. Then, write down as many synonyms as possible. Merriam-Webster is a good kind of thesaurus. Or you can search on Google using the "search word" with "synonyms".
• If something comes up, write it down quickly before you forget it. Always keep a pencil and paper with you to prepare for sudden ideas.
• If you're writing lyrics for rap music, there's no need to rhyme like Eminem, because it takes a lot of experience. If you're just starting out with rapping, you should just start rhyming a few places, maybe at the end of each sentence. Once you have more confidence in the rhythm and flow of a rap, you can rhyme more to give the rap more depth. You can then progress to mid-sentence rhyme, polyphonic, and so on.
• Don't be afraid to edit or change what you've written. If the song doesn't sound good, consider it from a different angle and do the editing.
• Ideally you should write the lyrics first and then think of the title. This way, you don't have to worry about writing the lyrics to match the title.
• Be as creative as you can with the lyrics - some of the best songs ever made have very quirky lyrics.
• Refer to articles and interviews of famous musicians.
• Try inventing a song title first and see what you can write for it.
• A good tune will last forever, no matter how long buried. There are popular songs that have been on shelves for many years before being finalized and recorded.
• Sometimes the easiest way is to write a poem, then put it into music.
• If you have a small part that you want to add to the song, but don't know how to get them to work, record it to capture the beat, the rhyme and the words. If you just write it down, you will know what the lyrics are like, but can't get along with the melody.
• This is not really a rule, but since the melody influences the mood of a piece (major, minor, etc.), you can use the right lyrics or write the lyrics entirely. opposite to the song mood is fine! There is no right or wrong when creating.
• Clapping your hands or flicking your fingers to find a tune, or writing about something you love will never be an outdated topic. Find the tempo of your song, then write the right lyrics. Listen to your song over and over to add words. Also listen to more songs you like, and write music from there. You can sing random melodies and turn them into a song. Practice continuously, as everything around you learn is useful for music writing.
• Try not to repeat a tune for different songs.
• Speak out loud when you are alone or with someone to share it with. This helps you to better rhyme, hear the flow of vowels and consonants, and improve the rhythm of the song.
• Listen to songs on the radio to see how the lyrics match the title.

Warning

• Don't steal the idea of ​​a song that someone else wrote because you will have legal problems. But if you study in the style of writing lyrics or music, that's fine. So if you like Katy Perry, write pop music like her. Or if you love Taylor Swift, write lots of love songs.
• Don't rhyme continuously, unless you do it on purpose. It's fine to rhyme in a few places, but too much will be annoying, like in the example below;
  • For example: Today is a normal day, I want to go to the dance hall, but I have to go to school, oh, what should I do? (really hard)

What you need

• Musical instruments - guitar, piano or anything you can play (preferably portable instruments for instant composition)
• Pencil or ink pen
• Writing paper or computer (depending on how you want to write music)
• You can also use cell phones instead of pen and paper.