When it comes to music, people often imagine an artist as someone wearing a cool hat and playing a guitar or piano. However, my story is different. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember, and music is my passion. As an inquisitive and slightly nerdy person, I’ve always wondered how songs are created.
Although I didn’t major in art subjects during my higher education, i’ve always been drawn to literature and creative expression. In fact, listening to audiobooks, especially fiction, is one of my favorite hobbies. I enjoy wordplay, poetry, and crossword puzzles – anything that involves creative language.
As I grew older, I wanted to do more than just sing other people’s songs. As a teenager, I enrolled in piano lessons but never completed the course. I also have some basic knowledge of guitar. While many artists rely on playing instruments to aid their songwriting, I’m not one of them.
During my online research, I stumbled upon a book by Professor Pat Pattison called “Writing Better Lyrics.” That’s where I learned about meter, a concept that revolutionized my understanding of songwriting. I even wrote an article about it here.
For me, the key to songwriting lies in the words. Just like poetry, music has structures and patterns that can be recognized and replicated. For example, a lot of hip hop lyrics follow an iambic pentameter flow so some rappers, like Devon Glover, have even successfully adapted Shakespeare’s writings into rap.
While music structures can be complex, recognizing patterns is key. For example, when a song’s tempo increases, the lyrics often become more dense. Conversely, slowing down a song typically involves using fewer words.
Through experimentation and analysis, I’ve developed techniques for writing songs. I listen to various genres, from pop to hip-hop, and try to replicate their effects. I start by writing the melody. After getting the arrangement, i swap the words for ones that give meaning to the song.
To answer the question of whether you need to be a skilled instrumentalist to write songs, the answer is no. Unless, of course, you consider the vocal cords an instrument! While playing an instrument can be beneficial, it’s not a requirement for songwriting.
As someone who focuses on melody and lyrics, I find that writing is a straightforward process. I’m currently creating a course on songwriting, and the first two lessons cover how to place a melody on a beat and how to craft a hook.
I hope to share more details about the course soon.
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