Music surrounds us every day – we hear it while driving the car, shopping in the mall, or eating in a restaurant. It has become a part of our everyday routine, and some of us can’t imagine an hour of our lifetime without a favorite song.
Music is something we aspire to. It’s something that communicates emotions rather than words. It motivates us to work, rest, cook, exercise. There’s a song for everything we do. It awakes right emotions, so that we can get more motivated.
And if you belong to that type of people, who like to sing about their emotions, you’re probably a potential songwriter. It may seem that if you have an ear for music and a poetic talent, it would be super easy for you to right a hit song.
But you’ll be surprised to find out that world’s top hit songs weren’t just an occasional alphabet soup put to music. They’ve all been created according to laws of songwriting.
So if you’re really into pursuing a dream of being a successful songwriter and want to improve your poetic and musical talents, here 7 basic laws for smart songwriting.
I. The Law of Ubiquitous Inspiration
If you think that ideas for your songs are limited, you couldn’t be more wrong! Only really lazy songwriters seek excuses claiming that their inspiration source has run dry. But if you’re really in need for inspiration, there’s nothing wrong in getting it from the masters of music.
Here’s the thing: even the greatest musicians and songwriters of all time admit that they’ve drawn inspiration from other musicians, getting inspired from their talents. This way will help you find that unique tune that you’re looking for. Besides, the best way to learn is to learn from masters, who share their best experiences with you through their talent and music!
II. The Law of Non-Linearity
You might have heard people saying that you should write music first and then write the lyrics. However, there’s another group of people claiming that it’s actually the other way around. So whom to believe?
Actually, no one. It’s up to you which methodology you choose. Some people might find it easier to write the lyrics first, while others prefer to start with music. Taylor Swift, as one of the best singers and songwriters, has worked out a system of songwriting, which presupposes creating the lyrics first, but the singer often admits that she has music created before she writes the actual song. So it’s actually all about inspiration!
III. The Law of Organization
Like any craft you’re trying to master, songwriting needs lots of effort and organizational skills on your part. There are many reasons why songwriters should be organized, so get yourself together and plan every step.
Through the history of songwriting, musicians have actually worked out the methodology of creating songs. First you write an intro, then proceed with verse followed by chorus, then another verse, and the bridge where there is a shift of tempo, volume and so on.
However, modern songwriting slowly moves away from any constraints. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that your work should turn into a complete chaos. There’s no doubt, organization is crucial for everything we do, so sit down and plan your work ahead.
IV. The Law of Practice
If you consider yourself a skillful musician, you might be overestimating your abilities. People have been arguing over the idea whether it is talent or hours of practice what makes musicians great. The thing is that talent and persistent practice go hand in hand. You can’t rely on your talent alone without devoting hours to practice and mastering the craft.
And even if you think that you’ve learnt everything you could possibly learn, you might need to change your mind. It’s a well-known fact that skills grow weak without practice.
V. The Law of Retrospection
As a songwriter, you might have lots of notes that you’ve taken couple weeks, months and even years ago and completely forgot about. But now it’s time to revisit your notes!
Who knows, maybe somewhere in your chaotic written phrases and verses you’ll find that one and only that will help you create that hit song!
VI. The Law of Feedback
“I rarely let other people hear my songs because I work in a professional writing service and songwriting is a sort of a hobby”, says Anna Smith, a manager. “But I got convinced by my colleague and actually let them hear one of my creations, and they were absolutely stunned!”
That’s right: you never know how it will turn out. But instead of focusing on the probability of people giving you a bad feedback, try to overcome your fears and let others hear that wonderful song you’ve created! Sure, some might not like it, but there are still people who have similar taste in music.
So don’t hesitate and share your creation with others. After all, how can one make your song a hit without exposing it to the public?
VII. The Law of Persistence
The thing is: once you’ve finished one song, you shouldn’t stop. Especially if your first song wasn’t popular, it doesn’t mean that you should give up trying. Songwriting is a skill, and as we all know, it takes a great amount of time to learn a skill.
So don’t give up on your dream of becoming a successful songwriter just because you failed once. Failure is always an option and a lesson necessary for future success. Draw a mental picture of you being an author of that famous tune that’s stuck in everyone’s head, and keep moving forward!