Even if you're still new to playing the guitar, you can already try writing your own songs. Creating unique music through chord progressions is a numerical approach to music writing.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Writing Lyrics
Step 1. Choose a story to tell
Imagine the location and the characters. Although topics can come from anywhere, songs are usually used to convey personal stories. So, focus on character, especially on motivation, actions, and consequences.
- Of course, you don't have to start with lyrics to write music. So if you wake up at night inspired by a melody, feel free to go to step 2 and start from there. However, if you have a mature story, you can more easily decide many of the important things in composing music.
- Even if you want to write an instrumental song, the story will guide you through composing the music. Classical composers usually get their inspiration in this way. For example, Dvorak composed the second and third movements of his ninth symphony, "From the New World", based on a poem by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow.
Step 2. Develop your story into song stanzas
Songs are usually arranged into stanzas and choruses. A traditional stanza consists of four lines, and the second and fourth lines rhyme. Use stanzas to build characters and develop stories.
For example, Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise" depicts the breakdown of trust between husband and wife. Each stanza tells of the husband's growing suspicion
Step 3. Put your theme song in the chorus
As the stanza develops the story, the chorus summarizes the situation. Use the chorus to convey your main idea. You can express it in one line that is sung only once, a line of repeated stress, two rhyming sentences, or four lines like a traditional verse.
In the song "Brilliant Disguise", Springsteen follows a four-line format for the chorus. In a few words, he formulated the overall theme of suspicion: “So tell me what I see/When I look in your eyes/Is that you, baby/Or just a brilliant disguise? (So tell me what I saw/When I looked into your eyes/Honey, was that you?/Or was it just an amazing disguise?”)
Step 4. Consider including middle-eight
Middle–eight (also known as bridge) is a unique piece of music in a song. Usually, the bridge comes before the last stanza and chorus and gives the listener a fresh sound. Lyrically, a bridge signifies a dramatic change in the story, whether it be a change of perspective for the characters or a new shift in the narrative. However, middle-eight isn't required to be in the song so don't feel compelled to create one.
In the last stanza before the middle-eight of the song “Brilliant Disguise”, the narrator begins to shift focus from his wife to himself because he wonders why his wife would ever want to marry him. Springsteen applies middle-eight to develop a change of focus. Here, the narrator examines his actions and thought patterns, revealing a new dimension of his suspicions by coming to the conclusion: “I wanna know if it's you I don't trust/'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself. suspect/Because unfortunately I don't trust myself)
Step 5. Write down some drafts
In the first draft, concentrate on the story of your song and develop it fully. As the next drafts are made, you make edits to strengthen the lyrics to be sung.
- Count the syllables in each sentence to make sure the number is just right for singing.
- If you're using a rhyming scheme, define rhyming cliches, such as "together" and "forever." If you can express the cliché using its more striking synonym, the song will sound more original.
- Don't worry too much about finalizing the final draft for now. You will most likely also make additional edits when composing the music.
Part 2 of 3: Composing Songs Using Key Progressions
Step 1. Select the key to play
C, D, E, G, and A chords are generally good for playing on the guitar. Certain keys tend to evoke certain emotions from the listener. Choose a key whose tone complements your story.
- Use the major key to elicit a happy response from the listener, and the minor key to stir up sadness. To hear the difference between major and minor, check out the original version of John Williams' “Imperial March” in the film Star Wars. In the movie, this song is played in the key of G minor and sounds exactly like a scary war line. However, the recorded version of the song is played in the key of G major and sounds more like a merry parade on a sunny afternoon.
- Listen to songs that have been grouped by the following keys: Review your reaction to these keys, and make your choice: Key A: “Out on the Weekend” by Neil Young; “Wild Thing” by Chip Taylor C: “Imagine” by John Lennon; “Don't Look Back in Anger” by Oasis; D: “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty; “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash; E: "Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel; “Take a Message to Mary” by the Everly Brothers; G: “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding; “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles
Step 2. Decide on a chord that harmonizes with your key
Key progressions are usually expressed numerically (eg: I-IV-V) with each key representing a level on the scale. The tonic key (the main key in a scale) is always an option to play. Roman numerals map to other keys in the scale: large numbers represent major keys and small numbers represent minor keys. Numbers starting with "dim" which indicate diminished keys. For example, the I-IV-V chord progression played in the key of D is D-G-A.
Step 3. Select the number of keys in the progression to play
Two-key progressions may be simpler, but they're very limited in number, which means you'll have to apply some extra tricks and nuances to make the song stand out. Popular music usually uses 3-4 key progressions.
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*For reference, listen to songs that have been grouped according to the following key progression: One key:
“Get Up, Stand Up”, by Bob Marley; “Coconut” by Harry Nilsson Two keys:
“My Generation”, by the Who; “Wrong Way”, by Sublime Three keys:
“Twist and Shout”, by the Beatles; “Let My Love Open the Door”, by Pete Townshend. Four keys:
“With or Without You” by U2; “Peace of Mind”, by Boston
Step 4. Begin with the progression of three basic keys, for example I-V-IV or I-IV-V
This chord progression is usually quite popular in pop songs and is suitable for beginners. Say you chose the I-V-IV progression for the intro and verse, try switching to the V-IV-I progression for the chorus. Go through the song with various chords and progressions until you find a combination that fits the mood of the lyrics.
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Listen to the songs that have been grouped according to their respective key progressions below: I-IV-V:
“Knockin' on Heaven's Door”, by Bob Dylan; “Sweet Home Alabama”, by Lynyrd Skynyrd; I-V-IV:
“Rock around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets; “Margaritaville”, by Jimmy Buffet
Step 5. Explore the melody
Millions of melodies can be played through one key progression. Sing or mutter the lyrics while looking for a melody that completes your story.
- If you're stuck, forget about the song for a while and play on your own without thinking too much about the "right" tune. Play in a stream-of-consciousness style for fun. Maybe you accidentally found the right tone.
- If you're still stuck, play a song or more by the artist that inspired you. Once you've mastered the melody, experiment with tweaking the melody little by little, and study the impact each change has until you get a melody that's both similar and original.
- Remember: the difference between imitation and plagiarism is very subtle. When using other people's work as inspiration, it's best to prioritize honesty; Kurt Cobain admitted that the song "Smells like Teen Spirit" was a copy of the Pixies. Meanwhile, the song "Rusholme Ruffians" by the Smiths was directly influenced by "Marie's the Name (of His Latest Flame)" by Elvis Presley. The Smiths will open the concert by playing some of their songs with Elvis' first two verses; You can hear the similarities and subtle differences between the two on their live concert album, “Rank”
Part 3 of 3: Refining Ingredients
Step 1. Re-edit the lyrics if needed
Now that the music is almost done, review the lyrics to see if there are any parts that don't fit and are difficult to sing out loud. For example, let's say you use the word "especially" in a sentence that turns out to be too many syllables to be sung fluently. Try replacing it with a shorter synonym, such as "more".
Step 2. Give the hook
Increase the appeal of your chorus with extra music or lyrical phrases to make it more interesting. For example, in the song "She Loves You", The Beatles insert the lyrics "Yeah Yeah Yeah". Musically, the hook can also be a guitar lick like Edge's ulikan in the song "With or Without You" by U2. Whatever approach is used, the development of the chorus should be able to create expectations in the form of repetition in the next chorus; by meeting this expectation, the hook will satisfy the listener's desire. Like writing lyrics and melodies, the process of making a hook is done by trial and error. Hooks can arrive immediately, or it can take weeks to find them.
Step 3. Review the structure
Make sure the structure of the song supports the emotion you want to convey to the listener.
- If your story requires multiple stanzas to effectively build character, try creating two stanzas before the chorus instead of one so that listeners don't get bored because the chorus is repeated too often.
- If your character changes dramatically at the end of the song, consider adding a "twist" in the final chorus to amplify this change. Listen to the last chorus of the song “Brilliant Disguise”; the narrator now challenges his wife: “Tell me what you see/When you look in my eyes/Is that me, baby/Or just a brilliant disguise? “(Tell me what you saw/When you looked me in the eyes/Honey, was that me?/Or was it just a fancy disguise?”)
- If the story ends as ambiguous as “Brilliant Disguise", try ending the song with a verse instead of a chorus. Since popular songs end with one or more choruses, play up the listener's anticipation with a neat disclaimer at the end of the song.
Step 4. Develop songs with other people
Test your material by playing a song on a cafe stage or in front of one or more of your friends and ask for their honest opinion. If you sing in front of friends, make sure you get an "honest" opinion. Seek out songwriters you know and respect to ask them for tips and techniques.
Tips
- Write down the keys and lyrics of your song so you don't forget.
- Record yourself while playing the song, if possible. Thus, if you sing a melody and are confused about continuing it, refer back to your recording.
- Try including key substitution. For example, play Am7 instead of Am or Cmaj7 instead of C. This will make the song sound "different" and feel unique.
- Learn the chords of the guitar, how it flows together, and how to produce harmonics.
- Listen to the guitarist you love. Pay attention to the chords and key progressions used and study your emotional responses as you listen.
- Listen to cover songs and/or alternative versions humming the same singer. Concentrate on the variations between the arrangements and the resulting differences.
- Try using the minor and major relationships in the key. For example, the key of A minor is related to C major minor.
- Use alternative techniques (for example, switching between strumming and shuffling) to add more complexity to your song's sound.
Warning
- Don't stick to one idea. Your lyrics and music will change during the songwriting process. Maybe your song just needs a new surprise.
- Imitation is often the best way to learn. However, there is a fine line between imitation and plagiarism. Try not to steal other people's work.
- Don't be discouraged by how long it takes to write a song. Sometimes it can take weeks until you are completely satisfied with the song written. So don't think you're not a good songwriter if you can't compose a song in a week.
