Mantius Cazaubon
www.UltimateSongwriting.com

As far as the songwriting process is concerned, there are no rules. Everyone has their own methods of writing songs. Some folks write music first, some write lyrics first, while some write lyrics and music simultaneously. But you know what really comes first? It's the idea.

Before you can write lyrics or music you must have an idea. And that idea had better be a great one. That idea must be capable of appealing to you and even more importantly, the listener. It must be able to engage the emotions of your audience.

This is the foundation of the song. In my experience it's the most challenging part of songwriting. I have found that once I have a good songwriting idea, the rest comes easily. Without a good idea, I'm more or less stuck.

How does one get a good songwriting idea? How does one know that it is a great idea? I can speak of what works for me.

First of all you need to know who you're writing for. You must know who your audience is. Try to think of what appeals to them.

Listen to what has been proven to work. In other words study hit songs. Try to decide what is the common thread in hit songs of a particular genre of music? What do these songs focus on?

I'm always eager to get the next brilliant idea; so I'm always thinking. If I'm at a party, I observe the feedback of folks. I observe how they respond to specific songs more than others. Why is it that they go crazy over certain songs?

My objective is to write a song that receives an affirmative response from the audience. If they respond positively to a certain song there must be something in that song that works. Sometimes I get a great idea right there and then.

Other ways of generating a songwriting idea include:

1. You can take the title of an existing hit song and add your own twist to it. Diane Warren's "Unbreak My Heart" (made popular by Toni Braxton) is one example. A unique twist was added to the popular phrase, "break my heart".

2. You can force yourself to write something. Don't worry about it not being perfect. You can always revise it later. Write down several ideas and later on go back and choose the best one.

3. If you play an instrument you can play chords in a running fashion and you may end up on the sweetest melodies you've ever thought of.

4. Try to experience something that you have never experienced before. You can go somewhere you've never gone before, read a new book on a topic you know nothing about or watch a new movie.

5. Listen to your favorite music. This can be a great source of inspiration.

6. Pay attention to your life experiences. If it brings pain and sorrow for example, chances are that there are many people just like you facing that dilemma.

In my experience, nothing facilitates the songwriting process like good songwriting software. Learn about my favorite piece of songwriting software here.

Recommended Resources:

Lyricist - It's been labeled the songwriter's best friend. It's perfect for those who want to make songwriting an easier, more hassle-free process. Learn more here.

The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook is one of the best works I've come across on music promotion. If you want your music to make money, this handbook is a must.

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Copyright 2005 Mantius Cazaubon
www.UltimateSongwriting.com All Rights Reserved.