Merriam School Of Music

Crazy Songwriting Ideas And How To Recall The Tunes You Come Up With

Posted on by Esther Murimi

Many people wonder how songs are composed or written. The art of songwriting can be described as an adventure. It takes inspiration as a foundation and a high level of discipline to keep you going. This is critical as there will be times when nothing seems to be happening.

There are several things to consider. It is never easy to describe what happens when people write songs. For most people, songs just “happen” – some even within minutes, and they end up hitting the top of the charts! Here is a compilation of some crazy ideas you could try to reinvigorate your songwriting skills:

Silence please

You read that right. Silence helps you connect with your thoughts and dig deep into your reservoir of thoughts. Take some time out, and connect with your inner self and let the rhythms flow.

Take a temporary oath of silence. Your songwriting will thank you…And during all that silent time all those deep memories and feelings will have a clear path to the top of your mind. Y’know, all those thoughts that make great songs. Via Landr

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

Set Time Limits

Many times when you overdo something, you mess it up, and songwriting is no different. By the time you are writing a song for over an hour after the point of inspiration, you are probably being retrogressive than progressive.

Time is a hard scale to balance. Too much and you end up second guessing everything. Too little and you get nothing done. Via Landr

Be Simple

The catchiest songs have very few lines to them, and can easily be learned. Don’t insist on writing a long song with too many words. Simplicity will bless your songwriting and captivate your audience much more than you think.

Simple is a skill that every songwriter should master. It keeps your songs relatable, engaging and catchy. Who doesn’t like a good sing along? Via Landr

nature
Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Connect with Nature

The beauty of nature cannot be overstated, whether you look out of your window, take a walk on a nature trail or better still, stare up at the night sky, you’re sure to stumble upon some inspiration for songwriting.

The small room that I make music in has a skylight in it. The view is quite limited—just a small blue square with the occasional cloud, bird or airplane.

But I think I’ve learned more about my own process from that small blue square than any guide, walkthrough, or manual could ever teach me. It lets me think clearly. Via Landr

Reward Yourself

Like any career, the importance of rewards in keeping employees motivated is a truth that cannot be ignored. Spoil yourself whenever you get a song done, it will keep you wanting to write more.

When Brian Wilson was struggling with his own songwriting—among other things—he was reportedly rewarded with cheeseburgers for every song he wrote. Via Landr

How To Remember A Tune

There are times when a tune will come into your head when you least expect it and you’re not in a position to record it. What do you do?

playing the guitar
Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Find a similar song

Songs are different but keys and notes are universal. You can always find one that is similar to the one that came by inspiration.

Let’s say that you notice your melody starts with the same two notes as “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” You may have trouble remembering how your melody starts, but you’ll likely remember “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” Via Secrets of songwriting

Sketch it

Another way to remember your tune is to draw the highs and lows of it. Have you ever noticed how it’s easier to learn a new song when your teacher draws the pattern in the air? The same applies when that tune comes- sketch it.

This can be a great help because it reminds you of the basic contour of your melody. Quickly grab a pencil and paper, and place a dot on the left margin of the paper, about midway up the side. Then, as your melody moves up or down, sketch out a line that moves similarly up and down. Via Secrets of songwriting

“Play” it

 There is something about doing something practically that makes it stick to your brain. Try and imagine yourself playing the tune on the instrument and it will go a long way in helping you remember what you did the next time you need to play it.

So if you’ve just conjured up a melody, take a moment and imagine that you’re playing it on your guitar, flute, piano, or whatever instrument you call your own. You will likely find that your ability to remember what your fingers are doing is stronger than your ability to remember a tune simply out of thin air. Via Secrets of songwriting

Summary

Ultimately, you will adopt your own songwriting style, but the following gives a highlight of the steps that you will need to go through:

The six steps to writing a great song; Preparation, Inspiration, Creative drama, Words first or music first?, Writers room, Aftermath Via Music Think Tank

Featured Image: Image Credit

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