There are may ways in which a song can be written, this is one of them. Here are some basic steps:
Lyrics
Mostly any song need lyrics. These can be either in a poem form, free form (no rhyme) or other. You can start by simply taking a phrase, a feeling, a situation, a general idea or belief and writing a poem about it. If you do write a poem I suggest keeping the same measure(number of syllables in a verse) troughout the poem. Now if you want a chorus (refrain), choose the most relevant part of the poem and make that your chorus. You can write the chorus separately, or you don’t have to have a chorus. But if you do have one, remember that the chorus must reflect the idea behind the song( that and, it has to be catchy).
Tune (or melodic backbone)
This can be done in two ways:
You first have the lyrics; you take a guitar (or a piano) and start playing a tune (a succession of note, arpeggios, or chords), then try to sing the lyrics along with the tune.
You have a good tune in your head; start playing it and then try singing different lyrics that come to mind.
No matter which one you pick, keep in mind that the lyrics and the tune have to represent each other, you must get the same feeling both from the lyrics and the tune. If the tune is soft, choose according lyrics (something regarding love, relaxation, world peace etc.)
Basic song structure
You now have a tune, and some lyrics. You have to decide a basic song structure for your song. This means you have to decide how you’re going to split the lyrics, chorus, intro, outro, solo. Here is a good song structure: small guitar intro, first verses, chorus, more verses, chorus, small chorus add-on, guitar solo, chorus, small outro. The intro and outro can be the same as the basic tune, or just the first part of the tune, but without lyrics. If your playing it on a guitar, it easier to change the chord after each verse.
Adding to the song
If you intend to play the song with a band you have to add to the song. Lets say you made your song tune on a acoustic guitar. You can include the following instrument to the sons:
Bass: the most important thing about the bass is that it keeps a good rhythm and it also completes the frequency spectrum of the song (by the low pitched notes it plays). A good tip for the bass musical line is to mark the crossing between chords(arpeggios) by playing the fundamental note in that chord.
Electric guitar: there are a lot of things that an electric guitar can do in a song. It can help keep the rhythm, it can use special effect to add to the songs feel, it can play a good solo and so on. If you use a acoustic guitar as the base rhythm, don’t play the same chords on the electric guitar, it becomes too “full”. You can use fifth to sustain the tune. You can also play a nice simple tune that goes along with the main tune, but were the electric guitar excels is at solos.
Drums: these are very important to a song, they are the ones who keep the beat of the song. You can have a full drum set, or just a couple of bongos. If your drummer is good, he’ll have no problem at getting the beat of the song. You can vary the percussion of a song a lot, so don’t hold back.
Piano: this is a very good instrument to base your song on. As a secondary instrument, it can be used for background effects, and certain solo parts. But if you have based your song on an acoustic guitar there is so much a piano can do.
Other instruments: there are many instruments that you can use to “complete” the sound of your song. Don’t hesitate to try new and exotic sounds.
Final form
After you tried all the instruments available, and all the variations you wanted, it’s time to set the final form of the song. If you’re in a band, agree to a common version for the song. Don’t forget, you’ll have to make compromises some times (that’s a part of being in a band). If you want to play it life, rehearse it a few times, just to be sure you all know how the song goes. As a conclusion, you don’t have to have a license diploma as a musician to write a song. Just play what you like, be open minded and the songs will come to you. A song shouldn’t be written because you have to, a song should be written because you want to.
Here is an example of a song:
Lyrics: I wrote a song on a Sunday morning, (C) (C) (C-G) I did it till my pen started moaning, (Am) (A) (A-E) I picked up a guitar and started to play, (F) (F) (F-C) I wrote my song and I did it my way.(G) (G) (G-D)
Chorus: Be free, (C) (C) (C-G) Let yourself be free Rise to the challenge(G) (G) (G-D) Of your own destiny. Chorus add-on: Break the boundaries of society.
Lyrics: I played my song in a thousand places(C) I brought smiles to a thousand faces(Am) I faced my fears and I got this far, (F) I am now a world famous rock star.(G)
The symbols in the brackets are chords (you can choose a chord pattern by using “The Circle of Fifths”). You change the chord when the verse ends.
a very simple bass line can be done by playing the fundamental of each chord when the verse begins. The bass can peed up the tempo where it is required.
the electric guitar can play fifths ( C-G, A-E, F-C and G-D), can also vary the rhythm, can have a distorts effect on the chorus. It can do a simple solo (because it’s the C major scale, you don’t have any accidentals(#)) after the chorus add-on (you can use a pattern from “Musical Mode Pattern for Picking” article).
the drums have a basic 4/4 beat which can be varied easily. Small drum breaks at the end of a verse and the begin of the chorus are a good idea, it tells the people listening that a chorus is coming.
The info on the Page was great! How much beter can it get for free!! It's helped me turn some simple tunes into something I can play for friend.
Thanks!!!
Good guide but you could of gone into greater detail about writing songs based around melodys or riffs with examples instead of just a chord progression.
It always helps to have a reminder to keep things simple. I love the price!
Even a seasoned writer can benefit because we all sometimes to be told what we already know to get focused. I do not think the writer intended It to be a one stop shop, but as a intro to the craft, and for that plus the price, its good.
does anyone really think you become a platinum selling guitarist from writing sololess chords only songs? you wont even get a pub gig and then youre banned to hang out at mtv with the rnbers and ballad people for all eternity... this lesson sucked bigtime
captcool :
This was a good lesson, and all you punk critics, should learn that simple chord songs have sold more albums than you can count, i.e Johnny Cash.
This is a very good idea of writing a song, and that song was quite good, but you missed out some essential parts such as the key, time signature, chordal progression and the style. Anyway, this was a very good lesson. Well done!
dude... the song u wrote is so shitty its not even funny. stupid lyrics. But this isnt a bad lesson for begginers, how ever for more experienced guitarists this is just a waste of time. usually its way easier to write songs as a band not individually too. im not against simple chord songs either its just that doesnt always work man and who cares how may albums they sold. how good do they sound is the question. i mean look at the jonas brothers they suck and are talentless but a hugely famous and are selling thousands of albums. just think about man...this is kind of a bs lesson
does anyone really think you become a platinum selling guitarist from writing sololess chords only songs? you wont even get a pub gig and then youre banned to hang out at mtv with the rnbers and ballad people for all eternity... this lesson sucked bigtime
Live Wire has no solo, how many records has Mtley Cre sold?
wow. way for everyone to be @ssholes to the poor person. wow. sooo.... how many of you that are puttin him down have lessons??? ya... exactly my point. grow up.
The title says EASY songwriting...give the guy a break, If it bothers you that much you give people the solo lessons instead of moaning cause this guy didn't.
thats real descent man, all respect im a songwriter but this has given me a better technique ! nice on! and a quote to thehammer man everyone has got to start somwhere! its takes alot to be a solo artist tho! good luck to all!
ya no.. the kinda ppl i get sick of are the ones tht dont really appreciate what sum1 is trying to do for other guitarists and there have been plenty of songs with just chord progressions so give the poor bugger a break. if u care enough to complain bout what he has written then you do it instead cos at least hes giving it a go
I've been playin for awhile now and got some good things going on in my head. I love all music and I do not judge any style or form of it. Music is music,thats the way I was raised and what I've learned.I reallly like'd the lesson cause even if you can write the music you still have to be able to write the lyrics to it. This is a starting point for me and many, I want to say thanks.I dont see any of the nay sayers sh!t on here.So I pay them no mind.If they knew what they were talking about they'd have a following and sharing there music.It is what it is and it is that you aint!!So thanks for a start.
I think that its a good start for people trying to write songs, and for all you guys who are like it needs a solo to be a good song its not true there are plenty of others who sell lots of records who dont use solos and putting solos into songs just because you think there cool or cause you want to be the next vanhalen or whatever isnt the way to go either, if it dosnt fit the song then theres no point to have it in there to begin with.
nothing groundbreaking, but then again, nothing terrible either. Good article overall Ive played for almost two years now, and not one song has been made yet lol. I get a sort of "Aaah, go on. This'll be easy" feel when i read this article, which is definately a good thing. Cheers bro. im bookmarking this
That was just great for beginners. I mean the critics suck. Damn. people need to grow up. It was a great help though. Thanks. Thumbs up. And go die, you dicks.
Believe in yourself.
Be creative.
Don't expect success the first time.
Don't be disappointed if you never succeed, either. Remember, many bands never even get to have a hit rock song.
To have a hit, lots of it is actually business and manipulation. Scientific studies show how people like songs the more they hear them, that's why Payola happened in the early rock 'n' roll era. So you need to just get your music played a lot. You also need to know how charts are compiled and put your energy there. Read "The Manual" by the TimeLords about how to have a #1 hit (though it may convince you that it isn't at all worth it).
It's amazing (L) 
