Songwriter’s Guide: How To Teach Yourself To Write Music

For many music lovers, writing an original song can be a dream come true. However, crafting a song isn’t as simple as artists make it seem. The good news is anyone can write a fantastic piece of music with a couple of expert tips and plenty of practice. Discover how to teach yourself to write music like a professional!

Start with the Basics

Learn the basics of music theory, such as the fundamentals of scales, chords, and harmony.

Learn How to Read Sheet Music

Sheet music can be intimidating at first, but if you take the time to learn how to read it, it can be a great way to understand the structure of songs.

Practice

The only way to become a better writer is to practice, so make sure to set aside time each day to practice and write music.

Find a Mentor

Finding a mentor who can help guide you in your musical journey can be beneficial in helping you learn how to write music.

Create a Song Journal

One of the first things a songwriting expert will tell you is to get a diary and dedicate it to writing. Journal about how you feel, a situation, or even your thoughts; there is no limit or rules to what you should write about. When you start writing, don’t worry about melody or patterns since you’ll need an idea first.

Take your journal everywhere you go to jot things down anytime inspiration hits you. Sometimes melodies come to us out of nowhere, and you don’t want to lose the perfect song hook or chorus because you couldn’t jot it down.

Learn To Play an Instrument

Many professional songwriters know how to play an instrument or two since this helps in the creative process. In addition, you can test out different pitches and chords alongside the lyrics you create, as some notes could lead to a dramatic change in sound.

It’s also a great idea to test out new notes and chords on instruments you already know how to play. By having fun and experimenting like this, you’ll have an easier time knowing which notes sound good together and which ones clash.

Pro-Tip

Test out how different instruments sound together. For example, many acoustic songs partner the harmonic sounds of piano and an acoustic guitar because they flow well together. If you don’t know where to start, check out songs, like this one for great piano and guitar duets to get inspiration.

Listen to Music

Most writers get better at their craft by paying attention to what the pros do, so listen to the genre of music you wish to write and pay attention to patterns in both the lyrics and instrumental background. Then, jot down the things you notice and apply them to your work.

Listening to a variety of different genres and styles of music can help you learn different approaches to writing music.

Be Original

Songwriting is all about remaining unique, and while several songs may tell a similar story—such as finding love—they go about this differently. Being original doesn’t mean steering clear of these typical topics, and general topics like this are easier for a listener to relate to. You can be unique by avoiding cliché phrases or metaphors in your writing.

Share Your Music

When it comes to understanding how to teach yourself to write music, sharing your music with others is vital. And this doesn’t necessarily mean posting it online, though you can if you’d like. By sharing your music with friends or the world of the internet, you can get other opinions on what you write, which aids in the creative process. Every great songwriter starts somewhere, and a little feedback goes a long way.