4 Tips to Increase Songwriting Efficiency
Songwriting is not just a simple craft. It involves certain technicalities. It is not a loose art at all. If you want to ensure that you can progress your songwriting skills, I do recommend that you should check this article. I have listed some effective tips that can help you grow as a songwriter.
Most of you are here because of the common interest in songwriting. As simple as it sounds, the art is quite complex. Being able to write a song is never an easy feat. Finding the right words and rhythm is more than establishing some poetic lines. There’s still a lot of technicalities that involve it.
Of course, the story will take a different turn from the moment you decide that you want to become a pro. The difference between a pro songwriter and a hobbyist is the demand. Professionals will always write, whether they are inspired or not. That task is not a walk in the park. Perhaps you would just want to establish a point in where all the conditions are conducive for songwriting. But then again, that’s just the facade.
Here are some of the tips that can help you write songs better and more efficiently.
1. Respecting The Art
You can never become a good songwriter if you will just stick to the idea that songwriting is purely an art with a loose form. That idea will never take you anywhere.
To progress on this endeavor, you should take the reality that songwriting has certain rules on it. In this way, you will be able to find the essential guidelines that you can use as your leverage.
Fortunately, you can always refer to the pros when it comes to this matter. There are a lot of incredulous songwriters out there that are generous enough to share their techniques with you.
Once you have gained mastery over the given specifications of songwriting, you should start taking it seriously. The learning process is always ascending. The room for you to improve will always be unlimited.
2. Copycats Always Lose
Songwriters, especially the successful ones, are paid expensively. They are the people that can earn much by just writing inexplicably good songs.
But don’t let it discourage you if one songwriter is performing well and you are seemingly not. That should not be the mindset that will take a toll in your head. Some former enthusiasts out there have lost their taste over the art because they can’t reach the limelight that they want. They are thinking that they are not doing good at all.
If you put yourself into comparison, you are always susceptible to tipping over the pitfall. Always remember that it is good to find inspirations. But never come to the point in where you are going to imitate other people’s style. That would erase your identity as a songwriter. In the long run, you won’t be able to write songs unless you can’t copy the works of others.
If you want to write good songs, stay original and unique. You will find your place eventually.
3. Finding Mentors
It is not enough if you just write songs on your guitar by yourself. At first, learning and practicing on your own provides efficiency and room for exploration. But sooner or later, you will get stuck. You will feel stagnant, and progress seems so distant from you. What should you do now?
Well, why not get a real mentor?
You see, just like the process of learning how to play musical instruments, songwriting requires rigorous research and studying. Since you are not pro right now, the best thing that you can do is to find one. They will be able to teach you things that you haven’t learned yet. They can even correct you with your mistakes and how to improve from them.
Of course, doing this might step on your pride. They can even hurt your ego because you are an aspiring songwriter for yourself. But let the remind you that it is not a good attitude at all. Always be the person that can absorb all the essential information about the art. This would do good for you, especially if you are taking the matter seriously.
4. Learn To Analyze
A songwriter should become a keen observer as well. Crafting a song is not just about studying and scrutinizing your musical pieces. You should also be able to analyze all the songs that you hear and listen.
You can start on this by examining your favorite songs. They are more familiar to you, right? Therefore, inspecting all of their parts would be a lot easier for you. It is also a fun and interesting task because it allows you to explore the elements that made the song attractive.
This thing can be quick or time-consuming. It really depends on what goal you are trying to achieve. As long as you can dissect the song the way you want it, things are good already.
Don’t get tired or discouraged easily. Analyzing a song might come difficult at the beginning. But eventually, it would be a thing that you can do subconsciously.
Final Thoughts – Increase Songwriting Efficiency
Following these tips can certainly improve your songwriting skills, one way or another. They can serve to discipline yourself and make things more rational for you. You can never be great at creating songs haphazardly. There are always some procedures to follow and techniques to take into account.
That’s it for now! If you have other songwriting tips in your musical repository, you can share it with us in the comment section below!
I’m Monica Harrison, and I am self-confessed guitar geek. I created Guitar Trance is to share this knowledge with any interested fellows. I hope that our enthusiasm will get syncopated along the way!
Leave a Reply