Where do you start when writing a new song?
Creating a song, a hook or melody is about developing a relationship between your verbal thought process and the music. Any approach you take to begin the process is correct as long as you have made decisions leading to a satisfactory product. I usually will begin with my music first. I will write out guitars, then bass and by that time i have the percussive movement of the songs down to a T. After i know this is fact, i will jam out drums and fill in the gaps with any leads, synths or “filler” instruments i may see fit to round it out and add context to each individual part of my song. From there, i will find one of my connections (as i sound worse than a dying cat) and find an applicant that i know who’s skill set will really do the trick for the song creatively and lyrically. At the end of this article, i would love to hear YOUR writing process and where you like to end up!
Anyways, lets get to the beef. When you are creating a song title, it generally makes sense to have something relevant to the lyrical content of your song. Although many people and artists have used names not correspondent to the meat of the song, many have for example used a lyric from the hook, a verse or chorus as the title to bring the listener full circle in a sense.
One way to bring yourself into the hook phase and to get it done efficiently is to start with one great line. One from your hook, or one from your verse etc. Remember to be creative and open to change as your thought process may develop new connections via word to music as your process continues. BUT, grab the lyric with the most emotional impact and that has the intent of being the one that stands out. Like i have said before, you want the hook to retain high notes, powerful singing and of course power lyrics as it is the most intense portion of your song.
Develop a rhythm as you experiment with your lines. Try laying out four lines that contain four to six words each and mess with three or four different rhythms to see if anything strikes you as energetic, appealing or generally just good in your own opinion. It helps to add context from another instrument to your melody. Try this with a guitar, piano, synth or any melodic instrument that will help color your hook as your test things out. Remember that not every melody you come up with will succeed. In the word of Gary Vaynerchuck; “I recommend failing first”. Get the bad ideas out of the way but before you do so, perform them to actually hear it in itself and make a decision on WHY it is being tossed. It will help to write these down or if you are working in a Digital Audio Workstation, to record them in and attach notes to each test as to why it did or did not make it.
This can be a very time dealing process as your ideas will come and go and come and go again. Its important to continue through until you find yourself with something that you genuinely love. IF you find yourself with a good lyrical rhythm, remember your syllable placement and move words around if possible or apply the same rhythm to different lines in general. Depending on where your instrumental melodies will lie in key will determine where your hook can go note wise. Do not be afraid to change the key of where you are at if need be, just be sure to record a take prior in case you need to compare or need to remember it.
If you have a DAW in front of you, one thing i know that makes the world a difference in the sound as well as decision making would be add layers of your vocal performance for depth and potential. It could add something that sparks a new light lyrically, rhythmically or urge you to continue on scrapping and building more ideas for your hook. You can do the same with your synth work, keyboard playing and any element you think might be enhanced by a layer with a circle of fifths for example.
Question everything in your process. This will keep you engaged and give you more thoughts towards what might be a good replacement for that synth melody, or your vocal harmonies. If you find yourself in a tough spot with these routes, try and formulate a solution by working three new parts into its place and testing out sounds that may better suit the songs flow and context.
I know this one was a short one today, but i truly hope it helps give you some thoughts to work with on your next song! IF you would like to read more on thoughts from a songwriter, follow this space and look back at my page for more! Thanks for reading.
-Andrew Giordanengo
-Audiohut