The Emotion of Music: Tips on Songwriting
Clara
Photo credit: Gentry Schweiger
Songs speak emotion. They can express any feeling one might have. When plain words fail to express emotion, music can say it all. Sad or excited, bored or in love, whatever you feel can be communicated in song. There’s no right or wrong way to write a song, but here are a few pointers that I use when writing a song.
I start with a keyword, or key phrase. Typically this is something that is important to me. This doesn’t have to be your title, but it will help get you started. Think about how it makes you feel. Happy, sad, warm, nervous, etc. Think of one word, or a few. I’m going to use summer as my example.
Think of things that are related to your subject (hot, breeze, swimming, late nights, sunny, ice cream, etc.), and write. Write about your keyword in lyrical form (poetic style). You could tell a story (I wake up in the morning to the bright sun rays, and feel the heat of the weather on this hot summer day ...) or you could give phrases full of adjectives describing your topic (The sunny hot mornings and the soft cool nights, the glimmering of the water in the bright sunlight ...)
I start with a keyword, or key phrase. Typically this is something that is important to me. This doesn’t have to be your title, but it will help get you started. Think about how it makes you feel. Happy, sad, warm, nervous, etc. Think of one word, or a few. I’m going to use summer as my example.
Think of things that are related to your subject (hot, breeze, swimming, late nights, sunny, ice cream, etc.), and write. Write about your keyword in lyrical form (poetic style). You could tell a story (I wake up in the morning to the bright sun rays, and feel the heat of the weather on this hot summer day ...) or you could give phrases full of adjectives describing your topic (The sunny hot mornings and the soft cool nights, the glimmering of the water in the bright sunlight ...)
"The only thing you must have when
writing a song is an emotion."
Write however many verses you want. Add a chorus — a repeating line — if you want. There are very few rules to music.
Now the melody. If you play an instrument, plunk a few chords out on the piano, or strum a few chords on the guitar. When you find a pattern you like, play it again. And again. If you’re not an instrument person but want to write music, clap a pattern — a rhythm. Keep clapping. You’ve got words, you’ve got rhythm, you’ve got an outline for the song, now it’s up to you to find the melody. Think of how the words make you feel. Decide if it’s going to be in a major key (happy) or a minor key (sad).
Don’t feel restricted to using this structure because it’s not going to work for everyone. The only thing you must have when writing a song is an emotion.
LISTEN TO CLARA: The Road Is Long
This is a song I wrote about someone who is searching for satisfaction in life. It is called The Road Is Long.
Aside from singing, I only use my guitar in this song, but in other songs I play a variety of other instruments as well: ukelele, piano, accordion, melodica, clapping and whistling. I also like to have friends join me on their instruments or with their own vocal harmonies.
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