Inspiration is the first step to creating a song. It can strike at any moment: while walking, working, or relaxing. The key is to be ready to seize it. At that moment, you can channel all your energy.
Purpose – it will help you choose the direction of your song. What meaning and emotions do you want to convey to the listener? This purpose also helps you understand: do you want a commercial hit? Do you want to experiment? Or just tell a personal story?
Let’s figure out what you need and what you don’t need to think about.
What to pay attention to
Honesty. Write about what truly excites you, about your personal experiences. Authenticity is always felt by the listener, and that’s what makes your music unique and touching. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.
Sincerity is the most important thing. Your stories, your philosophy, the most difficult or the happiest chapters of your life, the people around you, love, conversations with friends, nature – inspiration is everywhere. Inspiration is literally everything you live by.
Atmosphere. Think about the feelings you want to convey. Experiment with effects. Even simple things like the sound of rain, the hum of cars, or people can create the right mood.
Melody/harmony. Complexity is great, but only to best convey your idea (meaning). The main thing is not to overdo it and mix everything into one.
Details. Pay attention to the little things that make your song special. This could be an unusual lyric, an unexpected transition, a quiet whisper, a stop-time, a branching into another genre, and so on. It’s the details that create the song’s unique character.
Don’t try to copy what’s popular right now. Trends come and go, but good music is timeless.
(But it’s useful to anticipate.)
Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks and don’t obsess over getting everything perfect the first time. Of course, constructive criticism is important, but don’t let others’ thoughts drown out your own voice. Trust your intuition, because the most important thing is to capture the idea.
Top Tips from Experienced Songwriters
Music is therapy. A way to express your emotions, understand yourself, and heal.
Practice is the key to mastery. The more you write, the better you get. Sometimes you spend a month writing a couple of lines, and then in one day you manage to write a complete composition.
Collaboration is growth. Working with other musicians, producers, and sound designers is a great way to expand your horizons and learn something new.
The top advice from experienced artists for those just starting out in songwriting:
Just start. Don’t be afraid of failing. Pick up an instrument, open a notebook, some notes—whatever—and start writing. Allow yourself to be yourself, because your uniqueness is your greatest asset. Believe in yourself!
Don’t be afraid to dream, create, and share your music with the world. And who knows, maybe your song will change someone’s life. Music is a way to connect with others, a chance to meet people who understand you! Art is an opportunity to experience all the beauty, depth, and tragedy of life; it unites and liberates, and that’s why music, resonating with our inner essence, is a true outlet!
Recording
Try recording until you reach a point where you’re satisfied with the result. Record at home or in a studio—whatever’s more convenient.
Mixing and Mastering
Without processing, it sounds dry and unpolished. If you know how to mix yourself, go ahead and do it; you’ll be able to add everything you wanted in the early stages.
If you lack the skills, you can order a mix. Write out the technical specifications or send one of your own versions so the sound engineer can spot the details and refine them.
Track Title
We’re considering a name. There’s no single concept; we could take the main line from the chorus, or a line from the bridge. Anything, but the main thing is that it’s not super long or super complicated.
Polishing the result
The best way is to put the track aside for a couple of days, let it cool down. Then listen to it a couple of times over the next few days. Notice any pros and cons. Work through the cons and eliminate them, and make the pros much more vivid.
We won’t push boring stuff like what genre is best or what structure to use. You are the creator. You choose how your track will sound.
You’ve just started your journey, you want to try everything, and in the end, it’s unclear what you’re bringing to the table as a musical entity.
Audiences come to the artist and want to hear the style that once hooked them.
Don’t make too many different tracks; it’s best to put together 10 demos and then choose from them what to finish and what best suits you and your music.
It’s even cooler to make TikToks for each of the 10 demos to see which one resonated with the audience—you’ll know right away, and people will be clamoring for the track to be released.
So, you’ve written your first song. What do you do next?
You need to upload the track to all digital platforms. This way, you’ll be able to show people your work and gain exposure to all the other artists. How do you upload a track? You can upload it here.
