I first started writing and playing music to impress members of the opposite sex. Little good it's done me. While we all have different reasons for getting interested in songwriting, the allure of writing songs is incredibly strong, especially for those creatively and musically inclined. This web page gives you resources and advice on song writing.
Here are some tips for writing music:
- Find Your Own Sound. It is very easy to fall into the trap of writing a song that mysteriously sounds like every other song out there. Be original. Be you. Try to find and develop your own musical sound.
- Don't Be Afraid to Experiment. This will help you find your own sound. Songwriting is often an ethereal miracle borne of the cosmic aligning of the stars combined with a spate of genius--so it sometimes seems. Experimenting with songwriting can take you in musical places you never knew you could go.
- Play to Your Strengths. Once you know your strengths and your musical sound, work to develop them. Become a specialist in that genre. You don't need to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to writing music.
- Lyrical and Musical Originality. Writing the lyrics is just about as important as writing the music. Together, the lyrics and the music are the song . You need both, and they both need to be original and unique.
- Persevere. Don't give up. So many songwriters are still writing music only because they never give up; they didn't listen to the naysayers.
I highly recommend these books on writing great songs and the songwriting industry:
How to Write a Hit Song: The Complete Guide to Writing and Marketing Chart-Topping Lyrics and Music. This is a complete guide to composing lyrics and music and getting your songs on the air. It covers everything aspiring songwriters must know to be successful, from creating memorable lyrics, composing the melody, and crafting song structure to collaborating, finding a publisher, and recording a song.
The Songwriter's Market. The reference guide with over 1,000 updated music listings for record companies, booking agents and music producers, it provides the must-have information you need to get your songs heard and signed. You'll find the music industry contacts, what they're looking for, and how much they pay. The recent edition includes articles, interviews, websites of interest, contest information and music insider advice you won't want to miss.
Here are some great online directories that are loaded with songwriting resources: