Seven Basic Songwriting Mistakes
Website design By BotEap.comSo there are only seven possible errors? In my experience as a teacher, the seven
The mistakes listed below represent the most common mistakes made by high school students.
songwriting Addressing these shortcomings is essential to making your songs
works. Website design By BotEap.comThe advice in this article comes from The Essential Secrets of Songwriting, a
popular website and downloadable e-book. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #1: THE FORM OF THE SONG IS CONFUSED. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: Strengthen the shape of your songs by carefully controlling the energy.
In general, an introduction should have the same or more energy than a verse, not less. HAS
the chorus should have more energy than a verse. A bridge should have more energy.
than the choir that came before. This graph shows the general pattern of energy
which works for most songs: Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #2: THE MELODY IS LACK OF FORM. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: In a verse, the range of the melody should generally be higher
immediately after the midpoint, to help you gain momentum as you prepare to
connect with the choir The old standard, “Under the Boardwalk,” by Resnick and
Young, is a perfect example. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #3: CHORDS SEEM TO GO AWAY WITHOUT PURPOSE Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: The chord that represents the key your song is in (i.e. the “tonic” chord)
it should appear more in the chorus than in the verse. (And the actual tonic note
should also be used more in a chorus than in a verse.) Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #4: STRONG AND WEAK CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE USED AS NORMAL. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: Chord progressions featuring chords four notes apart from each other
(i.e. in the key of C major we’re talking about G7 to C, C to F, Dm to G, like
examples) form a strong progression and should appear in a chorus. other
chord progressions (say Dm to Em, F to Dm, G to Am, for example) form what
they are called “brittle” progressions and may appear more in a verse. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #5: THE LYRICS DO NOT SUPPORT THE FORM OF THE SONG. Website design By BotEap.comthe font
determines the type of chord progression you use. Strong and conclusive lyrics need
lots of strong progressions; Introspective lyrics work well with brittle progressions.
And remember, writing good lyrics doesn’t necessarily mean writing a good poem.
Rather, it’s best to write a working title for your song and then start brainstorming.
words and short sentences that relate to that title. Website design By BotEap.comFor example, if you wrote “Everything I Ever Wanted” as a working title, you could
make up these words as related text: love, hand in hand, touch, satisfaction,
emotion, my heart, for you, warm…etc. You will find that even though many of
these words won’t necessarily make it to your song, they make you think of the
correct address, and begin to formulate a letter of work. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #6: YOU’RE RELYING ON A HOOK TO SAVE A BAD SONG. Website design By BotEap.comAdd a hook to a
The bad song gives you a bad song with a hook! Compose a song and then try
finding a hook that really makes it come to life is a really hard thing to do. try
write the hook first. Improvise on a couple of chords, or a few notes, or a rhythm
– something short and attractive. Once you have something that really catches
your attention, try using it as an introduction to your song, and something that keeps
recurrent between verses and choruses. A hook needs to attract an audience and
Get them back to your song. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #7: WAITING FOR INSPIRATION. Website design By BotEap.comI can’t say it better than musician/author Ernest Newman: “The great
he composes… he doesn’t get to work because he’s inspired, but he gets inspired
because it’s working.” Waiting for inspiration is, frankly, a waste of time!
You need to write daily to improve your songs. if something is not
working…don’t throw it away. Just save it and start something new. Keep
everything you try to write in a scrapbook. You’d be surprised what eventually
become a song. Website design By BotEap.comThese are just a few examples of the kind of things that will make your songs work.
best. If you want even more tips, you should visit “The Essential Secrets of
Song composition. And start turning your songs into winners!
The mistakes listed below represent the most common mistakes made by high school students.
songwriting Addressing these shortcomings is essential to making your songs
works. Website design By BotEap.comThe advice in this article comes from The Essential Secrets of Songwriting, a
popular website and downloadable e-book. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #1: THE FORM OF THE SONG IS CONFUSED. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: Strengthen the shape of your songs by carefully controlling the energy.
In general, an introduction should have the same or more energy than a verse, not less. HAS
the chorus should have more energy than a verse. A bridge should have more energy.
than the choir that came before. This graph shows the general pattern of energy
which works for most songs: Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #2: THE MELODY IS LACK OF FORM. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: In a verse, the range of the melody should generally be higher
immediately after the midpoint, to help you gain momentum as you prepare to
connect with the choir The old standard, “Under the Boardwalk,” by Resnick and
Young, is a perfect example. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #3: CHORDS SEEM TO GO AWAY WITHOUT PURPOSE Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: The chord that represents the key your song is in (i.e. the “tonic” chord)
it should appear more in the chorus than in the verse. (And the actual tonic note
should also be used more in a chorus than in a verse.) Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #4: STRONG AND WEAK CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE USED AS NORMAL. Website design By BotEap.comSOLUTION: Chord progressions featuring chords four notes apart from each other
(i.e. in the key of C major we’re talking about G7 to C, C to F, Dm to G, like
examples) form a strong progression and should appear in a chorus. other
chord progressions (say Dm to Em, F to Dm, G to Am, for example) form what
they are called “brittle” progressions and may appear more in a verse. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #5: THE LYRICS DO NOT SUPPORT THE FORM OF THE SONG. Website design By BotEap.comthe font
determines the type of chord progression you use. Strong and conclusive lyrics need
lots of strong progressions; Introspective lyrics work well with brittle progressions.
And remember, writing good lyrics doesn’t necessarily mean writing a good poem.
Rather, it’s best to write a working title for your song and then start brainstorming.
words and short sentences that relate to that title. Website design By BotEap.comFor example, if you wrote “Everything I Ever Wanted” as a working title, you could
make up these words as related text: love, hand in hand, touch, satisfaction,
emotion, my heart, for you, warm…etc. You will find that even though many of
these words won’t necessarily make it to your song, they make you think of the
correct address, and begin to formulate a letter of work. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #6: YOU’RE RELYING ON A HOOK TO SAVE A BAD SONG. Website design By BotEap.comAdd a hook to a
The bad song gives you a bad song with a hook! Compose a song and then try
finding a hook that really makes it come to life is a really hard thing to do. try
write the hook first. Improvise on a couple of chords, or a few notes, or a rhythm
– something short and attractive. Once you have something that really catches
your attention, try using it as an introduction to your song, and something that keeps
recurrent between verses and choruses. A hook needs to attract an audience and
Get them back to your song. Website design By BotEap.comMISTAKE #7: WAITING FOR INSPIRATION. Website design By BotEap.comI can’t say it better than musician/author Ernest Newman: “The great
he composes… he doesn’t get to work because he’s inspired, but he gets inspired
because it’s working.” Waiting for inspiration is, frankly, a waste of time!
You need to write daily to improve your songs. if something is not
working…don’t throw it away. Just save it and start something new. Keep
everything you try to write in a scrapbook. You’d be surprised what eventually
become a song. Website design By BotEap.comThese are just a few examples of the kind of things that will make your songs work.
best. If you want even more tips, you should visit “The Essential Secrets of
Song composition. And start turning your songs into winners!