Music has long been considered an art that soothes both the mind and the soul. It is a form of self-expression that can be used to communicate emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Indeed, songwriting is a great outlet for creative expression.
For some people, songwriting comes naturally. They can sit down at a piano or pick up a guitar and just start playing and singing. The words and melody seem to flow out of them effortlessly. But for others, the process of writing a song can be a real challenge. To help, we’ve combined a list of a few songwriting practices that can enhance your productivity and help you create music you’re truly proud of.
Take Feedback From Others
One of the best ways to improve your songwriting is to take feedback from others. Ask friends, family, and other musicians what they think of your songs. What do they like? What don’t they like? Are there any parts they find confusing? What could be better? Be open to all types of feedback, even if it’s not what you want to hear. It can be difficult to hear criticism, but it’s important to remember that people are giving you their honest opinion and that they want to help you make your song the best it can be.
Set Some Parameters
When you sit down to write a song, make sure you have no distractions so you can focus on the song alone. For instance, start by deciding the song’s length, genre, mood, or subject matter. Having a general guideline of what you want to write about will make the writing process much easier and will help you stay focused.
Write Every Day
The key to improving songwriting lies in making it a consistent practice. Set out a specific time of the day where you sit down with complete focus and direct all your attention toward the creative process. It doesn’t have to be a lot— writing even a few lines or a verse can be helpful. The more you write, the better you’ll become at putting your thoughts into words and crafting catchy melodies. And if you’re ever feeling stuck, try looking back at some of your old songs for inspiration.
Keep an Idea Journal
A great way to capture songwriting inspiration when it strikes is to keep an ideal journal – a place where you can dump down all your thoughts no matter how useless they seem. Whenever you have an idea for a song, write it down in your journal. It can be anything—a line of lyrics, a melody, a chord progression, or even just a general concept. Having a place to store your ideas will prevent you from forgetting them later and give you something to refer back to when you’re ready to start writing.
Take Breaks
When you’re feeling stuck, it can be tempting to force yourself to keep writing. But sometimes, the best thing you can do is step back and take a break. Step away from your instrument or your computer and take a walk, watch a movie, or read a book. Giving your mind a break will allow you to come back to your song with fresh ears.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many songwriting practices that can help you write better songs. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you. However, make sure you don’t pressure yourself for the best songs to be written while having fun.
Eric Dalius is The Executive Chairman of MuzicSwipe, a music and content discovery platform designed to maximize artist discovery and optimize fan relationships.Along with his work at MuzicSwipe, he also conducts in-depth interviews with prominent entrepreneurs on his weekly podcast “FULLSPEED.” Eric also dedicates himself to educational initiatives through the “Eric Dalius Foundation,” which provides four scholarships to US-based students. Keep track of Eric’s endeavors on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,YouTube, Instagram, and Entrepreneur.com.