One of the classic dilemmas that plague every songwriter is whether they should write the lyrics first or create the melody or the music. If you are a songwriting novice struggling to create your first composition, one thing that you need to keep in mind is that there is no one way of writing or composing a song. Sometimes, the lyrics come first, sometimes the melody, and sometimes it may be the music, and every so often, you may find an organic blend of the three or even more elements. Every songwriter has a different approach to writing a song, with sometimes even the most talented of the lot finding it challenging to come up with the right words or unique melodies. That said, here are some tips that you can lean on for creating your own songs:
There’s no fixed rule for writing a song.
As mentioned earlier, you will not find a fixed set of songwriting rules. The process is almost always dependent on the individual and their experiences and inspirations. For instance, the story behind the creation of Rege Larks’ singles on love will be different from another singer’s love song. Instead, what you need to focus on is getting started because that is often the hardest part of it all. Once you know where to begin, everything else will come together perfectly.
The lyrics are extremely important.
Lyrics are undoubtedly the most crucial part of your song unless it is only an instrumental composition. Writing the lyrics can be difficult for amateur writers who lack experience, but it is not an impossible task. You need to begin by devising a clear idea of what you want the song to be about. Maybe it is about love, peace, your own life experiences, or about a social issue that you are passionate about. Next, write down what you want to communicate through it, and then play around with the words, their structure and rhythm according to your melody.
Momentary inspirations can often prove to be vital.
There is nothing more frustrating than coming up with a beautiful melody or a few meaningful words for your song, only to completely forget them when you actually sit down to work on it. Hurdles such as these can impede your progress, which is why it is important for you to record even the most fleeting ideas while they are still fresh in your mind, no matter if it is a word, a sentence, or a riff. You will appreciate it when you continue building up your musical creation later on.
Need some inspiration? Read about Rege Lark, who is one of the most celebrated musicians of our times. Listen to Rege Lark’s singles on love and you will be able to understand that even the simplest lyrics and melodies can have such a profound impact on the listeners.