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Home::Music
Seven Basic Songwriting Errors
Author : Gary Ewer
Seven Basic Songwriting Errors
The advice in this article comes from The Essential Secrets
of Songwriting, a popular website and e-book.
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So are there only seven possible errors? In my experience as a
teacher, the seven errors listed below represent the most common
errors committed by students of songwriting. Addressing these
shortcomings is essential to making your songs work.
ERROR #1: THE FORM OF THE SONG IS CONFUSING. SOLUTION:
Strengthen the form of your songs by carefully controlling the
energy. Usually, an intro should have the same or more energy
than a verse, not less. A chorus should have more energy than a
verse. A bridge should have more energy than the chorus that
came before it. This chart shows the general energy pattern that
works for most songs:
ERROR #2: THE MELODY LACKS SHAPE. SOLUTION: In a verse, the
range of the melody should generally be higher immediately after
the middle point, to help it gain momentum as it gets ready to
connect to the chorus. The old standard, "Under the Boardwalk,"
by Resnick and Young, is a perfect example.
ERROR #3: CHORDS SEEM TO WANDER AIMLESSLY SOLUTION: The chord
that represents the key your song is in (i.e., the "tonic"
chord) should be featured 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.)
ERROR #4: STRONG AND FRAGILE CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE USED
HAPHAZARLY. SOLUTION: Chord progressions that feature chords
four notes away from each other (i.e., in the key of C major
we're talking about G7 to C, C to F, Dm to G, as examples) form
a strong progression, and should be featured in a chorus. Other
chord progressions (let's say Dm to Em, F to Dm, G to Am, for
example) form what are called "fragile" progressions, and can be
featured more in a verse.
ERROR #5: LYRICS ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE FORM OF THE SONG. The
kind of lyric determines the kind of chord progression you use.
Strong, conclusive lyrics need many strong progressions;
introspective lyrics work well with fragile progressions. And
remember, writing a good lyric does not necessarily mean writing
a good poem. Rather, it's better to write a working title for
your song, then start brainstorming words and short phrases that
relate to that title.
For example, if you've written, "All I've Ever Wanted" as your
working title, you might come up with these words as relating
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 get
you thinking in the right direction, and start you formulating a
working lyric.
ERROR #6: YOU'RE RELYING ON A HOOK TO SAVE A BAD SONG. Adding a
hook to a bad song gives you a bad song with a hook! Composing a
song and then trying to find a hook that makes it really come
alive is a really difficult thing to do. Try writing the hook
first. Improvise on a couple of chords, or a few notes, or a
rhythm - something short and attractive. Once you've got
something that really catches your attention, try using it as an
intro to your song, and something that keeps recurring between
verses and choruses. A hook needs to draw an audience in, and
keep them coming back to your song.
ERROR #7: WAITING FOR INSPIRATION. I can say it no better than
the musician/author Ernest Newman: "The great composer... does
not set to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired
because he is working." Waiting for inspiration is, quite
frankly, a waste of time! You need to be writing daily in order
to make your songs better. If something isn't working.... don't
throw it out. Just put it away, and start something new. Keep
everything you try to write in a scrap book. You'd be surprised
what will eventually make its way into a song.
These are just a few examples of the kinds of things that will
make your songs work better. If you want even more advice, you
need to visit The
Essential Secrets of Songwriting. And start making your
songs into winners!
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