We all love songwriting tips! You get an endorphin hit and get excited to write, but when you sit down to write… songwriting tips don’t really work.
Here are 6 songwriting solutions that counter the 3 false expectations that create 5 songwriting problems!
Instead of wasting more time watching more songwriting tips videos, learn why songwriting tips rarely work and what you can do to learn how to write songs!
The two most common Songwriting search terms are variations of: “how to write a song” and “songwriting tips”
Unfortunately, most songwriting tips don’t work, or even worse make songwriting more difficult.
There are 3 False Expectations with Songwriting Tips that lead to 5 Common Problems… once I explain why, I provide you with 6 Solutions to Songwriting Tips.
After the video, there’s a summary of all the points: the false expectations, common problems and solutions to songwriting tips, and links to further resources to help you improve your songwriting…
False Expectations:
There are 3 main expectations that make songwriting tips problematic:
1. Instant Solution
Expecting a tip to create an instant solution to all your songwriting problems will lead to disappointment. It might help you improve an existing songwriting process but it won’t give you one. Instant gratification often vanishes as fast as it comes….
2. Songwriting is Supposed to Be Easy
Expecting songwriting to be easy and instant isn’t reasonable. You’ve heard stories about “instant songs” because they make great stories. Remember, songwriters that have written songs in a few minutes, have learned to play and have already written dozens or hundreds of songs. They aren’t you (yet), so accept that songwriting can be fun, exciting and exhilarating, but also: slow, difficult and frustrating.
3. There’s Something Wrong With You
Believing there’s something wrong with you won’t solve anything, especially when the problem is your songwriting process, or the lack of a songwriting process you can depend on.
You don’t have to write the same way every time, but instead discover a way to find interesting ideas and develop them into songs.
I don’t write the same way for every song, but I have a default process that I know will work every time I want it. Some songs evolve differently, but with experience and a little flexibility you can create a dependable songwriting process.
The Problems With Songwriting Tips
1. Songwriting Tips are Addictive:
Like junk food, songwriting tips don’t fill you up… you still need a meal!
2. Songwriting Tips Waste Time
You’re not writing while you’re watching videos and reading blog posts…
3. Songwriting Tips are Bits and Pieces
You aren’t learning a songwriting process, just bits and pieces. You still have to figure out how to put them all together!
4. Intuitive Songwriting Tips Don’t Help You:
Most songwriters make decisions intuitively and can’t consciously explain how they do it
These tips either already work for you, or they don’t because…
5. Most Songwriting Tips Don’t Really Work
They sound good, but when you try them they’re incomplete or don’t solve your problem!
Either you can already do it… or it doesn’t make any sense because it’s usually just a tiny little piece of the entire songwriting process!
Songwriting Solutions
1. Learn a Songwriting Process
Think “Big Picture” and learn a songwriting process that works for you, instead of dealing with bits and pieces. The best songwriting process is the one that works for you… so you can take an idea and develop it into a strong song as quickly as possible.
2. Make the Time To Write
Write! You need to make the time to write and practice your songwriting skills. The best way to do it, is to write songs!
If you need help creating space and time to work on your songwriting, click and enter your email address so I can send you:
Daily Songwriting
Learn to write songs consistently, know what you’re going to write before you sit down, drop into the writing flow instantly and find the joy in daily songwriting…
3. Write Who You Are
Your songwriting is a reflection of who you are right now, both as a person and as a songwriting. If you’re a beginning songwriter, you’ll be writing songs that sound like it… that’s okay!
Learning to write songs is more complicated than most people think. It takes time and practice to develop your songwriting skills. Accept it.
Continue to work to improve your songwriting craft and your songs will improve.
4. Get Feedback on your songs
Find other songwriters and musicians who can give you constructive and useful advice to improve your songs
While you can sometimes find helpful advice from random people in random FaceBook songwriting groups, I’d suggest finding a local songwriting group or contacting songwriters in your area. You’ll get more helpful advice from people once they get to know you… and you might find co-writing partners you can write with.
5. Co-Write With Other Songwriters
Find someone with complementary skills that you can work with. Finding a co-writer who you click with can be as complicated (and as frustrating) as dating. Don’t expect to immediately find someone who is compatible both musically and personally… it’s possible but not the rule. Unlike dating, it’s perfectly acceptable to co-write with many different people at the same time.
While you can sometimes find songwriting partners in FaceBook songwriting groups, I’d suggest finding a local songwriting group or contacting songwriters in your area.
Google: “songwriting group + your town/county/state/province/region”
