Writing a song is one of my favorite ways to channel my creativity and tell my story or ideas through music – but if you’re a complete beginner, it can be difficult to know where to start.
In this guide, I’ll share 15 easy ways to begin writing a song that anyone can use, regardless of their musical background or experience based on my personal involvement in writing songs for the last 15 years.
Here’s a list of the 15 best ways to kickstart the songwriting process for beginners:
- Start with a topic, idea, or theme
- Begin with a chord progression
- Write down lyrics first
- Create a melody with your instrument or vocals
- Find a sampled instrument or loop
- Use and follow a reference track
- Listen to other songs
- Hum different melodies
- Use a writing prompt
- Write a story
- Use a rhyme scheme
- Use a writing formula/template
- Collaborate with others
- Record your ideas (even rough ones)
- Practice improvisation
There are many different ways to begin writing a song, and it’s important to find the methods that work best for you, so let’s take a look at each of these in detail so you can decide which you want to try first.
1. Start with a topic, idea, or theme
One of the easiest ways to start writing a song is to begin with a topic or theme, since this can come a bit easier and can be less stressful since it may feel less “musical”.
This could be a personal experience, something you’ve witnessed, a social issue, or a philosophical concept.
I’ve found that this may happen naturally even if you aren’t planning it, so having a journal or trying to be more aware of your thoughts can be helpful to organically use this tip.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a topic, you can begin to brainstorm and develop ideas for lyrics and melodies that capture the essence of your chosen theme.
2. Begin with a chord progression
A chord progression is a series of chords played in a specific order that forms the foundation of the song and is usually played on an instrument like a guitar or piano.
Start by learning a few basic chords on your instrument of choice (guitar, piano, etc.), and experiment with different combinations until you find one that resonates with you.
You can also use online resources to find chord progressions that other artists have used in their songs.
Whenever writing pop or rock songs, I’ve always personally found it easiest to start with a chord progression and then develop ideas on top of it – but that’s just me and everyone’s different!
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a chord progression, you can start adding lyrics and melody to create a complete song.
3. Write down lyrics first
For many songwriters, lyrics are the starting point for a song, especially if you have a message or story that you want to share.
Simply start by jotting down some ideas or phrases that capture the essence of what you want to say without worrying about making them rhyme or fit into a specific structure just yet – just focus on getting your ideas down on paper.
Once you have a few ideas, start playing around with them and seeing how they fit together.
You can also try brainstorming words and phrases that are related to your topic or theme to help you come up with more ideas.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have lyrics, you should try creating a melody to go with it or a chord progression that will be used to compliment them.
4. Create a melody with your instrument or vocals
The melody is the part of the song that listeners will remember most so it can make a lot of sense to start by focusing on and refining this part before moving on to other parts of the songwriting process.
If you’re a singer, try humming different melodies over your chosen chord progression until you find one that fits the mood and message of your song.
If you play an instrument, experiment with different melodies and see what sounds best.
Remember that the melody doesn’t have to be complicated and in almost all cases simple is better since it will tend to be catchier and stick in people’s brains.
As a songwriter who started off as a guitarist, I always find it easier to start off by creating melodies on my instrument of choice: the guitar. If you have an instrument of choice, be sure to try starting on that.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a melody, you can start adding lyrics to create a complete song or a chord progression to compliment the melody or melodies you’ve created.
5. Find a sampled instrument or loop
If you’re not comfortable playing an instrument or singing, you can still create a song by using sampled instruments or loops.
These are pre-recorded sounds that you can use to create a beat or a melody and can be an excellent way to kickstart the songwriting process (even if you don’t plan to use these samples in the final product).
There are many free and paid resources available online that you can use to find samples and loops such as Loopcloud or Splice.
Whenever I’m making electronic or house music as Best Friends Club, this is usually my go-to method.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a sample or loop that you like, you can begin to build the rest of the song around it by adding vocals, lyrics, melodies, or a chord progression.
6. Use and follow a reference track
A reference track is a song that you use as a guide when creating your own music.
Choose a song that has a similar style or feel to the one you want to create and listen to it carefully – you can even put inside of a DAW (digital audio workstation) and take note of the structure and when instruments come in and out of the song.
Pay attention to the melody, chord progression, and lyrics. This will give you an idea of how to structure your own song and help you create something that is unique but still familiar.
This can be one of the fastest ways to kickstart a song and make sure that it sounds professional. Don’t worry about feeling like this is cheating since you’ll be creating your own parts and ideas.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a reference track you like, take notes on what you want to take inspiration from (ie: the song structure, instrumentation, etc) and start building your own song against the reference.
7. Listen to other songs
One of the best ways to improve your songwriting skills or find inspiration to create an original song is to listen to other songs.
Pay attention to the lyrics, melody, and chord progression so that you can try to analyze how the song is structured and how the different elements work together.
This will give you a better understanding of how to create your own music and help you develop your own unique style.
What You Should Do Next
Once you’ve found inspiration from other songs, either jot notes down for a songwriting session later or get to writing immediately so as to not lose the creative spark!
8. Hum different melodies
If you’re struggling to come up with a melody or can’t play an instrument, try humming different melodies until you find one that you like.
What’s nice about this is that you can do this while you’re walking, driving, or doing any other activity – making you a more productive songwriter in ways!
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a melody, you can begin to develop the lyrics and the chord progression to fit with it.
8. Use a writing prompt
Writing prompts are short phrases or ideas that can inspire you to create a song and can be anything from a simple word or phrase to a more complex concept or story.
Some examples of writing prompts that you can use include “lost love,” “the first day of spring,” or “the sound of rain.”
Simply search Google or YouTube for different writing prompts to find a bunch and select the one you’d like to use the most.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a prompt you like, start by writing a melody or chord progression to go along with it.
10. Write a story
Think of a narrative or plot that you want to explore and develop into a song such as a personal story, a fictional tale, or a historical event.
You can simply craft the story in your head or even go so far as to completely write it down online or on paper.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a story in mind, you can begin to create the lyrics and the melody to fit with the narrative.
11. Use a rhyme scheme
Rhyme schemes are a common tool used in songwriting to create a sense of rhythm and flow.
A rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhyming words or syllables that follow a particular order.
For example, a common rhyme scheme is ABAB, which means that the first and third lines rhyme, as do the second and fourth lines.
Look for different rhyme schemes using Google or Youtube and then experiment with different rhyme schemes to create a unique and memorable song.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a rhyme scheme you’d like to use, you can begin to create the lyrics and/or a melody to fit with it.
12. Use a writing formula/template
Writing formulas or templates can be useful for beginners who are struggling to structure their songs and can even be useful for more experienced songwriters looking to get into different genres or styles.
These templates provide a framework for the song, help you organize your ideas, and let you focus on the creative parts of your song that will actually make your music unique.
For example, one popular template is the verse-chorus-verse structure, which consists of a verse section, a chorus section, and another verse section.
What You Should Do Next
Once you have a writing formula or template you’d like to use, you can begin to build a song by following that formula or template by starting with a melody or chord progression.
13. Collaborate with others
Collaborating can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table, allow for you to focus on strengths,, and can help you develop your skills as a songwriter.
You can collaborate with others in person or online, and there are many resources available to connect you with other musicians and songwriters.
What You Should Do Next
Once you’ve found a songwriting partner to collaborate with, schedule a songwriting session or start sending ideas back and forth online.
14. Record your ideas (even rough ones)
It can be a great idea to record your ideas, even if they’re rough or incomplete since there is a lot you can learn by listening back to yourself and this process may even spark new and better ideas.
Many songwriters carry a notebook or use a recording device to capture ideas for lyrics, melodies, chord progressions, or any other musical ideas that they may want to explore later.
What You Should Do Next
Once you’ve found a way to record your ideas, be sure to remind yourself to record your ideas and then later find time to review and flesh them out into full songs later.
15. Practice improvisation
Improvisation is the art of creating music spontaneously, without a pre-planned structure or melody.
Improvisation can help you develop your creativity, can be a useful tool for generating new ideas, and can result in some pretty cool ideas, particularly while jamming with other collaborators.
What You Should Do Next
Try improvising with your instrument or your voice and see what comes out. You may be surprised at what you can create and what songs can be developed from those improvisations afterward. 🙂
