Developing A Song
The art of songwriting is not difficult to develop. In fact, the best songwriters are those who are diligent and willing to learn as much as they can about their craft; they understand the formulas needed in writing a hit song. The most successful songwriters are those that can communicate and express emotion in a way that’s relatable to the listeners effectively.
Creativity & Craftsmanship
Being able to tap into your creative side and writing skills is important as a songwriter. Both elements are needed in creating songs. If one side is stronger than the other, the listener might not get what is being conveyed or the emotion that is trying to be expressed will be lost. When this happens, usually too much of one side went into the song and not enough time was spent developing the other. When writing a song, as a writer, you have to decide what the overall objective is. If you are looking to sell the song for mainstream radio, pitch it to an artist or publicize it. You’ll probably need to develop the song in such a way that many people can relate to it. If however, you wish to write from a creative perspective there are no set rules except understanding some basic techniques that can help bring out that unique talent.
Developing Craftsmanship
Knowing when and where to use techniques are handy as they can greatly transform an idea into an outstanding song. Using simple techniques like brainstorming, mind mapping, and outlining can really bring in ideas that were not initially thought of at first. Many times, songwriters have notepads and have written a few lyrics down but don’t know where to take the song; thereby, making the song abstract and unpolished. When this happens, it’s probably a good idea to use some organizational techniques to getting your ideas down before embarking on writing a song.
At first using techniques might seem unnatural and that’s quite normal; however, it’s essential when developing a song. The more these skills are called upon the better the song writer will get and will quickly begin to use these techniques to make their songwriting more successful.
There are many times when the creative side is just not enough to get a song polished before a deadline. Many song writers will be auditioned for commercials, cable television networks, studio sessions, or will write for other artists and this requires strict deadlines. A successful songwriter will know how to carry the song forward successfully without compromising, destroying or diluting the main idea.
The Creative Side of Songwriting
The creative process of song writing is just as critical as crafting the song. Without a creative side, songs would become boring and pretty much the same. Let’s elaborate a bit. Many songs are written about love— the pain it brings, the joy it brings, and how complicated it can get. Now imagine a song that has the hook “I love you?” Would this be interesting? As a listener would it draw you in? Probably it would not. Let’s tap into your creative side and say the hook had, “Euphoric heat beat.” Now doesn’t this seem more interesting? This is why the creative process is so important and essential in song writing. There are only so many ways you can say something and it’s only through the creative process that this will happen.
Summing It All Up
Crafting a song requires both the creative side and the craftsmanship side. Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t get it the first time. Many song writers write daily and sometimes only get a few songs that are well crafted. A song is a lot like a painting, the more you work with it the more it develops into fine art. Be consistent and eventually your thoughts will become the paint brush and your lyrics the art.
