How to Improve Songwriting Skills in 5 Simple Steps
Plus a few bonus tips to add on top
If you want to start creating music yourself, you’ve probably been looking for ways to improve your songwriting skills. You’ve probably been struggling to see progress, feel as though you’re wasting time, and should be doing something else.
Well, no worries, because we’ve all been there. To make this process a little easier, here are five steps to improve your songwriting skills.
#1 Learn Music Theory
Now, I know that music theory can be boring for most (me included). However, it also holds the very foundation of most modern music, so learning the basics will come in handy. Don’t you want to know why the notes and chords of your favorite music feel so good together or how you can replicate that same magical feeling? If you do nothing else, at least learn the bare minimum
#2 Deconstruct and Imitate Good Songs
There’s a reason you love listening to the music that you do. That could be because of:
- The song’s structural form
- The catchy melody
- The hypnotizing lyrics
- Or a combination of them all.
You can use these memorable songs to help teach yourself by deconstructing and imitating them. When you deconstruct one of your favorite songs, you’re figuring out what makes that song tick, and once you’ve finished deconstructing, you can try to imitate it.
When I say imitate, I mean learning your ideal artist’s process and techniques. You shouldn’t try to take the song and sell it.
#3 Start Crafting Your Own
Once you’ve got that good foundation, try creating your own ideas and then innovating them. Something that can help you develop better songs is to treat the music you create the same way you would a story.
Personally, I like to think of music as 3-minute-long stories told through sound. You want to make every lyric a part of your narrative and have the finish line already determined. If you struggle to create a narrative, then click for more detail.
#4 Seek Proper Feedback
You should seek proper feedback when you hit a certain amount of music. Depending on how much money you’re willing to spend and how much time you want to devote, you can purchase this feedback or look for it.
When purchasing, you can go to a survey or freelancing site and pay people to give honest feedback for your music. If you know someone with a background in music, you can go to them, or as a last-ditch effort, you can go to online forums for proper criticism.
#5 Experiment Often
No matter how skilled you are or how much you don’t want to, you will inevitably find yourself in a rut. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this; everyone has those moments, but it’s in these moments that you could especially use some experimentation to spice things up. Even when you’re not in a rut, some simple experimentation can be a great way to try and learn new things, which can help elevate your songwriting skills.
Bonus Tips
Do Challenges
Trying out some music challenges could do the trick if you’re still in a rut and want a fun way to get out of it. Some you can try are the superhero challenge, the billboard smash challenge, or the 30–60 day challenge. Also, don’t be afraid to make up a challenge yourself; you’ve got some great ideas, I’m sure.
Craft Regularly
You should be crafting and creating almost every day. You should be blossoming in your world, crafting new and old ideas whenever you can. If you haven’t created something in more than two days, try to sit down and make something right now if you can.
Be Patient
Lastly, be patient when you’re looking to grow your skills. I can’t think of a single creative skill that doesn’t take at least a year to hone and master. So, if you don’t see the progress you’ve been craving in the first month or two, don’t sweat too much, as nothing worth having comes in a single day.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to do, it’s up to you to make it a reality. Don’t overthink this too much, and start creating as soon as possible. Don’t let a few hurdles stop you because, trust me, there will be hurdles.
Don’t forget to have fun, as music is about creating something you love, and that’s beautiful.
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