How to Nail Your First Song

How To Nail Your First Song - Ian Edwards.

Okay, here's the next instalment in the 'How To Nail' series.......your first song. The music industry exists purely on the ability of songwriters to come up with gut wrenchingly good tunes. And there’s no reason why you shouldn’t too. So let’s begin.

1. Research classic songs. There is no substitute for trawling through music history and ripping apart those classic tunes to see how they are constructed. After all, they are popular for a reason. Aren’t they?
   
2. While reading lots of books will make you look very clever, I strongly suggest that you start by writing about your personal experiences. The more experiences you have in life the better your lyrics will be.
   
3. General lyric topics that affect us all are social alienation, politics, happiness, love etc. Try and keep your lyrics simple and unpretentious as this will make them far more accessible to your audience.
   
4. It is actually more difficult to write a really simple, catchy song with a great hook than you would imagine. However do try and focus on simplicity rather than trying to write a 45 minute long jazz odyssey. Remember that the majority of the record buying public are not musos! 
   
5. Keep a note book handy so that you can write down ideas at any time. Most popular songs have a chorus or hook line that is central to the song, so collect loads of every day phrases and catchy lines.
   
6. Sit with your guitar (or keyboard) and strum around some of your favourite tunes or riffs until you can find a progression that you like the sound of. Keep it really simple to begin with and don’t get carried away with trying to write the next ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Three or four chord tunes are a really good start. If you don’t believe me, listen to Hendrix’s version of ‘All Along the Watchtower’ or Nirvana’s ‘Smells like Teen Spirit.’
   
7. The tempo of your song is going to dictate what sort of song it will be. Try working with your drummer to discover the most effective rhythm for your tune. Alternatively get hold of a simple drum machine and experiment with different rhythms and tempos.
   
8. The tempo of the song will also have an influence over which one of your lyric ideas (that you have been collecting) to use in the song. The scan and rhythm of the lyric is really important as this will help to give the song ‘catchiness’ and ‘singalongability’.
   
9. Once you’ve got your chords together, a suitable tempo and a catchy lyric, try putting all three together to see if they work as the main section of your new song. This is a great time to get the other members of your band involved, because jamming with your band can give you a million good ideas. Just ask the Red Hot Chili Peppers!
   
10. Ultimately there are no rules for song writing, so experimenting with ideas and researching classic songs will pay dividends.