by Joel Syder
Without seeming patronizing, doing anything for the first time can seem overwhelming and difficult. Anything that someone has just started doing will surely require practice to gain skills. Dedication is the key ingredient here, then time.
This guide will provide you with key tips on becoming a great lyricist. These will be very effective when you are starting out but will also follow you throughout your career. To begin, some quick tips that you should recognize are: quality matters a lot more than quantity; the music and the lyrics must be inter-related; hooks are what create a catchy, popular tune; rhyme and creativity go hand in hand and finally, feedback is extremely important.
Collaboration will give you experience
Other lyricists can show a new writer what inspires them the most. Important subjects like linking lyric rhythm to melodic rhythm can set aside great lyrics to good or mediocre lyrics. Additionally, it is a brilliant way to get into song lyric writing as there won’t be the pressure of synthesizing whole songs alone.
Keep things simple to avoid difficulty
Simplicity is a golden rule in song lyric writing, closely followed by authenticity. Many great musicians who compose their own music or write their own lyrics will affirm that repetition is one of the most important factors of a great chorus. It’s not as simple as it sounds – it is in fact easier to writer lengthier lyrics and simplicity will take time to master. However, once it is mastered, catchy and popular lyrics will ensue.
Be considerate of conversational quality
Songs aren’t books for a reason. They are often written and sung in the way they would be spoken. When writing, it is therefore important that lyricists write as they speak. Perfect grammar is not always the way forward as this removes many possibilities to become poetic and rather abstract. Rhyming is a lot easier once grammar is not put on a pedestal; though don’t lose sight of making sense. It is very obvious to listeners when lyrics don’t follow any meaning. The best lyricists write as if they are telling a meaningful and personal story.
Inspiration from other artists
Read lyrics from others without listening to their songs. This will award a sense of the level of repetition, simplicity and clarity great lyrics have.
“In a set of popular lyrics, there will be a clear message – form this into the chorus – and a leading story – form this into the verses,” says Sherman Fernandez, audio producer at 1 Day 2 Write and Next Course Work.
Don’t overload songs
Popular songs often have between 100-300 words. This may seem surprising, though this is the necessary amount to convey stories and messages in concise and clear ways that are also catchy enough to get a listener sharing a song with their friends.
“Lyrics are very important for listeners to relate to music, though let the melodic rhythm also take a part on the main stage,” says Billy Holden, art blogger at Write Myx and Brit Student.
How to begin?
When stuck for ideas, the beginning is often the toughest part to get through. Start by saying exactly what you want the song to say. Use descriptive language that encompasses the five (and possibly more) senses that will bring listeners to fully experience the song, using small focuses on everyday life to bring visuals to life. This is how to bring listeners to the present moment within a song. Avoid focusing too much on rhyme and pattern. When starting out, just write and focus on the technique later.
If you are really struggling for a place to begin, it can be helpful to simply mind map ideas. More and more words and phrases will come to mind as you branch out and expand upon topics and stories. Always bring words and phrases back to the original topic. Personal stories are often the easiest to write about, and details can be changed to introduce more creativity.
One of the best things about song lyric writing is that it allows a career in music even if the writer can’t themselves sing or play an instrument. Lyric writing is personal, stylish and based on practice and commitment.
For information on USA Songwriting Competition, go to: https://www.songwriting.net
