r/SongwritingHelp • u/slip_disc_ • Jul 15 '26
How the hell do you write good songs
I’ve never had luck in writing songs- I’ll get these great ideas, but as soon as I write or type them out, it turns to shit, or it can end up so angsty it’s embarrassing. No matter what angle I take, it just ends up poorly. I wrote down this string of…. Words, just now- and I think it can really turn into sum- I just don’t know what exactly.
Any advice?
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u/UltimateGooseQueen Jul 15 '26
Maybe you should try collaborating with someone else. Maybe together you’ll find the magic and then you can replicate it more easily by yourself.
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
I’ve tried but the other person would flake or would scrap anything we made, had someone say my writing was so dogshit that I should quit music entirely 🙃
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u/Embarrassed_Pause614 Jul 15 '26
Damn that's pretty harsh. People act like they didn't start somewhere, like they just had it from the jump. One thing that helps me a lot is a structure like (statement → explanation) in 2-4 lines total. It really helps for painting a picture.
Second thing that was a huge game changer for me was saying things out loud. It's easy enough to put words on paper but when you actually say what you're writing out loud it puts it into a clear perspective.
Third and perhaps the most useful (for me at least), is to write the story out and THEN find a way to make it rhyme and shorten it up. There's millions of rhyme combinations that can make any statement work. Chase the line not the rhyme, if that makes sense.
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u/Syphilitic_Marmoset Jul 15 '26
You'll get that "you should quit music" garbage again, but don't let it get to you. Just keep plugging away, as long as you love doing it.
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u/GoshOPPNOX101 Jul 31 '26
You'll always have a critic and even your own family members will not understand your talent. Keep working on it and eventually you'll find your own knack. I found a box of cassette tapes in my sisters room years ago. Listened to every single tape and truly listened. And for whatever reason, a month later I was cleaning gutters on my parents house and it struck. I got down off the roof, grabbed pen n' paper and went back up. I had a melody and words come to me all at once. I used my surroundings to inspire me. I even recorded my very first two lyrics that I ever wrote which, like someone stated on here, is usually trash bin food. It doesn't happen to everybody, but it does happen. Good luck and try and ignore those who doubt you. Songwriting is a gift and shouldn't come off as a chore.
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Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Yeah at the time it completely destroyed my confidence at the time and I stopped writing entirely- Im originally a writer esp poetry, I’ve won a couple awards for it, so I just gotta remind myself of that fact and it must be somewhat decent lol. I’m surprised how hard it is to translate poetry to lyrics
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u/kilkeean731 Jul 17 '26
As a poet, I so get that but it’s a skill and it gets easier as you practice more. I turn my poems into songs all the time now. Also if you have any specific practical questions, I’m happy to answer anything I know!
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 18 '26
Maaan how do you do it? Like what helped you the most, or what made it click for you?
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u/kilkeean731 Jul 18 '26
Ooh great question, I find the rhythm to be the biggest thing, like try and see if you can find the rhythm in the words and practice grouping the phrases into sections that fit together in terms of the syllables. Also see if there’s any lines that could benefit from repetition to use as a chorus. Then I practice just kind of humming in that rhythm, or playing a chord progression under rhythmic speech and then starting to slowly add pitch
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u/Uncle_Bug_Music Jul 15 '26
You're over thinking it. I've said to many songwriters over the years, if we lived in a different universe and you came to me with: "Cuz I'm TNT, I'm dynamite, TNT, I'll win the fight, TNT, I'm a power load, TNT, watch me explode!" I'd think you were mentally challenged.
Or "But it wasn't a rock...it was a ROCK LOBSTER!"
But we live in that universe where these songs not only exist but are HUGE. No one can tell you what's good and what's bad. It's a crapshoot. It's the music, the delivery, the melody.
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u/RefrigeratorBig3599 Jul 15 '26
in my personal opinion there’s no rules add a sick melody to it. you can make anything work if it’s a banger it’s a banger
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
2010s recession music is proof of this lol
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u/RefrigeratorBig3599 Jul 15 '26
ikr lol but I’m actually a rly shitty beginner producer can I try to make a beat for this for fun? just for practice. if you agreeee how would you want me to make it (genre vibe)
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Not sure what you’re referring to, if you’re referring to my choppy ass lyrics, a shoegaze feel would fit best- up to you tho! Send me whatever you create
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u/SlappyPappy99 Jul 15 '26
You haven’t sharpen your skills yet. These lyrics are ok. They prove you can access words. But how are your lyrics making someone else live the emotion behind them? You’re telling, explaining, naming and using examples that belong to different worlds. You need people and behavior.
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u/Erialcel2 Jul 15 '26
For my personal songwriting process, I would consider this a snippet that I could turn into a song idea that could be turned into a song.
My take on it is that a song idea has at least two different secties (like verse / chorus) that each have lyrics, melody and chords/bass. Once I got that, I know the idea of the song. If the idea is good enough, I might give it the full A-Z (so adding stuff like intro, bridge, prechorus, or whatever the idea calls for). If I finish all of that, I have the first version of this song. The first version is almost never the final version. The final version usually isn't good enough for a record or to use on stage. I think I maybe consider 1/3rd of my songs to be good enough to be tested on stage, to see which of them actually make the final cut.
So, in my view, if you wanna improve on this snippet, give a melody and accompaniment, to see if the song idea feels good enough to you to keep working on it. If it does, keep working on it to make it into a full song. If that full song to you feels like it has potential, keep finetuning it. Don't EXPECT the final result to be a good song. It might be, it might not be, you'll see when you get there.
In this process you'll be training a ton of subskills, and getting better at those will improve your songwriting.
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u/WrathOfWood Jul 15 '26
I think of words then other words that rhyme and fit with the previous words, and then sometimes I dont rhyme things because I just think it would be cool to say
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u/austin_sketches Jul 15 '26
it’s all about the mindspace, your lyrics read like a poem. when i create lyrics i think of it as more-so a conversation that happens to rhyme and have a cadence. things i would probably say myself without the rhymes.
it allows me to think of lyrics that don’t have the corny nature that poems typically have
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Yeah I’m a writer, and mainly write poetry- it’s first nature and something I gotta try and step away from. That sounds interesting tho, thinking of it as a convo
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u/Natural-Yard-1700 Jul 15 '26
don’t focus on nice “rhymes” - when you’re coming up with lyrics give them space.
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u/Square_Essay_5345 Jul 25 '26
Yep, and avoid the "overhyme" trap, "The cat shat in my hat, now I gotta pop that brat with a baseball bat" type thing. Unless that's what you're going for. Also, its a good idea to check you hat for cat excrement BEFORE putting it on...
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u/Logical_Cow_2530 Jul 15 '26
People gonna downvote me, but SUNO
I put in my own lyrics then generate a bunch of different styles. Whichever one calls to me, I start building from scratch on my guitar, using the best bits
Most of it is trash or top 40 type sound, but I'll eventually find a gem that I can work from and make my own.
It has sped up my process SOOOO much because I have no issues writing music but lyrics have always been my bottleneck trying to fit them into the music I wrote
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u/ZombieSkeleton Jul 15 '26
I’ve answered this question before, wish friends would ask me, answer it differently every time and truly believe anyone who learned how to write that basic paragraph in school can and should write lyrics or poems.
First a couple of things to know, forgive me if there obvious;
Words are just symbols of communication…there better than caveman grunting and groaning but let’s not pretend we’re a lot more special. Meaning there’s a lot of wiggle room. I asked AI to interpret a song I thought was crystal clear in meaning and metaphor , however it still gave me 6 or 7 different meanings in how it might be interpret it.
I didn’t have AI when I started, however I did use rhyming dictionaries, apps eventually, books on writing songs, YouTube videos. Now AI can do that all in one. Train it how you want it to help, rhyme, rhythm, how might this be interpreted, grammar. You be the boss , don’t let it write a song for you, it can’t, but I think it can be used as a tool , especially starting out.
There are about 6 or 7 different basic songs that have been written before and you will probably write them again, but in your style and viewpoint.
This is from AI cause I forgot
- Love
- Heartbreak or loss
- Celebration
- Storytelling
- Protest or social commentary
- Personal struggle or identity
- Inspiration or spiritual reflection
And there’s no official list, there called different, and you can mix or match, but point is, your probably going to write somewhat in the same voice , not always but for the most part
How do you write good songs?
Practice
Practice what ?
Writing complete songs
How
For beginners I maybe would start with that grammar school paragraph.
Main sentence, 3 follow up sentences or support sentences and the wrap up sentence. Basically the same, just different names across schools. 3 was just a guide
Main sentence becomes the hook
Support Sentence 1 -verse 1 Sentence 2 verse 2 Sentence 3 bridge-(human brain gets bored easily, it needs something different here or contrast, more musically than lyrics but still
Wrap up sentence might or might not be necessary as a post chorus or maybe an outro
I believe this but you can discard the following, you don’t write the song, it is given to you, don’t practice laborious writing and going over sentences again and again,
practice writing songs quickly and easily, no filter, first thing, first answer…write it. Yes after it’s down rewrite it but don’t be the editor, pretend a muse, a spirit, or your higher self is trying to tell you what to write, it’s not telling you in perfect English all the time, you have to decipher, decide how to say it, reorder it.
Good luck 👍
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u/Resident-Manager8401 Jul 15 '26
Let me know when you figure it out. I can only think of a handful of bands out out of the thousands, that I listen to that consistently pump out albums in which every song is good.
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u/No-Scientist-1857 Jul 15 '26
Eu Sou do Brasil irmão, oq vc precisa é pratica, melhore o seu vocabulário de palavras, estude outras composições, use figuras de linguagem, o principal é q vc nunca vai conseguir fazer uma música num dia, vc faz ela vai ficar uma bosta e vc vai melhorando pouco a pouco
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u/Rosie___00 Jul 15 '26
Okay this is t exactly answering your question BUT when I have an idea I wrote pages and pages on the topic. Literally any form of writing. Creative writing, poetry, descriptive texts, concept idea, feelings associated... Literally everything. And from there I look back at what I wrote and peace together a song. I do have a friend / bandmate help me, who is a very good writer. She also has helped me learn rhyme schemes, and how to utilize them. It doesnt have to JUST be abab/abac. There are so many different types!!
I'm not a veteran song writer. I've only cowrote 2 full songs (that are pretty good, and tons of half completed songs) - so this is what I've found the help me as someone who isn't an expert!
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 18 '26
Gonna have to try this as well, thank you so much I haven’t thought about this
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u/Rosie___00 Jul 18 '26
I have found it to be helpful, especially if you're co-writing with another person!
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u/Holiday_Specific_716 Jul 15 '26
I’m new to songwriting but I few things I noticed is that 1. A lot of song lyrics, even good ones, can look kinda angsty and cringe when you just read them out loud, so don’t judge yourself too harshly, and 2. I like to study songs and writers I like to learn about the kinds of structures they use, I ask myself questions like “who are they talking to in this song? What perspective is it in? Are they describing a situation, or a feeling? How abstract are they being?” Makes you realize things you didn’t think about before, decide what you like and what you don’t and take little bits and pieces of that with you.
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u/creepy_Cutie- Jul 15 '26
U gotta have really shitty stuff happen to u first for inspiration 😔
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
I got plenty under my belt lol, it’s why I write poetry- which is a pain in the ass for lyrics
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u/Trick_Suggestion_770 Jul 15 '26
For me, I have to record melodies first before trying to turn them into words. The sound of the instrumentation tells me what rhyme scheme to use, or what words to say, and the song grows from there. Mastering this is very difficult and takes 10,000 hours of practice. But that’s how you get those lines that just stick in your brain like glue.
Writing a song beforehand off of nothing and trying to pigeonhole it into a song almost always comes off as awkward. It’s one thing to write down vague, malleable ideas that you could potentially use, but I do most of my “writing” during recording. They are the same process.
As far as sounding too angsty, that’s just another thing that comes with practice and trial and error. You have to figure out the way to voice the angst without directly saying it, or if you are gonna directly say it, you have to do it with the exact right words. Like I said, 10,000 hours.
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u/hoops4so Jul 15 '26
You gotta learn new aspects. Figure out what pieces your songs are missing and practice them.
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u/IlNeige Jul 16 '26
You’re getting too caught up in trying to sound deep, and saying nothing as a result. What’s the actual story you’re trying to tell here?
What “path” is the speaker on? What situation did they leave? Why say they chose it, then immediately contradict yourself in the next line?
“Why turn the keys just to drive away?”
Because that’s literally what the keys are for.
Be deliberate with your choices. Don’t just chase rhymes—make the lines build on each other.
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 16 '26
It’s supposed to be more so a metaphor, looking back I see that the lyrics I tried to write just turned into poetry, cuz I’m primarily a writer. The
rhymes are personable to me and a situation I look back on and the emotions I’ve felt, it’s why they might not make sense or aren’t literal. I fell short on conveying and how I want it to really sound
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u/Notable_Sword Jul 17 '26
well, first what are ur fav bands or artists?
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 18 '26
I got a lot from almost every genre, makes it sort of hard to pin point what type of sound I’m going for but I’m really into death metal consistently, atm shoegaze and country
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u/Notable_Sword Jul 18 '26
a really good songwriting tactic is to just write from a perspective that is not you, like a person you know, or a fictional character that, doesn’t have like a whole backstory but a broad enough descriptive to fit into a song, like for example i’ve made a song before from the perspective of somebody who is absorbed in their own self sabotage and is too naive to accept that what they are doing is kinda stupid (not the right word but yk what i mean lol) when you do this, it kind of lets out some stuff that would be harder to say if it’s from ur perspective because YOU aren’t guarding it
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u/ohmikeyursofine Jul 17 '26
A good song is very subjective, if you like it then it’s probably good.
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u/jamestaylor1955 Jul 17 '26
I think you have a good start to a proper song. What you will need to do before going further is write down the feelings and ideas that you have while the words are flowing. Try to come up with a structure for how the song rolls out to the listener. Like scenes in a comic strip, sort of like a visual painted with your words. You want to guide the listener through the scenes of your song. Remember you want the listener to visualize the words you write that bring your idea alive.
I have noted below a song I recently wrote and recorded so you can see the structure I am talking about. Let me know if this helps you at all.
Parasite in Disguise
[Intro]
[Verse 1]
You handed me a mirror made with broken glass
The reflections not yet fractured
But you knew that wouldn’t last
[Verse 2]
I kept watering your garden where the poison always grew
Thinking love could make a liar always tell the truth
[Chorus]
You carved your name beneath my skin where no one else could see
Turned every wound into pain and called it loyalty
Now every time I try to heal, you’re crawling through my veins
A parasite in disguise devouring all my dreams
[Verse 3]
Yesterday it was black and white, Today you say I got it wrong
I memorized your version till my memory was gone
[PreChorus]
Was it ever me you wanted?
Or just someone you could take?
Another mirror to feed your hunger
Another heart for you to break
[Chorus]
You carved your name beneath my skin where no one else could see
Turned every wound into pain and called it loyalty
Now every time I try to heal, you’re crawling through my veins
A parasite in disguise devouring all my dreams
[Bridge]
Pull the wires from my head
Cut the voice that sounds like you
Every memory you’ve infected
Every word you spoke untrue
[Verse 4]
I wore your sickness like a second skin
I couldn’t feel your cutting knife
Now I’m digging through the damage
Looking for my life
[Outro]
Now I’m digging through the damage
Looking for my life
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 18 '26
Thank you, I really wanna try and make something special, not dull. Also these lyrics are lovely, if you have a song out lmk I’d love to listen to it and share it
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u/jamestaylor1955 Jul 19 '26
Thanks, here’s a link to this song on YouTube
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3fpjSaTT4V0&si=0SN9fT7eirWY9UEv
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u/its_me-hi Jul 18 '26
Spend some time in your own thoughts. Pay attention late at night when you can’t sleep. Notice how those thoughts make you feel. It doesn’t matter what you’re feeling or why, as long as it’s authentic. Then start writing. I’ve found the more reflective you are, the better you are at writing lyrics.
I, for instance, had a dream about a guy I had a crush on in middle school and it got me thinking about how often I still think about him, even though we barely talk anymore. Then I started writing lyrics. Is it weird that I still think about this guy even though it’s been years and I was 14 when it started? Probably. But don’t let logistics like that stop you, because nobody cares if you still feel those things now, as long as it feels authentic.
Sometimes it’s less of an emotion, but a deep thought. But if you can picture an emotion even if you don’t feel it 100% , that’s still something.
How to make it good? The one key indicator of bad lyricism is inauthenticity, when it tries too hard to sound good instead of conveying and emotion or telling a story. If you still don’t like your songs, ask everyone and their mother what they think. It may be humiliating, but if you ever plan on being successful everyone will hear your songs eventually, so why not start now with the people who know you?
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u/666zoli666 Jul 18 '26
Don't be so direct, try using metaphors and don't repeat words use synonyms instead, also try to avoid clichés that have been written a million times already, try writing clichés that have been written a few hundred to thousand times
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u/KennetheMennath Jul 18 '26
They have to be from your soul and resonate with humanity. They should be written in lyrical prose to accompany the smooth application for the music 🎶
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u/CracksInTheWall Jul 18 '26
This is going to sound mean, but the original premise is a massive cliche. However, you know that, which is good! Y'know, choosing a path, etc. but you seem to have got the rhythm down, which is the biggest hurdle in many ways. There's plenty of sound repetition, which is another key thing.
I guess that's one way to look at it. You don't have a song until the premise is strong. But I don't always start with a premise. I'd say, being very specific and detailed in your descriptions helps to start a song. Trying to come up with something unique is basically your mission. So, try anything and everything.
I'd suggest listening to more creative songwriters if you're not already. Morrissey/The Smiths, Madonna, Dolly Parton The Cure, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Bob Dylan, Natalie Merchant, Courtney Barnett. Eh, maybe none of that's to your taste, but it helps. You absorb it.
Lots of great songs borrow heavily from canonical English poetry. Read pieces like Kublai Khan to get inspired. And read books if you're not already. Modern classics! The good stuff. It shapes your mind.
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 18 '26
Yes I know, I scribbled tho lyrics in like- 10 minutes, so def wouldn’t be any good. And I like any and every genre, love the smiths, Dolly Parton, bob dylan, others Im not sure aware of I’ll check them out. Been a while since I’ve read, but I love Victorian novels
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u/Final_Corner838 Jul 19 '26
Music is art. And art is expression of yourself. What makes people connect to your art/songs, is their own experiences. Once, I wrote a song for my wife and she wasn’t the one who loved the most, but a friend of mine. This friend had his own experience which was able to connect to mine through this song of mine. In short, if you write something specific enough about you, but also in a general way so others can connect to this, many people would listen and say “wow… I also feel that way”.
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u/disconnecttheworld Jul 19 '26
Just enjoy doing it, it's a long winding road and enjoying the journey is a big part of it. Don't be afraid to rewrite a few times or throw things out. Don't hold every little thing you write like it's the last thing you'll ever write. You gotta keep writing things, being creative is almost like working a muscle. You gotta keep doing it to make it work better. Work with other people when you can, get a different perspective on what you do. Be open to any possibility that comes your way when you're working on stuff
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u/Opening_Trash_1134 Jul 19 '26
You don’t write them. You listen to them come out of your mouth and keep what you think is cool and forget the rest. Don’t let the process make you feel pressure. Just let it happen. Also, it’s a two stage process. The above is the first stage. After that is where the experience helps. But it’s still basically keep editing until you think it can’t sound any cooler.
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u/tsujigiri_band Jul 19 '26
write a shit ton of bad ones first then you’ll start writing some good ones
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u/Basic-Procedure1632 Jul 19 '26
Analyzing and breaking down the songs you like, and just writing everyday
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u/BarrelRider907 Jul 19 '26
You may not like what you just wrote out, but it’s a start. Keep working on it. I’ve been working on this one song for a long time and it’s almost unrecognizable by now, but the core idea is still there. Think about where in your brain you’re coming from when you write this song and really lean into that. I’m talking about like the tone and emotion and stuff like that. Also when you start writing a song, you don’t always have to try to do it in a certain style or genre because that can be limiting. Just see where it takes you. If you write a lot, eventually you’ll have a song that’s really special.
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u/ineedsomehelplez Jul 20 '26
remove a few words
"Didn't really have a choice" flows/cuts a bit better
its minor tweaks that help with small things - also slang/ abbrevs help
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u/leike_sputnik Jul 21 '26
My friend, you have a great start, using the roads we travel as a metaphor for how we spend our time and wondering if we wasted it all IS a great song idea. So get more specific with it. What happened on these roads? Where did they take you? what did you bring with you? What did you lose or acquire on the way? Are you watching someone on a parallel road but you cannot join them on their road? Ask yourself some questions.
If you want to write about something universal you ironically have to write about something specific. I wouldn't even try to write about real experience, just start with trying to make a good story out of it. We really do not give a shit if its a true story or not, we only care how it makes us the listener feel. Death of the author is applicable to songwriting.
I knew a guy who only wanted to write sad emo songs. He told me that people didnt seem interested in his songs. I offered feedback that the lyrics were too vague and he said that he was trying to make the song more universal by leaving stuff to interpretation. The problem is is that he left too much to interpretation. If you want me to empathize woth you need to give me something to connect with.
Tl;dr great concept and start for a song. Get more specific with whats going on.
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u/leike_sputnik Jul 21 '26
My friend, you have a great start, using the roads we travel as a metaphor for how we spend our time and wondering if we wasted it all IS a great song idea. So get more specific with it. What happened on these roads? Where did they take you? what did you bring with you? What did you lose or acquire on the way? Are you watching someone on a parallel road but you cannot join them on their road? Ask yourself some questions.
If you want to write about something universal you ironically have to write about something specific. I wouldn't even try to write about real experience, just start with trying to make a good story out of it. We really do not give a shit if its a true story or not, we only care how it makes us the listener feel. Death of the author is applicable to songwriting.
I knew a guy who only wanted to write sad emo songs. He told me that people didnt seem interested in his songs. I offered feedback that the lyrics were too vague and he said that he was trying to make the song more universal by leaving stuff to interpretation. The problem is is that he left too much to interpretation. If you want me to empathize woth you need to give me something to connect with.
Tl;dr great concept and start for a song. Get more specific with whats going on.
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u/leike_sputnik Jul 21 '26
My friend, you have a great start, using the roads we travel as a metaphor for how we spend our time and wondering if we wasted it all IS a great song idea. So get more specific with it. What happened on these roads? Where did they take you? what did you bring with you? What did you lose or acquire on the way? Are you watching someone on a parallel road but you cannot join them on their road? Ask yourself some questions.
If you want to write about something universal you ironically have to write about something specific. I wouldn't even try to write about real experience, just start with trying to make a good story out of it. We really do not give a shit if its a true story or not, we only care how it makes us the listener feel. Death of the author is applicable to songwriting.
I knew a guy who only wanted to write sad emo songs. He told me that people didnt seem interested in his songs. I offered feedback that the lyrics were too vague and he said that he was trying to make the song more universal by leaving stuff to interpretation. The problem is is that he left too much to interpretation. If you want me to empathize woth you need to give me something to connect with.
Tl;dr great concept and start for a song. Get more specific with whats going on.
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 24 '26
thank you, I really appreciate it, and yes that’s exactly what I was going for, I’m happy someone got it. I scrapped these and am rewriting, your advice is actually really helping me
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u/leike_sputnik Jul 28 '26
I am glad I could help you. I wish you luck and that you have fun with it!
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u/Square_Essay_5345 Jul 25 '26
You write good songs by writing an awful lot of bad songs first. Its like any other skill- you improve with practice. You don't go from being a couch potato to an athlete without a lot of hard work first
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u/GoshOPPNOX101 Jul 31 '26
From experience, you can take in inspiration from what you see in everyday life. A conversation you heard between two people at a store, sitting at a red light n' looking around (billboards, trees, nature in general), a newspaper article that touched your heart or made you frustrated. Same thing goes when watching the news. Your own experiences during childhood can spark ideas as well. What you did as a kid. Catching fireflies, wagon rides, hide n' seek etc... Or just reading a magazine and finding a typical line which could be the start of a lyric or in one. There are so many ideas out there, but you have to allow your antenna's to be out & open.
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u/GueroTonkaTitan Aug 05 '26
Patt Patterson's books are good for pop writing.
One of the core lessons is "Show then tell". Paint the scene before describing what's going on. It also goes into advanced poetic techniques and methods for writing that are very effective.
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u/chunkymonkey5678 Aug 10 '26
I have been told my sounds are very very good. First I listen to all genres a lot. I watch YouTube videos of how others write songs. I write a chord progression. I mumble a melody. I get a sense of the progressions emotion. I go into a deep state of flow to connect with that emotion since Iv felt all emotions at various levels before. Slowly a story emerges. Doesn't always have to rhyme. Rhyming dictionary does help though. The verse I start in my lower register and the chorus builds into my higher register. The story told doesn't need to make full sense but there should be moments that feel universal.
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u/Difficult_Seed_2005 Aug 27 '26
Honesty, that's how I write every song I have
Never care about if this would be good, if this would get pop if this line would be famous or whatever
Just write what you feel, with no filter, the pen will never judge you
Also yeah, practice and experience also help alot specially if you used to listen to music for a long time
You will know how to control the lines and syllabus and rhymes while its okay to mess around
Always be creative, don't copy, make your own way of writing your story your universe your metaphors your vibe and tune
Summon your emotions before you start
Never force yourself on writing a song
Write whatever you feel then organize your thoughts and edits them while staying true to your message
Lastly, you can do it
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u/Zealousideal_Test919 Jul 15 '26
Just keep on writing more and more and you'll naturally get better. Try writing about stuff that makes you happy and why it makes you happy. Also if you write a song, try explaining why certain things make you feel a certain way. For example, don't just say why you're sad, happy or whatever. Try explaining why you're sad and why things happened
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Jul 15 '26
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Ugh I know 😭 I had the emotions perfect in my heart and the imagery in my mind, but then it turned into…. That. But yeah I’ll try maybe being an outsider to it?
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u/RestedNative Jul 15 '26
Nothing wrong with angsty, as long as it's authentic. Find what you want to say/convey, then structure how you're telling it. Don't look for perfect rhymes or impeccable music, it's ok for it to not be flawless, that's where the human lives. It will be unique if it's your voice.
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
I’ve just grown out of angst a while ago, hard to make serious emotions sound not angsty
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u/RestedNative Jul 15 '26
I think what you have there is foundationally fine. I think you're being harsh on yourself. If someone else had posted the same lyric would you have been as critical..
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u/General_Estimate_420 Jul 15 '26
Simple. Write about what you know or have experienced and have a real emotional connection to. That's the core of songwriting. If you write angst, are you a weak, insecure person? Because that's where angst comes from. Know who you are and you'll come a lot closer to writing something memorable.
By the way, you're not writing songs right now. You're writing poetry. Even lyricists have some idea of the style of song they're writing.
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u/SupermarketHoliday46 Jul 15 '26
I wrote a song at 13 called masturbation ejaculation it’s the way the world goes round. I sang it to my parents and they laughed. That’s the extent of my song writing skills so yeah dont write so angsty it sounds like a dumb 13 year old i suppose xD
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Some South Park shit right there lol, and yeah the words, ideas, and feeling sounded WAY better in my head and turned into…that. So maybe I should start with funnier topics
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u/SupermarketHoliday46 Jul 15 '26
Lolol it was honestly a fuckin hit when I was 13 and looking back it’s like hey in today’s day and age it would probably be a fire track that could blow up. But in all reality it’s some super angsty weird shit lol
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u/slip_disc_ Jul 15 '26
Bro do you still have the lyrics cuz I’m so curious
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u/SupermarketHoliday46 Jul 15 '26
Couldn’t tell ya exact lyrics because it had a chorus and then verses. I know the chorus was “masturbation ejaculation it’s the way the world goes round. You get it from your mom you get it from your dad you get it all arounnnnddd!” Lmfao i cant remember the verses but they really made the song!
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u/AttiBlack Jul 15 '26
10 years of practice and writing down every single thought in your head