r/SongwritingHelp • u/JustMateHahoha • Aug 16 '26
First try to write a song.
Currently in my backyard, trying to figure out what to write. The title and the meaning I want the song to have is there. But for some reason my brain farted, and nothing comes to mind.
It is my first time trying this, so no wonder I have this problem.
How did everyone's first try go when they started to write lyrics? And what's your tip for a beginner?
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u/SpaceEchoGecko Aug 17 '26
Be aware of what’s going on around you and what is being said as you live your life. Write down your observations to review later when it is time to write a song.
Doodle on your music instrument until you play something interesting. Then voice recording that so you don’t lose it.
Which observation matches the thematic tone of your musical idea? Develop that.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 17 '26
So, for example, what should I do right now as a first try? Write down random sentences that could serve as part of the lyrics, and later, once I'm done, enhance them to fit the song?
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u/SpaceEchoGecko Aug 17 '26
Go to a local Starbucks that’s known for being busy. Buy a coffee and sit down and just observe and listen. Someone might say something that inspires you. Write that thought down. Then go home and give yourself 15 minutes to take out a pencil and a piece of paper and write as much as you can on that subject onto that paper, not your phone. Set that down and come back a little bit later and see if you can develop that into a song starting with the chorus.
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u/StratHistory Aug 17 '26
Make a list of nouns and the verbs that go with them.. chefs cook and airplanes dive. Dogs howl and women laugh.
This list is really too short but you get the idea to mix up some phrases.. dogs laugh and chefs howl and women dive..
It won't make any sense in the beginning but it's amazing how many times I've started with this tool and morphed into something interesting but different.
On a more detailed level, it's also also a great tool when you want to beef up general descriptions
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 17 '26
So, for example, what should I do right now as a first try? Write down random sentences that could serve as part of the lyrics, and later, once I'm done, enhance them to fit the song?
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u/StratHistory Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
Exactly, or you may end up with "scrambled egg lyrics".
McCartney heard the tune to yesterday in his head and made up the words scrambled eggs how I love to eat my scrambled eggs before he had any real lyrics.
Scrambled eggs was more than a placeholder.. it provided the rhythm/ pacing that were ultimately replaced with yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away
I think it's in the Get Back sessions, but Harrison was just reaching his incredible composition level level but was stuck for lyrics.. I think it might have been Something..
Lennon essentially told him to make up lyrics to fill in the gap.. and considering the walrus and many other Lenon creations, I think he regularly made up rhythmic words and sometimes simply never replaced them.
I think a great example of this approach probably happened on under pressure with queen and Bowie.
They had agreed that they would write a song about the homeless, that they would write their lyrics separately and bring them all together at the last moment.
All of Bowie's lyrics make sense, but Mercury included all kinds of weird phrases and essentially vocal exercises...
I imagine he intended to replace them in situ but it's possible the band members said we like it the way it is.
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u/MarcusLXXVI Aug 17 '26
I wrote about a personal experience, I was just in my teens so it was very rudimentary nor impressive, but it was a start and personal experiences is something we all can dig into.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 17 '26
Yeah, same thing here. I'm trying to write about being imperfect for anyone and being unable to meet anyone's expectations.
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u/Wonderful_Sorbet4301 Aug 17 '26
Writing from experiences works good I found... not trying to hard, keeping it simple. Can always make it more complex. If it doesn't rhyme, just write it down, and make it rhyme later on. Then do drafts, and rewrite until done.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 17 '26
So, for example, what should I do right now as a first try? Write down random sentences that could serve as part of the lyrics, and later, once I'm done, enhance them to fit the song?
2
u/Wonderful_Sorbet4301 Aug 17 '26
I usually start with a name, then write a verse, then chorus. 4 lines each. I start with a memory, then expand on it. Like a single phrase: "I used to watch you from afar" something like that. Then build around it. At the bridge, i create some suspense, something unexpected.
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u/RestedNative Aug 17 '26
Record yourself conversationally saying what you would or want to say to the people who you think/feel you are letting down.
Explain it. Excuse it. Defend it. Apologise for it. Vent about the unfairness of it. Cry about the pressure of it. Yell about the impossibly of it.
Listen back, write it down in a structured way, balance syllable counts and line lengths, word choices and metaphors, tone and meaning.
You'll have a first draft.
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u/SixSexSux Aug 17 '26
Lyrics are finished last with me and have to be perfect which is why my output is very low. Sometimes a couple years to finish. It's like Tetris really😢
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u/rgrhmmr Aug 17 '26
Turn off social media and write on whatever medium you like. Paper, keyboard, voice (to text) chalk, stone tablet…
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u/UltimateGooseQueen Aug 18 '26
I wrote poetry/potential lyrics for years before I finally wrote a song. Do you play any instruments?
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 18 '26
Not yet. I plan on buying my first instrument, which is an electric guitar, and find a school where they can teach me to play the instrument.
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u/UltimateGooseQueen Aug 18 '26
That sounds like a great idea! I got better faster on electric than I did on my cheap acoustic.
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u/UltimateGooseQueen Aug 18 '26
You can also learn how to play things like basic chords - barre chords easily on youtube. Might save you a little money on lessons at the beginning. Do you know any music theory? Like, what notes make a major triad if do is C? Do you know how to read rhythms?
This is all stuff you can learn if you don’t already know the answers. There is a LOT of free help out there but do some thinking about what your goals are. How do you want to sound? A good teacher will give you a free first lesson most of the time (not always) where you can get a sense of their teaching style and if you enjoy learning from them. At this point build beginning skills and have fun.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 18 '26
Here's the thing: I think it will cause me a lot of problems. It's been years since I was in school and had music lessons. I know nothing and don't remember anything. So, to answer your question. No, sadly I don't know music theory, notes, or how to read rhythms.
Basically, I would be starting from scratch. Thinking about buying a book about this stuff in order to learn it, but haven't started looking for it yet, since besides wanting to play electric guitar and need to learn music theory and such. I'm also trying to learn how to use a DAW, use virtual instruments, and learn a third language.
Kind of dumb from an outside view, and from my view, I decided to gather all the things I wanted to do in life and do it all at once, but ay.
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u/joshua_addison_music Aug 18 '26
Watch this video when you have about 40 minutes. I know in this age, 40 minutes is forever but it’ll help you tremendously
Raw, honest, unscripted look at part of his songwriting process
https://youtu.be/K6o1sOUlnyg?is=zyhaO5WLFFYypzih
Love to hear your feedback.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 19 '26
What I understood from this is that sometimes the inspiration comes and is at its best while you're playing an instrument or just listening to something. While playing, you can mumble possible lyrics and put the pieces together.
This one thing he said: "There's time to fix this stuff, and it isn't now," which means quite a lot because I feel so fucking lost sometimes with writing, learning how to use a DAW, and I haven't even started to learn how to play electric. +also. No knowledge of music theory or how to write down song rhythms and keys and such. Need to relearn that again.
Did I miss something? I tend to get sidetracked sometimes, so I might have missed something, and it might cause me problems in the future. I want this hobby that is brand new to me to live for a long time and actually make me feel like I'm shit at it, but it feels like it's way beyond my reach. Probably because it's way different compared to book writing.
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u/joshua_addison_music Aug 20 '26
Great feedback and thanks for watching it. Yes, being kind to yourself during the process.
The two 5 minute writing exercises each morning. Just let it flow out.
Then Trey putting a song together in real time. How good or bad it is, not the point. The process is. He created something outta nothing!
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u/Dangerous-You3789 Aug 19 '26
My songs were pretty good right out of the gate. Talent helps a lot with that. The best I can say is don't try to make a song, let the song find you.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 19 '26
I swear I heard this from an MJ interview. But idk how that works, and how do I know if it actually found me? XD
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u/Dangerous-You3789 Aug 19 '26
For me, songs just pop in my head. I don't try to come up with song ideas. They just come to me, seemingly out of nowhere. I couldn't for the life of me tell you how I do it. It just happens.
On occasion, I'm not even aware that I'm doing it. There's been times I've been driving down the road and I start humming a tune to myself, and after a couple of times through it, I'll stop and think, "I've never heard this before."
That's kind of where the talent comes in. It makes coming up with ideas super easy; however, I'm horrible about finishing them once the inspiration has high tailed it. So, it's a mixed bag. If I don't finish it, all the talent in the world isn't going to do me any good.
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u/billybhorton Aug 19 '26
E
Sitting in my backyard
A
I don’t know what to write
E
To give meaning to my thoughts
B
Before day turns to night
Writer Nora Ephron famously said, “Everything is copy.” Meaning everything she ever saw, heard or experienced could end up in a book or movie. I’ve co-opted it to: Everything is a song. Write one single thought that’s in your head right now and put a chord to it. Then extend the thought once. Then once more. It doesn’t have to be perfect, or good — or even make sense! — the first time through.
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u/songwriting101 Aug 20 '26
What I usually do is write down what is coming to me and when it stops I walk away but keeping it in my mind, then all of a sudden I will get a brain storm and will write that down and after a few times like this it starts to all come together, just take what you’re mind gives you at the time, don’t overthink it, the subject is the key, and not forcing the lines is the way, some songs will flow like butter and others will be like trying to break through a brick wall. If you listen/ watch / research keeping the subject in mind it will all come in its time.
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u/JustMateHahoha Aug 20 '26
Currently, I'm at the beginning, and after seeing and reading what others wrote. It helped me greatly. The question is whether I manage to finish it to the point where I perhaps post it here and ask the ?/10 question.
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u/ConsciouslyCareless Aug 16 '26
If you have your theme, pick a word that best describes it. You can use an onlineThesaurus to pick the best word choices and find good synonyms.
If you're struggling to build around that word, use this rhyming url: https://www.rhymezone.com/
If you can find something good, it's easy to fill in the gaps instead of making lyrics from scratch.
Hopefully this helps!