Hi! If you’re new to this series—which has absolutely no Freudian implications in its title and shame on you for asking—you can feel free to start at the beginning. So far we’ve covered sources of song ideas, solved some common process problems that frustrate songwriters, and now we’re talking about ways to avoid getting stuck while composing music. Let’s jump in.
Get literate.
Learn how to read and write music notation. There are plenty of books and classes out there to teach you how.
Benefits of learning music theory
- Notation allows you to get melodies out of your head and onto a page, freeing up mental space for new sounds, new songs.
- It’s a way of visualizing your music, so you can write and rewrite melodies the same way a lyricist writes and rewrites lines in a lyric.
- It gives you a priceless understanding of music and commonly used devices in music, so that you can use them yourself—or knowingly deviate from norms.
- Allows you to read scores and easily communicate with other musicians.
Theory has made me a better, faster songwriter. Whether it’s necessary for your purposes is entirely up to you, but I think you should at least consider learning the basics.
Get Rhythm.
Jazz players improvise with a bassist and drummer for good reasons: when an intoxicating rhythm hits our ears, we humans do irrational, excited, creative things.
We tap a foot. We dance. And if we’ve got an instrument in our hands or mouths, we respond with music of our own.
Few of us are lucky enough to have a rhythm section fulfilling our every whim. But even if you’re a strictly solo act, you can still:
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Overdub backing tracks
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Create delay loops on the fly
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Play with drum machines
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Record yourself banging on pots and pans.
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Use software like Band in a Box
The momentum of a rhythm section really draws new music out of you—and remember, it’s a rare occasion when silence inspires a new song.
Get Timbre.
Textures of sound can inspire us just as much as rhythm. If you’re a guitarist, this could mean turning up the reverb, adding digital delay, dialing in some distortion, switching to your neck pickups, or experimenting with an eBow. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you twice to go shopping for guitar gear.
If you’re a keyboardist, try out some new sounds on your Roland. Play with synth pads. Play “Oh, Susannah” with meowing cats. Whatever turns you on!
Guitars and keyboards really tend to suck the life out of melodies. Although the guitar’s a popular solo instrument, ironically it’s not all that expressive when playing single note lines compared to a violin or a saxophone or other melody instruments. And piano is likewise designed with harmony in mind.
When all else fails, use your voice to sing, hum, and whistle pitches. Seek expressive sounds!
Get lyrics.
The Halted Clock is a songwriting website, after all. Working with lyrics is our primary art, craft, and trade around here.
Composing with a lyric is great because you can score each line as though it were a film. The lyric’s emotional tone, its imagery, and its general atmosphere can all influence your composition.
Writing a vocal melody that fits the lyric is maybe the toughest part of composing a song. On the surface, it seems simple—just assign a note to each syllable—but composing purely by trial and error can be frustrating.
Tips for writing a vocal melody
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Syllables that are emphasized in speech should also be emphasized musically. This means that strong syllables tend to line up with strong beats. Strong syllables often tend to be louder, higher-pitched, and held longer than weak syllables. These contrasts can be subtle, but they’re everywhere. Listen for them in the music you love.
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If you’re unsure about which syllables should be emphasized, just speak the word aloud in a very exaggerated way: spat-u-la sounds much more natural than spat-u-la or spat-u-la, for example.
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Whoa, wait. Why is this song about kitchen utensils? o.O
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When emotions run high, so do the melody’s pitches.
Get out of the house.
Don’t just sit around at home singing to your dog. Go out to see other musicians perform. Jam in garages. Attend open mic events. Set up your own gigs. Get out of the house. Yes, introverted lyricists—you too.
Getting out to see other musicians live is especially important because it allows you to measure your own abilities against theirs. Seeing somebody else win applause keeps you excited about the rewards of songwriting and performing.
Get new music.
What could be more inspiring than listening to something new? Every songwriter’s work is a reflection of the best qualities of her favorite performers. Listen widely, analyze the work of artists that you like, and seek to learn something even from music that you don’t enjoy. Every genre has something different to teach you, so don’t miss out on opportunities to learn.
the final kink: What Are You Holding Back?
photos by steven campbell and resedabear