How to Start Writing a Song: 3 Effective Techniques

Ready to write a song? But not sure where to begin?

Songwriting can be a bit mysterious and daunting. It’s hard to imagine pulling songs out of thin air. 

As a songwriter, I can tell you that some days, ideas come easily, and other days, they don’t come at all. There’s an ebb and flow to it. 

And while I can’t tell you exactly how my songs come together, I can share some techniques that have helped me access my creativity! 

Below, I share 3 commonly used techniques for songwriting. Try them all and see which of them work for you! 

Start by Writing Poetry

As a kid, I first started to write poetry. I was inspired by my grandfather, who wrote funny story poems, and I loved them. 

If you connect most with words and stories, this might be the best way for you to begin. 

When I start writing a song with poetry, I usually sit down and write whatever comes to me. That could be a phrase, a word, a feeling - literally anything that comes to mind. 

You could also sit down to write with a specific story or theme in mind. Maybe you want to process a break up or you’re feeling happy about new possibilities in your life. Whatever it is, just get writing. Don’t overthink it, and don’t think that the first things you write down need to be the final draft. Get some ideas out!

You might find from there that patterns start to appear. Or words that rhyme start popping into your head. Or you might not. You might write a complete poem, then go back to see if the form works for a song - whatever that means to you. 

You could try to sing a melody, just see if something comes to you, as you look at your written poem. 

There are a couple books that I have had fun using to generate more ways to get in touch with words: 

Start with a Melody

You can start to write a song by improvising a melody. This can be done (and might be more easily done) when you’re doing something else. Like walking, washing the dishes, or taking a shower. 

Hum a few notes together and try to imagine a backing band with you. Play around with different notes. Sometimes when I repeat a melodic pattern over and over, I end up hearing some words emerge. 

Melody and lyrics have to blend together in a way that makes sense to the listener. So sometimes, certain words or phrases might pop out for certain melodic phrases. They might also just feel smooth or easy to sing. 

If any words or phrases jump out at you, you can follow that theme. Maybe the phrase “Gotta get home” jumps out at you. Ask yourself what that phrase could mean to you in that moment and follow that. 

Start with a Chord Progression

You can also try starting with a chord progression. If you play a little piano, guitar, or ukelele, this could be a good option for you. 

You can also find a track online made by someone else. This can be a great option if you like starting with more of a musical “vibe”. If the track already has all the instruments you want, it might help to inform what you want your song to be about. 

When I start with a chord progression, I usually improvise a melody on top of those chords and write the lyrics afterward. But you could also do it the other way, too. You could feel the vibe of those chords and write some lyrics, and then set those to music. 

Is it happy? Sad? What kind of story do you want to tell?

There’s no right way to write a song. The way you do it is the right way for you! 

I’d love to hear about your approach!