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Ideas for writing song lyrics.

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There's something magical about good song lyrics. They're relatable, or poignant, or they just really make you feel a certain way. We all know great lyrics when we hear them, but what exactly makes them so great? How do you write your own song lyrics that convey your message and help people connect with your music? In this article, we break down the songwriting process step-by-step, from getting inspiration to crafting the perfect lyrics to pairing your lyrics with music. Once you know the basics, you'll be ready to write a song whenever inspiration strikes.

Become a Song Writer with this Expert Series

Have you ever wanted to write or sing a hit song? It might look like other people are overnight successes, but truthfully they've been working at it for a long time. These expert articles will help you build your skills and become an accomplished song wri

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How can I be sure I'm writing my song in a good vocal range?

Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Try to keep it within 2 octaves. If you're trying to find your own vocal range, hum down to the lowest note you can hold clearly. Then, hum up to find the highest note you can hold for at least 3 seconds. This will be your range.

Is it necessary to have a verses and then a chorus in order in a song?

It doesn't matter what order you put them in, as long as the song makes sense and flows well.

How can I get some proper ideas for the lyrics?

Think about your day, your emotions, the conversations you heard etc. Use them and you'll find yourself with an amazing song! If you cannot think of one, then think about your dreams, ambitions, inspirations, aspirations, etc. especially the ones that first convinced you to write song lyrics.

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Think about who you want to hear your song. What is it that you want them to hear?

It's good to have a song writing notebook or perhaps a file on your computer. This helps you organize your thoughts better.

Never dismiss an idea for a song as "too stupid". Many of the best songs are about the most outlandish topics.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you'd like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Check out songs you love and study how the lyrics work. Try out different writing techniques until you land on a style that clicks. When I first started, I had no knowledge of song structure. Then I realized my favorite band used a specific song structure, so I tried that and progressed way faster. Play with writing all kinds of songs to stretch your skills. Audiences like variety.

Nail down the lyrics if you'll sing your songs live on stage. Before a show, have someone check to make sure the words make sense. If you blank on the lines, take a breath and go through them slowly. Rereading a few times can help them stick. This will give you confidence to belt out those lyrics.

When first writing songs, you might copy classic tunes too much. While you can take cues from favorite songs, put your own spin on things. Most artists don't like direct copies. Instead, channel the vibe or style you admire, then create your own melodies and lyrics.

Don't filter your real feelings when you write lyrics. Grab a pen and paper and let it all out - get to know yourself better in the process! The page won't tell your secrets or judge you, so share freely. Use this as therapy for your mind and heart.

Craft lyrics that feel true to who you are. Songs come off more real when the words ring true to your identity. If certain lines seem untrue to your personality, they could be tough to perform with conviction.

Keep a notebook on you to jot down song ideas when they hit. Inspiration can strike anywhere, anytime, so be ready to follow those creative sparks. Revisit your notes later when you're working on new material.

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Don't plagiarize a song somebody else wrote or you could get in some serious legal trouble. But it's good to pick a style of lyrics or music you like. So if you like Katy Perry, write pop like her. Or if you like Taylor Swift, write lots of love songs.

Do not rhyme constantly, unless that is exactly what you intended. It is okay at some point, but too much gets annoying, as seen below;

Example: My life is horrible and I think it is horrible because I left my cat at my Grandma's and she won't give my cat back so what am I going to do ohhh yeah... What am I gonna do? (that was bad)

An instrument - the guitar,the piano or whatever you can play (recommended to have on hand to create the melody)

Pencil or pen

Paper or computer (depending on whether you choose to write or type your lyrics)

You can also use your mobile phone instead of pen and paper

1. ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview.1 April 2020.

2. ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview.1 April 2020.

3. ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview.1 April 2020.

This article was co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA. Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association. This article has been viewed 3,382,478 times.

To write song lyrics, try writing down everything that pops into your head for several minutes without stopping. Then, take a look at what you've written to see if anything inspires you. You can also try looking at different songs and poems for inspiration and to get an idea of what kind of lyrics you enjoy. As you're writing your song, focus on describing how you feel in interesting ways as opposed to just telling people, which will make your song more relatable and memorable. To learn how to organize your song, keep reading!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 3,382,478 times.

"This articles helps me to understand the basics of songwriting, which is very helpful for the beginners."

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How to Write Song Lyrics (with Pictures) - wikiHow

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There's something magical about good song lyrics. They're relatable, or poignant, or they just really make you feel a certain way. We all know great lyrics when we hear them, but what exactly makes them so great? How do you write your own...

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A Way to Help You Stay Organized

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The Ultimate Songwriting Proofreading Checklist

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Chord Progression Cheat Sheets to Help Figure Out What Chords SHoudl Come Next.

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For the Printer Friendly version of my Chord Progression Sheets Check out my Songwriting Freebies. Experiencing Song Writer's Block? Try a new chord progression! Share This:44900

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Step by Step Process

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Many beginners and hobby musicians wonder how to write a song people will love. We've collected 10 easy tips that will bring you forward if you're a beginner in songwriting. Learn how to brainstorm song ideas, write lyrics and create a chorus.
Freeby! There's is a summary infographic below. Scroll and download it for free.

Before we start with the tips, I'd like to point out: Of course, there is no clear recipe for how to write a hit song. If we had one, everybody would be a music world star. But you could never be sure to write a hit because

1. The music taste of humans differs a lot.

2. Taste changes over time.

3. Many factors are involved. It's not only the notes and chords and lyrics, that matter. Also the instruments, tempo, style, musicians involved, the way it was presented...

You can use some tricks, though. And there are clear steps you can take if you would like to compose a piece of music and you don't know where to start from. So let's say you are a musician, playing an instrument or singing. And you would like to write a song. And finish it. Check out those ten steps:

How to write a song in 10 steps?

1. Look out for song inspiration

If you're a singer

Notice topics and situations you want to sing about. Note down phrases, lines, and emotions that come to your head. What do singers you admire sing about? Analyse their lyrics to see how the songs are structured.

If you're an instrumentalist

Do you play guitar, bass, drums, piano, sax or another instrument? Start looking for inspiration everywhere. Which songs do you like? What makes them special? How are the chords, the melody, and the rhythm?

2. Write the lyrics

Choose a clear topic the audience can relate to. That way people can deeply connect with your music. What could be a good topic for a song?

Love is always a good topic and worked for many amazing songs: Falling in love, pain in love, breakups, fights, future plans and more.

An experience you had - a bad or a good one

Your opinion on something

Another idea or line that came to your mind

There are two ways to write a song's lyrics.

Method 1: Write the text first.

You can go around the world collecting ideas until you have a text ready. Attach it then to a melody. You can get inspired wherever you are. Simply write down your ideas on paper or your phone.

Method Nr. 2: Get inspired by instrumentals & beats.

Listen to the music for a while, allow inspiration for ideas. Then write some lyrics over it. Either you know some musicians that like to jam with you. Or you play some instrument yourself. Or you can check the backing tracks on sofasession to test lyrics impro:

Also on the blog: How to master improvisation like a pro?

3. Choose some cool chords

You play an instrument and wonder how to write a song? We want to show you a way we use.

Play a chord you like.

It might be a simple chord like C, E, F or G. Check out which other chords fit and sound nice. If you start with an E chord, the subdominant A and dominant B will fit quite well. Just a tip for the start.

Experiment and get ideas.

Collect every combination of chords that sounds good together. Let your creativity flow. Check out what you like. Check this article for some guitar progression inspiration.

Get inspired by others.

Sometimes you get the best ideas when you're playing with other musicians. You can do the same by playing along to some backing tracks. Use this 1000+ backing track library to get started:

4. Add melody and rhythm

Experiment with rhythm and melodies.

You have thousands of options to play your cool chords. If you play them faster, change quicker or use a melody on top changes the song mood completely.

Record music ideas right away.

Save chords or melodies you like. Play along with them to find more ideas. You can record multi-track songs on our platform for free. That way other users can also contribute to your song and give you new input. Create your new song now.

5. How to write a song chorus

The chorus is the hook of each song, a part well remembered. So it's worth investing some time here.

Brainstorm ideas

Start to gather ideas for the hook and/or the lyrics. Just as in #3, check what sounds nice. An E-A-H-E chords combo will wound differently than an E-A-E-H-E-E-A.

Don't judge your ideas too early.

Not every word you write down has to be perfect. Not every chord you play has to be the final one. Collect everything and pick, what is more catchy.

Pick one of the ideas.

You have some ideas now, now pick the best. A helpful tip is to focus on ONE text /melody idea. How do you feel when you think about it? Notice all thoughts and emotions. Make them part of the song.

6. How to write a song verse

The lyrics

A verse tells more about your situation or feeling than the chorus. So think further. What details are there? What different scenarios? How did the situation develop? What might happen in the future?

The instruments

Think again about harmony, melody, and rhythm. Do you want to play the same chords as in chorus? Do you want to have a new melody for the guitar or vocals? How should the rhythm be compared to the chorus? Think also about dynamics. A huge dynamics contrast between chorus and verse can change a lot.

7. Create a song structure

Whenever you have a good chorus, a melody, and a text it's time to structure them.

Order of chorus and verse

Do you want to stick to the famous verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus structure? Or turn it all in a new way? Think about it.

How do you want your song to sound?

Do you want a strong contrast between chorus and verse or a small difference? Classically, the chorus is played and sung on higher notes than the verse. Think of your song as a building people enter. What should they see first, what sh0uld come later?

8. Play and practice the whole song

Practice the song

You already have some great lyrics, a chorus and verse ready. You thought about the structure and created additional song parts. Connect the parts and play them a bit.

It's ok if your song is not the next genius #1 hit already

There is no need to judge your song too much at this point! Save whatever you've got so far and come back to it later. With a fresh mind and after you've had some time for the song to settle.

9. Record your song

Recording now is not professional, but just makes sure, you won't loose the new song. So best options are:

Smartphone: Record yourself while you're playing and singing your new song

Computer: Use free programs like AudioRecorder, PhotoBooth, QuickTime Player or others or multi-track recorder if you want to go deep. Check these tips for recording at home if you're a beginner.

sofasession: Record an idea by clicking "create a song" in the backstage area. Create multi-tracks to record instruments separately. If you make it public, other users can contribute and help your song grow. You can also send the link to friends and band mates. This is how your recording screen looks like.

10. Practice, practice, practice

As every other form of writing, songwriting is a skill. It is not something that falls from the sky one morning. Practice it often and you'll become better each day. Promised!

And that's it. Those are our tips on how to write a song for beginners. Now it's up to you to put them into practice. Comment below if you liked the tips or have something to add. Send us the link to your new song and we'll feature you on our channels.

More resources on songwriting:

A free infographic about how to write a song:

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How To Write A Song In 10 Easy Steps [beginners]

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Many beginners and hobby musicians wonder how to write a song people will love. We've collected 10 easy tips that will bring you forward if you're a beginner in songwriting. Learn how to brainstorm song ideas, write lyrics and create a chorus. Freeby! There's is a summary infographic below.