How To Write Rap Lyrics

To learn how to write rap lyrics, first let's take a look at the differences between "writing regular lyrics" and rap lyrics.

Although rhymes are important in every genre, they have an especially important role in rap. So familiarizing yourself with different types of rhymes is something your should definitely do.

Rich vocabulary is also important in most genres but in the rap or hip hop world it's even more so. By "rich vocabulary" we don't mean beautiful, literary words (although you can include some of those too). What we mean is that you should be familiar with as many words, idioms, slang words and expressions as possible.

It's also useful to be aware of where stress is in words because by stressing a word different ways, its meaning can change. Or you can find different rhymes based on where you stress a word - it doesn't always have to be a perfect rhyme. You can make it sound perfect by moving the stress to different places. The most successful rap and hip hop artists are aware and masters of such tricks.

How do they get their amazing wealth of vocabulary from? I've seen an interview with Eminem where he said that he used to read the dictionary. You read it right - READ the dictionary. He said he's always loved words and wanted to know all of them. So he spent endless hours studying words to learn how to write rap lyrics. When he was and is writing a song, he wants all the words that exist to be at this disposal. Although I'm sure he doesn't know "all the words", he's done a great job at enriching his vocabulary!

Eminem also said that he scribbles down new song and lyric ideas on pieces of paper, napkins or anything else all the time. Then he went on to show a shoe box full of pieces of paper with ideas on them. You should do the same. You never know when a new idea hits you. Have something to capture it with all the time. When you write rap lyrics, you'll probably use some of them. Or when you feel stuck, you can always refer to your earlier ideas for inspiration.

While learning how to write rap lyrics, you might also want to get an audio recorder to rap your lyrics to. Record yourself then listen to the recording. It might not be a pleasant experience (most people hate their own voice) but it's an essential part of the learning process.

So here is a possible way of how to write rap lyrics:

• Immerse yourself in and study rap / hip hop. Listen to and possibly memorize the lyrics of your favorite songs.

• Think of a title and a subject of your new rap song.
• Plan the song structure (Verses, Choruses, Bridge, etc.)
• Write the Chorus first and summarize your message in it with as much passion as you can.
• Finish the lyrics by writing the Verses (the story of the song), the Bridge (the emotional peak) and maybe a Pre-Chorus to increase energy between the Verse and the Chorus.
• Write a basic beat to your lyrics. By the way, you can write the beats before the lyrics too.
• Record yourself perform the song.
• Rewrite what needs to be rewritten. (A song usually has to be rewritten at least a dozen times before we can call it "finished".)


Learning how to write rap songs might take a little time. But the more time you spend with it, the sooner you'll reach your goals. If rap is very important to you, you'll learn how to write rap lyrics in no time!


More about Writing Song Lyrics

How To Write Music

Learning how to write music is important if you'd like to become a serious songwriter. You can get by writing only lyrics but if you can contribute to melodies, your chances of succeeding will be much higher of course.


The rules I write here are guidelines. The more of them you use in your songs, the more likely you'll write a potential hit. Songwriters who also perform songs have more freedom though. Their fans will listen to their songs because they like them as performers. They can get away with longer solos, less general lyrics and more unusual song structures.

Characteristics of a Hit Song

Intro

The Intro (also called Introduction) is a very short instrumental section at the beginning of the song. Why "very short"? Because today's listeners get bored fast. That's why the singer will have to start singing very soon after the beginning of the song. The average Intro is 10-15 seconds. Shorter is fine, longer isn't fine. There are a few songs that have a longer Intro but they are almost always written by the artists themselves. If you write AND perform your songs, you always have a little more leeway. Writing a good intro is one of the most important aspects in learning how to write music for hits.

What's the purpose of the Intro?

✓ It sets the tone of the song: is it a happy or a sad song? what's the mood of the performer like?

✓ It sets the tempo of the song: your listeners should immediately know if it's a ballad, a mid-tempo or an up-tempo song.

Tempo

There are three main types of songs on the charts. Each kind has a different tempo.


• A song is up-tempo if it's more than 120 beats per minute (bpm).
• A song is mid-tempo if it's between 90 and 120 bpm.
• A song is a ballad if it's less than 90 bpm.

Most songs at the top of the charts are up-tempo. The second most common type is mid-tempo and ballads don't become hits that often. Most songwriters write many more ballads than up-tempo songs but it shouldn't be the case. Ballads can me more satisfying to write but an up-tempo song has a much bigger chance of becoming a hit. That's why it's worth learning how to write music for up-tempo songs as well.

Melodic Structure

Learning how to write music is the first step. But you should also know how to keep the listeners interested for about 4 minutes. Some songwriters tend to write very long Verses. But to maintain the listeners' interest, you should get to the Chorus quite quickly to give them a pay-off for sticking with you. You can either write a shorter Verse (4-6 lines) or insert a Pre-Chorus that beautifully connects the Verse and the Chorus and gradually intensifies emotion. The Pre-Chorus should be about 2-4 measures). More and more hit songs use this trick.

Solos, Intros, Outros

Long solos (anywhere in the song) were fashionable 10-15 years ago. But not anymore. Listeners like to hear the singer sing as much as possible. So avoid long solos.

Length of Songs

Your song shouldn't be longer than 3-4.5 minutes. If it is, radios will not want to play it. They make money from commercials and if your song is too long, it uses valuable advertising time and DJ's won't be motivated to play it.

Repeat and Repeat

Although your song should be unique, there should also be plenty of repetition in it. Both lyrically and musically. This makes your song memorable and the listeners will want to listen to it over and over again.

To include repetition, you can use "motifs".

▪ Motifs are short repeated musical phrases. They can be rhythmic, melodic, chord progression patterns or all of these together. Motifs can be a couple of notes or several measures long.

Usually a Verse is about eight measures long. You need to use some repetition in these eight measures because if you don't, it'll be difficult for the listener to remember your song. That's why you'll want to write the Verse using motifs. It's useful for both parties: your listener will remember and enjoy your song more and it'll be easier to write a song since you only have to create motifs then repeat them.

The motifs don't have to stay exactly the same though. Especially if you repeated the motif twice. It would be boring to hear exactly the same pattern a third time in a section.

Contrast In Music

Contrast is the most important characteristic music, melodies, rhythm or any other aspect in a song can have. Contrast makes the listeners feel like they are on an emotional roller coaster ride. And that's our goal.

The different sections in your songs should contrast (i.e. Verses, Pre-Choruses, Choruses and the Bridge). You can (and usually should) also include smaller contrasting parts within the sections.

How to Write Music that Creates Contrast BETWEEN Sections

Use one, two or all three. Just make sure that all sections are easily distinguishable.

✓ Melodic contrast: e.g. the Chorus should be higher than the Verse and Pre-Chorus.

✓ Harmonic contrast: vary the chord progressions between song sections. Begin each section with a different chord to make it more interesting.

✓ Rhythmic contrast: vary the rhythm between the different sections of the song.

How to Write Music that Creates Contrast WITHIN Sections

✓ Melodic contrast: when you repeat a motif, make a little change in it - add or leave out a couple of notes from the beginning or end of the motif or change a couple of notes in it.
✓ Harmonic contrast: vary the chord progressions while repeating the same melody.
✓ Rhythmic contrast: vary the rhythm a little within the sections.

How to Write Music to Lyrics

The combination of music and lyrics together is called prosody. It's the art of putting them together so they sound good and natural to your listeners. Being aware of its rules and techniques is an essential part of learning how to part music.


How To Write Music to Lyrics
Read the lyrics out loud. As if you were saying it to a friend. Notice your natural intonation and the stresses, i.e. "the music of your lyrics". Then start singing the lyrics in a conversational style, as if you were saying it to somebody. Put the higher-lower tones to the places when they naturally occurred in your speech but exaggerate them. There you go, now you have a basic melody for your lyrics. At this point, all you need to do is make some changes because now it probably sounds quite predictable.


• Stress the hook even more - give it higher notes
• Make some parts faster or slower
• Include short breaks (you can do this even in the middle of the line if it makes sense)
• Start a line later or earlier
• Add some words to a line


What Problems Can Come Up During This Process?
▪ You stress a word in the wrong place or have too many syllables in a motif which makes it difficult or impossible to understand the lyrics. It's called "word warping". E.g. instead of "INteresting" you stress it on the second syllable and it sounds like "inTRESting". In some cases a stress change might even mean something completely different. What's the solution? Words and syllables that are more important than others should get a higher or longer note (or both). You can also put important words and syllables on strong beats, e.g. if it's a song in a 4/4 time (which is the most common), the first and the third beats are strong, the second and fourth beats are weaker.


▪ You place musical breaks between the phrases where it isn't necessary or natural. It might even change the meaning. What's the solution? When you're not sure if it sounds good or makes sense, read the lyrics out loud including the pause. If it makes sense that way, it's okay. If it doesn't, place the pause somewhere else. There is a saying: "when in doubt, read it out loud".


▪ The rhythm of the motifs do not go with the rhymes in the lyrics. What can you do? Change one or the other until they match :)

How to Write Music

How to Write Music for Verses and Choruses
Verse lyrics explain the scene therefore they are usually more conversational, more limited in range. Choruses summarize the emotion the song is about so they are more intense, exaggerated with interval jumps. The different sections of music should be clearly defined.


How to Write Music for Pre-Choruses
The goal of a Pre-Chorus is to connect the Verse & Chorus and gradually intensify the emotion before the fulfillment that the Chorus gives you starts. There are some different ways to do this. Many successful songs contain a rising musical phrase, some even a scale. Or you can make the music faster than in the Verse.


How to Write Music for the Bridge
The Bridge is the most emotionally intense part of songs. This is where you summarize the way you feel and maybe offer a punchline. You should express its importance musically too. Make sure that the Bridge contrasts the other parts of the song in pitch, dynamics, pace or all of these. You can also surprise your listeners if you complement a dynamic Chorus with a slow, soft Bridge.


How to Create Repetition
We've talked about repetition and its importance. But to master how to write music, you must know how to achieve the perfect balance of new and repetition:


In her book Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting Robin Frederick mentions the "Vacation Rule": "Do it, do it again, go away, then come back" that's often used in Verses.


What it means is that, for example, you use a motif (short musical phrase) in the first line, repeat it in the second, use a new melody in the third and go back to the first motif in the fourth line. Of course, you don't have to stick to these four lines all the time. You might have more lines and you can use a different pattern of repetition. But it's a basic guideline that's worth considering. Listeners know and like this kind of structure. It makes them feel that although it's a new song they already know it. That's what most hit songs do.


Mood
These are the two most important ways you can express mood through music:


✓ harmony and chord progressions (happy: major chords, ascending bass lines - sad: minor chords, descending bass lines)
✓ tempo (happy: usually up-tempo or mid-tempo - sad: can be fast or slow)


More on advice on Writing Music First


You might also consider music writing online. Nowadays there are great opportunities to collaborate through the internet, or write music notation, beats and backing tracks online.


If you'd like to study how to write music in even more detail, there are two books I recommend. The first one is Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting by Robin Frederick. There are several "shortcuts" in her book and they include several pieces of advice on how to write music. If you consider some of your favorite songs, you'll see how right Robin is about how to write music for hit songs.The other book I suggest getting is Frustrated Songwriter's Handbook by Karl Coryat. You don't need to be frustrated to benefit from this book of course :) What you'll read is several techniques and games to inspire your music writing and help to come up with melodies you didn't think you could write. It also helps you with lyrics.


Chords that sound good together
Chord Substitutions 

Music Writing Online

Music writing online is a topic that a lot of budding songwriters have asked me about. The questions I get are usually one of these:

1. Is there a way to do music writing online? I'd like an online service that lets me write then print music notation. And also access music I write from any computer and enable me to share my work with anyone and… :)

2. Is there a website where I can write beats and background tracks?

3. Also, is there a website where I can collaborate with other songwriters completely online?

Fortunately, there are more and more great online services that will help you do these online nowadays. I guess Noteflight is the best answer to the first question, JamStudio to the second and SongWritingFever to the third. It's worth checking out all of these sites though!

• Noteflight - online music notation. You can write, print, share or even hear you music right in your browser. It's a great free service and there are also paid premium options for quite low prices.

• Sheet Music Editor - it's a drag and drop sheet music editor. Your sheet music will end up looking less professional than in Noteflight (since you manually move the notes in Sheet Music Editor) but it's still a nice free service.

• JamStudio - it's another free online service that let's you create music beats. You can write songs, backing tracks, karaoke songs, demos and even mix them.

• SongWritingFever - another really interesting free service. You can write songs with other songwriters online. You may post your work (e.g. lyrics or music) and other songwriters will help you complete your song. It's a really interesting, innovative idea in my opinion!

Songwriting online is getting more and more popular even among those who "don't need it" because they live in a major music center. It's opened a lot of doors for everybody. This is new method is definitely something worth trying!


More on How To Write Music 

Songwriting Ideas

Songwriting ideas are easy to find. Even if you have no inspiration, intentionally looking for themes or phrases that help you get started is something you can always do. And fortunately, there are several ways you can do this.


✓ There are some books written especially for this purpose. In The Frustrated Songwriter's Handbook by Karl Coryat and Nicholas Dobson you will find several techniques for finding ideas and getting creative. If you use some of the many tricks listed in this book, soon you'll be able to summon your inspiration on command. There are methods for getting inspired to write music and lyrics too. What I did was write each of the techniques on a 3 by 5 card then when I needed some inspiration, I randomly chose one of the cards and started working with the help of the technique on it. It has never failed to work for me.


✓ Another great resource for songwriting ideas is The Songwriters Idea Book by Sheila Davis. There are 40 songwriting strategies in this book. Each one is guaranteed to spark your imagination. There is also some information about personality types, brain function and writing styles. I found this part of the book incredibly useful because understanding ourselves and our working style is essential if we want to get better at our craft and stay productive.

✓ Sometimes a good title can ignite our creativity and lead to a complete song in a short time. You can find great titles by reading magazines (especially tabloids), reading some book titles in a bookstore, watching films and TV shows, etc. And sometimes song titles just come to you out of nowhere (and you should write them down as soon as they come!). But if you feel you really can't come up with anything, try the Song Name Creator. This is a great website where you just have to push a button and you immediately get a list of song titles. They are randomly created of course. You would think you just can't get really great titles from a machine but you'll be surprised. There are always at least 1 or 2 incredible titles out of 10.

✓ Still have no idea what to write about? Need some inspiring songwriting ideas? Just think of other, successful songs and what they are about. Let me help you. 99% of them are about love. But love isn't simple, which makes it easy for all of you to write something unique in connection with this concept. Some angles you might consider:

• Wanting to be loved
• Finding love
• Hitting on a girl/boy
• Partying
• Being in love
• Jealousy
• Suspicion
• Breaking up
• Love disappearing from the relationship
• Cheating
• Leaving your lover
• Remembering how it all started
• Your love is everlasting
• Thoughts about the meaning of love

✓ And there are some (usually less commercial) but just as interesting topics for you to write about:

• Religious themes
• Problems in society
• The nature of life
• Thoughts about yourself and your feelings
• Family
• Friends
• Places
• Reaching your goals
• Being yourself no matter what

✓ Another one of the best songwriting ideas is to do songwriting on assignment. There are some A&R companies and music libraries who release a list of the types of songs they need. For example: "We need a song about flirting a la Rihanna's What's My Name. The demo should be broadcast quality. The deadline is…". Sometimes it's much easier to write songs if you know what you would like the end-result to be - exactly or more or less exactly.


✓ Increasing your songwriting creativity is really easy. You just have to find the right methods and resources to find the best route. However, I don't want to burst any bubbles but usually it's not like you get some divine inspiration and start working but the other way around. Sit down to work and the inspiration will eventually come. And the more often you do this, the faster it comes.

Free Songwriting Tips

These free songwriting tips might seem small to you but they are powerful. Little changes in your writing habits can make a huge difference in your results.

First of all, it's very important what kind of tools you use. Songwriting tools can rage from a pen and a sheet of paper to the most sophisticated software and filing system money can buy.

Think about your working style.

• Are you the kind of person who likes everything in order to start working productively?
• Are you the type who needs clutter to get creative?
• Do you like working in your home?
• Do you sometimes start scribbling down or recording ideas in the middle of the day?
• Have you written so many songs that it's difficult for you to remember them?
• Do you prefer old-school or modern equipment?

These are some of the questions you'll need to answer. This way it's easier to find out what tools you'll need to make your songwriting process as smooth as possible.

There are plenty of ways to improve your songwriting. Some of the ideas to improve your songs aren't for you. Since we have different personalities, obviously, not all of the tips for songwriting are useful for you. Choose the ones that you feel the closest to you. You could, for example, start one of them today, and a second one next month.

Think about it, if you stay with this schedule, you improve your craft 12 different ways in a year. That's something less than 1% of songwriters do.
And once your song is finally finished and you're sure it's a potential hit, you should make a songwriting demo. These days it's simpler and cheaper to do than ever. Not cheap but cheaper :)

You may feel overwhelmed at first. It's sometimes difficult to decide how to start implementing these free songwriting tips. I suggest starting with reading a book or two about songwriting. Books are easy to get, easy to read, easy to enjoy. Have fun!

Write Your Own Sheet Music

If you'd like to learn how to write your own sheet music then you'll need to learn how to read music notes and have some understanding of music theory first. But don't worry, it's easy.

So here is a guide to show you how to write your own sheet music:


• You'll need some obvious tools: paper and music score paper or some kind of notation software.

• Decide what kind of music you'd like to write. What style, what genre? Happy or sad?

• What is the tempo going to be like? Is this song going to be a ballad, a mid-tempo or an up-tempo song? It's important to decide in advance because you probably won't use many eighth or sixteenth notes in a ballad, for example.

• Decide about the key of the song and choose the bass or treble clef accordingly.

• Decide which octaves you'll use.

• Decide if your song is going to be in the 4/4 time (which is the most common) or something else.

• Now write out the melody and draw the line to the end of the measures.

• Then label the different sections of the song and put repeat, first and second endings, etc. signs in it.


It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or an advanced composer, I think the best, fastest, easiest and most reliable way to write your own sheet music these days if you use notation software.

Don't Burn Bridges in the Music Industry

Some people are more difficult to deal with than others. That's a fact. There will always be a…holes who try to ruin your life. That's another fact. But there is nothing you can do to change this so you should give up trying to avoid such people.


What you can do is this:

Try to be as tolerant as you can (only to a reasonable degree of course). Why? Because that stubborn assistant of an A&R person might just become the president of a record company in a couple of years. And if you insult them, they'll remember you for all the wrong reasons.

However, if you're nice to such people, they might be happy to take your call one day when they are on the top. I'm not saying it's easy to do though… :)

How to Write Songs for a Specific Artist

Sometimes it's inspiring to write songs with a specific artist in mind. It often makes our creations even better and different from our usual style. How do you do it?


✓ Decide which artist would record your song in your wildest fantasies (an artist whose career you've followed closely so you know a lot about them: their life, taste and style…).

✓ Close your eyes and imagine the artist perform your song. Listen to the crowd's loud cheer when they hear the first chords and recognize what song it is.

✓ Visualize the details of the performance: the mood, what the artist is wearing, the colors, the moves, etc.

✓ Listen to the artist perform the song (in your mind). Try not to think and analyze. Just write down whatever comes to you, whatever your hear.


This exercise comes handy

• when you really want to write for a certain artist
• when you're stuck, when you want to write something "different"
• or when you just feel like daydreaming.


Try it and let me know about the results!

TV vs. Songwriting

Most people spend every evening (or every day) staring at the TV. It's one of my guilty pleasures too. I used to watch TV a couple of hours every day. But one day I started thinking about this habit: is it really worth it? 90% of what I watched were shows that I didn't like but there wasn't anything better on that night.

So I made a list of things that I could do instead of watching TV. Stuff that is more useful now and/or in the long run. Things that will help me make my life better in some way and especially make me a better songwriter. Here is the list I came up with:


✓ Reading books. They can be about songwriting, creativity or anything that I can learn from.


✓ Writing songs. I suppose it's easy to see the advantages of it.


✓ Learning new vocabulary. The English language has the highest number of words among all languages. And there are so many beautiful and interesting words to know.


✓ Learning a new language. Spending only 5 minutes a day with language learning can take you far. And speaking a foreign language is a little bit like having a brand new, improved, more open-minded and tolerant personality.


✓ Practicing an instrument. Songwriters need to be able to play at least one instrument. There is no doubt about it. I recommend learning how to play the guitar or the piano.


✓ Learning music theory. You can live without knowing music theory but learning it will help you a lot along the road.


✓ Listening to music. Discover new music and new genres. It makes your songs even more unique.


✓ Watching concert DVDs. Watching artists performs songs inspires me. I guess it might inspire you too then.


✓ Networking. There are great songwriting forums for that. You can also use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for this purpose.


✓ Working out. I don't think I have to stress its importance for your body and mind.


Most of these things are easy and fun to do. If not, you can make them easier and more fun. Just think about how much you will accomplish if you substitute some silly TV shows with some of these activities. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't watch TV at all. I'm just saying that there are several programs that are simply a waste of time. Turn on the TV only when there is a specific show you really don't want to miss. Like Dexter. Otherwise, keep it turned off.

10 Things You Can Do To Become a Professional Songwriter

All the successful songwriters have one thing in common: they live and breathe music. If becoming a professional songwriter is your dream, it's not a sacrifice and you're probably already doing it one way or another. So all you have to do now it keep on with it. How? Here is a list to give you some ideas:


1. Write songs every day. You don't have to complete them in a day but write at least a little. Only 15 minutes a day is much better than 5 hours once a week. Even Lady Gaga said: "Some artists take years; I don’t. I write music every day.” If you write only when you feel like it, it'll be much more difficult to make yourself sit down and do it. However, if it's part of your daily routine, it's much easier to get down to work.


2. Read articles and books about songwriting and artists. Keep up to date with events and who the movers and shakers are in the music industry. Read about other songwriters' creative process.


3. Collaborate. Almost all the songs on the charts were written by two or more people. If you have a co-writer, you double your chances. So find a songwriting partner or partners.


4. Listen to music whenever you can. Always be aware of what's on the charts. You might not be the biggest fan of the artists who sell the most records these days but to be commercial, you should steal a trick or two from them. It doesn't mean giving up your individuality.


5. Learn to play an instrument. Some songwriters write lyrics only and think they don't need to be able to play an instrument. Wrong. Being able to play a musical instrument makes it much easier for you to communicate with other songwriters and come up with lyric ideas that will work well with the music. The Learn and Master Guitar and Learn and Master Piano courses are great for this purpose.

6. Learn music theory. Learning music theory might not be the most exciting thing to do but it will help you a lot in your songwriter career. You'll be able to write much more sophisticated and complex music if you know "what it's made up of".


7. Learn to sing. You might hate your voice now but believe me, everybody can learn to sing. The famous singers' instrument is no different from yours. It's just a question of technique. Try Brett Manning's Singing Success, it has helped me tremendously. You might need to sing on demos or showcase your songs at songwriting events.


8. Learn new words. I saw an interview with Eminem about a year ago. We all know that he is famous for his incredibly witty lyrics and rhymes. In this interview he shared his secret: he used to read the dictionary. Literally. He loved words and wanted to know all of them so that when he writes lyrics, he'd have hundreds of thousands of words at this disposal.


9. Learn to record music. If you're a serious songwriter, you'll need to make demos. You probably won't be able to afford to make it in a professional studio at the beginning of your career. But don't worry, these days you can create professional quality recordings in your bedroom.


10. Go out and experience life. That way you'll always have something to write about.

Songwriting Tools

The following songwriting tools are used by most writers. Nobody uses all of them though. But most songwriters use almost all of them at one time or another.

Some of these songwriting tools are not "tools" in a physical sense. However, they are still indispensable in the songwriters' tool-box.

Computer

• What kind of computer do you have?
• Is it a Mac or a PC?
• Is it a desktop computer or a laptop?
• How much memory and space on your hard drive do you have?

These are all important questions for a songwriter. First of all, you have to decide if you prefer Mac or PC. Macintosh computers are usually more expensive but more stable too. I'm a Mac fan but others swear by Windows so it's your call.

To use songwriting software, especially multi track recording software, you'll need a pretty strong computer. You'll find the system requirements for each program on its website but they usually write the minimum there. If they say, for instance, that you'll need at least 2GB RAM, consider getting 4GB. With only 2GB the software will be slow and might crash sometimes. You may even lose your work!

I have a laptop because I like sitting on the couch while I'm working. It's not the healthiest position though. If you know you won't move around much and there's a good place for your desktop computer, you shouldn't buy a laptop. Desktop computers are usually stronger too.

Software

There are so many songwriting software programs out there that it might seem to be a daunting task to decide which one to get.

There is software for recording. Some songwriters like to record as soon as the muse strikes. Others use recording software to make a demo of their songs. Since home recording software comes in all shapes and sizes, you're sure to find one that fits all your needs.

There is also the kind of music writing software which is called a scorewriter. I recommend these if you can read music. For those who don't, it's useful to get familiar with chords at least. They are logical, fast and quite easy to learn.

Some software makes complete background music for your chord progressions. But this music needs a little editing and creativity so that it doesn't sound too predictable.There is also software for lyric writing which makes it easy to come up with rhymes, synonyms, phrases, etc.

Word Processor or Paper

This one is quite obvious. You'll need something to write your lyrics or musical ideas on. If you only write on paper or only in a word processor, try the other one. It might sound simple but sometimes this switch can bring some pretty unexpected things to surface.

MIDI Instrument

A MIDI instrument can be a simple and cheap electronic keyboard. You'll need this if you're not planning to record live instruments only. And if you have a good recording program with several software instruments, you can get REALLY creative with MIDI.

Microphone

I'm not a microphone expert. I know that there are dynamic and condenser microphones. And that for home studios a condenser microphone is better but I forgot why. :) I have a simple but great USB microphone. It's a great songwriting tool, it's great quality for demos, I don't need anything more complex. But you'll need a microphone only in case you record vocals or live instruments.

Headphones

Again, you'll need good headphones only if you record vocals or live instruments. Because while you're recording, you need to hear the singer, yourself or the instrument, obviously.

But even if you don't record live sounds, sometimes it feels better, a little more intimate to listen to your creations through headphones. At least I like it. :)

Templates

When you've written a song or two, you'll notice that there are some things in your songwriting process that are always the same. It is sometimes tedious to write down or prepare all these things again and again. So one of the greatest and most time-saving songwriting tools is a template.I have a template for lyric writing. I have a file in which I write:

• Title
• What is this song about? (I answer the question.)
• Intro
• Verse 1
• Pre-Chorus
• Chorus
• Verse 2
• Pre-Chorus
• Chorus
• Bridge
• Pre-Chorus
• Chorus
• Outro

I don't have to (and I never do) use all of the sections but when I make a sketch of the song, it feels good to be organized. Sometimes not having to think about such small things can be great.

You can also do such a thing with music sections, chords or anything you like.

Dictionary

A good dictionary is an indispensable songwriting tool. But it's probably not enough. You'll also need a rhyming dictionary and a thesaurus.

But dictionaries have disadvantages. They are huge. They are heavy. They take up a lot of space. It's quite slow to look up something in them. Instead of keeping some dictionaries, I like to use a lyric writing program which incorporates all the dictionaries and word/phrase resources I'll ever need for songwriting.

Ideas

Your ideas may not be the most obvious songwriting tools. However, they are the most important ones. And by ideas I don't just mean "inspiration". Inspiration is something that is not worth waiting for. If you start working, it comes soon. By itself.How do you get ideas? If you really can't think of anything, sit down and:

• read a magazine (tabloids are usually the best for this purpose)
• read a book
• read a dictionary (I'm not kidding)
• go through some book titles on the internet or in your home. These titles are usually not copyrighted.
• you can even watch an episode of a series or go and see a film

If you do one of these things, and you're consciously looking for song ideas, I can guarantee you they'll come.

Idea Box

Sometimes inspiration hits when you least expect it. That's when a little notebook, a cellphone or a dictaphone comes handy. If you have a song idea, don't wait even for a minute. It's the best if you keep one of these songwriting tools next to your bed too. Although during the night it might feel like you'll remember an idea next day, most people can never bring it back. That's a possible hit song lost.

At home you should keep your ideas in one place. You can do it in a simple text file or you can get more sophisticated than that. I even have some categories, like "quotes from films".

Database

When you've written 5 or 10 songs, you'll notice that it gets more and more difficult to keep track of them. That's why you'll need some kind of a database or filing system for your songs. In this database you should be able to record several things about your songs:

• title
• if it has been completed or not
• genre
• key
• beats per minute
• loops used
• date of creation
• lyrics
• audio file
• others versions of your song
• chords or sheet music
• what happened or what is happening to the song?
• other notes

If you write down all this data about your songs, it'll be easier to find one if somebody asks for a ballad for example.

Dictaphone

Not everybody uses a dictaphone but it's nonetheless useful. Especially when the idea of a great melody comes to you on the street. But you can also record audio with your cellphone or mp3 player these days. So this songwriting tool is not the most indispensable one.


That was quite a list of songwriting tools! I hope I didn't forget anything. I'll add some more later if I learn something new!

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