Can you learn songwriting? Yes, writing songs is a skill and can be learned just alike any other. Songwriting is something you can learn to do if you have an interest in it. The most important part is being interested in the process, expressing yourself, and exploring musical ideas… have fun!
Most people become overwhelmed by songwriting because they don’t realize how simple it can be.
Even if you are not a “music person” you already have talents that would help with songwriting.
The most important thing is to be interested and to have fun during the process…
Can you learn songwriting? Yes, you can! Here are my best suggestions to get started…
Here are some helpful songwriting questions you should ask yourself
What is about music that excites you?
Who are your favorite musicians or songs? What is it about their music that enjoy the most?
Does the idea of performing music for a live audience excite you? Or are you more excited about creating music for yourself?
There are no right or wrong answers here. It’s all up to you and what you’d like to express.
The purpose of asking these questions is so you can get a better idea of what you would like to get from your songwriting journey.
Most important, remember that songwriting is a skill and you can definitely learn how to do it.
Even if you feel like you’re not making progress right away… Keep it up!
How to get started – Listen to music differently
If you’re just getting started then it will help to start listening to music a little differently.
Train your ears to listen closely to all the different parts of a song.
In particular, pay attention to the different musical parts of the song and the instruments that are playing each part.
For example, most bands have a singer, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and other instruments.
If you haven’t listened to music in this way you might be surprised just how many different instruments are playing at the same time!
Training yourself to hear music in detail will give you more ideas for your own music.
Pay attention to the different sections of a song
Every song has multiple sections that go together to form a complete musical idea.
Maybe you already know some of these terms: Chorus, Verse, Bridge, etc.
All of these refer to a specific section in a song. (Check out this post that explains all the different parts of a song.)
It is helpful to listen to music and identify how certain verses and choruses are written.
Every song is unique and has some qualities that make it special.
At least… every good song should!
That’s not to say that some music is better than other music.
However, variety is the spice of life – and the same is true in songwriting.
Listen and learn from songwriters you admire.
Just by listening closely to music you can learn a great deal and apply those lessons to your own music.
Have patience and enjoy the process
Understand that songwriting is a skill. When you practice writing songs you will get even better and it will come more easily to you.
Don’t be discouraged if other people “make it look easy.”
Everybody has their own creative process and ideas they would like to express.
Simply embrace your journey and you will achieve much better results.
Be comfortable expressing yourself
One of the wonderful things about writing songs is that it is a way to express your innermost ideas and feelings in a way that other people can understand.
Even without words, music can express a wide range of feelings and emotions that cannot be expressed any other way.
Many people say music is the purest art form.
It is when you are in state of flow and completely present in the current moment that magic happens.
You can experience this too when you let go of expectations and simply trust what is trying to express itself through your music.
You may be surprised and discover new things you didn’t expect or know were there!
I suggest you read other articles on this site to learn more about songwriting:
Parts of a Song
How to Improve My Songwriting
How To Improve My Songwriting: 3 Easy Tips
Good luck on your songwriting journey! Embrace your creativity and you just may be surprised at the amazing places it can take you. What would you like to know about songwriting – Let me know in the comments!
