Saturday, February 28, 2009

How to Compose a Successful Song

By L. Simms

If you are an aspiring songwriter,there are some simple tools and tips that you can use to improve your songwriting skills. There are many reasons for writing songs, and the kind of song that you ultimately write will depend largely on your goals and motivations. First, let's examine the reasons for writing songs.

As a musician and songwriter, you can compose songs to express your emotional upsets and triumphs as well as your problems. Many people have the same experiences and feelings so that they will identify with it and love your songs. Some songwriters prefer to think of the money angle and decide to write what they think people want to hear and get a commercial hit that makes a lot of money.

Songs that are written with popular music in mind must meet certain criteria in order to be considered. Even though songs written for commercial success must follow stricter criteria than those written only for personal fulfillment, there is much leeway given the wide variety of voices, genres, and styles in popular music. Perhaps you have unique singing voice that is suited to a particular style of music.

You can compose your own distinctive type of music that you like and that you think people will enjoy. Most good composers write music that is exclusively theirs and not a reflection of the latest fad or most popular song getting airtime. An original and imaginative way is to write music that is truly intuitive and expressive because many people can identify with music that is uniquely special.

First of all, write for your target audience. Whether you have a target audience of one, or a wider target audience, use what you know to write music that appeals to your target listeners. It means you should find your niche and write about things you know as you will make a better connection with a target audience that shares things in common with you.

Music that is written with emotional truth will make a true connection with most audiences, who want to identify with a good song. If you don't like romantic songs with gushy lyrics, write about something from your life experiences that speaks with your unique voice. You can compose and write music about your past experiences with family, friends, mishaps, unfortunate incidents and so on.

Inspiration can come from a variety of unexpected sources. The best way to be prepared when your song muse emerges is to carry with you a notepad to jot down ideas and inspirations as they come to you in everyday life. Songwriting inspiration may come from an unusual sound or rhythm you hear, from things you observe in nature, or from something as simple as a coffee shop conversation.

Find someone who you think best matches the personality of your song to sing or play your song. First, you will hear how someone else interprets the meaning of your song and second, you will hear how another person's rendition matches with what you had intended your song to sound like. Use this information to make changes or fine tune the song if its not quite what you had intended.

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