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The Songwriting Process

by

PAUL JOHNSON

Introduction

This is for beginner songwriters trying to put their first few songs together and those who keep getting stuck and those who have written one or two but are not quite happy with their songs. All the videos on this page are based on the text version - so there's a lot of overlap - Hope you get something out of it.

I see lots of questions from beginner songwriters with issues about where to start and finish their songs or how to put their ideas together. So, I thought it would be helpful to introduce the idea of the songwriting process as a cyclical thing.

Now, some of you will be freaked out by the idea of songwriting being an organised process at all, I totally get that, just bare with me and try to to keep an open mind about adding a little structure in your writing, after all it's free, so you've nothing to lose.

The songwriting process has a beginning middle and end like a record, but that's where the comparison ends, cos the writing process is far more woolly than the song itself. For instance when you first began do to think about your song may have been weeks months or years ago. And when your song is truly finished is even more difficult do identify, many people quote that art is 'never really finished only abandoned at an interesting point.'

It's much more realistic to imagine the songwriting process as cyclical, like seasons or days. Because that tend to be how they grow. We build them up gradually adding new stuff, then going through them again, adding even more new stuff.

If you're still freaking out. How about my alter ego here - chucking ingredients into his cauldron ? Gradually, mixing up a potion.

Now there's a lot more truth in this image than first appears because you are mixing up a concoction which is going to put a spell on people. Just think about that. You're going to entrance people, or invite people into your world. That's what a song does, it's definitely a kind of magic, quite a wonderful thing and so I hope you can you relate to this image and songwriting in this way.

So, we add ingredients, we stir them around a bit, then we might taste it ourselves or try it out on someone we know hoping we don't accidentally turn them into a frog.

To help you make sense of this woolly cyclical idea, I've divided the song writing process into three phases which kind of correspond with beginning middle and end of the task. But I've given those phases names which are more meaningful to us as songwriters and they are DISCOVER - DEVELOP - DELIVER. And we'll be looking at each individually in the next set of videos.

Summary then, Songwriting is a repeated cyclical process comprising discovery, development and delivery. It's like creating magic potions or spells using sheep to tell you when it's ready.

The Discovery Phase

The discovery phase is where we go hunting for ingredients for our spells and incantations. But instead of 'Eye of Newt' and 'Wing of Bat' or foraging for herbs in the hedge rows, we often think we should be searching for words and phrases and music.

Well there are several ways to generate words and phrases but those come later because it's kind of putting the cart before the horse.

Because your song isn't about a bunch of unrelated words and phrases. It has a heart, an issue at it's center.

The way I found to be the fastest more productive is to focus on three things:

1. Think about emotions and attitudes.

2. Think how your song is going to connect with your listener feel that same feeling. This should help produce some words and phrases.

3. Ask yourself about the issue at the heart of your song. This will be an event or situation and will confirm emotions and attitudes.

Doing it this way bypasses all the mumbo jumbo and half baked snake oil notions of songwriting and gets right to the heart of what a song is meant to do. And I guarantee you, if you do this, the words, the melodies and the music will all tumble out like like water from a fountain. And the song faeries will smile upon you because this is a very natural organic process.

It works because you are connecting directly with your sub conscience and giving yourself permission to disappear for a while and let the music flow. This is the same sub conscience your listener will use to connect with your song, and it's no place for egos and personalities; this is a place of emotions and attitudes and connections.

So to be clear, in the discovery phase, especially early on, we're not obsessing over words and phrases, were are looking for emotion and attitude and connections and what the song is about.

Because here's the thing. Behind the words, the music, and emotions and the attitudes, there's always, always always an 'IT' , a main theme, which both you and your listener will care about.

'IT' is the heart of the song, 'IT' is the just and noble cause, the quest, the reason to dance to sing to tap a table with your fingers. 'IT' is what your song is about and once you know what 'IT' is, the rest is easy.

That's not to say there'll be times when you can't put 'IT' into words. And sometimes a song is better when you don't show 'IT' to the listener. But 95% of the time, if you know what 'IT' is, you can make your audience feel 'IT' too.

Summary of the Discovery Phase

Try to discover the emotions and attitudes you want to explore

Discover key words and phrases connected to your subject so the thing spreads out organically

If you struggle to find 'IT' - Try to put into words, events & situations which point the heart of the song.

The Development phase

The development phase is more hands on, more practical. Where songwriters turn from starry eyed dreamers into pragmatic artisans with tools and deadlines and purpose. It's just a slight shift in thinking, a different uniform, our creative wizard will probably help with this cos this is a cycle remember and you'll be calling on this guy throughout the process.

We kind of have an idea what our song is about and even though it maybe only two simple phrases or an image, we can begin to organise a few ingredients and look at how we're going to use them.

Introducing music.

I'd advise against introducing too much music at this stage. I'd just set about finding either a tempo like 1,2,3,1,2,3 or the rhythm of the melody. Such as, 'Da dar, da dar, da dar, da dar, da dar like you would in a poem.

This way you can start to get a feel for the phrases you have and decide which might make the best chorus and what is best for a verse.

To develop a structure ( beginning middle end verses chorus - what goes where ). I suggest you put your 'IT', or main emotional hook into the chorus, because this is something you're going to keep coming back to. The rest, the back story, can go in the verses.

As soon as you begin to do this, you'll start to see a pattern or difference between, the common theme, the 'IT' and the 'details.'

If you can just do this one thing, make that distinction, even if you only have two phrases, then you'll have a song.

And when you see your song as a bunch of details or events leading back to a central theme, an 'IT', an emotion. Your mind will probably explode with half forgotten memories which need to go on the page. You may well end up with 3 or 4 songs worth of material, if not then: time to get the lawn mower out or go for a walk.

Songwriting and exercise.

There's something about bodily movement which supercharges the process.

It seems to clear our minds and leave space for ideas an connections to appear. This is what I mean about the song faeries helping. If you mentally get out of the way and let the song happen, it will happen without you even thinking about it. I write at least half my songs when I'm not thinking about song writing.

Any type exercise works but I found lawn mowing or vacuuming the best. It gives the best combination of drone, rhythm, movement and mentally switching off.

Alternatives to the lawn mower technique.

So what if you've mowed all the lawns in the street and vacuumed your home but you still have no song ?

Well, don't give up, you still have all this lot to try.

List ten nouns and ten verbs which are in some way connected to your 'IT'

Then try to pair them up into short phrases. You'll get some startling combinations.

Use photographs, art, sculpture, or poetry to offer other perspectives on your theme.

Repeat the nouns and verbs exercise but using the artworks as feeders.

Use lots of paper - make a mess

Eventually, you'll have a handful of phrases which you absolutely love. It's more important to have two you love than twenty which are OK, and don't worry if it all seems like a mess - it's probably time to get an instrument out and put some chord progressions under those great phrases.

And here's an important point, if you already had a rigid idea of your chord structure , those phrases would not have had space to appear. So I'll say again, go easy with the musical ingredients till you have a few likeable lyrics to work with.

Develop your crystal ball

The most important thing which will turn you into a creative writer is to be able to imagine how the song 'goes' in your head before you've hummed or played it. You'll get better at this so don't worry if you can't do it immediately.

And here's a secret, the song will tell you how it goes, they always do, you just have to learn to hear it.

Summary of the Development Phase

Get on the floor and put your big emotional 'IT' theme separate from your backstory details.

Become attuned to imagining your song in your head - get a couple of phrases stuck on your internal player like earworms and introduce some rhythm.

Take exercise whilst your earworms are worming - because you make better songs when you're not trying to make a song.

Use noun and verb combinations along with visual arts to ignite the relational parts of your mind.

The Delivery Phase

Attitude

If you study any of the performance arts, you'll soon realise that the artists who make the most impact are those who get into character and display a certain attitude.

I mentioned attitude in the discovery phase and if you haven't got one - like a character - for your song, you should work on this now.

Feedback from yourself or listeners is a vital element of the songwriting circle.

Music, song and art, is often referred to as the 'language of shared experience.' And it's these language skills you'll be using as you develop your song.

But to use any language to share experiences, your first priority is to listen. And listening to yourself is good place to start, we've already started doing this when we try to imagine how the song might 'go' in the Development Phase.

So the Delivery Phase is about feedback. It's about how you deliver your emotional message, how the message is received, and how you react to the feedback.

This means, giving yourself and your listeners the best possible chance of 'getting' your music. And this must start with you.

I can't stress how important it is to love your songs and your lyrics. It's important because if you don't get a kick out of your own songs, there's no point in writing them; furthermore, if you don't love them, no one else will.

Respect and sensitivity toward listeners will definitely improve your songs.

Singing dirges is no good for you, it serves absolutely no useful function other than as vocal exercise. It's even worse for your listener.

So write with respect for your soul, make your next line go left instead of right, go sharpwards with the melody, go loud and quiet, use long notes then short, use words you like saying, from you own dialect even, and play it a little faster.

This way, you're giving your song a good chance of a good reception.

Responding to feedback can be emotionally charged and slippery, no matter who gives it.

Once you're sensing that your song isn't totally rubbish, and may actually be OK. You'll want your mum, sister, or best mate to give you the thumbs up.

That's a massive step.

Again you have to give your song a good chance of good reception. So learn to play it all the way through in front of a mirror before unleashing it.

Otherwise, you risk total humiliation in front of a your harshest critics. I must warn you. Best friends and relatives will surprise you with their reactions to your songs.

If they are insensitive, they can destroy you and your aspirations. Choose people you trust, better still, choose other musicians or teachers.

Social media

This could be the best option if you have any sort of following, but the warning stands, you may not get the response you expected, so be ready for that.

Also, the standard of your material will need to be high. There is an overabundance very good musicianship out there. People have high expectations. Don't be surprised if the the world fails to fall at you feet.

Feedback can supercharge your songwriting because it offers confirmation, validation and another perspective. And a chance to adapt your song or choose another audience.

No matter how it goes, you will learn invaluable lessons.

Learning to handle your emotions will probably come as a shock too. You may be high as kite or demoralised. Don't overreact.

It pays to sleep on it, then have a good hard look at why your song is not working. Be objective, yes it's your song and it means the world to you, it just doesn't mean the world to other people yet.

Now you can feedback what you have learned into your song in a new cycle of the songwriting process.

Go back to the Discovery Phase, have you got an 'IT' ? Does 'IT' make people think, move, dance, laugh, cry ? Revisit your Development. Make it faster, louder, less cluttered, cut out unnecessary words, make it shorter or longer, and most importantly, get your attitude nailed.

A strong attitude will deliver, even the most mundane song, straight to your listener's heart.

Summary of the Delivery Phase

1. Be sure you have attitude in your song

2. Feedback from yourself or listeners is a vital element of the songwriting circle. 3. Respect and sensitivity toward listeners will definitely improve your songs.

4. Responding to feedback can be emotionally charged and slippery, no matter who gives it.

5. Feedback can supercharge your songwriting because it offers confirmation, validation and another perspective. And a chance to adapt your song or choose another audience.

Overall summary

Keep going round the circle.

When you get stuck on passage, pass over it, work on other sections, it often takes dozens of repetitions of the cycle to get all the bits in the right place.

Get comfortable with the idea of listening to your song, your reaction to it and what your song is telling you.

Try to be sure about your main theme, what 'IT's' about.

Focus on attitudes, emotions, context and characters. Create scenarios real people can really relate to.

AND YOU WILL BE FINE.

Take care - and good luck with your songs.

Pj

All rights reserved - Copyright Paul Johnson - 2021