1. 10 AMAZING SONGWRITING HACKS
GENSAN ARTISTS
LE ARN AND PRODU CE MUS IC YOURSELF
WRIT E BETTER MU SIC
2. Gensan Artists | Bem Orchestrator Productions
10 SONGWRITING HACKS
These are not universal rules, but the things you will find here have
worked for me for almost two decades of songwriting and music production.
OBJECTIVES
I hope to have the following objectives upon completion of this learning material. Provided that you act upon
the ideas being given to you through this material, we expect you to gain the following:
TO LEARN AND FIND YOUR PROCESS
I will repeat it, the things that I am sharing to
you in this learning material are not hard
rules but guides to find your process of
songwriting.
BE A LOT MORE CREATIVE
Songwriting is an art, and art demands creativity.
Creativity needs time and constant practice to
improve, but gaining access to new insights and
approaches can also boost creativity.
MAKES YOUR WORKFLOW FASTER
Without a process, people tend to do guesswork
instead of a systematic approach to songwriting.
This material aims to make your operation
efficient and fast.
BECOME PROLIFIC
Every songwriter desires to write as many songs as
possible. This material aims to help you to be more
productive in your songwriting.
WRITE BETTER MUSIC
Ultimately, I would love to hear you contribute better
music and better songs to the community and the
world of music.
3. GETTING STARTED
PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Make It A Habit to Compile A
List of Ideas You Can Write
About.
—Tip#1
TIP
Even if you aren’t writing today, make it a habit to think of ideas and if you can take it a bit further, create
and collect song titles. Doing it daily, every other day, or whenever you feel like it can make your brain
muscles work. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
When you this, over time, you will realize you have collected a massive list of ideas and song titles you
can work on.
• You can even go to book stores or book sales and get ideas from titles.
• You can also google ideas for titles.
• Out of the blue, ideas or titles can even come from talking to someone or just being alone.
The moment an idea comes into mind, regardless of wherever you are and whatever you are doing,
make it a habit to write it down. You will never know when an excellent idea can hit you, so better not let
it slip away.
A CHALLENGE
Can you write your ideas or titles right now? Try to write down 3 of them.
1. ___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________
4. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Don’t force yourself to finish a song in one sitting.
If you can, well, good! If you can’t, then compile
them.
—Tip#2
THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN YOU ARE LESS CREATIVE
Let’s face it; there will be days when you just can’t finish a song. Songwriter’s block or something bothers
you, and you can’t focus on finishing a song.
Let go, sit back, and relax. Come back to it a few hours later or even a week if you need to. It’s ok having
to start some songs and finish them longer than expected
But…
Remember to compile and make sure you have a copy of these unfinished creations.
Also, in case that things just don’t seem to go right even after you’ve taken a break – COLLABORATE.
Having a second person to work on your project may just be the push you need to break through some
dry spells of ideas.
They always say… Two are better than 1
5. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
It’s best to write about something you have
experienced with. It’s hard to write a song about
heartbreak when you’ve never had one.
—Tip#3
Walk the Talk
The most compelling songs ever written were songs that came
from experience. They say, “you cannot give what you do not
have.”
That is the case in songwriting. You cannot move your
audience if you have not experienced it.
If you want to write the life of a father and you never had a
child, it is merely impossible or ineffective.
How About Researching?
There are some topics or ideas that can be experienced through research. If you want to write about the
day of a fisherman’s life, then all you have to do is go out there and be with a fisherman for a day!
You can gain insights into your subject if you get to experience life through their perspective.
Research can also come from the following:
• Ideas from other songs
• Ideas from the experience or stories of other people
• The history of a place
6. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Find a dedicated writing space that will get you into a
good set of mind for songwriting.
—Tip#4
DON'T PREPARE YOURSELF FOR FAILURE
Always put yourself in a place of maximum creativity. Find a dedicated spot that provides
the following requirements:
• Quite and away from distractions
• A place where you are comfortable to work on our projects
• If possible, a place where you can have access to your instruments or gears
Hey, I heard other songwriters can write anywhere they want.
Yes!
For seasoned songwriters who have honed their skills over the years, the venue isn’t an issue. As
soon as inspiration can hit them, they finish a song right there and then.
Even so, these seasoned songwriters would agree that they still have a dedicated spot somewhere
that they would exercise most of their songwriting powers.
The goal of this idea is to bring you into focus and maximize your creativity.
7. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Dedicate time or a schedule to write. Hobbyist writes
when they feel like it. The pros set a time for songwriting.
—Tip#5
Scheduling Is A Discipline
Some people would say that you do not need to force art or songwriting. It needs to come naturally. Yes, I
agree to a certain extent only.
You see, if you set your self to write daily or a fixed schedule, you teach yourself to be better at doing it. It’s
a discipline.
Yes, there are days that inspiration hits us so hard that we can write a song or two in one go, but, to be
honest, those days are the minority.
Treat Songwriting Like It’s A Job
If you have a job, you respect time. That should also be the case with songwriting. Doing so can help you
consistently write quality songs.
Learn to allocate a portion of your time and make sure you remember and do it.
8. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
If People Can’t Sing It – Don’t Write It!
—Tip#6
WHAT GOOD IS A SONG IF PEOPLE CAN’T SING IT?
When you are composing the melody of a song, be sure to make it singable. Don’t set the bar too high
that only a few singers can hit the notes of your song.
Remember, you want people to enjoy your song and be able to sing it. What good is a song if it's only
written for a diva to perform, and the vast majority of listeners can't appreciate it.
Also, don’t try to write a melody that even singers are having a hard time delivering. You will have
trouble producing a song which is too rangy. Don’t make it overly challenging.
Another one of those guaranteed songwriting tips you should be remembering is this. If singers and
listeners are having difficulty singing your melody, then you have a problem. It’s an indication of a bad
melody.
This is true if you are still seeking to gain traction and followers for your music. Make sure your songs
aren’t placed too high for singers to perform it. One of those essential songwriting tips to have in your
arsenal.
9. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Everything Leads To The Chorus – Make It Count!
—Tip#7
MAKE YOUR CHORUS CATCHY
Your chorus should contain the central message of your song. It is called the chorus because many
people are singing it. Hence, it is something people would want to sing and easy to understand.
Your chorus should be singable by many or easy to remember.
Do not get too busy thinking and writing the verses that you miss delivering the main point in your
chorus.
Some songs even start with their choruses. They want to hit home the message right away.
10. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
The Last Line Of Your Chorus Is A Big Opportunity – Use
It!
—Tip#8
PEOPLE ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LAST LINE OF A CHORUS
The last line of your chorus is a perfect opportunity to write the hook of your song. Most of the time, the
arrangement of the music always leads to or highlights the end of a chorus. A songwriting tip to
remember here is that choruses have endings that contain hooks.
Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” shows this method to be very accurate. The music of the chorus leads to a
build-up of the last line of the chorus, which is the title itself – it’s my life.
The end of your chorus is a very noticeable spot, and learning to take advantage of this knowledge will
give you a boost in engaging your listeners.
The first line of the chorus is equally prominent, too, and is a perfect spot to place the hook of your
song. These lines, when used properly, is very satisfying for the listeners.
YOUR FIRST LINE CAN ALSO BE YOUR LAST LINE
When you find yourself thinking of how to end your song, a good option would be to end it with how you
began.
Try using your first line as the last line of your music. This may not work every time, but when it does, it
works as something to remind the audience what the song was all about.
It brings the message of the song full circle as you end with the same words you started with. This
approach serves as a reminder to your audience how the song began.
11. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Keep Your Rhyming Interesting And Don’t Over Do It!
—Tip#9
RHYMES ARE EASY ON THE EARS UNTIL YOU OVER DO THEM
For ages and time immemorial, rhyming has always been a very crucial device that songwriters use
over and over again. It’s designed to make your lyrics sound more exciting and easy to memorize.
Taking advantage of rhymes help you get inside your listeners mind much more natural, and the words
stay longer.
You may want to consider adding variations to your rhyme but not doing it too much that becomes
cheesy for your listener.
Keep the format or your rhyme scheme in similar sections. You may want to use an AABB format for
the first verse, and do the same with your second verse.
It’s totally up to you on how you will use rhymes to captivate your listener’s attention.
12. PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE SONGWRITING TIPS FOR THE SERIOUS SONGWRITER
Learn What Your Strengths Are In Songwriting. Be Open
To Suggestions While Keeping Your Identity.
—Tip#10
WE ALL HAVE OUR LIMITS
We all have our biases, and we can’t deny it. If you are a guitarist, you tend to think of songwriting
from the perspective of a guitar player. That may mean you would like to do more of your guitar music
than that of your song lyrics.
That may not be true all the time, but definitely, whatever we are used to will eventually sip through
our music. Learn what your strengths are in songwriting and find co-writers whose skill sets
complement yours.
The more you make music and songs with other people, the more you will realize where you are good
at, and it’s an advantage.
Knowing the areas where you are weak simply means you have an opportunity to improve on it. That
is only possible if you work with other people.
Suggestions and opinions frequently make us feel uncomfortable when it goes against our way of
thinking.
Don’t close your doors to it. Take a perfect look at any idea or suggestions given to you. There are
things we may never have tried before, and it may seem awkward at first, but don’t turn it down.
Listening to new ideas can help you become a better songwriter.
Try and write something you’ve never done before. Explore areas that you have never tried or
approaches that you’ve never thought of doing before.
It can be surprising to see something you have written, which is different from what you usually write.
It’s one of those guaranteed songwriting tips that won’t fail you.
Even though it can be a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, tell yourself to be open to new possibilities
and always have a free line and an open ear to suggestions.