COMPOSING A SONG MADE SIMPLE & FUN
Creating your own music can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding practices you can have as a singer or pianist. Every beginner piano student should challenge themselves and try to compose a simple song. As a singer, use your imagination and create a melody, write a poem or lyrics. Do not let the fear and uncertainty leave you stuck and unable to start. There are some simple steps you can take to help you compose a song and get rid of the restrictive feelings around creating your own music.
STEP 1: Try not to over think it and don’t get caught up in your head about where to begin. Everyone is different and you might have a poem or lyrics to start or a melody in your head. Sometimes a simple riff on the piano might help you get started. The point is not to get stuck in your head and overthink the simple process. Make sure not to judge what you create. Don’t worry about whether or not you can read music. I know many songwriters who do not read music at all. They just feel and create!
STEP 2: Approach your first song like doodling on a piece of paper or scribbling on a napkin. Think of it this way, 80% of what you compose will is for the trash can. That will take the pressure off. You are just creating! When you first learned how to write word or the alphabet, you just kept writing and practicing. It’s the same with songwriting, start with small ideas and build on them.
STEP 3: For a piano student, begin with chords, find a few chords like A minor (A,C,E), F major (F,A,C) and add a C major (C,E,G) chords in there:
A minor – F major – C major and repeat again and again! This is the chord progression for Sam Smith’s song “Stay With Me.” And it’s repeated over and over, even in the chorus. He does add in a G major or G5 chord now and then. But the chord progression is very simple and it was a hit song!
STEP 4: Once you have created a chord progression, add in a melody. Hum along with your chord progression and see what kind of tune you can create as you play. If you have written some lyrics (the words) use them, but the melody can just be notes that you’ve hummed in your head. Next thing you know you might hear a phrase like “Stay With Me” and build around the hook (phrase) you just created. Listen to Raelynn and Makayla Long performing “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith.
JOKE OF THE DAY:
What part of a snake is the most musical?
The scales!!