Page 4 - August InDesign

Musician’s Guide to Lyric Writing

You can play songs, so you thought it would be easy to write ou can play songs, so you thought it would be easy to write
Y idea: find words, phrases and lyric ideas that could work in the
s songs, but it takes longer and it’s harder than you thought… ongs, but it takes longer and it’s harder than you thought… song.

In this article you’ll learn: Brainstorm ideas for a story. Create some drama for the song
and put a rough story together in point form.
Why lyric writing is more difficult than you thought,
Pick a Title (if you haven’t yet).
How you can make lyric writing easier, and
Build a Chorus, focus on the title and the emotions around it.
How to use your musical skills to help write lyrics.
Brainstorm ideas for the Verse, Pre-Chorus and Bridge
Even if you aren’t a musician, you can still learn from the first (Pre-Chorus and Bridge are optional but used in most musical
two sections of this article and from the additional resources styles).
listed at the end of the article!
Pick lyric fragments that could fit together.
Why Lyric Writing Is More Complicated Than You Thoughthy Lyric Writing Is More Complicated Than You Thought
W
Build lines of lyrics and sort them into the sections they fit best.
Because songwriting, creating, is more difficult than song
reproducing. Songwriting is open ended, there are more Pick a line and brainstorm rhyme words.
creative decisions to make than if you are performing a song!
Then build an answering line with one of the rhyme words, use
Songs are complex, the lyrics, melody and music are interrelated similar rhythmic patterns.
if one is weak the others feel weak too. The lyrics you thought
were terrible might have actually been fine, but the melody Assemble song sections, put lines in the best order to tell the
could have been too predictable. story.

The Myth of the “Instant Song”... there are numerous stories of Create a draft of the lyrics (Start with one of the two song
songs written in one sitting. Most professional songwriters write structures below)
several drafts before a final version of the song… this reality
Until you’re experienced, use one of these song structures:ntil you’re experienced, use one of these song structures:
isn’t as exciting as the instant song stories so you rarely hear U
about it.
Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus Chorus, or
You’ve studied music and how to play it in more detail than the
lyrics. It took time to learn to play your instrument, expect it to Verse Pre-Chorus Chorus Verse Pre-Chorus Chorus Bridge
take a while for you to write song lyrics you’re satisfied with. Chorus Chorus

Nobody properly explained how to write lyrics to you… most
“songwriting tips” are bits and pieces of a larger complicated
process!

How You Can Make Lyric Writing Easierow You Can Make Lyric Writing Easier
H
It makes intuitive sense to start at the beginning of a song and
write rhyming lines until you get to the end. But if you have a
problem, you’re stuck...

It’s easier to write ideas, then assemble them into lines of lyrics,
then organize them to create a coherent song. Here’s what I
mean…

A D
A Detailed Lyric Writing Processetailed Lyric Writing Process
Start with an idea, a spark to kindle your song. It could be a
phrase, title, image, emotional situation.

Brainstorm ideas (see additional resources) related to the initial

04 www.writeawaymag.co.uk