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The cheeky answer to “What’s the best way to start a song” is, “Any way you want, as long as it’s not the same way you started your last song.” Usually, the way you start a song greatly determines how the song will proceed. So if you do nothing else, be sure that each time you start a new song, you’re doing it in a different way. And there are lots of ways to start the songwriting process, ways that you may not have considered.
Here are some ideas that can start to get the creative juices flowing. Just be sure that it’s not the same thing you did to start your most recent song:
- Improvise melodic shapes: Often when we think about starting a song with melody, we feel that we need to have the melody ready and waiting. But improvising allows you to develop a melody. Sit at a keyboard, or with your guitar, and allow your fingers and imagination to start wandering. Don’t worry about rhythm or harmonies… just think of melodic shapes. Find little melodic motifs that sound interesting, and move them to different pitch levels.
- Improvise rhythms. Much of the rhythmic treatment of a song depends on the lyrics, but still, you can do this without even knowing what your lyrics will be: From a seated position, stamp a basic beat, and do some improvised slapping on your lap. You’ll eventually find yourself focusing on one or two, and let it form the background to some other song element (maybe those melodic shapes from Suggestion #1 above).
- Chords first. Many songwriters will start the process by developing part of a chord progression. The problem is that simply strumming chords doesn’t inspire us to develop any ideas. We’re usually feeling stuck with whatever chords happen. Frankly, you’d be surprised how interesting a chord progression can be if you change the way you play it, and worry less about the actual chords. So try any of the following: i) Change the time signature (try 3 beats per bar rather than the standard 4 beats); ii) Change the tempo. (If you’ve thought of your new song as being a ballad, see what happens to your idea when you speed everything up.); iii) Try some chord substitutions (Substituting chords is a way to breathe new life into an old progression, and make it sound new. This is particularly useful if you choose subs that aren’t the typical kinds of chords you usually use.)
- Lyrics first. I’ve written recently about different ways you can develop lyrics. I don’t know why more songwriters don’t start their songs with lyrics. After all, the words are the primary tool we have at our disposal for communicating ideas. So if you really want to be sure that you’re connecting with your listeners, focus on lyrics as a starting point.
- Modify your song’s form. Yes, you may automatically gravitate to the verse-chorus-bridge form. But your creative mind may suddenly open up if you try starting your song by diving into the chorus, no intro. Or you could discover that by starting with the bridge, you’ve got the makings of an interesting extended intro. So don’t be afraid to modify your song’s form. It may be all you need to make your current song sound completely different from your last one.
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Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website
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