How To Write A Simple Song in 30 Minutes: Water and Write Nite #1
I'm a songwriter not a painter. I carry no delusion of adequacy when it comes to the visual arts. So I was understandably skeptical a few years back when a friend invited me to one of those wine and paint nights. There I was with my water in hand and my fight or flight instinct going haywire. The host was an eccentric older lady who started the class by saying that the second we crossed the threshold into her store we became artists. She was right. I spent the whole drive home wondering how I could bring a similar experience to musicians.
So, welcome to Wine and Write night. You Can Write Songs only directly endorses water at this time so make yourself a nice glass of some of that. This will take no longer than an episode of Golden Girls (with commercials). All you need is your instrument, a spirit of adventure, and some motivation. Remember, if you can play other people’s songs then you have all the tools you need to write your own.
Every song has a structure of some kind. As you know, most songs in popular music only have three distinct sets of musical ideas. Typically, these ideas are arranged in this order: ABABCB. A is the verse, B is the chorus, and C is the bridge. This is the structure that we will be using for this exercise simply because it is so familiar to us.
Despite what one may think, songs are not always written in a linear fashion. Assuming that these sections are more or less equal in length, simple math suggests that your B section accounts for 50% of your song’s length. Consider starting out by writing a chorus and then you can build the song from the inside out. The primary benefit of this approach is that it calibrates your artistic compass. There are many ways to start a song, but when I'm writing on a strict time limit like this one, I prefer to start right at the heart.
The key right now is to keep things as simple as possible. In a 30 minute writing session we are strictly looking for chords, melody, and lyrics. For now, just pick some chords that you like and latch onto the first melody that springs to mind. This is a writer’s only work shop so, for now, leave you inner critic at home. You can always polish it up later. It's not like you can never touch this song again once that timer goes off. We're just trying to reap the creative benefits of a tight deadline.
Think of your chorus as a thesis statement; it acts as a summary of your song. For example, let’s say that you’re writing a song about your house. In this case, the chorus should make it clear that the house is the subject of your song, then each verse could elaborate on the house from different perspectives. Maybe verse one talks about your favorite room while the second verse is about the comfort you feel upon returning home each day. There are many ways to write lyrics, this is just an easy example of something you could do.
Each section of your song will typically be made up of four lines and you may instinctually want to rhyme the second and fourth lines of each section. This is a pretty typical rhyme scheme that you are free to use or rebuke as you see fit. Some songs don’t rhyme at all and others rhyme all the time. Trust your artistic ear for language.
A bridge is a unique musical idea that typically only appears once in a song. After two verses and two choruses the listener’s interest will become renewed when they are presented with this new idea. Try using a chord that you haven’t used yet in the song and see how it feels. Does it interest you? Let’s develop it. If not, maybe you should try using the same chords with a new melody.
This is the last leg of Water and Write Nite. If you have any time left on your clock then see if you can tighten up your verse or chorus. Okay, pencils down. Before you get up and pour yourself a new glass from the tap, make sure to record a quick demo on your phone so that you don’t forget it. Sometimes when you write quickly the melodies will elude you just as fast.
30 minutes is a restrictive time limit. It is the equivalent of diving into a cold body of water. Songwriting is as much an intellectual pursuit as it is an instinctual exercise and my hope is that this exercise helped you tap into the latter. If you’re feeling confident, feel free to post your song somewhere on the web and send it to youcanwritesongstoo@gmail.com. We’d love to hear it.