Songwriting is an integral part of the artistic process of any musician. If you are able to write a good song then you are already halfway there to having a successful song. For most artists the process of songwriting is very straight forward but here are five tips that will help you become a better artist.
STUDY YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
This may seem obvious, but it is often overlooked. This is the place to start. If you don't study your favorite artists, you won’t know how to do it at their level. Everyone starts by learning from the masters, by emulating them, and then you find your own style and voice through them. Listen to as much music as possible. Pay close attention to the style and content of your favorite artists. If there is an artist that you look up to you should do an in-depth study of their writing and music to be able to absorb their best traits.
EXPERIMENT A LOT
Studying the great writers and your favorite artists doesn't mean that you have to be exactly like them. Studying them is only meant to be a guide that will help you find your own voice and tone. Try out new things, copy bits and pieces from other people. Experiment with your voice, style of writing, themes and delivery until you find something that works for you. The more experimental you are the more likely you are to see achieve different results. Once you see what works you can toss out what doesn’t and focus on the rest.
ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE LISTENER
When writing you should focus on something that you know your audience will enjoy and relate to. Your job as a songwriter is to create something that will connect with the listener and make them feel like the song is about them. Make the song so memorable that your reader gets pulled in from the get-go. Treat your listeners the way you want to be treated and write what you would want to listen to.
COLLABORATE
In this day, the majority of songs that wind up on the charts often feature two, three, all the way up to more than ten songwriters. Some of the songs feature up to fifteen songs
Collaborating allows for the sharing of ideas and it also exposes you to the different ways other songwriters create. It is where you will learn something new that you could incorporate into your own writing style. Likewise, the other writers you work with could also learn from you. Working together might result in a song being completed quicker and having more appeal to a wider audience of listeners because it is written from more than one perspective.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK
It’s a good idea to get other people's thoughts and perspectives on what they think about something you have written. You should ask your peers for their thoughts on your music but you can also play your songs for family and friends and ask them to be honest in their feedback. You can also use forums and discussion boards to get feedback as well, not necessarily on songs that you are about to release but on what topics, genres and themes they would like to hear from you. When you get reviews and feedback about your work from others, it’s easier to have an idea of not just what you might have been doing wrong but also what to write next and how to write it.
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