Q&A for How to Find Inspiration to Write Songs

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How do you write a song for beginners?

Tanisha Hall
Songwriting Instructor
Tanisha Hall is a Vocal Coach and the Founder and Executive Director of White Hall Arts Academy, Inc. an organization based in Los Angeles, California that offers a multi-level curriculum focused on fundamental skills, technique, composition, theory, artistry, and performance at a conservatory level. Ms. Hall's current and previous students include Galimatias, Sanai Victoria, Ant Clemons, and Paloma Ford. She earned a BA in Music from the Berklee College of Music in 1998 and was a recipient of the Music Business Management Achievement Award.

Tanisha Hall

Songwriting Instructor

Expert Answer

For brainstorming I use a method I call the “Download”. The Download is an unedited, unfiltered pouring out of all ideas you have regarding the song topic. You can write individual words, phrases, or full sentences. Treat it as a journal entry for that song. Your Download is created content that can be used for the song you’re working on, and future songs as well. If you have music for your song already, listen to the music while writing your Download. Then, you can start putting your ideas together and construct your verses and chorus. This is a really basic outline of one way to do it, but there's no single correct way to write a song. Just try to find a method that works for you and develop it!

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Question

Is it okay to use things I hate for inspiration?

Community Answer

Yes! If you really passionately hate something, use this as fuel to write - there will certainly be emotion in the song. Listen to "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" by Ed Sheeran. His anger is evident in the lyrics and it's very inspiring.

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Is it okay to write about past experiences in a song?

Community Answer

Yes, as this would make the song very personal. People like personal songs. You can also write about another person's past experiences, as long as you have their permission to do so.

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What do I do if this doesn't work?

Community Answer

If these methods do not work, listen to songs that have some connection with what you want to write about, then grab words of interest and listen to the rhyming words. Also try out Rhymezone.com for other words to help you rhyme.

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How can I find inspiration to write a love song?

Community Answer

Think about the specific things you love about a person and mix it with the emotions that you feel for that person.

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I'm completely unmotivated and none of the advice I've found is working. What do I do?

Community Answer

Just write about your writing block. In other words write about how it's frustrating, how it was easy to give up, or anything else you went through. Write about your lack of motivation. You can literally write about anything these days, especially if it has a good chorus.

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How do I know what to write about?

Community Answer

Don't stress over what to write about. Just think about stuff, maybe even stuff you want to happen or write down a list of words and choose ones you want to write about.

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How to learn music notes in the fastest way possible?

Community Answer

Just keep going over and over them until you learn them. There really isn't any shortcut.

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What should I do if the rhyming words don't match?

Community Answer

You can find words that are similar but not exactly the same. It goes according to your pronunciation of words, and some words may not be deliberately the same but your delivery of words can make it a rhyme.

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