Songwriting Habit: What is my next step?

Songwriting can often feel overwhelming. You come up with lots of ideas but you don't know how to move forward because you do not know what the next step should be.

I like to use a metacognition tool to help me focus on steering me towards my next step.

Where am I at?

What am I finding challenging?

How can I deal with these challenges?

What is my next step?

Here are a few examples that are answers to these questions:

Example 1

1. I've got my topic and some musical ideas.

2. I am finding that my words and phrases don't really make sense?

3. I can do some more research on the topic. Look up any poetry or other songs on the topic.

4. Research some more ideas and work on developing phrases for Verse 1.

Example 2

1. I've got my Verse and chorus.

2. The song is unfinished and I don't know where to go next to make it sound interesting.

3. I can play with a bridge section that sounds totally different to the verses. Or I can play with a call and response type of section with just singers to            make if sound different. 

4. Listen to songs that have a bridge section and/or use call and response as examples. Play around with their structure in my song and see which one I      like the best.

Example 3

1. I've got the first line, melody and words of my song.

2. I don't know what to do next or how it should sound?

3. Find out what types of melodic arrangements there are. Eg AABB or ABAB....What type of sound/genre are you after? 

4. Listen to examples of the verses of songs in the style you are after. What melodic structure do they use in their verses? Play around with one of those          structures for my verse of my song.

Sometimes we are too scared to make the next step. But it is at those times that we truly learn. If we make it a small step, its not so overwhelming.

I'm forever writing out lists to break down what I have to do  next. My husband often finds posted notes around the house with things like :

• Work on ending
• Change the lyrics in the second verse....
• Try adding harmonies in chorus

You will find over time, by focussing on small achievable steps, you will develop and finish your next song, giving you a framework for your next song.