Songwriting Tips and Techniques
by Richard Middleton
Tip 1: Learn to play other people's (great) songs
Learn to play and
sing songs by the writers you admire the most. Learn them by heart. Study
how they're put together.
The world's great songs are the best songwriting textbook you
could ever have.
Many developing songwriters resist this idea because they're afraid of losing their own "voice." But if you do it right, just the opposite will happen -- the more you know, the more free you'll be. Songwriting is a craft as well as an art, and you want to be the best craftsman you can.
You don't have to choose just today's hit songs. In fact, it's better if you pull from as wide a range of styles and periods as you can -- whatever you think is great.
The more cover songs you learn and study, the more you'll learn about form and structure, how words and music work together, how to tell a story, how to keep people interested...
Think of it this way: The world's greatest songwriters can become your teachers. Hey, you might as well learn from the best!