How to start a song: 6 starting points that help

Knowing where and how to start a song is one of the hardest aspects of the creative process. Some people find creating songs to be easier than others, but everyone can make the commitment to writing music if they have the courage and resources to start.

A song is constructed bit by bit and piece by piece, as we described in "Song composition process: simple stages to follow." Whichever bit you start with or you choose to end with, is not very important. Everything will be OK as long as you keep going until all the pieces are in place and functioning properly.

To help you get started and overcome your creative barriers, here are six places to concentrate your energy the day you decide to start writing a new song.

Start With A Chord Progression

A lot of songs are constructed using chord progressions, which makes them an effective tool for songwriters. Pick up your preferred instrument, and play a standard chord progression.

The nice thing about chord progressions is that they are so basic that you can use them straight out of another song and play them however you choose.

The chord progression, which lays the groundwork for the musical expression of the other elements, conveys a large portion of the emotion in music. If you don't play an instrument, you can find free chord progression loops on a sample website or on YouTube.

Start with a beat

One of the easiest ways to begin a song is with a rhythmic component of the music. This might be accomplished by creating a simple beat, locating a drum loop, or even just tapping your palms together in time. Use a metronome to help you keep time during this process.

If you produce electronic music, it makes sense to begin a song here because the majority of electronic music is built around a beat. Choose a great kick and snare, sketch out or play the beat you want to start with, and then add more layers from there.

Grab your mic, beatbox the components of your pattern, record them, and then loop them, adding new components each time. Once the rhythm is established, you may use your previously created drums to model your drum loop after it.

Hats and shakers have a bigger role than most people realize in defining the groove of a track. Getting things properly will make everything go much more smoothly.

Start with a melody

The majority of listeners' attention is drawn to the melody, which is why it is frequently referred to as the song's "hook." This opening can truly accentuate the mood of your song.

Be prompt and record any melodies you catch yourself humming before you forget them. Our ability to record musical inspiration at any time makes our phones ideal creative tools in this situation.

Of course, the words and phrases that your brain begins to link with the tune will vary depending on whether the melody sounds upbeat, passionate, or expressive. And as always, you might have to experiment with a huge variety of terms or expressions before settling on one.

Start choosing a song structure

Consider beginning with a strategy for the structure of your song. You can visualize the scope of your music before you even begin by having a strategy.

Using a creative framework can make writing songs much more doable. Both Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus and Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus are two frequent song structure styles. Starting with the structure of your song will allow you to fill in the gaps.

After creating your original idea, keep in mind that your music may start to go in a different direction. If something is working, there is nothing wrong with taking a diversion. Be flexible.

Start with the lyrics

It's not necessary for a song to begin with a melodic component. Write the lyrics first if you feel it will flow more naturally. Put your energy into coming up with sentences that will draw the audience in with their honesty and vulnerability.

Aim to write lyrics with a cadence, much like you would when writing poetry; doing so will make it much simpler for you to later adapt the lyrics to music.

Lyrics are crucial, as anyone who enjoys pop music is aware. A memorable melody can be achieved with the use of a clever or catchy sentence.

Start with a note

Even if you're just starting out, you can begin your song with something as straightforward as a single note. Sing in the first sound that comes to mind. Starting there, you can start singing lyrics to that note and put the parts of a song or melody together. Giving oneself adequate time to come up with a concept is the key to using this technique.

Conclusion

Try out these several starting points to see how they affect your own creativity. The process of creating a song from scratch might be difficult at times, but hopefully these techniques can make it simpler for you to tap into your inner creativity.

Keep in mind that every song has its beginning, and that a song starts whenever you put your energy and effort into it.

We hope you enjoyed reading this post, and if you'd want more advice for advancing your musical career, please visit our blog area. There, you'll find a lot more helpful articles, tips, and suggestions.

There is no doubt that you are here because you enjoy music, so please take advantage of the opportunity to listen to it in CalypsoRoom while chatting with others via webcams.

Are you a music artist or label and do you want to give your music a further dimension? Do you own or co-own the master and publishing rights to your music? Consider to post it on CalypsoRoom listening to it together with your super fans, at the same time, connected by webcams.

Thanks for reading,
CalypsoRoom Team

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Written by CalypsoRoom Editorial Team
The CalypsoRoom Editorial Team is a skilled and diverse group of writers, researchers, and industry specialists who have access to Calypso's data and information in order to give you broad knowledge about the music industry as well as helpful advice to help you manage your music and dancing career.

Updated January 2023

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