How to Write a Song for Beginners
By Molly Leikin
Emmy nominee, Songwriting Consultant
Here’s how to write a song for beginners.
This is an assignment I gave my students at UCLA.
The first step in writing a song for beginners is choosing a song you love that has a simple melody and not too many words. Then, using that melody, write silly new words to it, for practice, staying as close to the tune that already exists. Put one syllable of your new lyric where each note is. Now you have a whole new set of words. Good for you!
Using your new lyric as a guide, no matter how silly it is, choose new, individual notes to go with your new lyric. Choose individual notes, not chords. When you have your whole new melody, then add the chords.
Finally, using your new melody, write a real love lyric to it. Something like I used to love you, I can’t love you anymore, I hate you, go away, come back, please miss me forever. Some version of those ideas. See how easy it is to write a song for beginners? Congratulations. I’m proud of you.
© 2022 Molly Leikin