Songwriting is a multifaceted, difficult art form, and although there are no set rules, good songwriters know that when something sounds good, it is good–and when it doesn’t, it certainly doesn’t. Here are some of the more common mistakes that songwriters make when trying to craft the perfect song.
1. Trying to avoid a classic format. Some songwriters try to avoid writing a song with a I-IV-V or a 12 bar progression, thinking that all of that artistic territory has been mined and there’s no use trying to create something new. Not so. More music listeners are familiar with those formats than any other formats, and there’s nothing deficient about a song that follows a certain classic format. Trying to avoid falling into formulaic songwriting can lead to odd-sounding, forced progressions that don’t resolve correctly and leave the listener wanting something more consonant.
2. Trite lyrics. Never think for a second that lyrics aren’t important to your song (unless, of course, it’s an instrumental). Lyrics are the first thing that people listen to, and without strong lyrics, you’re going to have a tough time hooking them in. Beware easy rhymes or nonsensical rhymes that are bland–use attention-catching techniques to write lyrics. Write about weird things, write story songs, have a clever play on words in the chorus of your song, or find some other way to make your lyrics stick out. Don’t just write a song about how you’re in love–write a song that people will listen to and say, “hey, I’ve never heard words like that before.
3. A melody that isn’t hummable. It’s essential that your song have a hummable melody. I mean that exactly as it sounds. You should be able to walk around humming the melody, and if you can’t, it’s not going to be a particularly catchy song. There are dozens of articles that I could write about melody, but this basic rule pretty much applies to all songs. If it’s easy to remember and easy to hum, you’ve written a good one. If it isn’t, or if it just follows the chords of the song, rewrite it.
4. Accidental plagiarism. I hear a lot of songs that sound suspiciously like famous songs. If you listen to a lot of music and write a lot of songs, it’s inevitable that eventually you’ll accidentally borrow a few notes from another song, but when you realize it, change the offending parts a little to avoid plagiarism. The alternative is getting a lawsuit, so it’s pretty much a no brainer–and try to completely clear your mind of other songs any time that you decide to write. If your songs are sounding too much like a certain artist, stop listening to said artist.
What other songwriting mistakes have you noticed? Post in our comments section below.
