How To Write Music, How To Compose Music

1. It really helps to look at some sheet music of your favourite tunes, to see how the music is put together and any chords that you like.

   You'll see what common chord progressions create a particular mood in a song, and the kind of 'structure' of the music (ie using verse and chorus, beginning, ending etc).

   It will really help increase your understanding of how to write music, especially if its a similar style to what you have in mind (eg ballad, blues, folk).




2. If you want to learn how to write song lyrics, pick up your favourite sheet music and see how the words fit into the rhythm of the music - really study it and see how they work together. You'll see how it's not just musical skill here - but the gift of poetry!



3. Having some basic knowledge on how to play a piano can really come in handy, if you'd like to compose your own music.

   If you have some ideas for a song, you can play around with it on the piano, and try out different chord combinations. The piano is more visual than most instruments and is a great sounding board (literally!).




4. Think about the structure of your song. For example, you might have the verse, then chorus, then melody repeated but a little more embellished or stronger, then chorus, bridge, then last verse.



5. Next, try a few different chords and see what sounds right for you. There is no right or wrong here.



6. Keep in mind, especially with modern music, the rhythm can be quite complicated, so don't worry too much about the precise rhythm initially, just get the notes down so you have a basic outline of your song.

How To Make A Song That Sings...

When you're ready to compose your own music, start with one "instrument" - the guitar, piano, or voice, for example - and then build layers over each. If you're using the piano to compose your own music, you could write a 'tune' in the right hand, then match it up with some chords in the left hand.

You could do it the other way around, too (eg start with chords, then build a melody on top). This is just a suggestion - this may not be the right way for you. Whatever keeps your creativity juices flowing, is what works best!