What is your process for coming up with lyrics? My primary instrument is guitar so coming up with lyrics isn’t as easy for me as the music. If you are a guitar player or instrumentalist first, lyrics may be harder for you as well. However, I think it’s an excellent skill to develop and can really add to your toolbelt as a songwriter and composer. In this post, I want to share with you the 3 tips I have found useful over the years for writing lyrics and hope that these tips will help you as well!
1. One Central Theme
I believe it’s better to go deeper into one topic than to stretch out wider into several topics. This will help to develop your story in the lyrics and also help the listener to identify with your lyrics.
It will also help you in determining what not to put in your lyrics and how to refine them to really dig in and develop your lyrical story.
2. Rhyme Scheme
Come up with a consistent rhyme scheme in your verses and chorus. This is where the last word in each phrase rhymes. Here are some popular rhyme schemes:
A A A
A A B
B B A
A B C
3. Point of View
Most contemporary songs tend to be written in the first person “I.” It can be interesting to write in second person or even third person. The Beatles often did this by writing in third person. You can see an example of this in “She’s Leaving Home.” Whatever point of view you choose, try to be consistent with it throughout your whole song in order to keep the integrity and story clear in your song.
Here’s to your songwriting!