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they're not finished. You need only one verse and a chorus to get the basic structure of a song – extra verses can be
written later.
2—
Start with a melody and then harmonize it.
I call this ''top-down" songwriting. Much recent music suggests this has become a less common technique, and
songwriting has suffered as a consequence. All too often, melodies are constructed after the chord sequence; the
melody can be constrained or neglected as a result. In the mid 20th century, popular songwriters paid more attention
to the melody at an early stage in composition. The beauty of this technique is that it will encourage you to compose
an effective tune. If the tune works on its own – if it has an expressive quality, some pleasing movement and a
catchy "hook" – it will sound even better when everything else is in place. Think of a melody such as 'I Only Want
To Be With You' – it's delightful even when sung unaccompanied.
3—
Start with the harmony.
Construct a pleasing chord sequence and then try to find a melody. I call this composing "from the middle out". This
is a common approach, especially among guitarists. Strumming your way round a chord sequence does not require
much technique, and it allows the mind to play with words and melody. Chord sequences can be inspiring and
suggest an emotion or mood that can be focused later through a lyric and melody.
The disadvantage of this approach is that the chords can prevent the melody from developing a shape of its own –
the melody becomes an afterthought. It is all too easy to sing a couple of steps up or down as the chords change,
moving from a note that fits with one chord to one that fits with the next. The result is a highly linear or "horizontal"
tune that is squeezed into a narrow range – usually less than an octave – and often monotonous. Male singer-
songwriters/guitarists are prone to this approach because they are usually less able or less prepared to write a melody
with a wide range. Women songwriters often write melodies that have a greater span and more vertical "jumps"
because their voices can deliver them. Compare the "vertical" melodies composed by Tori Amos or Kate Bush with
some of Jackson Browne's or Bruce Springsteen's songs.
Another problem of composing the chord sequence first is that it may artificially chop the melody into phrases that
are only as long as the time spent on a chord. Listen for songs where each melodic phrase starts on the second beat
of the bar (or thereabouts) and ends just before the next chord change. The verse in Texas's 'Summer Son' is an
example. This can be a sign that the melody was composed after the chord progression: the writer is waiting for the
chord change in order to pitch the next melodic phrase against the new chord.
4—
Start with a rhythm track.
It could be a drum pattern or loop, and a tempo. I call this "bottom-up" composing. If you are writing music in any
genre in which rhythm is a major component, this makes sense as a creative procedure. Any music intended for
dancing needs a strong rhythm. One common fault of singer-songwriter material is that it lacks rhythmic interest,
and this is a way to avoid that trap. Try singing against a drum rhythm to give your melodies greater rhythmic
presence. If you have not done so before, try writing songs with a drum machine, an approach used by Kate Bush for
her albums The Dreaming and Hounds Of Love. This can make you more aware of rhythm.
For a further refinement of the "bottom-up" approach, add a bassline. The bass should reinforce the rhythm, and it
will also suggest a harmony. You will,