The Best Way To Become A Better Songwriter

At the end of the day, you came to this post to become a better songwriter.

You and I may disagree on a lot of things, but we both definitely want to become better songwriters.

The good news?

There is a single best way to become a better songwriter.

You can learn tips to write more memorable melodies from me and other teachers.

You can learn the music theory you need to know to write music with greater efficiency and ease.

You can learn strategies and processes to write songs, stay inspired, and find your artistic identity.

But, at the end of the day, you need to be a doer. 

Someone who acts and learns > someone who acts > someone who only learns.

If you have only one spare half hour a week, don’t spend it with me.

If you’ve read through the last 20 blogs of mine (or podcasts) without writing a song, close this tab right now.

Finish a song, and then come back. 

I’ll look forward to teaching you again. I’ll look forward to answering your questions. 

Don’t dabble. 

If you have written a song, great!

But you aren’t a songwriter yet. You don’t call a child an artist after their first painting.

Build momentum and write more, don’t hit the breaks and just “go back to learning”

The best learning is learning through action supplemented by learning through education.

You can sit through every class for a computer science major. 

You can even take great notes. But you won’t be a software developer at the end.

If you do the projects? You’ll be ready (well, mostly) to be a professional developer.

You need to be careful that your education doesn’t become consumption. 

Because a songwriter is a creator, not a consumer. 

Yes, all education is consumption to a certain level. But it’s consumption to become better at something.

So, yes, learning is important. It’s good consumption. As long as it is kept in its place. In a role supplemental to you actually practicing and doing the work.

You should be songwriting and then learning to get better faster. You shouldn’t be learning with little actual songwriting. Don’t wait to write until you feel like you know enough to start.

You know enough to start songwriting right now. 

Whatever you know now will do. You’ll get better as you write more and learn more. But you need both. 

Would you just watch videos on how to cook healthy meals and then do nothing?

Tasty videos on how to cook healthy meals won’t help you lose weight. But cooking healthy meals, perhaps ones you learn from Tasty, will.

So write.