How to Write a Song

by eprime

I've only written a few songs in my life but there are way too many crappy songs out there and if children are our future then here's a guide to help you not to make over-produced bullshit.

how to write a punk song

Think of something you really hate, now think about it taking over the world. Now you should be pretty pissed off. Write either from the point of the person/entity you hate saying how much you don't care about people like you or how they don't care about what you care about OR you can just write about why you hate that thing. The great thing about a punk rock is that you can really do it in any form you like, for example Crass (a british punk band) made quite a few of their songs without choruses. Punk songs are also fast and usually quite short so keep that in mind. The main focus of a punk song should be on the content of the lyrics not the quality of the music. Try to avoid solos, use as much yelling as possible.

how to write a metal song

A metal song is sort of the lyrical opposite of a punk song because in a metal song you should talk about how you and your beliefs are going to take over the world. It should be sort of an assault on the people. There should be a good lot of screaming (especially that crazy throat scream that made death metal so identifiable). It should be fast but it should be longer than a punk song (only about 3 - 5 minutes). You should have a fairly skilled guitarist and try to insert a large amount of skillful guitar solos. I've never really written a metal song so take this with a grain of salt.

how to write and emo/goth rock song

Find someone you really love (girl friends and boy friends are the best suited but relatives will do in a pinch) now get them to kick you as hard as they can in your balls (or the female equivilent), now get them to spit on you. You should be really sad. DO NOT try to cheer yourself up, do as many things you hate as you can. Do this continually for a week or so until you break into tears at the sight of a person. Lock the door to your room or apartment and close the blinds with the lights very dim if not off. Keep yourself in there for about 1 or 2 days straight with nothing but coffee/soda (or any other caffeinated drink of your choice) and a notepad and pen. The mixture of sadness and stimulation should encourage you to write a really weepy song about stuff that makes you sad and other bullshit. The song should be slow, with lots of cymbal from the drummer.

how to write a psychedelic rock song

Take two blotters and talk to me in the morning.

how to write a introspective bob-dylanish folk rock song

almost like a punk song except, you focus on what you can do to improve the world instead of what's fucking it up. So think about the perfect world and then outline that world and what it would take to get there. It should be slow with lots of acoustic -- in fact it's probably better if you just use only voice and acoustic. This should have a catchy chorus (e.g. knocking on heaven's door)

how to write a Beck song

This is the absolute easiest song to write ever. Just listen to a beck album to get what it sounds like (I can't really be bothered to try and classifly or describe his sound ) and then just make up some funny sounding words and some random words and just mingle them all together to rhyme.

the closer

Keep in mind, make the music your own. You don't have to use all my rules but they should be a good guideline. Also take everything I say with a grain of salt. After all this is the internet.