TIP#4 - Top tips on how to write a song

TIP#4 Collaboration

In my previous blog I mentioned collaborating if you get stuck. But for some collaborating in the writing of songs can be life-giving and productive.

You can collaborate with someone else to put the lyrics to your song - this has obviously been hugely successful for some famous artists, and at the end of the day, collaboration is (or at least should be) fun.

With whom should I collaborate ?

If you’re starting out, your options may be limited, but think about people you know who might add something to the mix of your song, and who you can work with. I’d be included to pick someone who is strong where you’re weak. That might be arrangements, chords, ideas, melodies, or simply good with words. Regardless of what stage you’re at, whether you’re 12 years old and got a guitar for Christmas, or if you’re Elton John, you’re going to need someone who sparks an “ooh, I like that! ”

Personally, I prefer to work from the original ‘seed’ idea on my own, and once it has evolved into more of a song, albeit still in its infancy, I’d then knock it around with someone else. If you collaborate you will need to be less precious about ‘your’ ideas, otherwise there can be a tension, and being competitive is probably not going to create something beautiful.

If you have a good chemistry, then your song can evolve into a beautiful thing. It can be one other person you work on the music or lyrics with, or in some cases, the more the merrier !