I fought against rules most of my life, and have had many run-ins with established conventions and regulations, and as a creative songwriter I know that you are probably not so big on rules yourself. I generally like to think more in terms of flexible Guidelines and Suggestions. But this is one that I would commit to memory as a Rule.
First Rule in Songwriting: Consider a New Song to be Merely a Rough Draft
I have had so many students, and seen so many songwriters spend a couple hours writing a song, start performing it with their band, and never change a word or note.
The problem with doing this is that some producers would consider the song amateurish, and would not take it seriously enough to record. Another reason is that you might need to spend a lot of money and time with a producer, having him edit the song to take to a level where it is ready to be recorded. You could spend a fortune before you even start recording.
One must understand that it takes a lot of time and hard work to come up with a hit song. You could think of this process like attempting to hit the Lotto jackpot. It could take hundreds, or even thousands of tickets before winning the lottery. This might seem very elusive, but not if you know how to play to win. In writing a hit song, you need to write and edit many times before creating that list of great songs.
Before setting the final notes of a masterpiece, you will probably need to make many changes and adjustments. Good editing is essential for improving the words and notes of the song. All the songs that have topped the charts started as ROUGH DRAFTS. Editing songs is not only worth the time and effort, it is a requirement. It is the best thing one can do to ensure that his or her song will captivate the hearts and minds of listeners.
Professional Songwriters will sometimes spend the same amount of time as amateurs with the initial writing phase, but they will think of it as a Rough Draft. Then, over the next few weeks or months, they will continually come back to the ones that had potential and build them into masterpieces, using the TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES that have been TRADE SECRETS.
Many beginning and average songwriters out there know very little when it comes to actual techniques they could use to write and edit their songs more effectively. But all the top songwriters know that crafting their songs, sometimes for months before playing them for fans or recording them, is the key to great writing. These days because the music industry has turned into such a money machine, the secrets of editing and crafting songs into hits have become SECRETS OF THE TRADE.
To help songwriters like you, I have developed my online courses at Songwriting Planet. It is to ensure that everyone would get to use the tips and tricks that, until now, have only been available to insiders in the music industry.
So start using the biggest SECRET TO WRITING HIT SONGS. Consider every song that you write as a ROUGH DRAFT that you can improve over time. Experimenting with changes can only help to ensure a song’s best quality. After making this process a habit, you will be most likely surprised at the new beauty of your songs that a little crafting and editing can provide.
Kevin Thomas is author of Melody Madness, and Founder of Songwriting Planet. Follow This Link for More Free Songwriting Advice. To Learn how to Sing, Play an Instrument, or Write Songs Online, Follow this link for Music Lessons at SP.