Hello everyone!
I'm Mic-Marvellous™ Ebube.
(You can check out my lil bio after now)
As singers, songwriting is believed to be or is actually a crucial part of our everyday lives.
Professionally we believe that the more you write, the more better you become. Which brings us to our first discussion on this thread:

How many times a week do you sit down to write?

Shalom..

FOUR PRACTICAL DOS AND DON’TS FOR
DIFFERENT SONGWRITING METHODS

“Which do you write first, the music or the words?” This is
the classic question that all songwriters get asked. In my
experience, there’s no easy – or correct – answer to this
one. Sometimes it’s the music, sometimes it’s the lyrics and,
often, it’s some mystical, organic combination of the two.
More importantly, there is no one way to write a song.
Some of the best and worst songs ever written were created
using the same techniques. To that end, I’m going to cover
four different songwriting methods and some of the dos
and don’ts you’ll want to keep in mind as you go through
each one.
1. WRITING BASED ON A
TITLE IDEA/LYRICAL HOOK

Coming up with a really
catchy title or lyrical hook is
an art in and of itself. If
you’ve got one,
congratulations. Now that
you’ve got it, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Do – remember to make sure that everything in your
lyric points to and supports your lyrical hook. Having a
catchy hook only works if you build a foundation around
it so that when the hook arrives, there’s a sense of
drama and release.
Don’t – forget to give the song real emotional content.
It’s possible to be so focused on the hook and setting it
up that you forget to be sincere. While the average
listener might not be able to tell you why, the song won’t
move them in the way that a song with genuine emotional content would.

2. WRITING BASED ON A GENERAL IDEA/LYRICAL
CONCEPT
Sometimes you’ve been through an experience or have an
idea for a song that feels important enough to write about.
That’s as good a place as any to start.
Do – capture the feeling and emotion of your concept.
You obviously felt strongly enough to want to write
about this idea so immerse yourself in it and really tell
the story.
Don’t – be too vague. Because you haven’t started with
an actual lyrical hook, you’ll need to remember to bring
your overall concept to a very sharp point by
summarizing it with a phrase or hook line. This hook is
something you’ll hopefully come to as you’re developing
your lyric around your idea. A story without a
summarizing point or hook risks being too unfocused to
keep your listeners’ attention.

3. WRITING FROM A MELODIC IDEA
If you’re a melodic writer, then you’ve got a different set of
challenges. Beautiful, catchy melodies are a rare
commodity and should be treated with the appropriate
respect.
Do – honor your melody and
build your song around it.
Remember, people will learn
your melody loooooong before
they learn your lyric so having a
good melody is not to be taken
lightly.
Don’t – let the melody box you
into awkward words or watered-
down phrases. While a beautiful
melody is one part of a song, it’s
not the only part. Cramming in words or compromising
on lyrical integrity isn’t an acceptable approach when
writing from a melody. Remember, it’s the give and take
of a catchy melody and a natural, conversational lyric
that makes for a great song.

4. WRITING FROM A CHORD PROGRESSION/GROOVE
When you pick up your guitar or sit down at the piano,
often it’s a chord progression or groove that comes first.
Great!
Do – dig in and develop the groove and feel. This can
really set the mood of a song and inspire all kinds of
interesting melodic and lyrical ideas. Also, a good groove
is the very first thing the average listener will notice
when they hear your song.
Don’t – rely on a chord progression or groove at the
expense of your melody and lyric. This is no time to get
lazy. A chord progression and groove in and of itself is
only – in most genres – an arrangement idea which
doesn’t really constitute a song. Without a strong melody
and lyric, it’s entirely possible to have a great sounding
track and, unfortunately, a mediocre song.

CONCLUSION
As I stated at the top of this piece, there isn’t one “right”
method for writing a song. I’d highly recommend trying
every possible songwriting approach you can. Often, as
songwriters, we find ourselves in a rut where we go back to
the same approach over and over. While this may be
comforting and even result in increased productivity, in the
long run, it might not provide you with the most inspired or
unique songs you’re capable of writing. Why not leave your comfort zone and try a couple of different ways of writing?
You never know what you’ll get.
Good luck!
As wriiten by Cliff Goldmacher