Do you have a passion for writing captivating lyrics?
Are you someone who often thinks of great song ideas?
Maybe you wish to express yourself through writing songs for yourself or even other artists?
If you answered YES to these questions, then becoming a songwriter might be right for you!
What do songwriters do?
Songwriters don't always perform the songs they write.
Songwriters often write songs for other artists to perform, ad jingles, theatre, or other productions.
They write the lyrics and the musical elements of the song.
Songwriters can be music composers or producers.
Obtaining copyright is also important when writing songs.
What skills do I need to become a songwriter?
You may be asking yourself, "Do I need to be able to sing or play an instrument to become a songwriter?"
While these things are helpful, they aren't necessary. All you need is to have a basic understanding of song structure and a good ear.
Basic song structures have verses and a catchy chorus that is often repeated and brings the song together.
Having a good ear involves a good understanding of pitchand melody.
What tools does a songwriter use?
You probably have one of the most useful tools for songwriting in your hand right now: your phone!
Using your phone to record voice memos of song ideas is one of the best things you can do. If you wait too long to record your idea, you might risk losing it later.
Here are more tools you can use for recording your song ideas.
How to improve your songwriting skills
Listen to lots of different music for inspiration.
Take courses to improve your writing in school
Connect with other songwriters on social media
Enrolling in a music or writing class can also help you build your network
Practice your writing — journaling is a great way to do this!
Quiz
To be a good songwriter you should:
How much do songwriters make?
The salary of a songwriter can vary. It all depends on who your clientsare and how many hits you write.
The average salary of a songwriter in Canada: $57,127 per year
The average salary of a songwriter in the United States: $50,962 per year
The Pros and Cons of becoming a songwriter
Pros:
express your creativity
work with like-minded people
ability to be your own boss and chose your own clients
pays well if you find the right gig
always learning new things to keep up with new music
Cons:
extremely competitive
you'll get rejected a lot
finding work can be a challenge
inconsistent paychecks
keeping up to stay relevant can be exhausting
writers block and imposter syndrome
Take Action
Your feedback matters to us.
This Byte helped me better understand the topic.