Practice Songwriting: 6 Exercises

Everyone knows what we mean when we say “Practice makes perfect,” whether it’s whacking a golf ball over and over, repeating those dance steps until you can do them in your sleep, or playing the same riff on guitar till it’s smooth as silk. We know things will improve with enough repetition because we can see the results.

But how do you practice songwriting? You can practice piano or guitar to improve your playing, which is good, but it’s not songwriting. You can improve your singing with practice so you can hit notes with confidence, character, and emotion. And that’s really useful, but it’s not songwriting either.

You need to practice writing lyrics that move listeners. You need a workout that strengthens your melodies and provides more choices when writing. Where do you find the repeatable exercises that help you get better at those things?
Answer: By breaking it all down into manageable bits and focusing on areas where you’re having difficulty. So, let’s do it.

Write a Song in the Folk Song Form

I recently got this question from a songwriter who’s just starting out.

Q: Is it okay if my song is a string of verses, with no chorus or bridge? It’s short, too. Can it still be a good song?

A: If a song is a series of verses, it’s in a form that’s been successful for hundreds of years—the folk song form. You can certainly write good songs in that style. These songs often feature a storyline, such as a lost lover, a historical event, or travel to a distant land, but they don’t have to. Good examples of the folk song form are “Scarborough Fair,” “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow,” and recently Passenger’s “Let Her Go.” 

Great Song Lyrics: Using Clichés

Have you ever noticed how some people can describe a simple, everyday event and make it sound hilarious or tragic or just plain interesting, while another person can tell the same story and have you snoring with boredom in an instant?

If the language you use to tell a story is vivid and fresh even a familiar experience or idea can come to life, but if you’re talking in overused, predictable phrases—in other words, if you’re using clichĂ©s—the most exciting story can become dull. It’s all in the words you choose.

People often speak in clichés

Time flies!


ClichĂ©s are familiar phrases that have become an acceptable shorthand way of expressing an idea: “Time flies!” “Love is blind.” “He’s full of hot air.” “You can count on me.” On the plus side, everyone understands what you mean. But these phrases are so familiar and overused they’ve lost their emotional impact. The result is bland, forgettable language. For example, here’s a description of a workday that’s filled with clichĂ©s.

  • I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. My cup of coffee tasted like mud. On the bus, people were packed like sardines. My boss was hopping mad when I got to work late. The day seemed to drag on and on. I thought six o’clock would never come!

While this paragraph gives you an idea of what the speaker’s day was like, it doesn’t make you feel the boredom and frustration. Familiar phrases such as “packed like sardines,” “hopping mad” and “seemed to drag on and on” have been used so many times listeners no longer picture the images, experience the sensation, or notice the comparison; they don’t feel the crush of bodies on the bus or picture the boss hopping up and down in anger. In fact, listeners barely even hear clichĂ©s at all. They’re wasted space in your song unless you do something to change that.

Give your clichĂ©s new life. 

1. Use a fresh or unexpected comparison

Comparisons are a great way to add energy to a description. There was a time when “packed like sardines” was vivid, fresh, and funny. Listeners really pictured it when they heard it and it made them react. Eventually, so many people liked it and used it that the idea became stale and listeners stopped reacting.

LYRICS: Write a Strong Opening Line

“I have trouble coming up with the first line of a song. I try not to write something obvious and cliche  but I can’t seem to figure out how to start.”

Five Ways to write a strong opening line

A strong opening line for your song is essential – it may make the difference between keeping a listener tuned in  or losing them. You’re right about not wanting to be vague! Here are a few ideas…

1)  Use a line from later in the song

After you have a first draft of your song, check to see whether your second verse is stronger than your first. This can happen as you get deeper into the song and know more about what you want to say. Try opening with your second verse then replace it with a new one or use your original first verse there.