"If a 36-inch yardstick represents all the theory that you could ever imagine, you'll only need 6 inches of it to compose any song you'll ever write. But you WILL need those 6 inches!"

Take it from me. No matter what you've ever told yourself about songwriting and composition, you too are capable of writing a tune, and possibly an excellent one. I didn't always feel that way myself, so before we delve into the logical process involved, let me share with you the events that changed my mind.

To begin with, I never considered myself to be a natural composer. An arranger? Sure. I had arranged standard popular music for eighteen years prior to finally writing my first song. During this time I'd met many fellow players and students who dabbled in songwriting to one degree or another. To my utter amazement, some had only played their instrument for a few months, leading me to falsely conclude that songwriters are born and not developed. Of course, all I had to do was look at my dad's career. Pop arranged music professionally from the time he was eighteen, but didn¹t write his first original until he was fifty-two years old! Over the ensuing 10-15 years before his passing, he managed to write over 200 terrific compositions in a variety of styles, most in the jazz and latin genre.

If you've ever felt the unique satisfaction gleaned from writing an original, you know that there's no greater high in music. If you haven't tried at all, or not very much, perhaps these tips will help you to achieve this great feeling of artistic accomplishment on a regular basis. Let's get started.

What Should I Know Before I Begin?

Not as much as you might think. You simply don't need to be a rocket scientist or have a master's degree in music to write a pop song. I¹m a firm believer that some of the best and most memorable progressions and melodies are pretty simple. Nevertheless, when it comes to theory, I always remember Pop's yardstick analogy: "If a 36-inch yardstick represents all the theory that you could ever imagine, you'll only need 6 inches of it to compose any song you'll ever write. But you WILL need those 6 inches!" Interpretation?

The basics. Know at least the major, pentatonic, and blues scales. Develop a fundamental understanding of the primary chords generated by the major scale (e.g. C = C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim). The cycle of fifths. Key and time signatures. Simple principles of chord construction. And what if you don't know your basics? I say write a song anyway. Much of what I've learned in my career has been through adversity, "by-the-seat-of-my-pants," "on-the-fly," etc. You can always learn your basics by studying them on the side as you go. Don't stop yourself by setting conditions, especially those that are theoretically-based, on your ability to be creative. In the long run, you'll just deny yourself a lot of fun that way.

First Up: Melody, Progression, or Bass Line?

Not so fast! How about determining a key as a frame of reference for your ear and mind? It can be any key you wish, but bear in mind that sharp keys like E, A, D, & G are very guitar-friendly if you're shopping around for cool open bass figures. Once you've got a key, you're ready to get serious.

Students frequently ask me whether I start a composition with a melody, chord progression, or bass line. Generally, for me, it's the progression itself. I should mention, at this point, that there's no such thing as a truly original chord progression. Believe me when I say it's been done before, but don't get discouraged by that. An original song is a LOT more than just a progression of chords. You can even begin with an established, recognizable vehicle, like a 12-bar blues. That's something I've done many, many times. Or you can start with any two chords from the chosen key (remember that a progression should consist of at least two chords). Which chords should you choose?

Well, the I (root) chord (C in the key of C) is always a safe bet. The IV (F) and V (G) chords are also powerful tools, and the strongest minor choice is the VI (Am = relative minor in C). The other chords in the key are very important too, but not as formidable as those that I just mentioned. Trust your ear when auditioning your chord choices. If it sounds good, go with it. You can always change your mind later. After all, you're the composer.

Chord Personalities & Flavors

One thing that contributes mightily to the uniqueness of an original is the choice of chord voicings. It needn't be a cowboy C chord, for instance. Try experimenting with other options, like major sevenths (pretty) or add nines (celestial) and so forth. Next time around we'll move on to time signatures, basic structuring of song sections, dynamics, and bass lines.