2 January, 2024
Songwriting basics for beginners
Catch me if you can! A songwriter gives advice on what you need to consider when writing songs
There are some songs that you simply can’t get out of your head. At times, their sound touches us at just the right moment. And sometimes their lyrics are timeless. Many people immortalise their favourite lines as a tattoo or use them in their WhatsApp taglines. But what does it actually take to write “great songs”? And how do the lyrics, melody and music all come together? We asked Berlin-based singer Sebastian Rätzel. He’s a member of the band “The Baseballs” and has been working as a songwriter for many years. A creative and versatile thinker, he writes for national and international acts in both English and German.
So grab your pen – it’s essential for songwriting
Who is Sebastian Rätzel?
Sebastian Rätzel began his career in 2008 as the singer of the rock ’n’ roll band “The Baseballs”. His band has quickly become one of the most successful German bands of recent years, both at home and abroad.
Their debut album “Strike!” (2009), for example, sold more than a million copies worldwide, topping the charts across Europe, and was awarded gold and platinum several times. They then added to their success with their subsequent albums.
As a solo artist, Sebastian released his first solo album “Derselbe Himmel” (The Same Sky) in 2019. He also received an award as a songwriter for the song “Nur mit dir” (Only with You), which he co-wrote with others for Helene Fischer.
“Songs have to affect people and trigger emotions. At times, they can even polarise. The worst thing is when a song is indifferent to you.”
Songwriting Basics Part 1: Songwriting as a craft – Structuring the lyrics and melody
Often, a song consists of three components: arrangement, lyrics and melody. Where you start is entirely personal and varies. Some start with the lyrics, others with the music, before adding the other elements.
When Sebastian is working as a songwriter, he’s usually given an initial arrangement by a producer. This comprises some chords and sounds that convey a mood. But this is more of a rough version, a template for inspiration. It sets the mood and tempo of the song and can later be transformed and adapted to the lyrics.
But the music can also come directly from you, without a producer: When you’re jamming in the rehearsal room, the music for your song is created on the spot.
What comes first – the lyrics or the melody?
Here, too, approaches can vary widely. When Sebastian gets the produced music as a songwriter, he cooks up a suitable melody and catchy lyrics. When it comes to the lyrics, the emphasis and sound are particularly important.
“Think about how the melody and lyrics fit together, because the right emphasis on the syllables really matters. The melody calls for certain vowels. That makes the lyrics clearer and the language used seems more natural. That’s why the melody, music and lyrics always grow in unison rather than being created independently.”
What used to be the “writer” is nowadays referred to as the “topliner”. Topliners write both the lyrics and the melody. They can do this either alone for themselves, or they can team up with other toplines and producers.
Producers are referred to as “bottomliners” or “trackers”. They provide the music as a template and can later readapt the track to the lyrics.
“The verses are important and elementary. But the main focus is on the chorus. It’s the hook that grabs the listeners.”
Finding the chorus
You’re having trouble with the chorus? Sebastian has the following advice on how to find a suitable one. Think about the chorus of an existing (popular) song that could fit in with your track. Find the corresponding melody and change the rhythm. Of course, you’re not allowed to copy another act’s chorus one-to-one. Just be inspired and transform it into your song, with your own chords and melodies. If you’re lucky, the result will be a memorable chorus. A catchy chorus is an advantage if you want to have your music played on the radio to give it a high recognition value.
“And remember: When somebody asks you what your favourite verse is, it can take a while to think of one. But your favourite chorus probably springs to mind much faster.”
The magical first line
In addition to the chorus, the opening phrase of the song is also crucial. It draws the listeners into the song. Also make sure the song doesn’t take too long to get going. Observe yourself:
- Which songs do the people listening to them really tune into?
- Which are the most streamed songs on your Spotify-Profil?
- Which songs by other artists grab you?
“To some extent, songwriting really is a craft. What you learn over the years is to decide what’s a good or bad idea more quickly. That saves a whole lot of time: Going straight for what’s worthwhile without taking three detours on the way there.”
Songwriting Basics Part 2: At a loss for words – Five tips for finding topics and creative techniques
Songwriting involves learning by doing. The best thing is that you improve over the years. And it can be learnt. Of course, songwriting requires creativity, but you’ll develop your own techniques over time. An idea often arises from the vibe of the music. But if you can’t think of a topic or you’re completely stuck, Sebastian’s tips are sure to help:
- Fantasy language: If you can’t immediately find the right words, write your text in a made-up language. That way you can identify which emphasis fits in where. By singing along to the melody in the made-up language, you’ll also hear what vowels you need in your lyrics.
- Word associations: Think of an evocative word. What associations come to mind? What smells, sounds or memories do you associate with the word? You can develop a great story on that basis. Sebastian’s song “Sommerregen” (Summer Rain) was created in less than an hour.
- Inspiration from everyday life: Go through life with your eyes and ears open. What could you write a song about? What situations inspire you? Write down, for instance, special words that you encounter in everyday life.
- Brainstorming: This tip follows on from the previous two. Reflect together as a band: What are the issues that concern you? What touches you? Kittens, perhaps, or anguish at the state of the world, or something in between? Basically, you can create a song about any topic.
- Writer’s block: Just get going. You often realise where things are going musically and in terms of content as you write. Don’t allow “false” or strange ideas get in the way. Further tips for overcoming writer’s block are available here.
“Don’t cling too tightly to ideas. Don’t be afraid to drop them. If you can’t remember an idea after a short while, it wasn’t good enough.”
Songwriting Basics Part 3: Language and the courage to leave gaps – some general thoughts
Maybe you’ve already wondered which language is best if you want the lyrics to make your music shine. Or maybe you’ve also faced the challenge of trying to cram all your ideas into one song. As with mixing down or editing music, there’s always one point to consider when writing a song: Whenֹ is it actually finished? Sebastian has the following thoughts on the subject.
German or another language? What really matters is simple or everyday language
The language doesn’t make much difference. Of course, everyone’s more confident and has more variety in their native language. It’s best to write in the language you feel comfortable with.
Where to put all the ideas? If in doubt: Kill your darlings
Don’t be afraid of creating something new from existing ideas. If they’re not right, you can just drop them. If you’re unsure, get feedback at an early stage. Sometimes an idea seems monumental, but from the outside it seems boring or emotionless. Put your personal preferences aside and focus on the quality of the song.
“If I have a good melody, I’ll remember it the next day even without writing it down.”
Is that it for songwriting? A song never ends!
Why are the writers of text messages given the option of deleting or editing them? The same thing basically applies to songwriting: You can tinker with a song forever, develop it over months and change, get rid of or alter the ideas. It’s up to you how much time you spend on it.
Sebastian tries to leave sessions once 80% of the song is finished: He looks for real emotions, a catchy melody in the chorus and a few special images in the lyrics. Everything else varies. What matters is a song that works.
“Before the whole song is finished, you sometimes get lost in discussions about small details. That’s why I like having the framework first, a shell. Then we can still continue developing it later.”
Sebastian often makes changes to his songs at a much later date. His tip: Leave a finished song for a few days or weeks and then rework it again with a little distance.
“Even when you’re done, it doesn’t mean the song is set in stone. I wrote completely new verses for my solo album ’Derselbe Himmel’ a whole year later.”
- 20 February, 2023
- 1 June, 2019
Too many cooks spoil the song? – Writing with other artists
There are lots of ways to write a song jointly. Sebastian, for example, enjoys taking part in songwriting workshops or writing camps. Finished songs rarely get made here, but it’s an excellent opportunity to meet other songwriters and swap notes.
„Writing-Camps sind ein bisschen wie Songwriter-Speed-Dating! Ich bin da dann drei, vier Tage lang und schreibe jeden Tag mit anderen Leuten. Man merkt relativ schnell, mit wem man sich gut gegenseitig inspiriert.“
Working with others is really inspiring, but what counts is that you’re working on the same level. It helps if you’ve known the other people for a long time. You then know your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses. Divide the tasks up and don’t be afraid to hold back somewhat. Often, another person has lots of good ideas, which it’s your job to filter.
“I’ve been writing regularly with other people for over 10 years. The rule of thumb is that we always start from scratch. Trust and respect are essential here.”
Songwriting for other artists is different in a number of respects. The important thing here is trying to understand your customers’/partners’ vision. “Bespoke” is the operative term when it comes to songwriting:
Understanding the artists is key: What’s their idiom, what images do they use?
How do you compose the melody to make a voice shine?
How can you showcase and emphasise your strengths?
When writing jointly, no one can accurately measure who’s done what. Songwriters usually agree on an equal split: if there are three topliners, each gets a third of the song rights.
The topliner’s publisher takes care of the legal matters. Most problems can quickly be resolved because the copyright for your song is protected as soon as you send it out. As well as the witnesses involved, you have the email as evidence.
Tip: In Germany, if you don’t have a publisher, become a member of the association for protecting musical rights, GEMA, and register your songs there.
Songwriting via video chat?
Due to the pandemic, video sessions have become widespread. The good thing here is that it enables even more focused work. From Berlin to New York? No problem! Video sessions make it easier to work with people who can’t be present on site – even over long distances.
Tunnel vision? Get feedback!
Many people from the music industry are involved in the production of a song. And they all have their own opinion and artistic vision. Trying to please everyone results in a variety of feedback loops.
What matters here – whether it’s your friends, family, producer or music label – is to make sure you ask them for feedback! Preferably from people who are honest with you. Without feedback, a song can’t grow. Sebastian’s golden rule:
“You can always further improve and develop a song! When I create the song myself, I get too deeply into the topic and lose sight of the bigger picture. It often helps to have someone listen to the song for the first time – with fresh ears.”
Good feedback is nice – constructive criticism is better
Don’t be intimidated by negative feedback. It helps you improve your song. Ultimately, everyone involved wants to release a great song. Also, getting the feedback doesn’t mean you have to implement it one-to-one.
After all, feedback is only useful if you can interpret it properly. Don’t take the feedback literally. Laypeople hear music differently. Ask lots of questions:
- What’s the background to the statement?
- Why does that passage feel this way to the person?
- What exactly don’t they like about it?
Often small changes like a different chord or a different word are enough to satisfy your test listeners.
Song length & album budgets – song trends
Music lovers, please be brave now: Lengthy intros and songs over three minutes long are a thing of the past, at least in the mainstream. Nowadays, the playback medium determines the length of the song. In Los Angeles, people are often just looking at the best 30 seconds for TikTok. And then they write the song around that.
It’s completely normal for pieces of music to adapt to listening habits. Streaming platforms are also contributing to songs getting increasingly shorter. That’s why album songs in particular are dying out: Frequently, six to eight singles are released and then combined with two new songs to make an album. The downside is that it then feels like a compilation.
In the past, successful albums co-financed up to five other projects. In other words: With the sales figures of an established act, a record company could, for example, finance five CDs by newcomers or invest the money in promoting young talent. A sad side effect of this is that the budgets for album productions are also shrinking. Elaborate orchestral productions are therefore increasingly becoming a thing of the past.
But don’t be put off by the prospect of where songs are headed. The most important thing is that you write songs that you like and are happy with. If the tips in this article help you, all the better. Here’s wishing you lots of creative output and have fun with your songwriting!
Headergrafik: Adobe Stock: tirachard , Sebastian Rätzel (c)PourToiPhotographie
