How To Write Songs - The Biggest Challenge in Songwriting and 4 Ways to Overcome It!

[@JediasHertz]

Another good tool to use when writing second verses (if you're stuck) is to subvert or give new meanings to the symbols our metaphors you used on the first verse, you can think where the story wants to go and use the same symbols to tell it, it also helps to tie them together and give it strengh.

[@mikescofield]

The biggest 'ah-ha' for me is that just because I wrote it first doesn't mean it needs to end up first in the finished song. Thanks!

[@edwinbrown9951]

Thank you guys and Happy New Year. I love watching your lessons beamed from the other side of the planet. :)

[@unclemikeyandthem]

I knew, without doubt that it was going to be verse 2 when I read the title of the video. It's my biggest struggle for sure. RUNNING to your Patreon now.

[@petera8742]

Fantastic video. Really practical and useful stuff well explained.

[@mukeshpathak7302]

You are amazinggggg. Thank you very much ❤

[@TommoGuitar]

Even though I mostly write instrumental Rock and Metal, I am finding your videos incredibly helpful!!!

[@Gabriel.A.L.]

wow, great video!

[@jameschandler_]

You guys are a real blessing! Thank you for the wisdom.

[@htws]

You're welcome James, thanks for your support!

[@shyfacetroubadour]

Brilliant video! Thanks both. So helpful 👌

[@htws]

Thanks so much! Much appreciated. I'm not sure if this would be of interest to you (it might be, if you are an active songwriter), but we put out other content and host monthly live Q&A sessions, which you can join here: www.patreon.com/howtowritesongs

[@mattchavie3619]

The "first verse not being first" part is genius,

[@htws]

Hope it helps in practice. I used it this past weekend to finish a song I had been stuck on for 2 years!

[@htws]

Also! You might be interested it the mini course we just released here: www.udemy.com/course/how-to-write-songs-the-songwriting-process-start-to-finish/?referralCode=8B3DC2EAEAC9833FECBF

[@felixcalvo438]

I am so greatful for your content. I can t express enough how this is helping and contributing to my musical projects. You have all my support. Keep the good stuff. Good vibes from France :)

[@htws]

You’re so welcome! It might be worthwhile checking out our Patreon, if you’re writing regularly and want some more in-depth guidance and feedback! www.patreon.com/howtowritesongs

[@felixcalvo438]

@@htws I m really considering it, but I write most of my songs in French, that might be a problem for you to provide me with guidance, but I do speak English very well so I can translate everything (I am an English teacher in France)... if you think it suits your guidance criterias I'm quite up for it

[@TheHarmonicaBarge]

great videos! I'm now sharing them with my songwriting group in London

[@oddn]

Can you tell me more about your songwriting group? Is it something that I could potentially join?

[@TheHarmonicaBarge]

@@oddn hello, it’s actually a small private group. Are you west London?

[@oddn]

@@TheHarmonicaBarge Ah ok.. I'm not in London at the moment but it looks as though I'll be moving to the Hammersmith area in October.

[@MorrisLess]

It seems to me that the inability to write a second verse often comes down to the fact that you've already written it. You need to go back and write the first verse. 'Why should the listener care about the story conveyed in the second verse?' 'Who are these people anyway?' And 'where are they?' And 'why are they there?'

[@joshuasalvador8213]

Hi guys I’m from the Philippines and I love writing a song and expressing who am I through music but I am always stuck in the verse 2, thank you so guys for sharing this kind of stuff. well explained and now i know how to proceed or to finished my song although I’m a beginner of writing a song. Again thank you so much 😊

[@markwelsh9068]

Pardon me and please don't take this wrongly but I feel a lot of your work on writing songs is about having narratives which have a beginning, middle and end and follow a very narrow version of what makes a 'great song' and what such needs. I'd point you to songs such as, for just a couple of examples, "A Day in the life" by the Beatles (and many by them) and also - what you may view as even more 'extreme' - a song (and many by the same band) like "Awaken" by Yes. These pieces do not, in any way, follow your 'template' and, from my perspective at least, is what makes these pieces as awesome as they are. Thoughts? I do enjoy the videos by the way, I just sometimes feel they are limiting in the approach.

[@liquidsolids9415]

I believe "A Day in the Life" was a short Lennon song mashed together with a short McCartney song. So that's another option: if you have a couple of short songs, maybe they'll sound good together!

[@markwelsh9068]

@@liquidsolids9415 Sure. Anything can be a great song to different people and there is absolutely no formula which you can teach to 'write a great song'. The verse which was suggested to 'said it all', for example, could be followed by just about anything whatsoever and it could still be the greatest song you've ever written. There are no rules.

[@htws]

Hey Mark. Totally agree... Not all songs need narratives and there certainly isn't a template for great song writing. Our objective here was to supply some really practical ways to deal with a common issue and help those who relate to feeling stuck in the middle.of their song form. For many songwriters, once they've developed enough confidence they can usually jump freely between different forms and styles. Love your examples and thanks for the comment ... Always good to have some healthy debate about these things.

[@carlosclaptrix]

Stairway to heaven. Supper's ready.

[@A.JayWeber]

yes! thanks you

[@lauradean7117]

Hi I’m a beginner songwriter and I struggle with stressed syllables and how to organize them in each section of the song. It would be great if you could do a video on this. Thanks

[@htws]

Hi Laura. I was just going through some stressed syllables content the other day… great suggestion for a video! Thanks

[@andrewtea]

Keppie‘s „little dummy lyrics“ are better than everything I ever wrote in terms of lyrics. 😂

[@E.L.Wilsson]

As someone who’s only been writing songs for two years and have struggled to complete some of my songs, I thought I was the only one with the second verse problem.😅 Turns out I’m not. Thank you so much for the great suggestions on how to get passed that!

[@htws]

Rock on! Thanks so much! Much appreciated. I'm not sure if this would be of interest to you (it might be, if you are an active songwriter), but we put out other content and host monthly live Q&A sessions, which you can join here: www.patreon.com/howtowritesongs?fan_landing=true

[@parsamoalemian5008]

I love your videos

[@htws]

Thanks Parsa!

[@IconicWIZARD097]

Great

[@michelle-psl4441]

I CAN write the 2nd verse, only because I'd already figured out the first was actually the second, but am bamboozled by pre-choruses, bridges, and anything beyond the 2nd verse.

[@htws]

Hey Michelle! This is a great conversation to have! And great ideas for some future videos! Thanks.

[@daveadams8283]

I don't personally find the second verse to be the issue. My constant stumbling block is when I have got verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus... And then... what? It needs a new direction now... Instrumental? Middle 8? New chord structure? Key change? Etc... That's always where I get stuck...

[@htws]

Hey Dave, thanks for the comment. The way i think of it is this - if you've given the listener 2 verses and 2 Choruses, the ear is ready for something new - so 3 great options are; a) a bridge with one new chord b) modulation c) solo You can also blend some of these - eg a modulated bridge or solo can really take the song in an interesting direction. Then you just need to figure out if you finish off with a return to the original key or stay in the new one. Hope this helps

[@liquidsolids9415]

Just to play devil's advocate - maybe your song doesn't need a second verse! Maybe it just needs to be a short song. Really enjoyed the video though. Thanks!

[@unclemikeyandthem]

Yeah, maybe that's what one song needs, but not all songs so it's nice to have the tools! 🙂

[@schoontube]

How do you know when it’s time to maybe give up on a song? That is, how long do you give these techniques before you abandon the song? I have songs that I just can’t seem to bring to fruition, no matter how hard I try. Being an “older” songwriter, I feel the crunch of time, and don’t want to waste it.

[@htws]

Thanks for this great question - and for joining our Patreon community, Michael! I will answer your question by email :)

[@jeremypietersen8347]

Great video. Will now be more conscious of how i go about writing. So for that, you suck! Lol. Look forward to the next one. Love on ya, Tex.

[@ledaswan5990]

Have you guys ever written a commercially successful song?