MUC140 – Songwriting

There is ambiguity and confusion around a lot of songwriting terminology. Many of the common songwriting terms have more than one meaning. Some say the differences is between musician on one hand and lyricist on the other but, whatever shade of truth might lie behind such an assertion, I think more practical and helpful illumination can be shed from taking a historical perspective.

A songwriter glossary of common terms you’ll be using as you learn how to write songs can be extremely helpful. And, knowing what specific songwriting terms mean will help you grow as you get feedback on your songs.

But it’s really hard to write a good song if you don’t know the anatomy of a song… and the vocabulary involved. So I thought the most helpful way to help you become a songwriter was to break down the terms involved.

Many creators are wary of learning how songwriting actually works — as if understanding the elements of a song makes their music less genuine or “real”. We’d like to challenge that notion today; knowing why a song sounds the way it does lends valuable insights into the writing process, and helps guide your lyrical and arrangement decisions. What’s more, being able to communicate musical terminology will give you a leg up when you’re ready to work with collaborators.