5 Simple Songwriting Exercises to Transform Your Lyrics

Tired of writing lyrics you just don't love? Fascinated how your favorite songwriters come up with such incredible lyrics? This video shows you 5 incredibly powerful exercises for turning ideas into lyrical gold, and crafting lyrics that'll make yer' mum proud.

ABOUT KEPPIE

Hi I'm Keppie! I'm a professional songwriter, and songwriting teacher. I've been teaching song and lyric writing for over 10 years now for some of the best contemporary music colleges in the world— Berklee Online, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music's Open Academy, as well as for the Australian College of the Arts. At other times, I've taught for the Australian Institute of Music, as well as the LA School of Songwriting.

My goal is to help people write better songs! My experience in the classroom, with thousands of students at this point (many going on to find careers and success in music), is that your songwriting, like all things, can get better with meaningful, deliberate practice. My intention is to share the skills, knowledge, information, and ideas that I've gathered with anyone who wants to improve their songwriting.

Keppie's music is here:

ABOUT BENNY

Hi I'm Benny. My passion for music and creativity stretches across multiple disciplines and art-forms. I am a founding member and songwriter / lap-slide guitarist for one of Australia's best and most bearded country-bluegrass-folk bands, THE GREEN MOHAIR SUITS. To date the Mohairs have released 4 full-length albums and tour both nationally and overseas.

I am also the Founder and Head Producer of SILAMOR STUDIOS, a boutique studio specialising in Composition for Film, TV and Interactive Media. I write extensively across various instrumental and lyric-based genres and has been commissioned for major projects by Adobe, Cathay Pacific and Audible. I currently release original songs under the name SILAMOR.

I am also passionate about education and have taught song and lyric writing as well as film composition for JMC Academy, Collarts and the Australian Institute of Music. I design and regularly facilitate workshops on creative process and innovation.

Links to Bennny's music are here:

The Green Mohair Suits

SILAMOR

Work Flow Audio:

/ @workflowaudio-studymusic9916

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#lyricstips

[BJ-fjjw]

"I get stuck in your rain." STOP! That's so beautiful!

[dperez]

1) metaphors
2) upgrading verbs. Example you don't need to say the dog bark loudly as loudly is implied.
She walk into the room."call to action" Automatically just cross out any adjectives or adverbs.that are inside the lyrics there might be some that are needed. Underlined every verb that is used. And pick one verb for one section.
3)Use specific imagery. Find a way to paint a picture instead of just saying sunday afternoon.
4) Contrast. 2 opposite ideas. Good/bad Hot/cold.
5) Last line pivot. The surprising element at the end.

[dopeljones]

Another great example of contrast is the song "running" by ibejii.

With lyrics like
Hell may turn cold, like a lava stone but my heart for you will never.

Absolutely gorgeous.

[musicfineline]

I wrote a song, tell me how is it?

Verse 1:
"Girl, I'm feeling empty, like a hollow soul
Tryna find the pieces of me, that I lost control
I've been trying hard to get my life back on track
But it's hard to see myself, when I'm slipping back"

Chorus:
"Oh, I'm searching for a light, in this darkest night
A guiding star, to lead me back to the light
I'm trying to find my way, through the pain and the strife
To get back to the person, I used to be in life"

Verse 2:
"Memories keep haunting me, like a ghost in my mind
Reminding me of what I lost, and the love that I left behind
I'm trying to move on, but it's hard to let go
When the memories of you, are all that I know"

Chorus:
"Oh, I'm searching for a light, in this darkest night
A guiding star, to lead me back to the light
I'm trying to find my way, through the pain and the strife
To get back to the person, I used to be in life"

Bridge:
"But still I hold on, to the thread of my heart
The spark within me, that sets my soul apart
It's the fire that fuels me, to rise above the pain
And learn to love again, like I did before the shame"

Chorus:
"Oh, I'm searching for a light, in this darkest night
A guiding star, to lead me back to the light
I'm trying to find my way, through the pain and the strife
To get back to the person, I used to be in life"

[Sxlly-tope]

Is this good?

"You may ruin my life, but you will never take my heart
You may run away to not to admit that deep down,
You don't like the truth that you drowned me in your storm"

[transformationgeneration]

Lyrics and melody are my strong point. They come so simple for me. My trick is "don't make them too difficult, make them clever". I am always complimented on my lyrics by nonplayer friends and my, melodies by my musician friends. But I live in the Midwest. There's no-ne hearing me beyond those folks.

[zalananevem]

this channel gives so much value with such great editing/story-telling.. i'm kinda speechless. most of the times other channels just keep bsing, beating around the bush and don't provide any actual value in much longer videos then yours, but your content is full of it and you don't waste any of our viewers time. how did i not find this channel earlier? i'm so grateful that i arrived here now. incredible work, keep up the quality content! i instantly subscribed.❤‍🔥

[randolphvillamer]

I should've thanked you before, but here it is.
30+ years of writing (radio and landlines then)
At least I know now that your channel proves that music transcends time.
Thank you

[windmonarch]

Anger is a storm - metaphor

The clouds of your mind gather, darkening in your eyes. Your  words are lightening, striking out at the nearest touch point - your voice swells and spills, and I harden like ice. My dark glances rumble on the horizon of our days. - extended metaphor 👏👏👏👏👏

[nicholasheal]

0:39
1. EXTENDING METAPHORES

4:08
2. UPGRADING VERBS

7:37
3. USE SPECIFIC IMAGERY THAT WORKS HARD

10:48
4. CONTRAST

11:48
5. POWER POSITIONS

[Balluna]

My notes:

1. metaphors & describe them further. then pick out some parts
2. upgrade verbs & cross out adverbs/ adjectives
3. imagery is important (showing>telling)
4. contrasts - opposing things are spotlighting
5. power positions - 1st and last lines of every section are most important (last line pivot - surprise!)

all songs that were mentioned:
2:53 School Night - Ani Difranco
4:01 Golden - Jill Scott
4:03 Circle Games - Joni Mitchell
4:05 She burns - Foy Vance
4:07 Take me to church - Hozier
5:46 Motion Sickness - Phoebe Bridgers
6:49 Nothing - Bruno Major
8:23 The Bed Song - Amanda Palmer
12:54 River - Johnny Mitchell

[const]

many of these ideas apply to screenwriting ... so cool :)

[halhamilton]

Just found your channel. I am starting to write and I am learning so much. Great content.

[jeaniemarinella]

Thank you so much! I often have some anxiety around writing the lyrics to my music causing me to avoid the process but this actually motivated me to get started! <3

[charleshyde]

Woah that song with the skyscraper and falling out the 25th floor saying her goodbye, gave me GOOSEBUMPS sooo beautiful

[michelle-psl]

The tap's been on a while and the water's beginning to clear. Thank you Keppie & Bennie for all the wonderful tips and exercises to help clean the pipes!

[fanievanrooyen]

Oh wow!, I find your knowlege and ease of your expanations very engaging. Thank you.
I am Afrikaans speaking - I was lost in a desert of phrase and expression, I now rest in charming pastures of appreciation.

[iamseababy]

Any Nigerian here??
If you listen to victony you know he's a legend in using this technique.

[ViviH-ow]

write like you are in a Jane Austen novel: be witty, concise, and get your point across without a textbook definition.

[BJ-fjjw]

Keppie how do you do that??? "Anger is a storm". It's magical how you conjured this extended metaphor. I get (slowly) how you arrived at this because you kindly explain, but it's so entertaining and awesome how it seems to effortlessly roll out of your creativity. It is inspiring. 1:42 into your video... cant wait to watch the rest!