How To Focus On Songwriting – Tip 2

Last week I wrote a blog on how to focus on songwriting tip 1.   The challenge was to record 3 or more melodies or progression ideas per day.  How did you do?  I did good.  Not perfect.  This is how many ideas I recorded.

Sunday – 5

Monday – 5

Tuesday – 4

Wednesday – 5

Thursday – 0

Friday – 3

Saturday – 2

A total of 24 last week which is good, but as you can see I missed Thursday and one on Saturday.  Consistency is important, so this week I am going to strive for a perfect 3 or more a day.

I want to give you some more tips on recording those ideas daily.  There are a lot of things I have learned through the years that might speed things up for you.

Tip 2:  Title Your Recordings Right After You Record Them

  • Write titles for each of your ideas when you record the idea.  It doesn’t have to be good but should be unique.  I usually write the first thing that comes to my head (if it is unique).  This can help organize and remember the idea for later.  Imagine, trying to find an idea you had months ago if they are all titled “guitar melody”. It can also give you an lyric or title idea for a song later down the line.
  • Write the type of instrument played for the recording (guitar, piano, vocal, hand drums on a table).  This will help you find and organize your ideas later.
  • Keep the recording date on the title.   Again, this also helps organize and find ideas.
  • If you have enough time label the recording with the chords, key, capo placement, etc. Although this is helpfull in figuring out your idea later, sometimes its too much work and makes the title way to long.  What I like to do now a days, after I record my idea and while the recorder is still on, speak into the mic the performance notes, such as chords, keys, tempo etc.  And if it is complicated, and might be hard to figure it out later, I will video how I play it.

So the challenge this week is to continue recording 3 or more ideas per day, and title them using the methods above.  Holy cow, by the end of this week, we will have over 40 recorded song ideas!  That might be enough to start an album.  Thanks for reading this post.  Writing this has helped me focus and motivate my love of making music.  Please comment, share, and email me any ideas.