Take note of the rhythms, structure, and harmonic progression of other songs of the type you choose. Your notes will help you stay on the right track. Choose the type of song you’d like to listen to. It will keep you motivated.

Elton John’s emotional tribute to Marilyn Monroe, “Candle in the Wind,” is a perfect example of a song with a powerful somber tone. Over 20 years after he wrote the song, John played it beautifully at the funeral of Princess Diana. [1] X Research source Bruno Mars’ “Amazing,” about the joy of being in love, is a perfect example of a song with an effective upbeat and happy tone. Think about your feelings toward the subject of your song and choose a mood that will communicate it to the audience.

Another great way to find a title is to make a metaphor for your topic. If your title comes from a conversation with someone else, be sure to ask that person permission before you use it.

You can even hum your melody first and then try to find the corresponding keys on the piano. Keep it simple and catchy for now. You’ll build on it later.

If you don’t want to write your song on paper, you can always use a music notation software like MuseScore.

A half note has the value of 2 quarter notes or 2 beats. A whole note has the value of 4 quarter notes or 4 beats. An eighth note has the value of 1/2 of a quarter note. A dot immediately following a note increases that note by half its value. A half note would then last for 3 beats.

The order in which sharps are added is F, C, G, D, A, E, B. The order in which flats are added is reversed, B, E, A, D, G, C, F. Minor keys have a darker tone and follow the same rules. The key of A minor has no sharps or flats and you can move up or down from there. Every key has a different mood or “color” so experiment a bit until you find one that feels right for your song.

This may sound confusing but it’s actually pretty easy. If you’re in the key of C, you would count a fifth step from C to find your dominant chord. You would say “C, D, E, F, G. ” G would be your dominant chord. In the key of C, C is your root chord, G is your dominant chord, F is your sub-dominant chord, and A minor is your six chord.

You can set your chorus apart from the rest of your song by making it louder. Make it emotionally moving by creating a memorable chord progression. Your audience will likely connect with your chorus more than any other part of your song. [5] X Research source

You can make each verse its own story or you can continue a story through all your verses. Your last verse should be the payoff. It should reward the audience for listening to the song and end the story. For example, if your song is about falling in love, the last verse may be about when the lovers finally kiss.

Introduce a new tune or rhythm in your bridge. Try to surprise your audience with a unique bridge they never expected.

The notes on the lines in the treble clef from bottom to top are E, G, B, D, F. They can be remembered by the mnemonic device “Every good boy does fine. ” The notes on the spaces of the treble clef are F, A, C, E. You can remember they spell “face. " The notes on the lines in the bass clef are G, B, D, F, A. You can remember them with the mnemonic device “Great big dogs fight animals. ” The notes on spaces of the bass clef are A, C, E, G. You can remember them with the mnemonic device “All cows eat grass. ”

You can always change this later on. What sounds like the best arrangement today may not sound as good the next day. After you write the song, leave it alone for a few days or weeks. Then, perform it for your family and friends and make any necessary changes before finalizing it.

Sometimes intros can be longer. The keyboard solo at the beginning of “Baba O’Riley” by The Who is an example of a long intro being used very effectively to build suspense.

Keep track of what you revise just in case you change your mind later.

One way to write catchy lyrics is by making them rhyme. In “Imagine” John Lennon says “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. ”

Break the song down. Try to learn only a few measures at a time. When you have those down perfectly, move on to the next few measures. You can also go a measure at a time from the end of the piece. If you play the last measure perfectly, play the last 2 measures until you get them perfect, and so on. When you start to lose concentration, take a break. You’ll be wasting your time trying to play the piano if your brain is too tired to focus.

As you gain experience, you may want to visit open mics or find other places musicians can perform. Start with smaller venues and perform your song there before moving onto bigger venues and audiences.

Take criticism with a grain of salt. Sometimes people will be jealous of your skill and say things just to be mean. Run everyone’s advice through your own filter. Sometimes well-meaning people may give bad advice.