Using Approaches To Develop a Song

Approaches are a tool you can use to develop and organize your song.

The most common approach is what I call the "blurt". This is where you just blurt out whatever you're thinking about.

But there are lots of other approaches which are handy, effective and helpful when you're trying to flesh out a song.

Here are 5 easy approaches:

• A list. You make a list based on your Topic. For example: "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" by Paul Simon.

• A device. You write the lyric as if it was a telephone call, a letter (sent or unsent), a text message or text message exchange, a voicemail message, etc. For example: "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder)

• A span of time. You write the song organized around a sequence of time or the passing of time. For example: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Jimmy Webb; "Friday I'm In Love" by The Cure.

• Any sequence. Letters of the alphabet, numbers, etc. can form a framework for a song lyric. For example: "A B C" written by The Corporation and made famous by the Jackson 5; "1 2 3 4" by Tom Higginson of Plain White T's (there's a reason why his nickname is Higgy Pop.)

• A character sketch. The lyric is a sketch of one or more characters. For example: "Eleanor Rigby" by Paul McCartney; "Cousin Dupree" by Donald Fagen of Steely Dan.

There are tons more approaches. I collect them because they're handy and useful when you're trying to flesh out a song. You don't even have to pick out a Theme or Topic. You can just start writing lines, organinzed by your chosen approach. You can even try a different approach on individual drafts of a song.