Songwriting Tips – Getting Started

Written on July 17, 2010 by in Beginner, Chords, Improvising, Theory
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Personally I love just grabbing my guitar… and noodling.

I’ll pick a key, whatever strikes my interest at that moment, and start noodling just for enjoyment… and often times, I’ll end up coming up with a cool progression or something that could be turned into a song.

This lesson will give a few of the nuts and bolts that can help you build a framework for creating progressions or songs on your own. You need to know what guitar chords work together, and you need to know what scale you’re working with, and you need to have some idea of how those work so that you can use them to start getting creative.

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12 Comments - Leave a comment!
  • michael

    What type of guitar are you playing, can’t quite see its name , could it be a Martin?

  • http://www.guitartipsweekly.com Jonathan Boettcher

    Good guess – but actually it is a very old Takamine, from back when they had the headstock & logo that looked like Martin. In fact, Martin threatened to sue unless they changed it, which they did.

  • michael

    It sounds great,and answers my question as to why I thought it was a Martin, the headstock and labeling on it looked like it …not that I’m stalking you but also noticed a les paul in you’re collection, or is it strike two and another look a like, actually I enjoy you’re playing and love the fact you are willing to share you’re knowledge for free…a very wise man once told me the meaning of life is to find you’re passion, and the purpose of life is to give it away…live long and I will prosper, thanks Jonathan

  • http://www.guitartipsweekly.com Jonathan Boettcher

    Haha, strike two my friend. That one is a Hagstrom Super Swede.. but yeah, looks very similar. Sounds & plays just as well as a Les Paul.

  • http://www.theentrepreneuriallife.com/ Abner Solano

    Hey Jonathan, I have a friend who is looking for a guitar for her daughter. What should she look for? Do you have a post for this? Thanks buddy!

  • Jonathan

    Hey Abner, yeah, you can checkout this post / video:
    http://www.guitartipsweekly.com/tips-n-tricks-for-buying-a-used-guitar/

  • Jak

    Hey Jonathan, the 7th chord in the key of Gmajor (or any major key) is a diminished chord (as it has a flat 5th), not a minor chord, as you played in the above lesson.

  • Jak

    Re my above comment, the 7th chord in a major key is a diminished chord with a flat 5th and flat 3rd which actually makes it a diminished minor. As in the key of G, the 7th chord consists of F#, A (flat3), C (flat5).

  • Joe Bocker

    Hey Johnathon, simple idea but gives me real inspiration for adding a bit of colour to simple chords and progressions. How about using two strings eg. 1 nd 2 up to fret 5 back to 3 and off and on while using a G chord etc. Sounds quite cool i think thanks

  • Yaakov Esral

    There’s no F#m is in the key of G, I think you mean an F# diminished chord?

  • Jonathan

    You’re right – however we often swap a minor chord for the diminished on the guitar… usually as a passing chord or something like that. Try it out, your ear will tell you whether or not it’s going to work.

  • http://none Steven

    Any songwriters out there?