The band I presently play in is a reformation with old friends of one of the lineups of “Valhalla/Streetlight” my very first band, which was formed at Dartford Technical High School in the 1970s. We have been meeting up periodically and initially we reworked some covers and that was fun. However, now in our 60s we have found that we get more pleasure from making original music and recording it for our own and friends’ “enjoyment”. This blog is about songwriting and contains a lot of material that I have found on the internet along with some thoughts/anecdotes of my own. I have written songs since I was about 13 years old and met “Amanda with the Long Brown Hair” (yes it makes me wince as well). I am just a dabbler but I would like to encourage others who are learning guitar to have a go since no one ever got rich playing covers!

Writing your first song on guitar can feel intimidating, but it’s a process that anyone can learn with a bit of structure and experimentation. You don’t need advanced skills—just a few chords, a sense of rhythm, and the willingness to explore your own ideas. This last bit is crucial, the cliched picture of the writer with a bin full of screwed up sheets of paper is realistic, you have to be willing to put multiple ideas down on paper/laptop/tablet/voice recorder and work with them, discarding the ones that are going nowhere until you come up with something that you are willing for other people to hear. I’ll go to an aside here, as some of you will be aware there are a lot of AI apps for writing songs available. I've tried several, especially easymusic.ai. Thoughts……well think the AI engine has been trained by listening to Ed Sheeran songs 😊. Have a listen to one of my efforts that was produced using my lyrics and a few simple prompts and see what you think An Agreement of the People .

Writing lyrics first in songwriting can have some real advantages—especially if your goal is to communicate something meaningful or tell a strong story. When you start with lyrics, you’re focusing on what you want to say before worrying about how it sounds musically. This often leads to songs with clearer themes and more direct storytelling. However, this approach does require you to be flexible, your original ideas may well not scan well with simple melody/chord structures, so keeping meaning while making it a pleasing song may be challenging (or of course you can just drone on with the original lyrics over a vague backing track, as many a famous band has done).

In terms of the music start with the basics. Make sure you’re comfortable playing a few simple chords such as G, C, D, and Em. These chords are widely used in countless songs and sound great together. Practice switching between them smoothly, because your song will likely rely on repeating chord progressions. A common progression for beginners is G–D–Em–C, which already has a pleasing, familiar sound. Why? This chord sequence is a simplified version of the Pachelbel chord progression which was used in a piece of classical music written in 1680 which has been used in various forms in many popular songs. If you want to be a little more adventurous you could start from the full Pachelbel chord progression. In its original form it would be D – A – Bm – F#m – G – D – G – A, which as soon as you play it will sound familiar, try transposing it to an easier to play on the guitar key, C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G and then see what songs come to mind! If you simplify even further to C-G-Am-F or G-D-Em-C as suggested above, then you’ll start to hear even more (Tony!).

Once you have a progression, play it in a loop. This repetition is the foundation of your song. As you strum, experiment with rhythm—try different strumming patterns, speeds, and dynamics. A slower, softer strum can feel emotional, while a faster, more energetic rhythm can make your song feel upbeat. Don’t worry about perfection; focus on what sounds good to you.

Next comes melody. This is the part people hum or sing. While playing your chord progression, start vocalizing random sounds or simple phrases. You don’t need real lyrics yet—just let your voice follow the music naturally. Notice which notes feel right over the chords. Often, your instinct will guide you toward a melody that fits. A note of caution here sometimes, if you are using a well-known chord sequence the melody that will sound “right” may well be one that has been used previously (the cause of multiple lawsuits). I once wrote what I thought was a fabulous song, for it to be pointed out to me that the melody was a direct copy of “San Francisco” by Scott Mackenzie!

After finding a (hopefully original) melody, begin shaping lyrics. Start with a theme or idea—this could be anything: a personal experience, a feeling, a story, or even a simple moment. Keep your lyrics honest and relatable. You don’t need complex poetry; simple lines that express genuine emotion are often the most powerful. Try writing a few lines that match the rhythm of your melody, then refine them so they flow smoothly.

Structure is the next step. Most songs follow a basic format such as verse–chorus–verse–chorus–bridge–chorus. The verse tells the story, while the chorus delivers the main message or hook—the part that sticks in the listener’s mind. Your chord progression can stay the same throughout, or you can slightly change it for different sections to create contrast.

As you build your song, think about dynamics. Maybe your verses are quieter and more stripped down, while your chorus is louder and fuller. This contrast keeps the listener engaged and adds emotional impact.

Don’t forget to refine. Play your song multiple times and listen critically. Adjust anything that feels off—whether it’s a chord change, a lyric, or the melody. Recording yourself can help you hear your song more objectively. Voice memos on a iPhone is perfectly adequate for this to at least get some idea what the song sounds like.

Finally, remember that your first song doesn’t have to be perfect. The goal is to create something that feels right to you. Songwriting is a skill that improves with practice, so every song you write teaches you something new. Keep experimenting, stay patient, and most importantly, enjoy it!

Malcolm Clench

IMAG Music

Sheffield

April 2026