Writing Together Can Be Better

Writing together in a songwriting team has many advantages for you. Here are my thoughts on how it can help you.

The music business is all about connections and networking. Co-writing broadens your connections to other songwriters who hopefully have people who can have listen to your songs that you don’t have access to.

All the people who write the song will help you pitch it because they have an interest in the song being successful. It’s even better if you’re writing with a writer who is more established than you. This is called writing up.

Make sure you have your royalty split, expectations and understanding discussion with your co-writers. For more on this check out my section on Songwriting Teams Dos and Don’ts.

Everyone has a different history musically and bring their own approach to music with them. This can give a song a very different feeling than if you had written it alone.

How broad is each person’s experience is and what styles of songs have they written is important. It can help you find new ways to express your own music.

One head is better than then two. Bouncing ideas off a co-writer can sometimes get you past a block when you are stuck for an idea. Different people bring different skills and perspective to the table. This can broaden the song you write.

A co-writing session also can force you to do your homework and get prepared with new ideas. It can push you on to better things and motivate you to write to make sure you are contributing as much or more than the other writers. The session itself can make all of you up the bar and try harder.

You should to be open to make changes to what you've written. Writing together requires agreement by everyone before the song is finished. You can’t get hung up on what you’ve written because there are more perspectives to be considered.

That’s a good thing. So expect to check your reactions when your co-writer thinks what you've written could be said in a way that is stronger for the song. Presenting more fresh ideas is better than getting stuck on one that others don’t agree with.

There is nothing like someone who is a stronger writer than you showing you some short cuts that you missed along the way. You job is to get as many tools and skills as you can in your songwriting toolbox.

Actually writing with a better writer will make you a better writer because you will have an incredible opportunity for practical experience. Just because you have less experience than another writer doesn’t mean you don’t have fresh ideas to bring to the mix. It’s a process that bends with input.

Most of us have a technique and a main instrument that we use to write. Ever felt your songs are all starting to sound too much the same? That can all change if you write with someone who plays a different instrument.

I sometimes write with a classically trained piano player. I love the variation of melody he brings to my skill set.

When you end up writing together with a co-writer that doesn’t fit with you, don’t jump off the deep end and make a scene. It’s a very small world in songwriting.

Better you find a way to not write together anymore than burn some of the music connections you’re trying to build.

You’re different from every other writer on the planet and that’s what gives you something special to contribute. This is also true for the co-writer who you can’t work with. Somewhere out there waits someone who will fit with them.

Building relationships will get you to a much better place than demolishing them. If you find one person who you can’t work with go try to find two who you can work with.

Be prepared for each session. Have you got your guitar, pen paper, list of ideas? Writing together can be one of the best experiences in songwriting. Being prepared for it will give you a head start on writing a great song.