A Guide To Composing Your Own Guitar Music

For a guitar player, the challenge to write your own songs can certainly be an intriguing one - playing your own music on the instrument that you love. It can also be tremendously rewarding when you get it right.

Writing your own music gives you more freedom and creativity when it comes to playing. Whatever you have in mind, whether its a gentle instrumental piece or even writing your own music, its a wonderfully creative process that will encourage your ability to understand the rhythms and sounds that you hear every day. Whatever you have in mind, whether its a gentle instrumental piece or even writing your own music, its a wonderfully creative process that will encourage your ability to understand the rhythms and sounds that you hear every day.
There is no magic formula for songwriting, and that is one of the reasons why it is such an exciting process. Music, by definition, is meant to be free-flowing and creative not just in the notes themselves but in creating emotional responses from the listener.
Despite the absence of the magic formula, there are a number of tips and techniques that you can learn in order to create your own music on the guitar:
Think of a word such as, for example, snow. Now think of how you would represent snow musically on your guitar. Think of all the things that the word snow means to you, and play that. You may start out with just a few notes and mistimed chords, but keep at it.
Try some other words rain or sadness, for example and try to create something which best represents those words in your own way. It doesnt have to signify the same word to other people music is best when it is objective. Youll find that you will fuss around with the notes a bit, but eventually you will find a finger-picking motion that you like.
If you are writing lyrics to go with your music, then there are two ways you can approach this: you can start out with the words and apply the music, or do the opposite: start with the music and fit the lyrics around that. What works for one person may not work for another, so experiment, try both and see one best fits your individual songwriting style.
If youre still struggling, take a look at these more simplified steps:

Find some chords that you are familiar with (like G or E), experiment and see what happens.
Keeping one finger in place, move your fingers to different strings.
Make sure you are listening to the sound produced by the individual notes as well as when you strum.
Commit anything you like to memory by playing it over and over again.
Now that you have the starting point for your song, build around it and watch the first series of notes evolve!

It doesnt matter if you sing complete nonsense, or the first things that come into your mind this is all part of the creative process. When it comes to songwriting on your guitar, one of the most important things to remember is to relax and enjoy it. Sooner or later you will stumble on a chord (or a chord variation) that you like the sound of, or a lyric that you find particularly suitable. As soon as you do, write it down, and play around with it.
Looking back over time, some of the most beautiful and emotive songs have emerged from collaborations between two or more musicians. Also, a musically-minded friend can give you some great feedback on how things are progressing.