How To Write Songs On Acoustic Guitar

Generally I find it easier to begin writing a song on my acoustic guitar rather than going straight in on the electric, even if I'm writing a rock song. It's much better for building chord sequences, come up with a melody and even a rhythm and just keeps things simpler. As a rule of thumb I also believe that if a song works when it's in this simple format then it stands to reason that it will work when brought into a full band setup with drums and bass. So I'd certainly suggest trying this as a good starting point. Even a punk type of song will work on acoustic guitar if it has a good groove.

And when you think about it, how many classic songs have you heard played in this stripped down manner? Just about every great song will have one version broken down to just a guy or gal and their acoustic and I love to hear a song played in this way. It really sorts the wheat from the chaff in my opinion and is a great way to begin building your songs.

Now you may find this a bit of a surprise but using less chords in your songs actually makes it harder to write. Yes, that's correct and the reason for this is that a lack of chords means that you are forced into adding interest into your song in another way. Try it. I've now written several 2 chord songs and believe me it's a real challenge. There are ways to add a spark but it's not easy. You can try a tempo change or a rhythm change for verse or chorus or switching the chords over to try and create interest. Give it a go!

But as a beginner I'd recommend songwriting with 3 chords. It's much easier and many great songs contain 3 chords. The chords do need to work well together though although you'll be surprised at what chords you can actually use. Simple chord sequences such as D, A and E or D, C, G have been used in some all time classics as long as they are held together with a strong melody and lyric.

You can also use what is commonly known as a 'turnaround' with 3 chords which in effect creates a 4 chord sequence. 'Wild Thing' by the Troggs is a great example of this where the riff literally 'turns around' and repeats the second or first chord in the sequence so you may play a structure such a E, A, B, A.

This nest tip is a real beauty, and I use this all the time, maybe too often at times but I love the effect of it. It involves adding a false bass note to a straight chord. This technique can be heard in songs like 'Use Somebody' by Kings of Leon which uses an E bass note on a C Chord, or 'Wish You Were Here' by Pink Floyd which uses an F# bass note on a D chord.

Try some of these ideas to enhance your songwriting