| If you're ever in need of a new way to kick-start | | | | At the time I had Avril Lavigne's song "Keep |
| a new song idea, the ghost song may be just the | | | | Holding On" stuck in my head, as it was in heavy |
| ticket. The term 'ghost song' refers to the use of | | | | rotation. So I decided to use it one night and |
| another song as a template. | | | | began writing lyrics to it. |
| Choose Your Template | | | | I had a couple of pages of 'missing you' type lines, |
| First you need to choose a song you would like to | | | | the result of a freewriting session. Several of |
| use. I would encourage you to pick a hit song, | | | | those lines jumped out at me as being pretty |
| because you can be sure a lot of time and effort | | | | good, so I circled them. I replaced the original |
| went into writing it. It might be helpful to choose | | | | opening lines of the Avril Lavigne song with some |
| a song in the same genre as the song you intend | | | | of these. I began writing the song in the form of |
| to write. But it's not necessary. I have used | | | | a letter. I even wrote the words "I hope this |
| R&B songs as templates, and I never write | | | | letter will find you okay." |
| R&B songs! | | | | I began asking myself questions such as "Who |
| Now before I go any further, let me make it | | | | and where is this person?" and "Why am I praying |
| clear you are not stealing anything. Your finished | | | | for his or her safe return?" I decided the song |
| song should not resemble the ghost song at all. It | | | | would be about a loved one who was away at |
| should end up being completely your own. | | | | war. That song became an example of some of |
| Write Your Own Story | | | | the best lyrics I've written. And apart from |
| Once you've chosen your song, begin by replacing | | | | tempo, I'm happy to say it bears no resemblance |
| the existing lyrics with your own. The idea is not | | | | to "Keep Holding On". |
| to copy the storyline, but to borrow the rhythmic | | | | Write Your Own Melody |
| feel of the lyric. Use the rhythm and melody as a | | | | Once you have a handle on where your song is |
| guide for writing lyrics. As you progress further | | | | headed, concentrate on the melody. This is very |
| into your new song, begin changing the melody | | | | important. Your melody must be your own. Be |
| here and there. | | | | sure to spend a lot of time on your melody. I |
| If you play guitar or piano it will help to start | | | | believe it to be the most important part of a |
| playing different chords than the ones in the | | | | song. |
| original song. Also loosen your grip on the rhythm. | | | | This is where you drop any remaining shred of |
| Allow your song room to grow, and pretty soon | | | | the ghost song. It's like learning to ride a bicycle. |
| your song will begin to take on a life of its own. | | | | The training wheels are there to help you for a |
| My Example | | | | while. Eventually you take them off and ride by |
| I'll give you an example of how I used this | | | | yourself. |
| method during one of my own songwriting | | | | Try out the ghost song technique for yourself. I |
| sessions. | | | | think you may be pleasantly surprised! |