9 Useful Tools for Songwriters

Songwriting can be quite a complex and time-consuming process, especially if you want to record the whole thing at the same time. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to concentrate on the essentials: our 9 essential tools for better songwriting.

Pen & Paper

So obvious and yet so essential. When inspiration strikes you should have something to write with you. Whether it's a tipping box or a fancy notepad, songwriting also means having the basics under control.

HUM

Lyric ideas and melodies often come spontaneously and unexpectedly. Be it while jogging or on the train. So sometimes you have to be fast. Did you know that Michael Jackson wrote one of his most famous songs "Billie Jean" during a car ride?The iPhone app HUM has been developed by musicians. You can store your lyrical ideas or hummed melodies in the form of notes with it, audio recordings and pictures in an organized place and – more importantly – automatically synchronize between all your devices. Everything you record is stored in the dropbox, so nothing gets lost. Alternative for Android users: Evernote

Hookpad

HookPad is an ingenious software that simplifies the process of songwriting by combining good sounding chords to create melodies and hooks. A kind of musical notepad.

Rhyme Dictionary

Sometimes the lyrics are as good as finished, but you're still looking for the last missing word, which ideally rhymes with another word. So it can't hurt to have a rhyme dictionary or thesaurus nearby.

Rhyme Zone is an English rhyme dictionary that helps you to search for synonyms, antonyms and similar sounding words.

Landr

You can use Landr as a free version or pay for a more comprehensive service. Landr is a mastering tool that fits well into your creative process and is easy to use. You can write a song and master it in time for the evening gig. You can share your demos or mastered tracks privately and securely with friends, acquaintances or band members and work on them. You can use timestamps to refer to specific areas such as the bridge or the chorus.

Send.mu

Sending several songs or files at once? SendMusic is free and easy to use – the best way to send large files. It's basically like WeTransfer, only for musicians: you can upload any kind of audio file up to 5 GB and choose whether the recipient should be able to download and/or stream the file. The download speed is fast and files are instantly sent and received. When your email is opened, you'll receive a notification.

Google Suite

The Suite of intelligent apps from Google includes business email accounts, video conferencing, online storage, and file sharing. The best place to store all your data, ideas and text. The whole team can access anytime, anywhere. You can work at the same time and track changes in real-time. Once you've used it, you'll quickly wonder why you've taken the awkward route all this time before.

Streaming Platforms

Once a song is finished, it should also be heard by others. The most powerful promo tool for this is digital distribution: make your music available on the most popular streaming platforms. The tool of choice here could be Ditto Music, our partner for digital distribution. As gigmit PRO artist you even release unlimited songs for free for one year on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Deezer & Co - and the whole world can listen and discover you. Find out more on how streaming supports your booking HERE.

Music Publishing

If possible you should earn money with finished songs. Services like the digital music publisher Sentric Music, which helps to collect royalties worldwide, are helpful.

Perhaps the most important tool in songwriting is the concert: the interaction with the audience, the feedback from your fans, the reaction to new songs is nowhere more immediate than with live gigs. Find out which songs work and which you should still be working on! Possibilities for live gigs can be found here on gigmit.

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