Collaborating on a song is sometimes easier said than done, but it can pay off in rewarding ways if you’re smart about it and persistent. Most hit songs are collaborations, so it’s worth looking into. Even singer-songwriters like Lewis Capaldi, Adele, and Ed Sheeran, work with co-writers.
There are plenty of reasons to collaborate on a song. Let’s say you’ve written an awesome lyric. It’s got a great theme, plenty of emotion, and good song craft. You want to see it become the beautiful, finished song you know it could be, but maybe writing melodies isn’t your strength. Maybe you don’t play guitar or keyboards. Time to start collaborating!
Looking for collaborators
If you haven’t worked with a co-writer before, you might not have any idea where they hang out and how to meet one. Here are five ideas for finding people to write with.
Idea #1: Take an online or in-person songwriting course, song camp, webinar, or workshop where you can meet other writers. These people are looking to improve their skills and learn more about their craft. That’s a sign of someone who might be a good co-writer. Find out if they share your goals, if they’re interested in writing in styles you want to write in, and ask if you can hear some of their songs.
Idea #2: Visit a local music store. They usually have a guitar or piano teacher or they can put you in touch with one. The teacher might be interested in collaborating on a song with you or may have a student who is looking for a co-writer.
Idea #3: Universities, community colleges, and community outreach programs in your area offer courses and events. Take a class or talk to one of the teachers about finding a co-writer. If you’re a student yourself, check to see if there’s a campus club or group interested in music or songwriting.
Idea #4: Check out coffee houses and clubs in your area that feature local artists. Go to Open Mic nights to hear singer-songwriters. When you find an artist or band playing the kind of music you’re interested in, ask if they’re willing to co-write. If they tell you they write all their own songs, tell them you’d like to collaborate on songs to pitch to publishers for other artists. They’ll be interested.
Idea #5: Check out the Collaboration Corner at TAXI.com. You don’t have to be a TAXI member to join in the forum discussions and meet collaborators. Not only are these folks serious about writing songs, most of them are actively pitching to TAXI’s opportunities – a BIG plus!
Get to know each other
Before you jump into a song with a collaborator, get to know a little bit about each other. Play songs similar to the ones you want to write. Discuss your process, the way each of you likes to work. Talk about the music styles you want to write in, where you feel your strengths are, and what resources you can bring to a collaboration.
It’s a good idea to talk about your goals for your music. You want to avoid too many surprises after you invest time and energy in writing together. If your co-writer is an artist and wants to keep the song for their own releases but you want to pitch it to a music publisher, this could be a problem later on.
Ways of working together
There are as many ways of collaborating as there are songwriters. You can work together in the same room. You can bat ideas back and forth online via Zoom. Or you can exchange a lyric doc or a music file, work on your own for a while, and then send it back. All of these will work. It just depends on your comfort zone. As you and your co-writer(s) get to know each other, you’ll find the one that fits you best.
The first session
Bring a few ideas with you when you’re ready to work together. It could be a list of song titles, ideas for themes, a melody, or chord progression and groove. Anything to get the creative juices going.
My book “Song Starters: 365 Lyric, Melody, & Chord Ideas,” available at Amazon.com, is filled with ideas to get your collaborations going.
Agree to be supportive of each other. Keep your comments positive and constructive. If your co-writer comes up with a line you aren’t sure about, give it a chance. Work with it. Try making a few changes before you decide it won’t work. Then suggest something you think would be more effective and explain why.
When it doesn’t work out
You might work with three or four (or more) people before you find someone you want to write with. Maybe the two of you just don’t hear things the same way. Sometimes two strong personalities have trouble finding common ground. Whatever the reason, try to catch it early. Agree to keep the contributions you have each made—lyric, melody, or chords—and go your separate ways.
Collaborating can be a great way to get more songs written, add strength, and get a fresh perspective. It’s worth the time and effort to find a few partners in songwriting. Start looking now.