DIY Recording Guys · Vadim Kharaz and Benjamin Hull

63: Tips for Writing Better Lyrics (and Better Songs!)

April 5, 2021·1 hr 2 min·5 clips

Syanna reveals how Kevin Garrett's line 'I will breathe the air in front of your door' transforms ordinary lyrics into poetic storytelling.

This episode features Vadim and Ben from DIY Recording Guys interviewing Syanna, a Toronto-based R&B artist and songwriter known for her educational articles. They explore practical strategies for improving lyric writing and overall songcraft. Syanna emphasizes the "show-don't-tell" principle, illustrating it with a line from Kevin Garrett's song "Never Knock." She describes her personal process of collecting lyric fragments in phone notes, sometimes combining lines written years apart about different people. The conversation addresses the common struggle of writing a compelling second verse, with Syanna advising songwriters to prioritize the story over rigid rhyme schemes. She suggests changing instrumentation, chord progressions, or even the key in later verses to maintain listener interest. Syanna shares that she often writes lyrics first, then experiments with melodies, which she revises extensively. The hosts and guest discuss the balance between originality and accessibility, noting that familiarity in melody often helps songs resonate. Syanna uses Ableton and Splice to speed up her demo production, leveraging samples to achieve a professional sound quickly. She advocates for collaboration, viewing it as a way to focus on one's strengths in songwriting or vocal performance. The episode has a relaxed, conversational tone as three DIY musicians exchange experiences and tips. Listeners interested in moving past clichés and crafting more evocative lyrics will find concrete methods here. Those solely focused on technical recording or mixing may find the songwriting focus less directly applicable.

As heard by us

A relaxed songwriting craft talk about stronger lyrics, rule-breaking, and turning rough ideas into recordable songs.

DIY Recording Guys turns a lyric-writing episode into a useful, relaxed craft conversation. Vadim frames the chat around Syanna, a Toronto-based R&B artist and songwriter whose Flypaper piece, "Seven Songwriting Rules to Break," gives the room its best tension: learn the usual…

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Why you'd press play

If your lyrics keep sounding generic, this one gives you sharper ways in.

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