# Songwriting

## Overview

The chapter “Songwriting” guides learners through the process of expressing their own thoughts and emotions by writing lyrics. It introduces descriptive writing and teaches how to create songs using familiar melodies or new ones. It also emphasizes the importance of rhyming and provides engaging activities to practice these skills. Students are encouraged to collaborate, give constructive feedback, and explore diverse Indian and Western musical styles.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. What is Songwriting?

- **Objective**: Develop your own style to express thoughts through song lyrics.
- **Introduction**: Watch a video to understand the fundamentals of songwriting.
- **Key Tip**: Songwriting should be viewed as a collaborative art rather than a competition.

### 2. Descriptive Writing

- **Definition**: Writing that vividly describes an object, place, experience, or idea using detailed sensory language.
- **How to Use It in Songwriting**:
- Describe the subject of your song in detail.
- Use all senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste—if possible.
- Employ imagination for unfamiliar ideas.
- Share your work and accept feedback to improve.
- Read others’ writing for inspiration.

- **Activity 1**: Write a descriptive piece about a **tree**.

### 3. Writing Songs Using Familiar Melodies

- **Examples of Familiar Tunes**:
- *Twinkle Twinkle Little Star*
- *Baa Baa Black Sheep*
- *ABC Song* (same melody as above)
- **Task**: Create your own lyrics using these melodies.

- **Activity 2**:
- Watch a video showing lyric examples for *Twinkle Twinkle Little Star*.
- Write your own song using the melody of **Shyamale Meenakshi**, a traditional Indian nottuswaram.

> 💡 **Nottuswaram** is a genre in Carnatic music developed by Muthuswami Dikshitar, blending Indian classical ragas with Western-style melodies.

### 4. Writing Songs Using Unfamiliar Melodies

- **Objective**: Practice lyric writing with new or less-known tunes.
- **How to Do It**:
- Listen to the given melody in the audio clip.
- Use your imagination to write fitting lyrics.
- Try writing lyrics to another nottuswaram composition.

- **Activity 3**: Write your own song based on an unfamiliar melody.



* Rhyming skills
* Solar System Song example
* Writing your own verse
* Indian music genres
* Rhyme scheme explanation
* New terms and practice questions


### 5. Learning to Rhyme

- **Importance of Rhyming**:
- Helps listeners recognize line endings.
- Enhances musicality and engagement.
- Strengthens the message of the song.

- **Examples of Rhyming Words**:
- cat – bat – mat
- love – above
- hand – understand

- **Activity 4**:
- Listen to the *Solar System Song* to hear rhyming in action.

#### Sample: The Solar System Song

**Verse 1**
- Mercury: smallest, closest to the Sun.
- Venus: hottest, bright like a star.
- Earth: life-supporting, with water and air.

**Chorus**
*(Repeated)*
> “The planets, the planets, revolve around the Sun
> Don’t forget the solar system once this song is done.”

**Verse 2**
- Mars: red, small, moons like potatoes.
- Jupiter: largest, has a Great Red Spot.
- Saturn: sparkly rings, floats on water.

**Verse 3**
- Uranus: coldest, tilted on its side.
- Neptune: blue, feels like clouds.
- Pluto: dwarf planet, very small.

**Bridge**
- Describes rocky and gas planets.
- Mentions Pluto as too small to be a full planet.

### 6. Writing Your Own Verse (Rhyme Scheme Practice)

- **Activity 5**:
- Complete the next verse of this example using the rhyme scheme:

> The sky was dark in the morning,
> The sun didn’t shine as bright.
> The day is set for mourning,
> I miss the warmth of the light.

- **Rhyme Scheme Explanation**:
- A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines.
- Example: ABAB means lines 1 and 3 rhyme, and lines 2 and 4 rhyme.

### 7. Creation and Performance

- Many enjoy learning and performing existing songs.
- Some prefer to create their own lyrics and melodies.
- Both activities help develop creative expression and musical confidence.

### 8. Explore Indian Music Genres

- **Genres to Try**:
- Classical: Hindustani, Carnatic
- Folk
- Semi-Classical
- Devotional
- Patriotic
- Film Songs

- **Classroom Activity**:
- Learn a song from each genre.
- Present as a group performance for friends and family.
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## New Terms

| Term | Simple Definition |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Songwriting | The act of writing lyrics or composing songs. |
| Descriptive | Writing that creates a clear picture using detailed words and senses. |
| Melody | A sequence of musical notes that form a song’s tune. |
| Lyric | The words of a song. |
| Nottuswaram | A Carnatic music style using Western melodies, created by Muthuswami Dikshitar. |
| Rhyme | When two or more words have similar ending sounds. |
| Rhyme Scheme | The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem or song. |
| Verse | A group of lines in a song that tells part of the story. |
| Chorus | A repeating section in a song, usually after each verse. |
| Genre | A style or category of music (like folk, classical, or film songs). |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **What is songwriting?**
*Writing lyrics to express thoughts or tell a story.*

2. **Name one popular melody used in this chapter.**
*Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.*

3. **What is a rhyme?**
*Words that sound similar at the end (e.g., cat – bat).*

### Medium (2)

4. **What is the benefit of descriptive writing in songwriting?**
*It helps listeners visualize the subject of the song clearly.*

5. **What does ABAB mean in rhyme schemes?**
*Lines 1 and 3 rhyme, and lines 2 and 4 rhyme.*

### Difficult (3)

6. **Write a rhyming word for each: love, hand, bright.**
*above, understand, light.*

7. **Explain the difference between a verse and a chorus.**
*A verse tells part of the story; the chorus is repeated after each verse.*

8. **Why is rhyming important in music?**
*It adds rhythm, helps in memorization, and emphasizes meaning.*

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **Write a 4-line verse using the rhyme scheme ABAB on the theme “Rainy Day”.**
*Rain falls gently on the street (A)
Children jump in puddles wide (B)
They splash around with happy feet (A)
As clouds above begin to glide (B)*

10. **Create a 2-line original lyric for any unfamiliar melody you know.**
*In silence blooms the midnight rose,
Beneath the sky where starlight flows.*

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