Perfectly apt for trap, hip hop, EDM and trance boppers, Superwave P8 is considered one of the best synth VST plugins on the freeware market. It does help that it was remotely modelled off of the Roland JP 8000. Best Free Amp Simulator VST Traditionally used to emulate that vintage guitar sound that is unique to some old school amps, amp simulators can also be used with other instruments to achieve a unique sound. Below are our favorite free amp sim vsts. Blue Cat’s and Voxengo’s free amp simulators are some of the highlights. These were our top picks for the 7 best VST instrument plugins and 7 best sound effect plugins for music production! Available for free download and easy install to your MAC or Windows PC. Once again, it doesn’t matter which music production software you use, as all VST plugins are compatible with Reason, Fruity Loops Studio, Ableton Live.
You may face several scenarios while mixing and mastering which may include the use of an equalizer, having a transparent display to analyze what you are adding or subtracting with the EQ, multiple EQ bands, and proper CPU usage is what to look for in an EQ.
But with that said every piece of software and hardware alike creates and outputs a slightly different sound meaning they all have unique timbres and uses. Alongside that, there are some rather expensive plugins we may see online, which aren’t out of our reaches but we don’t know what we need until we need it right? Well, this is why its best to try some free EQ’s first to see what it is you like within an EQ and what it maybe you are looking for.
We become ever so comfortable with our stock plugins, they do the simple tasks for us (sometimes), they don’t run our computer into the ground, and they for sure are pretty basic. Well, this is the issue most people come to, they want a better EQ, or they want a change of visuals.
EQ History – ‘The first EQ was first used by John Volkman working at RCA in the 1920s”
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- DDMF Colour EQ | info & download
- SPL Free Ranger | info & download
- Analog Obsession STEQ v2 | info & download
- TDR Nova Parallel Dynamic Equalizer | info & download
- Cockos ReaEQ | info & download
- Blue Cat’s Triple EQ | info & download
- Analog Obsession Merica | info & download
- TinyQ lkjb | info & download
- Sonimus SonEQ | info & download
- Ignite Amps PTEq-X | info & download
- Leftover Lasagne Pushtec 5+1A EQ | info & download
- lkjb QRange | info & download
- TDR Slick EQ | info & download
- Manda Audio 7Q | info & download
- Mellowmuse EQ1A | info & download
- Voxengo Marvel GEQ | info & download
- Kuassa BASIQ | info & download
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- 64-bit processing
- Low-CPU Usage
- Customizable GUI
- Great warm sound
- 5 Bands
- Resizable Window
Features & When To Use:
Colour EQ is a 64-bit EQ plugin that offers 5 ”super parametric” bands to manipulate the frequency range. This is exceedingly handy when wanting to use more than one band in one instance; the intuitive gain knobs on the five bands allow for perfect mixing of these bands when mixing and mastering.
Using the two different types of curves, Colour EQ offers a warm sound that you just wouldn’t get from your stock EQ.
Having a bright visual display helps you to craft and mould your bands to preference.
A great way to use this plugin is when you are not getting enough warmth in your low, mid/mids, Colour EQ will add a great sense of warmth throughout the selected bands. Another cool way to use this plugin is to use two different setups with two different curve types; you can use modified versions of the EQ for selected times in your mixdowns to add the feeling of a change in energy in a breakdown or drop.
Colour EQ is a great tool to have in your arsenal for mixing and mastering, plus you may find many uses in your day-to-day production.
Compatibility:
Windows VST (32/64 bit), Windows/Mac RTAS, and Mac VST/AU format (Intel, OSX 10.5 and higher)
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Four useful bands
- Volume knob
- Great sound
- Four buttons to switch between EQ settings
Features & When To Use:
With a sleek, minimalistic design Free Ranger is a powerful EQ.
With a mid-band (150Hz – 7kHz), fixed high (10kHz), low shelf (80Hz) SPL have kept things very simple so anyone can EQ with ease.
Free Ranger gives the feel of the world-renowned API 560 EQ but offers this all for free!
Free Ranger is a bodybuilder for your sounds while mixing and a gentle touch when mastering, this plugin makes EQing fun, quick and easy.
You may find yourself using the four different EQ settings and incorporate them into your mixdowns. Using them to create different feels and vibes can give your masters that final touch you’ve been looking for.
This is a must-have!
Compatibility:
macOS 10.9 through 10.15, Windows 7-10
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- mid-band (150Hz – 7kHz)
- fixed high (10kHz)
- low shelf (80Hz)
- Optical compressor knob
- Added preamp
Features & When To Use:
Simplicity is key with EQ work in the mix or master, and this plugin keeps that in mind through and through.
With a very easy to use GUI STEQ 2 has a powerful but simple way of delivering a small form factor EQ to your DAW.
This EQ gives off old school retro vibe, precise, clean, and adds a lot of detail to the mid-range.
STEQ 2 is excellent for tonal rebalancing due to the broadness of the three bands creating a pure blend between the frequency ranges.
Using this to add punch to claps and snares is also a good use. But be careful when adding to full bus groups.
This EQ from Analog Obsession is an excellent tool to keep at your disposal when thinking about doing some tasks during your mix, or why not change up those stock plugins for free.
Compatibility
WiN, OSX AU VST, VST3
More Info & Download
Specifications:
Great for:
Features & When To Use:
Nova is a parallel dynamic EQ; each band has a dedicated, dynamic section giving the user full flexibility.
Giving the option to drag and move bands in the visual GUI individually or group, this provides a natural form factor way to get results.
Using the multiband compression built into Nova your be able to manipulate your EQ even further, this will be displayed in the visual GUI with real-time feedback of the compression process. (subtly decrease the threshold to hear the difference)
In mix and mastering, you can use Nova to visually see where you may have audio issues to fix and makes it very easy to apply these changes with the drag and change feature.
The dynamic EQ is a handy tool to have in practice when mixing down full compositions – use it to bring down or up frequencies only when they reach a specific volume.
Nova is a heavyweight EQ with a lot under the hood all for free!
Compatibility:
Win XP SP2 or above, Mac OS X 10.7 or above.
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Low CPU & RAM
- Fast and highly configurable
- Portable – copy & run
- Resizeable GUI
Features & When To Use:
ReaEQ may look basic, but under the hood, there is a lot to offer.
Being able to have as many bands as you wish is a massive bonus, you also have the ability to change all of these bands to one of the following (shelves, bands, LPF, HPF, notch, bandpass, allpass).
With a stripped-back GUI, it keeps you focused on the task at hand, not over complicating things but giving you the power of an audio god at your fingertips.
With a tremendous real-time visual display, this gives you the eyes and ear focus that you need when EQ in the mix.
Phasing is a big issue when mixing, ReaEQ gives you a ‘Show Phase’ button which will show you in your display what frequencies are being affected by the band.
When mastering you may wish to keep all bands in one EQ patch, with ReaEQ you can do this.
Stripped back and powerful ReaEQ is a favorite among many producers across a wide range of genres.
Compatibility:
WIN 32, WIN 64
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Semi-parametric EQ
- +/- 40dB Range per band
- MIDI control and automation support
- Real-time display
- All sample rates supported
Features & When To Use:
The Triple EQ is a three-band semi-parametric equaliser.
With a simple and easy to read visual display of the frequencies in real-time, you will have a clear display of the EQ in front of your eyes.
Alongside the huge +/- 40 dB range, Triple EQ has a bandwidth of .01 to 5 Octaves!
An exciting feature with Triple EQ is that you can link two bands together using the ‘Link Channels’ feature. This will allow you to use them in unison; combine this with the automaton support to create quick and easy modulation. This is a great way to change an EQ while in the mix with complex automation.
Using the linking feature to create movement and progression within your mixdowns makes Triple EQ a threat.
Fully customisable shapes make this a different tool when deep in the mix or master, you will find many uses for the dynamic bands you can create—having dynamic bands that you are able to manipulate helps when visually your EQ and how it may affect the whole frequency range.
Check this one out for a small form factor powerful EQ!
Compatibility:
Windows 7 to 10, Mac OS 10.7 or newer.
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- Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Low & High Band – Shelf
- Mid Band – Proportional Q Peak
- HP & LP Filter – Constant
- Low CPU usage
Features & When To Use:
We have another FREE plugin from Analog Obsession!
This time is bringing you Merica an emulation of the API 550A console equaliser.
A simple three-band EQ delivers a lot of power to your mixes and masters. Selectively choose which frequency your band boosts or cuts with the option to the right of the knobs.
All bands kept simple and easy to get to grips with.
Meica also has a nifty and very much needed output knob, there will be no issues with clipping in the digital domain when mastering with this plugin.
A larger than appearing sound Merica is an excellent EQ plugin to use when in the mixdowns and masters.
Given that the EQ it emulates is an industry-standard plugin this small form, powerful, easy to use, and was coded by one man! Merica is a must grab for all audio creatives looking to upgrade their stock EQ plugins.
Compatibility:
VST Win, VST3 Win, VST Mac, VST3 Mac, AU Mac
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Four bands (20 Hz to 20 kHz)
- Small form factor (ability to make larger if wanted)
- High & Low cuts range is 6 and 48 dB/octave
- Included frequency analyser
Features & When To Use:
TinyQ is a small form factor EQ.
Giving the user a stripped-back interface TinyQ offers a solution to a simple job.
Having too many settings can become overwhelming; TinyQ does what it says on the tin and doesn’t make your job any harder.
Keeping things simple when mixing down whole groups is essential – finding yourself using CPU heavy EQ, or a stock plugin just might not cut it for you. TinyEQ is excellent for doing those necessary but straightforward EQ tasks!
With the recent addition of built-in frequency analyzer, it makes EQ even easier when getting stuck into your mixes or masters.
Create awesome sounding band curves.
Great emphasis on keeping things simple goes a long way with TinyQ; the team has made a great EQ that does everything it needs to in one small package. With four bands plus high pass/low pass filters, you won’t be looking any further for your day to day EQ needs.
Compatibility:
Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.7 or later (both 64 bit)
More Info & Download
- Three-band Equalizer, Low, Mid, High.
- 2 Musical Filters, High-Pass Low-Pass.
- Preamp stage with a bass booster.
- 64-bit floating-point precision.
- Up to 192kHz sample rates supported.
Features & When To Use:
SonEQ has 3 bands, low (20 Hz – 100 Hz), mid (150 Hz – 4 kHz), high (6 kHz – 15 kHz). Combined with a high pass and low pass filter, plus a ‘Mid-high Q’ this means when it’s on your band its narrow and when deactivated will cause it to be wider. This indicated by the red light.
Giving the user a lot of ways to EQ but keeping things user-friendly is what SonEQ does best.
Having the volume meter is very hand when mixing with any EQ, it gives the visual display of when things are getting a bit heated for your output.
SonEQ also gives you the full control of your input and output levels. This comes in handy when you are mixing your tracks with heavy effects, causing the overall levels to become louder than 0.0dB; this is where adjusting both the input and output parameters will solve the issue.
With this plugin being free for all to use we don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t be ready to deploy at the click of a finger, whether it’s beefing up the mix with the built-in bass boost preamp staging or adding a touch of colour to the highs this plugin has you covered.
Compatibility:
Mac OSX 10.6 or newer – Windows XP or newer
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Three equalisation modules
- Stereo/Mono switching
- Four different tube types
- Global input/output level control
Features & When To Use:
PTEq-X is a digital emulation of three famous vintage EQ.
Equipped with three EQ modules comprised of mid-range (2kHZ – 7 kHz), low-frequency (20Hz – 150Hz), high-frequency (3kHz – 16kHz).
Using the mid-range module, you can use the low, mid parameter (top left) to effect the lower mid frequencies. Alternatively use the high mid setting (top right) to cause-effect to these frequencies.
Moving down the EQ, we have our second module, which is PEQ1A EQ (Low & High). This comes with a bunch of parameters to mould your EQ patches perfectly to your source.
Finally, this is all topped off with the HL3C module; this is a low-cut accompanied by a high-cut.
You can also use the ‘Oversampling’ feature to reduce aliasing.
Use the “Tube” switch to apply or deactivate the tube amp.
Using the input and output levels will give you the ability to control any nasty peaks brought in or out of the EQ.
PTEq-X is a combination of some of the best analogue EQ’s to exist, plus its FREE!! We recommend this one for a great addition to your EQ arsenal.
Compatibility:
Windows 7 – 10 32 and 64 bit. OS X 10.7 64 bit
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- 6 Band mid-range EQ
- Presets built-in
- Algorithms based on famous analogue gear
- Designed for mixing and mastering
Features & When To Use:
Pushtec 5+1A is a versatile mid-range program EQ that has mixing and mastering at its heart.
This plugin offers six bands, all offering a fantastic sounding boost through all parameters.
A vast selection of plugins makes it easy for users to start with something super effective and tweak to their liking.
“B/W” stands for bandwidth, this allows you to tweak the selected band and adjust to your preference.
A friendly and straightforward GUI keeps this EQ a smaller form factor but with a lot of power. Being designed for mixing and mastering be assured that this plugin delivers best when applied to a whole group or a master channel.
Giving instant sparkle to a mix or a very much needed bass boost this FREE plugin has you covered!
Compatibility:
Win 7 or higher only
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- 12 bands
- peak, shelf and cut filter
- Cut filters (12, 24 and 48 dB/oct steepness)
- Stereo/Left/Right/Mid/Side routing for each band
- A global gain for loudness adjustments
- Resizable GUI
Features & When To Use:
QRange is a very straight forward, user friendly, and effective EQ for mixing and mastering.
Giving the user an intuitive click and drag feature makes EQ work easy and more controllable.
With a choice of twelve bands, there is excellent room for doing additive plus subtractive EQ all in one plugin patch. Each band has. Selection of up to five different types (peak, low-shelf, high-shelf, low cut, and high cut).
Built into the frequency spectrum, you have the power to change it to pre or post. ‘Pre’ will let you see what the frequency range looks likes before the EQ is applied, whereas ‘Post’ will allow you to see it after the EQ has taken effect.
Offering the ability to users to save and load their own presets makes it easy to bring back some of your favourite patches while working on a mix or master.
It has to be said lkjb QRange is a must-have FREE EQ plugin.
Compatibility:
Win 7 or higher, macOS 10.7 or higher
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Specifications:
- Semiparametric EQ layout
- Three bands combined with 18dB/Oct high-pass filter
- Four EQ models: “American”, “British”, “German” and “Soviet” with optional non-linearity
- Five output stages: “Linear”, “Silky”, “Mellow”, “Deep” and “Toasted”
- Saturation algorithms by VoS (“Stateful saturation”)
Features & When To Use:
TDR’s Slick EQ provides a recognizable analogue sound.
Using three bands that bring together four different EQ models.
Both low and high bands are coupled with a cut and bell feature allowing for comfortable band changing.
Auto gain estimates the gain change caused by the current EQ settings; this makes it great to compare your EQ setting during the mix. There is also an ‘EQ Sat’ button; this will activate the saturator which is very intelligently paired to your EQ bands. This will add harmonics when boosting and remain passive when cutting.
Being able to save your favourite EQ settings for a later mix or master can be done within the plugin. Coupled with a undo/redo button you never miss that sweet spot for your bands, alternatively set up two different EQs with the A/B switch.
Slick EQ gives a very stripped back interface meaning you don’t get caught up with the visuals when doing equalising, providing a focus on what your hearing. This EQ shouldn’t be overlooked, with great coding, algorithms, settings, and excellent sounding types SlickEQ delivers more than you would expect from a FREE plugin.
Compatibility:
Win 32 bit VST2, VST3, Win 64bit VST2, VST3, AAX
Mac VST2, VST3, AU, AAX 64 bit
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Seven band EQ
- Highpass/lowpass
- Stereo/mono options
- Left/right options
- Output level
Features & When To Use:
Manda Audio brings us 7Q.
7Q is an emulation of the beloved ‘Classic EQ’ which became discontinued, the team came together and brought the community back a redesigned version.
7Q takes off all the fancy parts and gives you the bare basics; this is what gives this a place on our list. With 7Q giving you the ability to apply your EQ to the left or right or both channels, you can independently EQ both sides of the stereo field.
Each band can be additive or subtractive. Keeping easy to use format is what this plugin does best; it doesn’t over-complicate the task at hand but assists your needs along the way wether mix or master.
Low memory and CPU usage make it easy to have multiple instances in your projects without having your computer meltdown.
7Q is a nifty EQ that is awesome for giving your sounds a little crisp boost before running into your other plugins within the chain.
Compatibility:
Win VST 32/64 bit, AAX 32/64 bit
Mac VST, AU, AAX
More Info & Download
Specifications:
Best Vst Synths
- HP: 10hz – 1khz / sweepable Q
- Low Shelf: 30hz – 500hz
- Low Mid: 70hz – 2khz / sweepable Q
- High Mid: 500hz – 6k / sweepable Q
- High Shelf: 1.5k – 18k
- Phase switch
- Output level
- 64-bit internal processing
- Formats: 64bit VST, VST3, AU and AAX
- Version: 3.2
- Legacy 32bit installers
Features & When To Use:
EQ1A is a FREE analog-style EQ with a clever algorithm giving you minimal phase coloration.
This plugin has initially been paid to use the plugin, but the developers have decided to give it to us all for FREE!
EQ1A allows you to use broad bands to shape your sounds or outputs in a clean, crisp and phase-corrected way.
Being able to save you presets within the plugin makes it very easy to pull back that EQ you made on the last mix. 4-band parametric equalizer with an additional HP filter with variable resonance gives a wide range of settings to play with while keeping everything simple and user friendly.
EQ1A does what it says on the tin for FREE!
Using this within mixing or mastering may help you when wanting to add a hefty highpass or when looking to give some warmth to your mid ranges.
It has to be said with a great look, and low CPU usage EQ1A is an excellent addition to your plugins.
Compatibility:
Win, Mac
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- 16-band graphic equalizing
- +/- 12 dB gain range per band
- Channel grouping
- Preset manager
- Contextual hint messages
- Freehand drawing mode
- Stereo and multi-channel processing
- Mid/side processing
- Undo/redo history
- All sample rates support
- Linear-phase equalizing
- Internal channel routing
- 64-bit floating-point processing
Features & When To Use:
Voxengo is notorious for doing some excellent free plugins.
This addition is the Marvel GEQ, which is a fifteen band linear phase EQ.
There is a routing tab that allows you to affect the signals mid/sides independently. (orange slides)
Also giving full independence to the mid/side output level, becoming very useful when mixing and mastering.
Bypass feature makes it simple to hear what your EQ is doing to your sound source. Alternatively, decide between two EQ setups with the A/B mode.
For quick EQ drawing, you can hold ‘Ctrl or Cmd’ and click across the EQ drawing in your fader settings with the click of a mouse.
Having a stripped back form factor with enough controls to complement your mixing tasks this plugin has to be our list today.
Compatibility:
VST Win, VST3 Win, VST Mac, VST3 Mac, AU Mac
More Info & Download
Specifications:
- Three-band EQ
- High, mid, low
- Presets tab
- Output level
- Very simple to use
Features & When To Use:
BASIQ is a three-band EQ.
It keeps in mind that EQ work for mixing and mastering doesn’t have to be a headache or over complicated.
BASIQ is a design similar to the classic ‘Baxandall Equalizer’ which is knowns for its natural-sounding shelves and HiFi quality responses.
Adding a smooth, gradual shimmer or warmth instead of a surgical sharpness is what BASIQ does best. Use on groups or a master chain to subtly but significantly add character with the turn of a knob.
With some added presets you be able to get a quick change in tone with the click of a button.
The small form factor makes this BASIQ a powerful tool to be used within the mix or master.
Compatibility:
Win, Mac, VST, AU, 64 bit
With all of that said, grabbing all 17 plugins wouldn’t do you any harm, but we want to break down our top 3 picks!
In our top spot, we have Colour EQ by DDMF.
This plugin brings so many features that you would expect from pay to use plugins but all for FREE! Another fresh point is that the curves you can create with this cannot be done on other EQ plugins, giving Colour EQ a versatile approach.
Low-CPU – Usage Customisable GUI – Great warm sound – 5 Bands
Coming in second is Nova by TDR.
Parametric, dynamic EQ, and multiband compression are all built into an excellent looking FREE plugin.
Nova has a built-in dynamic EQ parameter when mixing, and mastering using a dynamic EQ is crucial sometimes. Having this all in one plugin for free is hugely commendable to the team who developed this plugin!
Parametric equalization – Dynamic equalization – Frequency selective compression – Multi-band compression – Wideband compression
And finally, our last top pick is ‘Triple’ by Blue Cat.
This awesome plugin has so many features you just wouldn’t expect a FREE plugin to have.
With a fresh interface and drag and click feature to make EQing even more natural Triple is a powerful EQ.
Semi-parametric EQ – +/- 40dB Range per band – MIDI control and automation support – Real-time display
Today we have covered a lot of great FREE EQs for mixing and mastering. Amazingly, we have developers putting out all of these plugins for producers/sound engineers to level out the playing field. As we have all seen these ‘not to name’ brands releasing rather expensive EQs that we just can’t fork out for, but with the way, music has progressed today in the digital domain it has become much more accessible for creatives to share their ideas and effects for free.
With that said, they all have their benefits and downsides, but with them all being free, there is no reason you can’t pick them up and use these in your mixes or masters today!
Googling ‘songwriting tips’ will give you about 2 million results in 0.42 seconds. That’s a lot of tips.
And y’know what? There’s a good chance a lot of them won’t work.
Of course there’s always those songwriting exercises that always work—like recording cover songs or collaborating with a new songwriting partner.
But these tips are the special ones. The ones that put you and your ideas first. The ones that open up some time to really focus, experiment and make your songs work.
Here’s 13 ridiculous songwriting tips to get your songs on track.
- Play five radios at once
- Look out the window for a really long time
- Don’t talk for the entire day, just listen
- Set an absurd time limit
- Open your piano roll, grab the pen tool and MIDI scribble
- Write as few lyrics as possible
- Put a lid on it
- Cut your lyrics into a million pieces
- Set up a reward system
- The Mozart effect
- Copy a song entirely from memory
- Use extended techniques
- Learn a new scale
Writing songs is a personal process. It’s all about getting back into yourself to find that song gold.
Now, let’s dive into each tip!
1. Play five radios at once
You might wanna do this one when no one else is home. Or at least keep the volume low. It’ll definitely cause your friends to ask if everything is ok.
But it really works! Tom Waits famously uses this technique during his songwriting process. He turns a couple radios on and then listens for the interesting overlaps.
You’ll find interesting progressions and melodies. Think of it like ear sampling.
This type of absurd composition is a form of aleatory music—It’s music where certain parts of the composition are left to chance. It’s the perfect storm for song inspiration.
If it worked for Tom Waits it’s definitely worth trying. So turn on all those radios, roll the dice and listen for the interesting overlaps.
2. Look out the window for a really long time
The small room that I make music in has a skylight in it. The view is quite limited—just a small blue square with the occasional cloud, bird or airplane.
But I think I’ve learned more about my own process from that small blue square than any guide, walkthrough, or manual could ever teach me. It lets me think clearly.
It doesn’t even need to be a window either. Just something silent to stare at. Like a tropical aquarium, or a nice piece of art.
These days you have to actually rip yourself out of the hyper-fast distractions that are constantly there (computer, cellphone, etc.) to find some quite silent time.
Once you do you’ll get into a way better space to write some songs.
Do you think Brian Wilson composed ‘Good Vibrations’ while he was replying to an email, ordering an Uber, checking his plays on SoundCloud and tweeting about the weather at the same time?
I don’t think so.
3. Don’t talk for the entire day. Just listen.
Take a temporary oath of silence. Your songwriting will thank you.
A whole day might be a bit much. Besides, you HAVE to talk to lay down that earth-shattering vocal of pure genius.
But It’s no secret that silence is good for you. Even an hour of silence is more than enough time to reset your brain.
Whether you know it or not, talking is a huge and complex task for your brain to carry out. Putting it aside for a little while will put you in the right place to write.
And during all that silent time all those deep memories and feelings will have a clear path to the top of your mind. Y’know, all those thoughts that make great songs.
So take a break from the chatting and try silence for awhile. Let your brain do the talking and find all the inspiration you need.
4. Set an absurd time limit
Guess what? Diamonds by Rihanna was written by Sia in 14 minutes. She put the beat on and the lyrics just flowed. It has gone platinum 5 times in the US alone.
Time is a hard scale to balance. Too much and you end up second guessing everything. Too little and you get nothing done.
The solution? Set a time limit. Even better, set a time limit that’s way shorter than what you normally write in.
Setting slim boundaries will help you focus on what matters, write more songs, and streamline your entire process. And the more you do it, the better you’ll get.
Try it out and make your songs shine bright like a… gold brick?
5. Open your piano roll. Grab the pen tool and MIDI scribble
My favourite feeling in kindergarten was grabbing a handful of crayons and scribbling all at once. To be honest, I’m not sure why I stopped.
Well, I guess I didn’t really stop necessarily. I Just do it in my DAW now.
If I’m stuck building a beat I often open my piano roll, load up an instrument, grab the pen tool and just start scribbling down notes.
After I’m done I play it back and listen for the happy accidents.
Most of the time it’s 90% crapolla. But that interesting 10% is super valuable for ideas. So grab your DAW and channel your inner 5 year old every now and then.
6. Write as few lyrics as possible
Here’s a really good tip if you’re stuck: GET TO THE POINT.
When it comes to songwriting simple is always effective. But it’s hard to pull off. You have to be ruthless with your approach.
Just ask the Beatles. Their song ‘Love Me Do’ has exactly 19 unique words in it. But it’s still one of the most iconic songs of all time.
Simple is a skill that every songwriter should master. It keeps your songs relatable, engaging and catchy. Who doesn’t like a good sing along?
7. Put a lid on it
Infinity exists. The only proof you need is a blank DAW. There’s infinite VST plugins, infinite effects, infinite processing.
But infinity isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes the best way to better your songwriting is to set a gear limit.
Start with a strict list of what you’re gonna use. Limit your ideas to your gear list. Ideas will take shape much faster than having to constantly decide between a million options.
It might sound weird but limitations can actually make you more creative. Because you have to work with what you’ve got and bend it to your sound.
Plus keeping yourself limited will give you a deeper understanding of the tools you work with because you’ll have to push them all to the limit.
8. Cut your lyrics into a million pieces
Author William S. Burroughs created the cut-up technique to help with his own writing. Except he wasn’t writing songs. He was writing books.
But his concept is super effective for songwriting as well. It’s pretty simple. Just write out a bunch of words that are on your mind, cut them out and rearrange them into ideas.
It doesn’t even have to be words either. It can be chords, notes, melodies, pictures or anything else that works for you.
David Bowie famously used this technique to write some of his biggest hits. He explained his own cut-up technique in this BBC Documentary:
9. Set up a reward system
When Brian Wilson was struggling with his own songwriting—among other things—he was reportedly rewarded with cheeseburgers for every song he wrote.
Brian’s system was pretty extreme. But the concept is really smart. Writing songs is tough.
Reward yourself when you’re finished.
If there’s a piece of gear that you’re eyeing, or a new studio toy you want, tell yourself that you have to write 5 songs before you even think about buying it.
This will give you something to work towards beyond the satisfaction of being finished with a song—which is a pretty great reward in itself.
10. The Mozart effect
No, I’m not about to tell you to listen to Mozart and then do what he did. That would be cheating right?
But there is another reason to listen to Mozart. Listening to Mozart has been studied and proven to have a positive effect on your focus.
It affects your ‘spatial-temporal reasoning.’ Which is basically a fancy word for concentration. Starting your session with a bit of Mozart will put your brain into high-gear.
Perfect for pumping out some quality songs. Copying a few of his phrases and melodies can’t hurt either… Just make sure you make ’em your own!
11. Copy a song entirely from memory
What would it sound like if you tried to re-record Bohemian Rhapsody right now without listening to it to refresh your memory?
Probably nothing like the original! That’s why making an imperfect copy can be such a great creative strategy.
It certainly worked for Dirty Projector’s Dave Longstreth. The band’s excellent 2007 LP Rise Above is a full-length cover of Black Flag’s legendary 1981 album Damaged.
Longstreth apparently hadn’t listened to the original tracks in several years and the results are a strikingly creative take on the classic album
12. Use extended techniques
Extended techniques are all about playing your instrument the “wrong” way.
The concept was developed in the 20th century to help composers push the boundaries of what was possible with traditional instrumentation.
The most famous example is probably John Cage’s notorious “prepared piano” that included forks stuck between the strings and objects placed throughout the mechanics.
But extended techniques aren’t just for stuffy academic music. You might even consider Dave Davies decision to slash the speaker cone of his amplifier on “You Really Got Me” an extended technique.
The rugged, distorted guitar sound set the tone for a whole new generation of music—that’s raw creativity!
Get it into your songwriting with extended techniques.
13. Learn a new scale
Best Vst Free
Diving into new music theory concepts is always a great way to stimulate your songwriting chops.
As much as they’re useful, minor, major and pentatonic scales can seem stale and dry if you’re stuck in a rut.
Why not try incorporating some lesser-known scales into your songwriting workflow?
Do you know your modes yet?
What about the whole-tone scale, or the microtonal world of Euler-Fokker scales?
You don’t need to spend time learning how to play a lesser-known scale on your instrument either, there’s plenty of MIDI sequencing tools that make it easy to sequence notes to a specific scale.
Getting stuck happens
Songs don’t always flow.
Sometimes you have to take drastic measures to make them work.
So think outside the box and get in touch with your best possible resource for writing songs:
Yourself.