Co-Writing Technology - 6 things you should use!

  Co-writing is the BEST way to write songs. I say this because there are so many more benefits than just writing a great song when it comes to co-writing. Yes, writing a great song is the goal, but the relationship building is the key difference and benefit of co-writing, opposed to solo writing. 

  The collaborative aspect is important to co-writing and there are a few tools that help keep things streamlined. You may already use these things but I wanted to share the tools I personally use during every co-write to help make sure the session is as productive and efficient as possible.

What tools do you use in your co-writes?

Google Docs

  Google docs is a free tool that everyone can easily access. If you have not used them before it essentially a shared word document. Someone in the group can create a new google doc and then share it with the group. You are able to edit and see everyone’s input in real time. It’s also great because these documents are stored in the google cloud and are accessible from any device at any time.  Google docs literally keeps everyone on the same page in a co-write.

Zoom

  The first time I used zoom was for a co-write about 4 years ago. I have used it hundreds of times since. Now, due to the pandemic everyone knows what Zoom is and it’s a great tool for co-writing. Yes, there are other video conferencing apps but zoom makes it easy to schedule and invite people to sessions right through the app. Many of us are co-writing remotely and Zoom is a great tool to make that happen.

B-Rhymes

  One of the best tools for co-writing are rhyming dictionaries. Having a list of possible rhymes and near rhymes is a great way to keep lyrics and melodies interesting and fresh. B-Rhymes is a great rhyming dictionary because it gives many options that may not be the first that come to mind. It also has a desktop and app version so it can be convenient to use in any situation. 

Thesaurus

  Having a thesaurus during a write is a great way to make sure you are using fresh language. We have all heard the same phrases over and over in music, and one way to break that habit is by using a thesaurus.  I typically will use google for this and simply search for synonyms of the word I am looking for. Usually the first search result will give a large list of words from nearest to least near. This creates a great word web of possibilities to write fresh lyrics.

Spotify

  Using references is key in co-writing and Spotify is a great tool to quickly find any song. There have been many times during sessions that I (or my co-writers) have pulled up a track on Spotify to catch a vibe and have written great songs because of it. This is not to be used to steal someone’s work, it is meant to be a source of inspiration and can help keep the creative flow going. 

Logic Pro X

  This one is more specific to producers but for me, I use Logic Pro in every co-write. I always bring a track idea or 2 to each session to help bring a vibe to the write. This is a great way to have something fleshed out and can get things going pretty fast in my experience. Often times we end up using the track to create the demo, which helps give the song a great chance to stand out.