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9 Steps for Writing a Hit Song on the Piano

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September 5, 2014 / 12 Comments / by Suzy S.

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What’s the secret to writing beautiful and awe-inspiring piano music? Learn the steps in
this guest post by St. Augustine, FL piano teacher Heather L...

Music industry legend has it that Lady Gaga, being a classically trained musician, writes
many of her songs on the piano rst. She’s undoubtedly not the only pop, or country, or
rock star to use the keys to compose. And if you’re studying piano already, you might be
itching to try your hand at your own songwriting.
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Allow me to preface by stating that what follows is an old-fashioned method of writing

with a pencil, piano, and sta paper. In this day and age, a songwriter has dozens of forms PRIVATE PIANO LESSONS
of technology to assist him or her. You can create music with computer software alone, New York City
through a keyboard connected to a computer, and even through free or low-cost apps.
Chicago

I’ve heard a lot of people talk about writing piano music like it’s magic—and sometimes it Los Angeles
is, but usually it’s pretty simple. As you grow as a musician, you’ll develop your own
San Diego
unique process of songwriting, but here’s my personal process.
San Francisco
1. Decide on a general song idea.
What I mean is to decide on a theme, or perhaps an audience. For instance, you’d think, Washington DC

“I’ll write this one to my husband about our wedding,” or “This song will be centered on Boston
the political unrest in Africa.”
Miami

2. Choose a key and a tempo. Orlando

Each key and each tempo can a ect listeners di erently and are essential elements in
Tampa
what kind of atmosphere or mood that your song possesses. Play scales and chords in the
keys that you’re comfortable with, then choose a key that feels like it ts the theme of Dallas

what you’re conveying. Pick a tempo that matches your general song idea. Does what Houston
you’re saying call for high-energy, high-tempo music in the key of E (bright and cheerful),
San Antonio
or does it call for a serene, slow ballad sound in the calm key of C?
Austin
3. Learn the I-IV-V-vi chords, if you haven’t yet.
This means the root chord (the chord that shares your key’s name), the dominant (the Seattle

fth chord above the root), the subdominant (the fourth chord above the root), and six Philadelphia
chord (a minor chord). Some progressions, called the Nashville progression or the pop
Phoenix
progression, consist of these. Let’s say that you’ve picked C major for your song. You’d
play C, G, Am, and F. Play with ngers 1, 3, and 5 in both hands at the same time. Denver

Atlanta
4. Play the chords in di erent orders.
Play four beats for each chord in the key and tempo that you’ve chosen, going from one San Jose
chord to the next in di erent orders. For instance, play C for four beats, then G for four
Portland
beats, then Am, then F, then C again. Go slowly and listen carefully. Mix it up and change it
Las Vegas
around! Start with Am, then F, then C, and end with G. You’ll eventually nd a progression,
or order, that appeals to you and ts the song’s theme. Online Piano Lessons

5. Write down your progression and keep playing. View All Piano Teachers

Take note of the order that you like best and then play it over and over, thinking about the
theme that you’ve decided upon. If you’ve dedicated the song to your mom, then keep her
image in your mind, or better yet, have a photo of her on your piano. Listen carefully to ONLINE MUSIC CLASSES
the chords and concentrate, and you may be able to “hear” lyrics begin to pop up in your
Learn How to Play Piano for Free
head.
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6. Jot down everything.
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Every word, every phrase, every chord change should go down on that sta paper, even if
you think they sound silly or they don’t sound good together. Something that sounds Learn How to Play Ukulele for Free

terrible today may sound great next week, or maybe even in another song that you nd
yourself working on down the road. Think of yourself simply as a reporter, jotting down
what you’re hearing. TOP MUSIC LESSONS

7. Think of your song’s lyrics as a box within a box, within a box. Piano

One helpful tip for songwriting, which I learned in an online course from a professor of Guitar
songwriting at the Berkelee College of Music, is to think of a great song unfolding like a
Violin
small box that’s found within a larger box, which is found in a larger box still. The rst box,
or verse, that you open should give a general view of the world that you’ve created in your Drums

song. You can open with something general, just like you’re beginning an important Voice & Singing
conversation. In the second verse, reveal more. If you’re writing a song about a current
issue or political statement, then the second verse could mean articulating your views
more emphatically and clearly.

8. Build the bridge.

Now, remember, not every song has to have a bridge. Many songs don’t. But I think that it
can be a useful element. It can break up a song if you’ve chosen to change keys for it or
simply change the progression. But more importantly, the bridge can be the very climax
of a song. Think of a ballad from a great singer, such as Whitney Houston or Carrie
Underwood, and you’ll probably remember her big high note at the end of the bridge.
This moment may be what takes your song from being pedestrian and simplistic to
something really memorable. To build the bridge, try playing only the six and fth chords,
or the four and the second chords with two beats each.

9. Make a nal draft.

Some songs may be written in a matter of minutes, like John Denver’s “Annie’s Song”, but
most take a few days or weeks to polish. Over time, making notes and changes on the
original sta paper, a nal version will come together. Make a nal draft on a new sheet
of sta paper with lyrics.

Finally, remember that songwriting is a creative art. While I’ve laid out a formulaic method
for how to do it, it’s important to know that it’s a method that’s meant to be bent and
broken. The most important step of all in writing piano music is the K.I.S.S. idea: “Keep it
simple, silly.”

Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in Saint

Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is a graduate of
the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey,
and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the
New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and
the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more
about Heather here!

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Photo by Daniel Oines

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Home › Music › Piano Lessons › Piano Articles › 9 Steps for Writing a Hit Song on the Piano

12
REPLIES

Logan Nadeau
July 18, 2015 at 11:10 am

Hello, my name is Logan Nadeau and I want to learn the I-IV-V-vi progression for piano.

I am confused by this step and I would like to know more about it and how to learn this

progression.

I already know and do a lot of these steps so I would really want to know how this

progression works.

I am self taught but I know I would not mind the help of a musician.

Reply

Heather L.
July 20, 2015 at 9:43 am

Logan, thanks so much for your interest in my article! The answer to your question is a bit
longer than I could write in this reply, and it’s just what I teach in my lessons. If you’d like,
you could go to my teacher pro le: https://TakeLessons.com/pro le/heather-l10 and book

a few lessons with me. If you’d rather call TakeLessons headquarters, then call 800-252-
1508. Can’t wait to meet you and start working!

Reply

alex
December 16, 2015 at 8:01 am

hey. can someone tell me how to create a song on piano please?

Reply

Brooke Neuman
December 17, 2015 at 2:52 pm

Hi Alex-We encourage you to look over the article again. There are some really good
tips in there about how to create a song on the piano. Good luck!

Reply

Jarry
December 26, 2015 at 1:31 pm

Hi, I’m interested in writing songs but I can’t thinks of any lyrics to start it o . I want it to be

about staying strong. Any help will be well appreciated! Please Someone give me an
example x

Reply

Brooke Neuman
January 22, 2016 at 9:06 am

Hi Jarry-We have a ton of great articles on songwriting. Check this one out for some
inspiration and help: /blog/writing-a-song-on-guitar-lyrics-z01

Reply

Sillyia Boyce
March 3, 2017 at 5:29 pm

Hi this is helpful I am a pianist and wanted to write my own song. Thank you.

Reply

Jimmy
March 26, 2017 at 3:46 am

Thanks for the article it helps a lot. If I wrote a song, where exactly will I have to play it and
get it produced by someone?

Reply

Jessica Dais
May 2, 2017 at 9:56 am

Hi Jimmy! Please check out this other helpful blog post on songwriting. Hope it helps!

Reply

Eastcastle Gore
October 19, 2017 at 12:51 pm

Hi, this short article is very creative. One small question just for understanding the topic:

after you put the chord progressions on sta paper, then what notes would you use to
match each of the chords as seen in a typical sheet music (i.e. each chord is supposed to
go with/support a note, right? In other words, the chords are played by left hand, what

notes do your right hand play?).

Reply

Sandile Mvalo
October 18, 2018 at 5:39 am

Hi my name I’m Sandile I would like to learn piano especially melodies over chords,i nd its

so di cult to get good melodies over my phrase chords.I’m writing deep house music.

Reply

Jessica Dais
October 22, 2018 at 8:55 am

Hi Sandile! Have you checked out the free piano classes at TakeLessons Live? I
recommend checking there for a class on playing melodies over chords. We o er

dozens of live, online classes with excellent piano instructors. Hope that helps -
Jess from TakeLessons

Reply

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