How to Convey True Emotion in Your Songs

There is certainly no harm in writing a song that is a lot of fun to dance to, where the main purpose of the music is to get your audience moving. At the same time, there is no denying that most people have very strong emotional connections to music – they listen to songs to help them cope with their own lives. Similarly, as a songwriter and an artist, you too, probably want to convey many of your experiences through your music.

Unfortunately, as you are probably aware, this is a lot easier said than done. So, if you are looking to inject more emotion into your music, here are some tips that you can use:

Say It with Words

Have you ever listened to a song that is supposed to be meaningful but the words actually rang hollow? There are quite a few of those out there and it is especially common when the singer isn’t writing his or her own words. This is why it can be helpful to write a song that is actually based on experiences that you have had. You may not have to reach too far into your own psyche – after all, heartbreak, rejection, and even failure are something that everyone has gone through.  Another thing to keep in mind when you are penning your songs is to avoid using overly descriptive language. While this may seem to lend an air of creativity to your music, it can actually detract from the overall feeling. After all, when you are truly passionate, you tend not to focus too much on being eloquent.

Let Them Here It

Once you have managed to write what you feel, your next hurdle is to make sure that people hear it in your voice. In many ways, this ties to what was mentioned in the first point – the best way to convey emotion is to actually feel it. Your listeners can tell when you aren’t being sincere about what you are singing.

So, how can you do this with every performance? Well, it can help to keep going back to the moment you wrote about. Think about the emotions you felt during that time and you will find that it makes its way to your voice. Even if you are singing someone else’s lyrics, try to recall a moment when you felt the same emotion as the writer of the song.

Rely on the Right Instruments

An expert will agree that it takes a combination of lyrics, songs, and tone to really set the mood for a certain piece of music. So, once you are sure you have written words that you can relate to and are able to convey those feelings through your voice, it is time to move onto the music.

While most people are able to create soulful tunes, one area where they do fall short is knowing what instruments to play. If you happen to be a solo artist and are creating a song with an indie tinge to it, then an acoustic guitar will be ideal. However, if you are aiming for a power ballad, then you will need the full force of multiple instruments behind you.

Let’s take a look at two separate examples for this – The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” really paired well with an acoustic style in their music. On the other hand, Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” requires a little bit more gusto but is still very emotional. These are all the different ways that you can convey real emotion in your songs and reach out to your listeners and audience in a new and profound way.

Author Bio:
Natalie grew up in a household filled with music. This led to her love of guitars at a very early age and encouraged her to start her own site related to guitar playing and music. She spends most of her time conversing with people who love music just as much as she does.