Module: Performance & Practice
Write a short original song using chords and a melody you already know.
Lesson objectives
Songwriting is a craft, not a lightning bolt. You don't need a sudden burst of inspiration, an unusual chord, or a perfect melody before you start. You need a progression, a structure, and words that are true to you. Everything you've learned so far is enough to write a real song today.
Pick three or four chords you already know well. Don't chase something new. The most durable progressions in popular music are ones you've heard hundreds of times.
On ukulele, C-G-Am-F is a starting point used in countless songs across genres. Try it now:
Strum through it for five minutes without stopping. Just strum. Notice what mood comes up - bright, melancholy, restless, calm. The progression is already doing emotional work before you write a single word. Let it tell you where the song wants to go.
Two sections is all you need. Verse tells the story - the specific detail, the situation, the moment. Chorus repeats the central idea, usually with more energy.
You can use the same four chords for both and just change the strum pattern to create contrast. Or use a different progression for each section. Either approach works. The important thing is that the chorus feels like it lands somewhere.
Don't try to write a three-minute song. A 60-second song with a clear structure is a finished song. Finished beats ambitious every time.
Start by speaking, not singing. Say something true in plain language - what you actually see, feel, or notice. Not what a song is "supposed" to say. Concrete details work better than vague emotions: "the coffee going cold on the counter" is stronger than "I was feeling sad."
Then fit the words to the rhythm. Tap out the chord changes and speak your lines over them. If a line runs too long, cut it. If it's short, hold the last word across two beats. Syllables bend to fit - you don't need to rewrite the line.
Rhyme is optional. If the right word doesn't rhyme with the line before it, use it anyway. Forced rhymes pull focus away from what you're actually saying.
Your first song won't be your best work. That's expected and doesn't matter. Finishing one song teaches you more about songwriting than planning ten better ones. Once it holds together - verse, chorus, verse - record it on your phone. A rough recording locks it down so you don't lose it between now and the next time you pick up the ukulele.
No second draft before recording. Record it rough and fix things later if you want to.
Next up: Basic Improvisation - creating melodies and fills in the moment, using the scales and chord shapes you already know.
