Let’s write a hooky song!

We’re off to SONG 2 of the 10 Songs In 10 Weeks Challenge 🙌🏻

Today’s exercise is called…

Ostinato

This exercise is great to:

• Make your songs instantly recognisable
• Have more hooks in your song
• Keep your listener’s dopamine levels high

In the video, I walk you through the exercise step by step, so you can follow along. But here are the individual steps, if you prefer to read:

1. Noodle: Pick up an instrument and start noodling (if you don’t play an instrument or don’t have one at hand, you can also play with virtual instruments in your DAW, or use your voice!). Play anything that gives you a shot of dopamine.
2. X3: Create 3 options for your ostinato. The more options you create, the less writer’s block and the less mystical you will become about songwriting.
3. Refine: Listen back to all three ostinatos, put them on a loop, turn up the volume, go outside your room, and close the door. Which ones are the most identifiable, listening from behind closed doors? Pick the one that inspires you and record different variations of it (more complex vs simple, playing harder vs softer, etc. play around with it to get your best version!)
4. Vocal inspiration: The ideal ostinato stands up on its own but also gives life to a melody. It is static when the vocal is busy and busy when the vocal is static. Lay down a few vocal mumbles and pick the mumble that has the best energy while not clashing rhythmically with the ostinato.
5. Craft your song: Let your ostinato and melody be the foundation for your song. Don’t overcrowd the rest of the musical arrangement. If your ostinato is strong, you shouldn’t need much else.

That’s it! I hope you enjoy this exercise 🤗

The foundation for this challenge

The book I’m basing this challenge on is Ra Wilson’s book, Write 47 Songs. If you haven’t heard of it yet, I highly recommend you get it. As the name says, the book gives you 47 exercises that serve as a practical roadmap for your artist development through implementation and self-exploration. So it’s a highly practical guide for artists who are just starting out in their songwriting journey, and it’s packed with exercises that are designed to help you put in the practice and level up in all the ways I mentioned before – from your lyric writing to your musical understanding, to developing yourself as an artist in terms of your sound and your artistic voice. All of that through implementation. Because it’s what you DO that counts. When you learn to play an instrument for example, you go to lessons and you spend most of the time DOING. Songwriting should be no different.

Wanna join alongside a group of artists?

If you’ve ever made a purchase with us (like joined any of our bootcamps, or got Ra’s book) you also get access to our free WhatsApp community where our artists hang out and support each other. There you can share what you make within a safe space and listen to what others share as well. This will make it way more fun and really help you with accountability.

If you decide to get the book (or you’ve already joined a bootcamp with us), be sure to send me an email so I can give you access to the community! My email address is sonj@artistspringboard.com

I can’t wait to hear your SONG 2! And I continue to be here if you have any questions 🤗❤️

Happy songwriting,

Sonj