Guide · Songwriting

Where to keep song ideas: notes app, voice memos, or a songwriting board?

Most songwriters keep ideas in three places: lyrics in Notes, melodies in Voice Memos, and the rest in their head. That split is why ideas never become songs.

1. Keep the audio and the words together

A lyric without the melody is half an idea. Whatever you use, the recording and the words should be on the same page.

2. Give each idea a stage

Idea, half written, finished demo. A stage tells you what to do next, not just what you have.

3. Stack every take of a song together

Five versions of the same chorus are one song growing, not five ideas. Keep them on one card.

4. Write key and tempo down

Two seconds now saves ten minutes of noodling next time.

5. Pick one place and stick to it

The best system is the one you open every time you sit down to write.

Questions

Is the Notes app good for songwriting?
For words, yes. It cannot hold the melody next to the lyric, which is where most ideas get lost.

Should I keep recording in Voice Memos?
Yes. It is the fastest way to catch an idea. The problem is finding it again, not recording it.