One of the most effective ways to improve as a songwriter is to learn and perform other artists' songs. Playing covers isn't just about entertaining audiences — it's a hands-on education in how songs are built. When you learn a song from the inside out, you absorb techniques and structures that inform your own writing.
Don't limit your covers to your own genre. A rock songwriter who learns a country song absorbs storytelling techniques. A pop writer who learns a jazz standard absorbs harmonic sophistication. Each genre teaches different lessons, and the broader your cover repertoire, the more tools you have for your own writing.
As you learn a cover, actively notice how the song is structured. Count the bars in each section. Notice where the chorus arrives. Feel how the bridge changes the energy. When you play through a song's structure repeatedly, you internalize its architecture in a way that reading about it can't replicate.
Playing another songwriter's chord progressions teaches you new harmonic vocabulary. Pay attention to unexpected chords, key changes, and the emotional effect of each harmonic choice. Ask yourself why the songwriter chose a particular chord and how it contributes to the song's mood. These insights directly feed your own harmonic writing.
Singing someone else's lyrics is a masterclass in lyric writing. You'll notice which words feel natural to sing and which feel awkward. You'll feel how the phrasing fits the melody. You'll experience firsthand how great lyrics balance meaning, sound, and singability. These physical sensations teach you things that intellectual analysis can't.
After learning a song faithfully, try rearranging it. Change the tempo, the key, or the arrangement. Strip it down or build it up. This creative exercise teaches you about arrangement and interpretation while revealing how different musical choices affect the same song's emotional impact.
After spending time with a cover, sit down and write something original. You'll often find that the techniques you absorbed — a chord change, a structural idea, a rhythmic pattern, a lyrical approach — naturally influence your writing. This isn't copying; it's learning the language of songwriting through direct experience.
Learning cover songs is one of the most enjoyable and effective ways to improve your songwriting. By actively studying structure, harmony, and lyrics while playing other artists' music, you build a deep understanding of songcraft that naturally enhances your own creative work.
For help applying what you learn from covers to your own original lyrics, Fast Rhymes provides tools that support your songwriting growth.
12/02/2026
Everything you need to write songs & poetry.
