Write Your Own Music

By Mark Bristol
Published on May 1, 1981
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PHOTO: BRENT THORGREN
Marc Bristol—seen here performing at a local festival—has some ideas to help you write your own music.

Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-yourself entertainment?

That’s what this column is about. Homegrown music… and sometimes homemade musical instruments to play it on.


Have you ever wished someone would write a song that’s more in tune with your personal feelings, beliefs, and interests than are the mass-produced ditties often heard on the radio? Do you think that your earth-conscious, back-to-the-land lifestyle could use a special “hymn” to inspire its continued existence? Well then, grab your guitar or take a seat at the piano and work up a song of your own! The fact is that you ought to consider composing a tune even if you’ve never tried it, because songwriting isn’t really as difficult as it might seem. After all, anything that’s part of your life–how you feel, what you see, or someone you care for–is worth singing about!

All you need to write your own music (besides the urge to express a particular feeling or idea) is some notion of how a song is structured. If you already play other people’s tunes, you probably have a feel for the way music is put together. Novice musicians can obtain such understanding by simply learning a few songs all the way through.

Musical ABC’s

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