How to Write a Song Hook

It's extremely easy to write a "hook" for a song -- if you have it in you. If you don't, it will be challenging but can be done.

1. Play your instrument freely. Just fiddle around. Explore. Don't worry about playing someone else's song because that's not what we're after here. Go up and down the scales. Strum a few chords. Find an interesting arpeggio. You'll find that time goes very quickly once you get into it.

2. At some point, you will hit a progression (usually very simple) that you want to play over and over again. This is your melodic hook.

3. Play that progression over and over again on different octaves until it's part of your soul. Sing along with it. "La di da" is fine until words come, and they will. Look around the room and find something in the room to sing about. Some of the great songs were written that way. ("Norwegian Wood," "Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair," and my very own "Glove on a Shelf."

4. Write it down. When you know the progression forward and back and have found a catch phrase to go with it, make sure you write it down. I've forgotten a million songs because I neglected this step.

5. Record it. I'm not talking about going to the studio. Just use a tape recorder or your computer's built-in mic. You'll want to listen to it so you can improve it later.