If you want to write a book, you've got to read a lot of books first. Listening to music and learning to play it is the first step in learning to write a song, especially a good song. Learn to appreciate the wit and structure of a well-written song. If you want to be a good songwriter, be a good listener. Check out some of the masters: Classic pop: Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, Irving Berlin, Yip Harburg Pop-Rock: Randy Newman, Paul McCartney, Carole King, Brian Wilson Contemporary Pop and R&B: Michael Jackson, Max Martin, Linda Perry, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams Country and folk: Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, Kacey Musgraves, Hank Williams Unless you're Mozart, it's tough to write a good song in your head, or just on paper. Most songwriters have a specific instrument they like to compose on, to hear the music as it is played. Most pop songs are written on piano and guitar, while other types of music are commonly composed on other stringed instruments or horns. You can write a song on any instrument. If you can't play an instrument, check out other articles to learn more about picking an instrument and learning to play. Choose a key signature, and find the related chords in that key. Then, play around with the order of the chords to find something you like. Stick to a major key if you want to write a memorable song. Of the ten most popular songs of all time, only one is in a minor key. Lots of songs are written with the I-IV-V chords, which means the chord based on the first, fourth, and fifth note in the scale. So, in the key of C, the chords C, F, and G all sound good together. This is true of any key. Learning the basic scales for the major keys in your instrument is really helpful in learning to write songs. Learning to read music can help you be a better songwriter, but it's not absolutely necessary. Simple pop songs are often written by untrained performers. Melodies won't be an exact copy of the chords in the scales, but will be based on those chords. Pick around the notes of each chord as you play to find a good melody, and explore the notes outside the chords but in the scale, as well. To find a melody, lots of people like to hum along to the chords, or sing nonsense syllables or words to go along with the melody. Hum or whistle while you play, before there are lyrics. Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "Gotta Give it Up" by Marvin Gaye are all made of four chords or less. Most good songs are relatively simple, with a little quirk added to make it memorable. If you want to write a great song, it doesn't need to have five key signatures and fifteen time signatures thrown into the mix. Keep it as simple as possible. Listen to John Lee Hooker play "Boogie Chillun'" and try to work out the chords. Give up? There's only one. The song is iconic because of the weird timing and rhythm, not the complexity of the melody or chords. Listen to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" and compare it to a simple 12-bar blues song. See how the switch up to the IV and V chords is delayed a few bars? That's the kind of twist we're talking about. When you're first starting out, learn lots of different songs and borrow the basic chord structures, but play them at a different rhythm, different tempo, and with different timing. Write different melodies to the basic chords. This isn't plagiarism, it's songwriting. Learn a chord progression and then play it backwards and write a new melody. "Whole Lotta Love" backwards could be your new opus. Take all the chords from your favorite song and just play them in a different order until you find something you like. Lots of songs sound like other songs. It's not a bad thing. As long as you're not doing a straight-up copy of the rhythm and timing and melody all together, you're still writing a new song.
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One-sentence summary -- Learn to play other songs first. Pick an instrument to compose on. Play around with chords until you find something you like. Explore other notes in the scale to find a melody. Make it as simple as possible, but with a twist. Borrow a basic chord progression and change it.

Add two to three drops to the infected ear with a medicine dropper. Let the drops sit in the ear canal for five to 10 minutes and tilt your head to let them drain. This measure will help soften any crusted or hardened debris in the ear canal, which will, in turn, help wash any fungal colonies out of your ear. Turn it on to the lowest setting possible and place its end at least 10 inches (25.4cm) from the infected ear. This method will dry any moisture present in the ear canal, which will hinder the growth of fungus. Be very careful not to burn yourself. Get a clean towel and soak it in warm water. Ensure that the towel is not too hot. Place the warm towel over the infected ear and wait until it cools down. The measure helps relieve pain, without having to take pain-relieving drugs. It also increases blood flow to the infected area, which leads to faster recovery. Mix both in a 1:1 ratio. With a medicine dropper, add a few drops to the infected ear. Let the drops sit in the ear for 10 minutes and tilt your head to let them drain. The mixture can be utilized every four hours for up to two weeks. The rubbing alcohol is a drying agent, which will get rid of moisture in the ear canal causing the fungal infection. It also disinfects the skin of the ear canal. The acidity of vinegar slows the growth of the fungus, as Candida and Aspergillus prefer a "basic" environment for optimal growth. This mixture will disinfect and dry out the ear, lessening the duration of the infection. Vitamin C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues damaged by a fungal ear infection. It helps the body produce collagen, a protein instrumental in making tissues like skin, cartilage, and blood vessels. Doctors recommend supplements of 500 to 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day with food. Excellent dietary sources of vitamin include citrus fruit (oranges, limes, lemons), berries (blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries), pineapples, watermelon, papaya, broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. Take a capsule of garlic oil, puncture it, and pour it into the infected ear. Let it sit for 10 minutes and tilt your head to drain the oil. It can be repeated daily for up to two weeks. In studies, garlic oil has been found to have antifungal effects on Aspergillus (one of two main causes of fungal ear infections). Furthermore, garlic oil has been found to have similar or better rates of cure when compared to prescription medications used to treat fungal ear infections. If you have a fungal infection, there will be whitish or yellowish secretions from the ear. In addition to this, there will also be an overproduction of wax. All these can cause blockage in the eustachian tube. Olive oil is a perfect wax softener. With a medicine dropper, add three drops to the infected ear. Let the drops sit in the ear canal for five to 10 minutes and tilt your head to let them drain. It will soften earwax (cerumen) and any other hardened secretions in the ear canal and facilitate its removal (much like hydrogen peroxide). Olive oil also has properties to decrease the inflammation associated with fungal ear infections. The anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil are mediated by high levels of polyphenols present in the oil.
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One-sentence summary --
Use hydrogen peroxide. Use a hairdryer. Apply a warm compress to the affected ear. Use rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar. Eat foods rich in vitamin C. Use garlic oil. Use olive oil to clean the ear.