Guide

The reason I started StartMySong.com was to give musicians, composers, lyricists, and other creatives a tool to help them get unstuck. Sometimes, we all get into creative habits or patterns, and it can be hard to break free. StartMySong.com exists to provide a fresh resource for generating new ideas when you’re traveling down the same creative roads or just need that extra spark to get rolling.

While there are no rules to how you use StartMySong.com, I’ve included some suggestions below on how you can use this free resource for your creative projects. I designed it to be a kickstarter—once you get that “aha!” moment, your natural talent will take over, and you’ll be on your way to completing your next great song.

How to Generate

First off, generating is simple. Just hit the “Generate” button, and five fields will populate. It’s that easy. If the suggestions don’t resonate, you can keep smashing the button until you find something that speaks to you.

The Generations

When you generate, you’ll receive five random options. Let’s break down how each of these can be used to kickstart your creativity.

Chords

The first field includes a random chord progression. This is straightforward—grab your instrument or open your DAW and play through it. If you don’t like the key, transpose it. If one chord doesn’t fit, swap it out. If the whole thing doesn’t feel right, hit the generate button again. The goal is to explore and experiment until something clicks with you.

Emotion

The emotion prompt suggests a feeling or mood. This is where your creativity can shine. Music is all about emotion—if your song lacks it, what’s the point? Think about the last time you experienced this emotion or imagine how someone might act or speak when feeling this way. For songwriters, you can use this to fuel your lyrics or performance. For composers, imagine the emotional arc in your melody or harmony.

Situation

Similar to the emotion prompt, this one asks you to imagine a specific scenario or setting. Whether it’s based on personal experience or entirely fictional, put yourself—or your song’s subject—in that situation. How would they act? What would they say? Let your imagination run wild, and start mapping out words, themes, or melodies based on this setting. It’s a great tool for both storytelling in lyrics and composing atmospheric music that will tell the story of the situation without uttering a word. 

Word

This field is a wildcard. It’s like a game where you respond to a word with your first thought or feeling. You could let this word inspire a theme for your song or even drop it into your lyrics. Whether you’re a lyricist, composer, or producer, use this word as a jumping-off point—what imagery does it bring to mind? What kind of sound or vibe does it suggest? There are no wrong answers, and that’s the beauty of it.

Inspired By

Everyone has influences, but sometimes those influences can keep us in a creative rut. This field generates a random artist, band, or composer—someone who might not be on your radar. Instead of judging based on whether you like or dislike the artist, take a moment to listen to a few of their songs. Write down one thing you admire, whether it’s the groove, the arrangement, or the production choices. The idea is to stir up new ideas.

Even if you’re a metal guitarist and the generator gives you Whitney Houston—don’t scoff. Go listen to a few of her tracks and find something you can incorporate into your style. Or if you’re into pop production and you get Pantera—same deal. This whole resource is about breaking out of your usual patterns and finding something new to bring to your craft.

Wrap-Up

I hope you enjoy using StartMySong.com as much as I enjoyed creating it. This is a resource for you to explore, experiment, and find inspiration when you need it most. I’d love to hear from you—what are you working on, and how has the generator helped you?

Feel free to reach out and drop us a line.