how can i write a song for school

[blingbling98]

i have a task to make a song and i asked if i could use the guitar and he said yes. so i am trying to make back round music to go with the song.
How do i write the song?????

[Neal Walter]

Yo blingbling,

Can you play any songs that are on the radio or your iPod, etc.? If you can you're off to a good start. To make it easy, I would take a part of a song I know and maybe change a chord or rhythm here or there, If they only strum a chord 4 times, maybe strum it 8 times or 2 times. This way you take an idea you already know and alter it till it sounds like something of yours, that's what we all do anyway! Just about all of the music us guitar players are playing we got somewhere else and added our own personality to it or played it backwards..or faster..or slower, eventually you develop a style all your own.
When you listen to a song, think about how long they stay on a chord before they change, the kind of rhythm that's going on and think about how you might do it differently..or, if there's a song you HATE, listen to it and think about what is it that you don't like about that song, specifically. This may spark an idea, songs are based on really simple ideas and built up from there.
It sounds like you're writing lyrics(words) and then some music so you might also think about the words..what is the emotion in the lyrics..happy, sad, mad, etc. and think how that emotion might sound..don't be afraid to sound goofy on your guitar, the best stuff comes from the worst stuff alot of times and you don't have to play anybody the goofy stuff except yourself (unless you want to).
'Yesterday' by the Beatles was originally called 'Scrambled Eggs' until Paul finished the song.

Neal
GT Channel Host
=:D

[Kevin P.]

Hey Blingbling,
If you have words already, then start by editing them to make sure that each verse will fit into the same number of beats... this doesn't have to be absolute, as you have some flexibility in how you fit words in, but that would help... such as: If you had verse one starting with-

The orange sky bright behind the dark grey clouds (space)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

then try to kinda match that 8 beat first line structure with each verse... this isn't a rule, but when you are starting out, it helps to create a structure that feels consistent.

If you DON'T have words yet, then make up a verse and chorus pattern first that you can comfortably play and remember, then write the words to fit your structure. I like the suggestion Neal made, too, about finding something else you like and adapting it.... just make sure that you change it enough that it has a life of it's own, and doesn't just sound like "Susie Q" with one chord changed or something.
Good luck, and if you get stuck, post part of what you've got and where you're stuck.