How to Learn New Songs and Make Them Your Own

We all know that performing cover songs is a great way to build your name online or get some easy gigs that pay instant cash. Cover songs are fun to do and because there are so many great songs out there to choose from, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to repertoire.

So whether you’re into creating cover videos for TikTok or YouTube, or if you’re already out there gigging and want to perform covers that don’t sound like a clone of the original artist’s version, learning how to make songs your own is the key to sounding authentic. 

In today’s singing tutorial, I’ll break down five steps design to help to you learn a new song fast and then re-arrange it so it sounds like your own version. 

Nicola xx

Here’s how to learn new songs and make them your own

1. Use the lyrics

To get the general feel for a song, put it on and sing along with the artist, but make sure you grab the lyrics and read them as you sing so you can’t make mistakes. Listen and sing to it a few times until the general melody and some of the lyrics are in your head.

2. Then transcribe it

Transcribing means, working out the chords and melody by ear. Alternatively you can grab the chords online and this is where having an instrument comes in handy. If you can play the chords, then you can change the rhythm, the tempo, arrange the chords and start to make this song your own. You start can do this even with basic playing skills.

3. Sing along while you play the chords

This will help you to really learn the melody and lyrics because it will be obvious which you dont yet know as soon as you take the backing singer away. You can also try this with a karaoke track.

4. Change the melody a bit

Start messing around with the song ie: Use the same chords but mix up the melody. Have a go at improvising but remember to keep it simple! Use the same chords but try a different groove or tempo. This can dramatically change how a song sounds.

5. Change or add chords

Quite often pop songs can easily be enriched by adding extensions to the chords, adding in a passing chord (ie ii V I instead of V I). The better your skills are, the more you will be able to get involved in this step.

Did you like this video?

Let me know if you enjoyed today’s tutorial in the comments below. 

Nicola xx