How Do You Write A Ska Song?
Although ska made a big mainstream splash during the alternative explosion of the 1990s, this Jamaican-born music genre has been around since the 1950s. The rhythms of ska are similar to the more popular and well-known genre of reggae, which actually followed ska. With just a guitar or piano and a pen and paper, it’s easy to write your own ska song. Listen to ska music. The first step in writing any type of song is to listen to the genre and identify the qualities you like the most. Mimic the ska rhythm on your piano or guitar. Ska is known for placing the emphasis on the off-beat, or the 1/8 beat. Counting 1, 2, 3, 4 is counting the 1/4 beat, and ska emphasizes the beats in between the 1/4 beat. Play along with a ska song to get the rhythm down perfectly. Use major chords. Ska is a happy, upbeat genre, and major chords help create a lighthearted tone. Consult a songbook or online song library to learn popular ska chord progressions. Write lyrics about love or politics. Because ska cam
