What is the best songwriting software for beginners?

[jonathansorensen]

One of the best tools these days for the price is Reaper. Fantastic DAW! http://reaper.fm/
I use Ableton Live but it costs a good chunk of change for someone just getting started.

+1 on Reaper.

[gtrmann]

I bought Songwriter's pad for my Ipad and my Iphone so I could sketch out lyric ideas on the fly, where ever I was, and I do not like it. It seems to cumbersome to me. I would have liked something a little simpler so I can concentrate on the lyrics I am working on, not the software ...... JMHO

[melodymessiah]

even if you really don't play an instrument (like me) i would highly recommend buying a cheap midi keyboard/controller, and to download a demo version of a daw or two to try which one that works best for you. i've tried stuff like band-in-a-box myself, but none of these will actually let you PLAY the notes like a live instrument. if you want to try out different chords to fit your melodies, a keyboard is much for efficient (and fun) way to do it than to try to dot down the chords from a software like band-in-a-box, which i find to be very time consuming and downright frustrating at times, especially since i don't know the names of the chords.

for lyrics i use verseperfect (free). it has both rhymes and theosaurus, which is all i need.

i wish you the best of luck

[Dwayne Russell]

I am new to the business of songwriting, I actually write only the lyrics. What kind of software is best for me to create a complete song on my own? Thanks for any advice!
GinaMarie

Pencil and paper.

[brentmagstadt]

I've been moving onto Tunesmith for catalog tracking and pitch tracking over the last 5-6 weeks. (I don't use rhymegenie yet, but I can see it's value.) Anyways, Tunesmith is great and as I get it data loaded with my stuff, I'm finding I'm relying on it more and more. Best 5 five dollar bills I've spent in a while. My world was getting wildly muddled using excel to track my music, submissions, blah blah blah... Feels good to have a somewhat organized approach.

And such a nice contrast to 'wildly muddled'.