It’s good for your mindset as a singer (even if you’re just starting out), and it’s very important from a practical standpoint, to have easy access to your personalized toolkit.

Creating your own songbook is the perfect way to do this.

Although I know a lot of people use an ipad or tablet (and maybe I’ll get there eventually) I still like a paper songbook. I guess I’m old-fashioned that way. 😊 Also, I find it easier for multiple people to use an actual notebook – it’s easier to see over someone else’s shoulder.

My recommendation is to use a 3-ring binder divided into sections. We’ll talk about what those sections might be further below…

What you’ll need for your songbook “tool-kit”:

• 3-ring binder with tabbed dividers and a little extra paper for notes

(I also like using A-Z alphabet dividers)

• 3-ring hole punch

• A pen or pencil that you attach to the binder (So you can mark up the pages with your notes, jot down names of songs that interest you, write down suggestions you’re given, etc.)

• White-Out (trust me)

• Access to a printer or copier (For printing out lyrics off the internet, copying song sheets that you’re given by friends, etc.)

NOTE: When I get nervous in a group situation I tend to get kind of stupid — how about you? So the more organized my book is, the less likely I am to fumble and get confused and make myself more nervous!

ALSO: Print your song sheets out BIG ENOUGH so you can read them easily from a bit of a distance. This will help you feel confident, and you won’t be glued to the paper, which is nice!

Sections you might include:

• Tips and reminders about singing in general

• Warm-ups you like

• Separate sections for various song collections (ex: songs I like to sing with Fred; Songs in Bulgarian; songs about trains; songs I wrote myself; etc.)

• Sections for each letter of the alphabet. If you find that your collection is growing sizable, I suggest using alphabetical A-Z separators. (I think it’s helpful to put your song sheets into alphabetical order even if you don’t separate the letters.)

It can be helpful to create a table of contents as well.

If you make a Table of Contents, leave a big margin on the page so that when you add a new song to the binder you have space to jot down the song name there. (Remember, your songbook is a living document – always growing!)

Then when you have time you can tidy up and re-alphabetize the table of contents, with the new additions. That way you can find the songs you want to sing at a glance.

(Another note about Tables of Contents: I think this system works best for a certain personality type! I made a table of contents but found I didn’t have time to maintain it — I ended up creating several smaller binders instead. Don’t make your standards so high or rigid that you get discouraged! Make your songbook system work for YOU!)

A great advantage of having this binder is that it makes it easy to communicate with other people about singing together.

Especially if you are nervous, it is great to have a list of songs that you like or have mastered, or even just know part of, to show other people. You can open to the table of contents or hand them the book and say, “Do you know any of these?” and without having to do much else, you’ve got the ball rolling. 

Song sheets can contain more resources than just lyrics…

Your song sheets might include chords (great if you or any of your friends play stringed instruments), or musical notation (great if you or any of your friends read music and need a reminder of how the tune goes, or if anyone wants to do a piano accompaniment). 

Your song sheets are also a great place to jot down any tips or reminders you have made for yourself about how the song works.

Scribble down notes that will prompt you enough so that you can find the groove of the song.

For example “Starts on the 5 below the 1” can help you get going on the song, “You Are My Sunshine.” A little scribble that says, “Starts: 1-2-3-4-4” might be enough to propel you into the song, “This Land is Your Land.” I do this kind of thing all the time. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about here, don’t worry about it. It’s something I talk about with my students.)

You might want to mark up your song with what in essence is your own personal musical notation. A pencil line above the words that shows where the melody moves up and down. An up-arrow above the highest note in a line. That kind of thing.

Notes about how the rhythm goes. This might be a vertical line over each of the big beats.

Whatever jogs your memory and makes it easier to sing the song. People come up with all kinds of ingenious stuff! Do you!

Your songbook becomes a real treasure.

Your songbook is as rich and useful as you make it. Draw in it or decorate it if you want. Love it up, because it is your self-made singing companion. Just opening up your songbook can be an inspiration and put you into a singing mood.

And it is a work in progress. Add to it whenever you learn a new song and it will give you the kind of satisfaction you get from tending a healthy plant.

Watch it grow with you, as you grow as a singer. ❤️

Join the Fearless Singers Playground online membership program — a supportive and joyous singing community specially designed for beginners! When you join you’ll get access to great online skills & song lessons, as well as live sing-alongs, workshops, and open mics.

Such a great way to grow as a singer!