Sometimes you do not need a song idea to start writing. One word is enough to give you a direction and keep you writing for a few minutes.

I used similar generators on other websites for these exercises, then eventually built my own — first Random Word, then Random Phrase.

That is how a new Songwriting section appeared in Six Strings App.

It currently contains two tools:

• Random Word;
• Random Phrase.

They may look similar at first, but they solve different problems. A single word leaves almost everything open to interpretation. A phrase gives you a narrower direction — sometimes meaningful, sometimes deliberately strange.

Both are useful.

Where the Idea Came From

I came to these tools through freewriting and object writing exercises.

The idea behind freewriting is simple: choose a subject and write continuously for a set amount of time without worrying about structure or mistakes. You do not edit. You do not stop to search for a rhyme.

Object writing gives you a more specific starting point. You take an object or a word and explore it through details, sensations, images, and associations.

For me, the value of these exercises is in the practice itself.

You do not need to wait for inspiration or try to write a complete verse in ten minutes. The task is much simpler: open a generator, get a starting point, and begin writing.

I used other websites for this before.

Then the same thing happened that has already happened with several tools in Six Strings App: if I use something regularly and have a clear idea of how I want it to work, sooner or later I end up building my own version.

That is how Random Word and Random Phrase appeared.

Why One Word Is Sometimes Enough

Random Word is the more open-ended of the two tools.

Suppose it gives you:

station

That still says almost nothing about the future song.

You could write about saying goodbye. A journey. A city at night. Someone who never arrived. The smell of coffee in a waiting hall. A departure board. The urge to leave. Or you could move away from the literal station completely and follow a different association.

That is the advantage of a single word: it barely limits the direction.

You can set a timer for a few minutes and simply write down whatever comes to mind:

station
night lights
empty platform
cold concrete
last train
station clock
bitter coffee from a vending machine

This is not a lyric yet. It does not need to be.

But it is already a collection of images you may be able to use later.

Random Word Settings

A completely random choice is not always useful, so the generator can be narrowed down.

You can choose a part of speech:

• noun;
• adjective;
• verb;
• adverb;
• any.

You can also set the minimum and maximum word length.

I usually keep all parts of speech enabled and allow the maximum possible length because I want a wider range of results.

Nouns work well as objects and subjects. Verbs immediately suggest action. Adjectives can become the beginning of a description or an image.

The last fifteen generated words stay in the history, so you can go back to something interesting you skipped too quickly.

The best results can also be saved to favorites for later use.

Why Have a Random Phrase Too?

A single word gives you a lot of freedom.

The word window can lead almost anywhere.

But a phrase like someone else's window already creates a situation.

Who is looking through it? Why is it someone else's? What is behind it? Is it a real window or a metaphor?

The direction is narrower, but now there is an image you can develop.

That is why Random Phrase serves a slightly different purpose.

It does not simply pick several unrelated words. The generator builds phrases from predefined patterns and can produce both relatively natural combinations and deliberately unusual or contradictory ones.

For example, it can work with structures such as adjective + noun or verb + noun, along with more complex patterns.

Instead of the almost complete freedom of a single word, you get a more concrete starting point.

Themes and Patterns

Random Phrase has more settings than Random Word.

In Image mode, you can choose a theme that influences the vocabulary used for generation. A city theme may produce words such as street, lamp, or square, while a nature theme may draw from words such as forest, river, or wind.

The Weirdness setting controls how likely the generator is to combine words that normally do not appear together.

For example, empty city is fairly predictable, while empty wind is already a more unusual image.

That kind of collision can be useful because it forces you to ask what the phrase could mean.

I Use These Tools Mainly for Practice

Neither Random Word nor Random Phrase was designed as a lyric generator.

I use them for practice.

• Generate a word.
• Set a time limit.
• Start writing.
• Do not judge the first sentences.
• Follow the associations and see where they lead.

Or take a phrase and spend a few minutes trying to develop the image inside it.

You can throw the result away afterwards.

The value is in the process, not necessarily in what you produce.

It is similar to playing scales or technical exercises on an instrument. Not every exercise needs to become music.

But Sometimes Something Worth Keeping Appears

Sometimes the generator produces a phrase that immediately creates a strong image or pulls something unexpected out of memory.

That is why I added favorites.

Over time, they become a small collection of ideas you can return to later.

You do not have to turn them into lyrics immediately. A phrase may sit there until the right melody, theme, or second line appears.

Word or Phrase?

Random Phrase is not an advanced version of Random Word. They do different things.

Random Word is better when you want maximum freedom:

word → associations → images → lyrics

Random Phrase is more useful when you want a clearer starting point:

phrase → situation or image → development → lyrics

When nothing comes to mind, I would start with a word.

When I want stronger constraints, I would start with a phrase.

A Simple Ten-Minute Exercise

Try this:

1. Open Random Word.
2. Generate one word.
3. Set a timer.
4. Write everything you associate with that word.
5. Do not edit anything until the timer ends.

Next time, do the same exercise with Random Phrase.

The goal is not to finish a song.

The goal is to keep writing.

The First Step for the Songwriting Section

For now, the Songwriting section in Six Strings App consists of two small generators.

And maybe it will stay that way.

My goal is not to build an AI-powered lyric generator. I want to learn how to write better lyrics myself and create tools that can help other people practice the same skill.

Open the Songwriting section