How Do You Know When A Song Is Finished?
I’ve heard many songwriters wonder about this. Quite a few have asked me the above…
‘Let It Snow’: Great Songwriting Any Time Of Year
In the summer of 1945 in Los Angeles, on one of the hottest days of…
Think You Stole Your Melody From Another Song? You’re Probably Right… And Wrong
One of the most common things I hear from songwriters is that they’re afraid they…
The Joy Of Cutting
Buddhists preach non-attachment. Today, though I’m not religious, I will join their ranks, at least…
Lorde, Adele, MJ: The Art Of The Pre-Chorus
More than any other part of a song, the Pre-Chorus’s main function is to help…
Songwriting: What Creates Skill? Why Does It Matter?
Skill is a big part of the difference between an amateur and a professional. Just…
Why Is A Song Like A Set Of Directions?
The human mind instinctively looks for patterns. It will even make up patterns when none…
7 Reasons Why It’s Great To Be A Songwriter Right NOW. (Can You Add Another?)
There are a lot of reasons – particularly on the business side – why it’s…
Creative Destruction in Songwriting
“Creative destruction is a process through which something new brings about the demise of whatever…
How Do You Organize Your Song? Around The Title?
Almost all of my songs are Title-based songs. Even though I don’t usually ‘write from…
A Question About Stevie Nicks’ ‘Dreams’
Nothing great that humans make is ever perfect, even if anyone could figure out what…
In Songwriting, You’ve Got To Crawl Before You Walk
It’s not too hard for me to get sick of my own songwriting. Sometimes it…
Stuck In Lyric Paralysis? Just Say It.
Many of us find completing a lyric to be difficult at times. There can be…
Sia, Christina, And The Modern Torch Song
I’ve gotten interested in the Australian songwriter/artist Sia (Sia Furler) lately, especially her way with…
Getting Beyond Right And Wrong In Song
Even when I’m officially ‘teaching Songwriting’, I shy away from the idea that I’m ‘teaching’…
Using The Title To Write The Verses
When writing a Verse/Chorus song, say I’ve got the Title and Chorus. When it comes…
Songwriting Feelings Aren’t Facts
When writing songs lately, I’ve felt… listless. Uninspired. My ideas seem ‘weary, stale, flat, and…
‘The Elements Of Style’ – In Songwriting
The Elements Of Style, Strunk and White’s classic and still magisterial book about written English…
Joni Mitchell: The Power Of Subtlety And Restraint
Joni Mitchell’s song ‘For Free’ is a superb example of storytelling in a song. It…
Creative Harmonization – Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’
In a previous post, I explored making a simple melody more interesting by creatively harmonizing…
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