Easy To Sing Is A Damn Good Thing: ‘Let It Snow’ Part 2
While scribbling away on our pads or pecking away at our iPads, as we write…
“Never Make Predictions, Especially About The Future”
A few weekends ago I had a plan to write on Saturday and Sunday afternoon,…
Allen Toussaint – A Musical Giant
On November 10 of this year one of the twentieth century’s American musical giants, Allen…
Writing Is A Streetcar Named Desire
I recently finished John Lahr’s powerful biography, ‘Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of The Flesh’. It’s…
How Adele Sets Up A Great Chorus
A big part of why understanding song structure is so important is that listeners bring…
7 Reasons To Join A Songwriting Workshop
Though Songwriting workshops aren’t for everyone, a lot of writers find them useful. After having…
6 Things To Consider Before Talking To An Artist About Changing Their Song
The piece below is an article I wrote, published this week in Sonic Scoop magazine…
The Most Dangerous Word In Songwriting
Rarely does a songwriting workshop session go by when I don’t find myself talking about…
6 Things To Remember When You’re Looking For A Producer
Most of what’s below involves communication and teamwork – the job of both parties. But…
Don’t Expect Writing A Good Song To Be Easy
“The vast majority of the time, I get a verse, or a chorus, and that’s…
When In Doubt, Try Taking It Out
I was thinking about Pre-Choruses – about how many times, in songs of mine and…
Writing The List Song – Part 2
I’ve been listening to the classic blues song, ‘You Can’t Judge A Book By Its…
13 Ways To Access More Songwriting Creativity
Here’s a good block-breakin’, stimulatin’, new-idea-creatin’ songwriting tool: Ask yourself ‘What If…?’ For example –…
On Writing A ‘Genre’ Song
Recently I had an idea for a new song… and I kept trying to dismiss…
A Good Title Needs A Specific POV In The Lyric
It is a truth universally accepted (sorry, Jane) that a song with a good Title/Chorus…
You Can Start With A Bass Line… Here Are Some Who Did
With some songs all you need, musically, is a melody and a bass line. The…
It’s Blues – Even When You Don’t Realize It
By now there must be millions of songs that use the incredibly durable and adaptable…
Can You Teach Someone To Write A Song?
Even when I’m ‘teaching songwriting’, I never think of it this way. I believe you…
Cutting What’s Not Essential Strengthens What’s Left
‘If it can be cut, then CUT IT OUT. Everything non-essential that you can eliminate…
Songs, Like Pixar Movies, Have To Be MADE Good
Over the last few years I’ve listened to more than a few podcast interviews with…
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