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…
In Songs, ‘I’ Is Usually Better Than ‘We’
Even more than most of these posts, this is just an opinion. But my opinion…
Singing Helps Get The Lyric Right
In preparing for a recent gig I was, as usual before a show, singing my…
6 Tips On How To ‘Finish Your Song’
I recently wrapped up, with seven songwriters, the first “Finish Your Songs’ workshop I’ve held.…
What I Forgot To Remember… About Being Productive
Back when playing the bass guitar was my main obsession, I’d sometimes get depressed about…
When To Add A Bridge… Or Not
The question often comes up: Should I add a Bridge to my song? There’s definitely…
Bridges Are All About Momentum
In a Verse/Chorus song, Bridges usually happen a minute and a half to two minutes…
How To Keep Your Focus In A Lyric… Or Not
Recently I heard some talented students record a song that I’ve always liked, and still…
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