Staying Open To Last Minute Changes In A Song
Once I get a new song rolling I usually have some idea of where it’s…
Under The Hood Of An Exceptional Song, part 3 (production)
This Max Martin/Ali Payami production sounds very full but, relatively speaking, there aren’t as many…
Under The Hood Of An Exceptional Song, part 2 (lyrics)
The lyrics of ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ celebrate the surface qualities of the song (dance,…
Under The Hood Of An Exceptional Song, part 1 (music)
Katy Perry’s ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ (written by Perry, Max Martin, Sia Furler, Ali Payami,…
The Most Fun Way To Write A New Song
Songs happen in all kinds of different ways (see some examples here), but for me…
Don’t Be Afraid To Repeat The Title
Something I encounter quite often… songwriters who are not inclined to repeat, within the Chorus,…
How ‘4Chords/4Bars’ Songs Took Over The World
In the world of popular song, there’s nothing new in using what might be called…
Video blogpost: Why Do I Sometimes Like Songs With Bad Lyrics?
Thank you for reading my weekly blogposts! This is the next in a series of…
The Whys & The Ways To Improve A Melody
This is a followup to my last post about being willing to rewrite to get…
To Get Past The Cliches, You’ve Got To Explore
Many of us writers get very discouraged when our first version of an idea comes…
How To Change Your Lyric’s P.O.V. from Verse to Chorus
Generally speaking, to change the point of view in the lyric of a song, it’s…
How Contemporary Songs Are Different; Part 2: Melody
I gave a talk at our Songwriting Day event in 2016 about the ways in…
NEW Video blogpost: ‘Why Are Songs Different Today?’
Thank you for reading my weekly blogposts! I’m starting something different this week: a series…
Creating Your Habit of Songwriting
It’s hard for most of us songwriters to write a bunch of good songs unless…
When To Start Your Song With The Chorus
Most commonly, Verse/Chorus songs start with the Verse and build into the Chorus. This allows…
Christmas – It’s That Time Of Year… To Hear Everything
Going to various places in New York City during this holiday season, Christmas songs of…
Can You Write A One-Chord Song?
Have you ever tried writing a song with just one chord? This is an assignment…
Jay-Z and Bruce Mythologize Themselves In Their Songs… You Can Try It Too
I recently finished one of the best books on Songwriting I’ve ever read: ‘Decoded’ by…
For Bob Dylan, Songwriter, the Nobel Prize for Literature Is Not A Promotion
I love to read; I read compulsively. I get anxious at the thought of having…
What A Difference A Note Makes (In A Chord)
In a song I’m currently working on, there’s an 8 bar section where I started…
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