Beware The Repeated Melody Note
The first time we hear a song we take in the big picture, we notice…
Why Sometimes Your Lyrics Don’t Fit The Song
We all have an ongoing monologue in our heads. It changes as we move through…
The Temptations of Producing/Recording vs. Songwriting
It’s more useful and important than ever for songwriters to be fluent with recording and…
The Great Art Of Writing Simple & Direct Lyrics
In a song, music, especially melody, almost always carries more weight than words; especially when…
The Pandemic Won’t Do Your Song’s Work For You
Since I produce artists and facilitate songwriting and production workshops and classes, almost every week…
Push Your Lyric To The Edge
There are no rules in songwriting. When doing a workshop or teaching, I feel like…
For A Songwriter, How Much Isolation Is Too Much?
Over the years, as I’ve gotten more serious about my writing, I’ve gotten used to…
Don’t Stop At Self-Expression
In songwriting there’s a lot of emphasis on self-expression. That’s understandable, and certainly it’s hard…
Adapting To A Different World
I’ve been in the music business for decades and have acquired some skills at adapting…
‘If The World Was Ending’ – Inside A Great (and Timely) Modern Song
This post is about one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard in a long…
How They Wrote A Billie Eilish Song… That’s Also A Bond Song
I’m impressed by how Billie Eilish and her co-writer/brother Finneas O’Connell managed to craft a…
Why Song Titles Are Less Important Now
Songwriting immortal Irving Berlin said: “Make sure you repeat the Title as often as possible…
The ‘4Chords/4Bars’ Song Still Rules The Charts
Almost 3 years ago I wrote a blogpost about the development of a new variation…
The Jittery Rhythms And Constant Motion Of Modern Melodies
At Tony Conniff Songwriting Workshops we just began a new 5 week group, this one…
Lyrics: The Right Vowel Is Just As Important As The Right Word
One of the most critical aspects of writing a song is making it as singable…
How Your Mind Convinces You To Postpone Writing
I spoke recently with an old friend of mine; a longtime music person who has,…
When You’re Moved By Something In A Song… Break It Down
There’s a craft to doing anything really well. In songwriting, part of learning is doing…
Mistakes Can Be A Songwriter’s Best Friend
A lot of my songs have started from mistakes (and yes… I know there are…
The Key You’re In – Is It The Best Key For Writing Your Song?
I was producing someone whose song’s melody was considerably lower in the Chorus than it…
Songwriting: Solving The NYT Crossword During a Therapy Session?
“Songwriting is like attempting to solve the NYT crossword during a therapy session.” I came…
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