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…
Let The Faucet Run – Bad Music and Lyrics Can Lead To A Good Song
In my recent songwriting, I’ve noticed something that I take to be a positive development…
For A Gratitude Reminder, Try One Of These Songs…
* ‘Thanks For The Memory’ by Bob Hope (Rainger/Robin) * ‘I Thank You’ by Sam…
The Early Genius of Brian Wilson
As time passes – in a few months it’ll officially be over 50 years since…
In A Good Song, Some Things Are More Important Than Others
In a good song everything is important, everything matters – every melody note, word, chord.…
How To Let The Listener Write Most Of Your Song’s Lyrics
It’s been said many times – creating lyrics is an extremely economical form of writing.…
Cinematic Storytelling In Song Lyrics
Two very different songwriters I’ve discussed before – Chuck Berry and Sam Beam (of Iron…
In Defense Of ‘Stupid’ Song Ideas
Sometimes when I get an idea for a new song I get excited and I’m…
Sometimes Your Story Doesn’t Belong In Your Song’s Story
Most if not all of us songwriters, also known as people, have our go-to stories…
Music Business 2019 – The Reality On The Ground
Every songwriter and producer I work with has to deal with the same reality I…
The Importance of Writing At Different Tempos
I had a gig with my band and some special guests Monday night. It went…
Paul McCartney Reveals A Songwriting Secret
I was watching Paul McCartney on Steven Colbert’s show. They were discussing the fact that…
Isn’t It Always Too Late To Be A Songwriter?
Although far from achieving all of my goals – or even most – I’ve established…
When Writing A Song Is Like Writing A Joke
Jokes may be the purest form of writing and performance. There’s a setup… then a…
What Makes A Song Sound ‘Beatle-esque’?
A lot of Lennon & McCartney’s early songs were what you might call ‘genre’ songs.…
Never Turn Away Your Songwriting Muse – A Lesson From Neil Young
I spend a lot of time, in my life and on this blog, thinking about…
It’s A Process. Later, You Call It Songwriting
It’s called writing. But, after some wandering in the dark, most songs that reach the…
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