These days, so-called “demos” tend to sound almost like finished products. You only have to go back one generation to find that demos used to be pretty rough around the edges, meant to give a general sense of the possibilities. The performers, along with a smart producer, could turn that mess into gold. I try to […]
“From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro” answers questions vital to raising your status as a songwriter – questions such as “How Do I Write Songs When I Don’t Feel Inspired?”, “How Do I Protect My Songs?”, and other important topics. This eBook is a part of “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBook […]
I’ve written numerous times on this blog about the importance for songwriters to be consistently excellent. That means you need to be writing excellent songs, and achieving that level of excellence over and over again. As a songwriter, you need to come to terms with what the word “excellence” really means. An allegory might help. Imagine […]
Avoiding the tonic chord has the benefit of making listeners wait around until they hear it. One of the most obvious ways to keep people listening to your songs is to create hooks that constantly demand attention. It’s something that producers and industry personnel love, because a hook is conspicuous. You can wave a good hook […]
Do you have “Hooks and Riffs: How They Grab Attention, Make Songs Memorable, and Build Your Fan Base“? It’s part of the 10-eBook “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” Deluxe Bundle. Read more. Ever hear the phrase “paralysis by analysis?” It means that you spend so much time analyzing why something isn’t going well that you wind […]
There are several important characteristics of good song melodies, even if those characteristics don’t all show up in the same melody. Here’s a few you’ll see in most songs that make it to the top of the charts: Lots of repetition, either exact or approximate. A nice shape that can be drawn as a line. A climactic […]
