Generating Song Energy With an Open Cadence

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. _________ I frequently use the term “forward motion” when describing how music captivates listeners. Specifically, forward motion is that characteristic of songs that makes the listener feel that whatever is happening at any given moment is going to be “answered” or […]

How Chord Progressions, Roman Numerals and Songwriting Intersect

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. _________ Through the history of music, particularly in the so-called western world, not much has changed with regard to how chord progressions work. In most popular music genres, the kinds of progressions used are very similar to, or at least related […]

5 Tips for Developing a Bridge (Middle-8) For Your Song

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. _________ A bridge usually comes after the second chorus in a song, and it has many reasons for existing. Among those reasons, the introduction of new melodic material is probably the most important one. After two verses and two choruses, your […]

Harmonic Rhythm, and Dealing With That Panicky Feeling

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting NOW! _________ Harmonic rhythm sounds like a term that would refer to the rhythms you use when you play chords. But that’s not quite it: harmonic rhythm is a term we use to describe the frequency of chord changes in a progression. […]

Adding Innovative Elements to Your Next Song

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _________ In songwriting, an innovative element is some aspect that jumps out at the listener, something that presents itself as being creative and imaginative. All songs should incorporate something that sets it apart from every other song out there, so in a […]

How Melodic Shape Can Support Your Song’s Lyrics

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _________ I mentioned a couple of posts ago that good songs are usually better than the sum of their parts. Here’s what I mean. A good lyric can come across as stronger than it might really be if the melody and backing […]