Forward motion is a term that refers to the sense of musical energy in a song. In real terms, forward motion is what makes a listener want to keep listening to a song. In other words, the listener wants to believe that as good as the song is at this moment, it’s going to sound […]
Some songwriters start their process by working out a good chord progression as a first step. From there, they automatically create a backing rhythm that brings that progression to life. Once they’ve done that, the mood it generates makes them feel comfortable coming up with bits of melody and lyric, and the song starts to […]
I’m guessing that you’re good and ready to bid 2020 a heartfelt goodbye, and that you’re looking forward to 2021 with more than just a little hope. I could be accused of being an eternal optimist, but I really am expecting a much better new year, and I hope things are lining up to be […]
I find that whenever I think of what the Bee Gees went through in the early 1980s, with the public in general suddenly expressing an intense dislike for their music, I feel a lot of sadness. The Bee Gees as a songwriting partnership wrote some of the best songs in the history of pop. Maybe […]
Songwriting is problem-solving. For every song you’ve ever written that really works well, you’ve probably solved dozens or more problems that have taken you from the initial concept through to the finished product. Over the past couple of decades I’ve helped songwriters solve issues related to their songwriting, either working directly via in-person or online […]
It’s been a tough year for us all, there’s no doubt about that. And at holiday times we’re used to looking forward to being with friends and family, and we usually take great joy in that. This year a lot of “being with friends” is going to happen virtually. For many, it’s going to be […]
