If you want success in writing music, you need to be able to listen to your own music objectively, and to be able to judge it objectively. I’ve written a lot on this blog about how to do that (here’s one article, for example: How Objective Listening Improves Your Songwriting). To listen objectively ends up being this: […]
As you probably know, it’s quite possible (and reasonably common) to use the same — or almost the same — chord progression for a chorus that you use for a verse. If you do decide to use the same progression for both sections, it should be the kind of progression that would normally work well for […]
Good songs are almost always about contrasts. If you look closely at chord progressions, you’ll notice major and minor chords: opposites working together. With instrumentation, you’ll often see sparse, transparent sections (often the verse) contrasting with fuller, busier parts (the chorus). Contrast is an important part of what keeps listeners coming back to your song. […]
For most songs, an intro serves at least three purposes: Establish the key of the verse (or sometimes the chorus, if that’s different). Establish the tempo and rhythmic feel. Establish the mood. Almost any song in the pop genres that you can name will do those three things. But occasionally you’ll come across songs that […]
Songwriting is a kind of self-improvement exercise. With each song you write, you should feel that you’ve added something positive to your definition of yourself. I think it’s fair to say that one of the things that keeps you interested in songwriting is noticing that you’re getting better. Each song you write is an accomplishment […]
One of the best ways to get inspired to write your next song is to turn your attention from writing music to playing it. As a player, you create sounds under your fingers, some of which come from other people’s songs, and some which you create spontaneously as a product of your musical imagination. Those ideas can then […]
