The Advantage of Sketching a Map For Your Song

Making a line drawing of the basic energy of your song can reveal problems you might be having. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle, and get back to the basics of why hit songs sell. _____________ Most songwriters piece a song together while sitting with an instrument. Little by little, lyrics, melodies and harmonies unite […]

Song Structure: When It’s Right, You Don’t Notice It

Song structure is hard to define in any specific way, but songs can die when it’s missing. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and get back to the basics of why hit songs sell. _____________ Back in 2004 I started doing research into pop music in preparation for writing “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting.” At […]

5 Reasons Your Song Might Use a Pre-Chorus

A pre-chorus can go a long way to building energy and excitement in a song. Here are some handy tips. Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. Get a copy of “Use Your Words! Developing a Lyrics-First Songwriting Process” FREE with your purchase of the Bundle A pre-chorus is the short section that […]

Must All Verse Melodies Be the Same?

Creating contrast in songs is important, but verse-chorus is only one of many options. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ The verse-chorus format of songwriting is an easy way to ensure that the contrast principle is alive and well in your songs. Any time you divide your music into […]

7 Ways to Build Energy in a Song’s Chorus

The general direction of song energy between verse and chorus should be up. Here’s some ideas for making that happen. ____________ Purchase “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and get this eBook FREE OF CHARGE: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”. _____________ If you were to trace a line that represents the energy […]

How the Contrast Principle Makes Songs Better

In songwriting, the contrast principle tells us that listeners need to hear stress and resolution. Here’s how that works. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career. _____________ The contrast principle states songs should present opposing ideas as it progresses. Song energy is generated every time your audience hears those […]