Beyoncé - Break My Soul

Putting a Songwriter’s Eye on Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul”

Beyoncé’s latest hit single, “Break My Soul” (written by Beyoncé, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, et al) is currently at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Every hit song balances standard fundamentals of songwriting with something unique and innovative. So let’s take a look at three songwriting innovations that set “Break My Soul” apart and make […]

Jack Johnson

One of the Best Reasons to Add a Bridge to Your Song

There’s more to a song hook than meets the ear… a lot more. “Hooks and Riffs: How They Grab Attention, Make Songs Memorable, and Build Your Fan Base” is a vital manual for any serious songwriter. A bridge is an optional section of a song that usually happens either: …after the second chorus in songs […]

Singer-Songwriter

How a Songwriter — or Any Musician — Should Measure Success

“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle” comes with an excellent Study Guide that’s meant to get your songwriting moving in the right direction. Also comes with a FREE eBook, “Use Your Words! Developing a Lyrics-First Songwriting Process.” For practically anything you do there are established ways to determine if you’ve been successful. For some projects, […]

Singer-Songwriter - Recording Studio

When It Comes to Song Intros, Consider Going Minimalist

Song intros can play a very important role in the success of a song. Here’s a short list of what they typically can do for you: They might introduce the mood of the music, and that’s an important part of enticing a listener to keep listening. They usually (but not always) indicate the key of […]

Keyboard

Starting Your Progressions on Something Other Than the I-Chord

If you want to know what key a song is in, it’s typically the chorus you should be looking at. That’s because verse progressions might wander about, making identification of the actual key a bit difficult. But by the time you get to the chorus, things usually become clearer. It’s not unusual, for example, for […]

Two guitarists-songwriters

What a Songwriting Process WON’T Do For You

I don’t want to say that thinking about your songwriting process is a waste of time, because it’s not. And I often write about the importance of process on this blog. But a songwriting process usually only attempts to give you a set of steps to achieve that song that’s bouncing around in your head. […]