It’s hard to define what a rock anthem is. It’s the sort of song form that you recognize when you hear it, though. The most important quality of an anthem is probably universality: the notion that everyone could join in and sing the chorus together, and feel a sense of camaraderie and celebration for doing […]
I was very much saddened, as I know most of my blog readers were, to hear the news of Leonard Cohen’s passing. His contribution to the world of poetry and popular songwriting is immeasurable; his music will be studied and performed for centuries, there can be no doubt. Over the past 8 or so years of […]
Here’s what you do to a song to make it feel like an anthem. “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBook Bundles will strengthen your songwriting technique, and take you to a new level of musical excellence. The 10-eBook Deluxe Bundle comes with”From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro“. Read more.. An anthem is a song that: […]
Creating a powerful rock anthem is not so much about you or me – it’s about WE. ______________ We usually rate the quality of the music we hear by the quality of the lyrics. In songwriting, the imagery that comes from well-crafted lyrics is everything. The more a song lyric speaks to us, the more it […]
Lately I’ve been examining the effect that chord choice, tempo and melodic shape can have on lyrical meaning and mood. There’s another song attribute that can affect mood: the direction of the bass line. In particular, I want to look at the power of the rising bass line, because it can give your songs a […]
“Everyone seems to agree that “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is an anthem and “Shake Your Booty” isn’t.” Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter An anthem is one of those kinds of songs that comes under the heading of, “Hard to define, but you’ll recognize it when […]
