10 Chord Progression Questions and Answers

Ten very commonly-asked questions regarding chord progressions. Which ones have stumped you? ____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle comes with this FREE eBOOK: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”. _____________ I do a fair amount of looking about at music blogs and forums online, just getting a handle on the kinds of […]

Getting Chords in the Right Order

Good chord progressions are not simply one nice chord following another. There is a musical logic behind good ones. ____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle comes with this FREE eBOOK: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”. _____________ There is a reason why we call them chord progressions, and not chords successions. Something that […]

Fixing a Chord Progression That Sounds Random

Randomness is no help for your music. 5 tips to sort all that out. ____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle comes with this FREE eBOOK: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”. _____________ When a chord progression sounds random, that usually means that it has lost the sense of where “home” is. In […]

Simple Song Design Using Big Star's "Thirteen"

Big Star’s “Thirteen” could have been written today, and in fact you can use it as a model for your next song. ____________________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle now includes a free copy of “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro.” ____________________ I was recently reminded of the band Big Star recently […]

"Home" (Phillip Phillips) – Composing 3-Part Song Melodies

There are options to the verse-chorus-bridge form that can create a natural energy build in your songs. ____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle comes with this FREE eBOOK: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”. _____________ If you usually stick to a verse-chorus-bridge format for your songs, you know the benefits: that song […]

Creating Chord Progressions With Parallel Roots

Here’s a great way to create a strong partnership between verse and chorus progressions. ____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle – written by Gary Ewer – is now SEVEN eBooks for only $37. (Comes with this FREE eBOOK: “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”.) _____________ One of the tricky parts of creating chord progressions […]