Jack Garratt

What the Direction of Your Melodies Does For the Meaning of Your Songs

I’m a fan of any songwriting process that requires concentrating on the melody first. The main reason I like melody-first writing is that you’re concentrating on the part of a song that’s the most hummable, and the easiest for someone to remember. If there is one criticism I have of melody first processes, it’s that […]

John Legend

Using Opposite Approaches For Your Verse and Chorus

As listeners of music, we like to hear contrasting ideas as a song progresses, even if we’re not consciously aware of it. In songwriting, a contrasting idea might mean something like this: one part of a melody that’s harmonized mainly with minor chords, followed by a section harmonized with mostly major ones. Contrast in a […]

How to Make a Downward Key Change Work

Get the songwriting ebook package that thousands of songwriters are now using to take their music to its highest level of excellence. “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Deluxe Bundle is currently ON SALE. Read more.. ________________ Regarding the changing of key within the same song (called modulation), the songs that start in minor for the verses […]