Most songwriting processes use improvisation to some degree. Early in the process, improvising can seem aimless and futile. There’s a good reason for that: the best songs are a partnership of ideas. And since you’re just starting, most of the ideas you and your bandmates are coming up with might not be communicating with each other. […]
What’s the biggest problem for songwriters around the notion of process? It’s just my opinion, but I believe that over-thinking your process can be the biggest one. Every songwriter has their own way of approaching the task of writing songs. Most songwriters will be careful to tell you that they use many processes: no one song […]
Songwriting success is great. Random success isn’t, because it means a lack of consistency. Lately I’ve been writing about the importance of songwriting principles. While a rule is something that must be followed, a principle does nothing more than guide the songwriter. Most of the time those principles exist because it’s the way we like to hear music. When we […]
The best composers of music will tell you that they have a routine — a kind of daily schedule and creative process — that they stick to religiously. In practically all of the creative arts, a routine is seen to be beneficial. There are many reasons for this, but probably the best reason is this […]
Every songwriter experiences “feeling stuck”. You get a good idea for a new song, but then you just don’t know where it should go from there. There is an expression — and you hear it a lot in the creative arts — that applies here: paralysis by analysis (or analysis paralysis). If you like starting songs by […]
Got a melody, but don’t know how to add chords to it? “How to Harmonize a Melody” will show you the secrets to finding the chords that work well with your tune. It’s part of the 10-eBook Bundle. If songwriting for you means grabbing your guitar and strumming away until something sounds good, you’re likely […]
