Lady Gaga - Till It Happens to You

The Musical Choices in “Til It Happens to You”

You really have to admire the producers of “Hunting Ground,” the 2015 documentary about rape on college campuses, for presenting a difficult topic with such unblinking honesty, courage and power. Just watching the film trailer will change you, assuming you didn’t already know the scope of the problem. Lady Gaga teamed up with hit songwriter […]

Building a Song Around a Chorus Hook

Creating a chorus hook starts with finding a really catchy three or four words. _______________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting”, and become a top-tier songwriter starting today! _______________ There are many different ways that a songwriter can “hook” a listener. By definition, anything in a song that keeps listeners humming it, and keeps them […]

Where to Place a Climactic Moment in a Song Melody

A climactic moment makes music memorable, and adds energy and excitement. _______________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and build your audience base! _______________ Songs usually have several so-called climactic moments, but the moment that usually counts as the most significant is the one that happens in the chorus. In a way, a […]

7 Thoughts on Choosing a Song Topic

Is choosing a song topic more difficult than writing the song itself? Here are some ideas to help with that. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ It’ll be clear to anyone who spends even 3 minutes studying song topics that love still sells. Depending on what day you check, […]

Generating Song Energy With an Open Cadence

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. _________ I frequently use the term “forward motion” when describing how music captivates listeners. Specifically, forward motion is that characteristic of songs that makes the listener feel that whatever is happening at any given moment is going to be “answered” or […]

Adding Innovative Elements to Your Next Song

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _________ In songwriting, an innovative element is some aspect that jumps out at the listener, something that presents itself as being creative and imaginative. All songs should incorporate something that sets it apart from every other song out there, so in a […]