Genesis - Wind & Wuthering

How Genesis Succeeded In Their Transition from Prog to Pop

There is a necessary simplicity in good pop songwriting. And that simplicity might make you think that transitioning from progressive rock to pop is something you’d do if you’re just tired of creating more complex music. But that’s the wrong way to look at it. Pop music can offer — should offer — every opportunity […]

Peter Frampton

Switching From Major to Minor in a Song Isn’t Common, But Has a Powerful Effect

Songs are our best teachers, but what if you can’t tell WHY some songs work so well? “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle reveals eleven important principles of songwriting, and how they show up in practically every song ever written. Immediate download. If you’re planning to write a song that contrasts major and minor […]

Little Richard

Why Pattern Recognition is So Important in Good Songwriting

Psychologists will tell you that pattern recognition is a bit of an area of expertise for most humans. Our brains just seem to be wired to seek out any and all occurrences of patterns. We get a kind of pleasure from seeing and experiencing patterns. So many songs in the pop genres succeed or fail […]

songwriter - lyricist

Being Your Own Best Critic

“Hooks and Riffs: How They Grab Attention, Make Songs Memorable, and Build Your Fan Base” shows you how a good hook can make the difference between songwriting success and failure. With great examples from pop music history. If you’re like most songwriters out there, you’re probably dealing a lot with your “inner critic.” That term simply […]

Guitar - chords - songwriter

Top 5 Important Bits of Advice For Songwriters

You could fill a book with advice for songwriters, and because of that it’s sometimes hard to sift through all the information to determine what’s most important. Because everyone’s writing style is different, and because everyone has their own reason for being a songwriter in the first place, certain bits of advice will be important […]

Music Studio Sound Board

Getting a Handle On the Business of Songwriting

Like starting the songwriting process by working out the chords first? There are benefits and dangers. Read “Writing a Song From a Chord Progression” to get this process working properly for you. If you read my blog regularly you know that I deal mainly with the structure of songwriting. I think of songwriting in the popular genres […]