Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Jason Aldean’s latest hit on the Country charts, “Big Green Tractor,” demonstrates a great technique for building melodies that work: plateau pitches. It’s a way of structuring a melody to ensure that you get a controlled build through your song that […]
Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter It doesn’t take much to make a song appear to be much deeper than it really is. It just takes doing little things that are just a touch out of the ordinary. Changing the time signature is one easy way […]
Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Many of you know that I often compare writing a song with going for a walk. Songs are like journeys, and we take listeners on that journey with us. But without a plan, that journey can leave the listener feeling confused and […]
Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter In the pop music world, songs need a groove, and that usually means that you need to limit the number of chords you use. A groove chiefly happens when the tonic (key) chord happens over and over again. Our musical instincts […]
Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • Good songs sell! Check out “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle – available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ It’s not common to find songwriters who excel in all facets of music creation. The best songs […]
Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Imogen Heap’s “Ellipse” has been released, and it’s a gem. For you songwriters who want a demonstration on how to write songs with a strong, imaginative instrumental component, you need to listen to this album. It’s like a songwriting workshop […]
