Two guitarists-songwriters

Is Your New Song Different Enough From Other Songs?

Here’s an interesting little experiment you can try if you have several of your own songs in some sort of recorded format. Play each song, and for each one ask yourself “When is the first time in this song I hear something unique?” Here’s more of what I mean by that: Let’s say your song […]

Songwriter and guitar

Producing Your Own Songs: Making the Tough Choices

I was told once by someone that there are two kinds of people near the top of any successful company: ideas people and doers. I’m not a business specialist, so I have no idea if this is really true, but it makes sense. You need people who can come up with some great ideas, and […]

Music Studio Sound Board

Coming Up With Ideas to Take You From Writing a Song to Recording It

Once your song is written and you’re ready to record it, you’ll hopefully still find opportunities to to make it even better. Most of the time, rehearsing your song with bandmates gives you that opportunity. For most good songs in the pop genres, getting a hook working properly is vital. “Hooks and Riffs: How They […]

Frustrated songwriter

Why The Rolling Stone List (or Any List) Doesn’t Really Matter

I’ve been reading all sorts of commentary, both civil and uncivil, about the latest incarnation of the Rolling Stones list of the 500 Best Songs of All Time, released this month. Predictably, most people have something negative to say about it all. If you’re one of the ones who takes issue with which songs are […]

Cher - Believe

The Cher Effect Diverted Our Attention Away From Why “Believe” Works

If you’re ready to take your songwriting to its highest level possible, you need “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle.” Get the manuals that thousands of songwriters are using. Comes with a Study Guide. Every singer-songwriter likely knows what the “Cher effect” is. It’s the extreme autotune effect that Cher’s producers Mark Taylor and […]

Songwriter - Guitarist

How Playing Music Can Enhance Your Songwriting Abilities

One of the best ways to get inspired to write your next song is to turn your attention from writing music to playing it. As a player, you create sounds under your fingers, some of which come from other people’s songs, and some which you create spontaneously as a product of your musical imagination. Those ideas can then […]