Chord Progressions that Change Key

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. __________________ A few days ago I wrote about ways that you can keep a song from getting stale on the listener, changing key (also known as modulating) being one possible way to achieve this. There are many ways to modulate, and depending on the style […]

The Role of Inspiration in Songwriting

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. When I pick up a pencil and try to draw a face, it looks grotesque. I get the perspective wrong, the shading looks haphazard, and the dimensions are simply off! Because I am untrained, I can’t really finish any drawing I start. As I progress […]

Some Lessons from Owl City's "Fireflies"

Gary Ewer’s Songwriting E-books tell you why good songs are good, and why bad songs fail. If you’re stuck, trying to figure out how to get your songwriting working for you again, his downloadable e-books may be all you need. Right now, make a purchase, and take advantage of a free deal. ____________________ A cute […]

Does a Song Need a Hook?

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. You can find Gary’s songwriting e-books here. ______________ Do a quick online search about songwriting, and many times you’ll read some variation on this sentence: “A song must have a hook.” Depending on what you mean by the word, that could be true. But if […]

So How Many Notes Make a Good Melody?

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. Read about Gary’s songwriting e-books here. ____________________________ If you study the songs that have made it big over the decades, you start to see certain commonalities: they show an identifiable contour, they usually have a climactic point, they’re usually comprised of mainly stepwise motion with […]

Expand Your Songwriting Technique by Expanding Your Musical Mind

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. If you’re looking for a fresh new perspective on songwriting – something to get your songs working again, Gary Ewer’s songwriting e-books will clear your mind and get you writing successful songs. They explain why good songs work, and how to get bad songs working! You can […]