Using Plateau Pitches to Organize the Structure of Your Melody

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 […]

Songwriting Collaborations Are Usually Win-Win, and Worth a Try

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 […]

Yes, You Can Learn a Lot by Studying BAD Songs

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website: Years ago, when I was studying at university to become a music teacher, it was a requirement to visit many different schools and observe the teachers of music programs in action. I kept a journal of those visits so that I could read about my […]

Why Are Bad Songs Bad, and What Can You Do About It?

There are two important ways that songwriters can improve. The first way is to learn whatever you can about why successful songs work, andwhy they sell millions. That’s been my particular area of interest – analyzing and dissecting great songs, and helping songwriters learn from the success of others. My five e-books are designed to show in […]

Tips for Writing a Love Song

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website: Nothing succeeds like love when it comes to finding a songwriting topic. Songs are successful when they speak to the heart, and it’s likely that everyone over the age of 10 or so can relate to some aspect of love. So there is a huge market […]

Bored with I-IV-V-I Progressions? Spice things Up with These Suggestions

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle, and get back to writing great songs! _______________ by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website: If you find yourself using the same boring chords in every song you write, it’s time to expand your chord vocabulary. Here are some suggestions for making things more interesting: […]