Guitarist - songwriter

Using a Minor V-Chord in a Major Key Song

Get “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBooks. They’ll help you polish your technique, and make you the best songwriter you can be. Comes with a Study Guide, tons of chord progressions, and information covering every aspect of how to write good music. Good chord progressions take you on a musical journey that usually starts at “home”, wanders to some interesting place, […]

Guitar chords

Creating Chord Progression Partners for a Verse and a Chorus: 5 Examples

Many songs will use the same chord progression in both the verse and the chorus, and of course it’s completely fine to do that. A classic example is America’s “A Horse With No Name”, which toggles back and forth between the two chords Em and D6-add9/F# for both verse and chorus. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” […]

The Beatles - Get Back

McCartney’s Songwriting Process

If you’re ready to study — to learn why a great song succeeds — and then to apply those discoveries to your own songs, you’re ready for “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle.” It’s a treat to watch some of the video snippets from the recently released “The Beatles: Get Back” documentary. I’ve not had opportunity to […]

Rolling Stones

Beyond Songwriting: How to Make Your New Song Even Better

“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBook bundle gives you lots of help when it comes to writing song melodies. Chapter 5 of “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” shows you how lyrics and melody work hand-in-hand, and “How to Harmonize a Melody” shows you how to add chords to that melody you’ve just created. If you go to […]

Guitar, headphones and music

5 Random Musical Tips for Songwriters

Thousands of songwriters are using “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle” to polish their songwriting technique. Discover the secrets to writing great melodies, lyrics, chords, and more. After a period of time answering emails, doing video tutoring, and just generally talking to others generally about music and specifically songwriting, I find that I repeat […]

John Newman - Losing Sleep

The Most Common Melody Problem Songwriters Need to Know About

For most songs, a good melody is crucial because it gives the listener something to hum after they’ve heard it. There are all kinds of melodies — from the ones that use one phrase over and over again (“Free Fallin’” – Tom Petty), to the ones that move up and down and encompass much of […]