It’s not unusual for songwriters to get a song started quickly, and then have everything slow down. You might start with a flurry of ideas that all come together with ease, and it can be exciting. But then you’ll notice the excitement fading a bit as you struggle to put things together – to make a final […]
There is a tricky balancing act that is undertaken by any and every successful singer-songwriter: how to be innovative enough that audiences get to hear something fresh and new, but similar enough to your previous music that you don’t scare your fans away. It all comes from trust. Your fans learn to trust you and […]
For most songs that are written and produced for today’s pop music market, the hook is a very important feature. It’s the part that everyone remembers long after they’ve forgotten everything else about a song. And crucial to the business side, it’s what brings audiences back to a song and makes sales more likely. We […]
If a songwriter attributes his/her creative abilities at least in part to drugs, it doesn’t make much sense to contradict their opinion. It’s not like you can say, “No, drugs didn’t help you — they hindered you”, if they were in an altered state of mind while penning a hit. So you can look at […]
Every key has seven chords that exist naturally within that key. And they’re easy to find. First, take any key (C major, for instance), and play a chord that uses each note of the scale as a root. To know if you should be playing a major, minor or diminished chord, follow this simple guide that uses […]
The November 2015 edition of the Songwriter’s Quick Tips Newsletter has been released, and is sent free of charge to subscribers. If you haven’t subscribed yet, I’ll be sending it again to new subscribers a bit later this week. To subscribe, fill in the form below. Subscribe to The Songwriter’s Quick Tips Newsletter * indicates […]
