Music develops and changes over time as a kind of evolution: it takes what’s happened before, copying it to a large extent, but making small changes that move in a slightly new direction. It’s what biologists call “descent with modification from a common ancestor” in their field. We like to think that the music we’re writing is […]
Back in 2008 I began a newsletter for songwriters, “The Songwriter’s Quick-Tips Newsletter.” My last edition was in January of 2014, but I’m happy to announce that I will be starting the newsletter up again, with the first edition of the new version to be sent out later this month. It’s completely free, and I’d […]
If you were to ask me to describe what makes a good song melody, I’d probably tell you this: On the whole, when you look at songs that have made their mark and have been held up as iconic representations of their genre, the following is usually true: They move in a mainly stepwise way. […]
If writing music were easy, I doubt we’d stick with it. One of the reasons we write is because it’s not always easy. Sometimes, coming up with music that sounds great means working and reworking. It’s a process that takes time and experimentation. But that battle of getting music right is the “fun.” In some ways, the longer […]
Songwriters know (or should know) that songs are the best teachers. When you hear something you love, the artist in you instinctively wants to know why you love it. Through that kind of simple musical curiosity, you begin the next stage in your development as a writer. Adele’s “Hello” (co-written with songwriter-producer Greg Kurstin) is a […]
As songwriters, you’re constantly trying to make your music a personal experience that others can feel – to which others can relate. You do this by singing about universal emotions and experiences (love, peace, friendship, etc.), and you use common, everyday words to convey your thoughts. Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, and most of […]
