Chord choice is one part of songwriting that doesn’t require a lot of imagination. All that’s really required is that a progression works. In that sense, it’s not much different from a piece of country land that you might build a house on. Sure, it may seem important to have land that, on its own, takes […]
Using a chords-first songwriting method usually means starting out by improvising on chords until something interesting pops into your mind. But one of the drawbacks to this process is that you can waste a lot of time simply trying to find chords that work well together. I’ve placed two charts below, one for major keys and […]
To make a longer progression, consider repeating a short one, making substitutions each time through. Here’s how. In yesterday’s post, we looked at how each chord in a progression can be categorized, and we used that information to help us create chord substitutions. We can also use that information to extend chord progressions, making them longer. That’s what we’re […]
Simple chord substitutions can do more for your music than simply vary the sound. _____________ “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle (plus a FREE copy of “From Amateur to Ace: Writing Songs Like a Pro”) is written by Gary Ewer, designed to straighten out your technique and get you writing better songs. ______________________ Most of the chords you’ll […]
Here are some interesting alternatives to turn a basic I-IV-V-I progression into something that sounds a bit fresher. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ In the balance between innovation and predictability, your songs should only offer a taste of innovation if you want to build an audience base. There […]
Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. And get today’s FREE deal: a free copy of “Creative Chord Progressions” _________ Every songwriter has their favourite way of starting the songwriting process. For many, it involves sitting at a keyboard, or with a guitar, and working out a chord progression that then […]
