Remember those golden moments on Sesame Street, where the two parts of a word would squeeze together and teach us how to say something new? Let's see if we can make that magic happen again... Let’s assume that you’re a performing songwriter (if not, you’re still welcome to read along – grab a coffee and… Continue reading A Big Moment For The Audience
There are very few songwriters who can write a funny song that doesn’t lose its charm on repeated listens. Top of this game perhaps is the work of Barenaked Ladies, songwriters who have managed to create moving musical works that also make us laugh, time after time. Is there a secret to writing funny songs… Continue reading Yeah, But is it Still Funny?
Ah, I love an open mic night. The chance to hear new songs that I didn’t write, in an intimate setting, and to meet the songwriters. Do you attend open mic nights? Do you perform your songs there? Do you listen while other songwriters are performing? Oh, Behave! A lot can be (and has been)… Continue reading Work That Open Mic!
I’ve ranted before about picking great titles for your songs. (Click Here to read more). I’m in the mood to rant just a little more. First, let me be straight – the title of your song doesn’t make or break your song’s success. Without question, you can list many of your favourite songs that have… Continue reading Hooked on Titles
Every song is trying to communicate something – telling a story, capturing an emotion, ultimately making the audience experience an emotional reaction. But Who Am I and Where Do I Fit In? Before that audience can experience an emotional reaction to your lyric, however, it’s crucial that they understand what relationship they have to the… Continue reading The View From Here
We know already that familiarity breeds enjoyment. Our brains naturally enjoy something they recognize. This is why it’s so all-important to get your listeners to hear your song multiple times – it develops in them a desire to hear it even more times. Within your song, repetition of a hook serves the same purpose –… Continue reading Out of the Trees and Into the Forest
It does a disservice to songwriters everywhere, each time we hear a well-known songwriter speak to the media about how they wrote a favourite song of ours in a mere twenty minutes. It does a disservice because it is always either a deception or simply an untruth. Sure, it is not uncommon for a songwriter… Continue reading Writing Is Re-Writing Is Writing
Surely you've seen enough Spiderman movies to remember Uncle Ben telling his impressionable nephew - shortly before making his final screen exit - that "With great power, comes great responsibility". While this is undoubtedly true for those with super-powers, it extends to super-songwriters as well. One Rule to Rule Them All In fact, I will… Continue reading With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility
This will be the last part in this series of FREE songwriting tips, in which I analyze your song by telepathy. That's right, I don't even have to hear your song or see your lyrics to make a suggestion about what roadblocks might be holding back your song. Be sure to visit parts one, two,… Continue reading FREE Songwriting Workshop: Roadblock #6 – Show Me, Then Tell Me
Here we are again, discussing roadblocks that just keep holding your song back from reaching your audience and blowing their minds and hearts. Feel free to review parts one, two, three and four in this series before diving in here. Then keep your wallet closed and enjoy another free analysis of your songwriting without even… Continue reading FREE Songwriting Workshop: Roadblock #5 – You Can Keep A Secret All Too Well
