Articles discussing songwriting approaches
Songwriting is storytelling, and more than that, it's a sharing of emotional experiences. Whatever you have ever felt that made you want to write a song, somebody else has had that same feeling, and will recognize it when they hear you sing about it. Do you know what else they will recognize? They'll recognize when… Continue reading Authenticity Doesn’t Have to be a Constraint
Songwriting begins with nothing, then you have an idea and suddenly you have... something. It's a really cool feeling, isn't it? But that idea doesn't make for a whole song; you have to get to work and build something compelling. How to get there from here? First, Go Big Start by brainstorming. Think of as… Continue reading Go Big, Then Go Small
The gap is full of danger, right? But it's also full of excitement... There's something about a gap - in the pavement, as you're stepping onto a train or an escalator, between buildings (unless you're Spiderman) - that causes us some measure of anticipation, or excitement, or anxiety. It's the spot where the momentum stops,… Continue reading Mind The Gap
Where the combination of lyrics, melody, harmony and groove make up the unique DNA of your song, it is essential that your song winds its way through a story, told through the music as well as the words. Your song will have sections. Whether we call them verses and choruses, A's and B's, Hook, Bridge,… Continue reading It’s All About Contrast
Wait a minute, why are melody, harmony and lyrics getting all the special attention? What about groove? Groovy, Baby... Music has the power to impact us in so many ways. It can make us think. It can make us feel. And it can make us MOVE. While the copyright office only lists melody and lyric… Continue reading It’s All About the Groove
Okay, so the lyrics are super-important and the melody is crucial. What about the harmony? In fact, there are times when your harmony will make or break your song's ability to catch a listener's ear. It's All Been Done If you think that there are too few chords available for you to create a truly… Continue reading It’s All About the Harmony
What's that? Somebody told you that songwriting is all about the lyrics? Who would say such a foolish thing? Oh... So, let's step back for a moment. Perhaps I was a bit hasty when I told you it was all about the lyrics. Don't Shoot the Messenger I stand firmly on the argument that the… Continue reading It’s All About the Melody
If you ask me the MOST important thing about songwriting, and want a short answer so that you can get on with your day, here it is: It's All About the Lyrics. What? Why? In a Hurry? Here's a quick answer that will get you on your way. If somebody asks you "what's that song… Continue reading It’s All About the Lyrics
I love working with songwriters on their songs. We'll put our heads together and craft a replacement line of lyric to make the song stronger. We'll brainstorm, tossing ideas back and forth, and there's something that often gets in the way of finding a great line - RHYME. The Cart Before The Horse Yes, chances… Continue reading Forget About Rhyming, For A Moment
How's this, for a New Year's Resolution - elevate your lyrics by employing rich verbs? Verby Derby Doooooo First draft lyrics. You know the ones - we come up with a great idea of something to say, and write on paper the first phrases that capture the idea in words. Sometimes we later refer to… Continue reading A New Year – How About Some New Verbs?
