Recognise that most songs are made up of repeated chord blocks. 2 chords repeated, 3 chords repeated, 4 chords repeated. Analyse songs to note the number of chord changes they have before repeating or before going to a chorus. Experiment with less or more chords in each block. Further study: The Constantly Repeating Chord Progression […]
Songwriting Magic Blog
Tip: When you have a song idea write down absolutely everything related to it
When you have a song idea, write down absolutely everything related to it. In fact go further – actually research the topic as if you are writing a dissertation; worry no more about a shortage of ideas for verses and choruses. “A young songwriter named Woody Guthrie taught him that he could still collect facts […]
Tip: Learn as much as you can about the craft of songwriting
Inspiration generates new ideas for songs, but craft is needed to finish them. Get yourself a copy of ‘Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting’ by Jimmy Web, the writer of ‘Wichita Lineman’ and many more hits. It’s a dense, technical book and not necessarily the easiest read; but it’s got everything in it you need […]
Tip: Write so often that it becomes a habit
In the same way a drug addict needs another hit a songwriter needs another song. If I am not working on a song or if it’s been a while since I’ve written one, I start to feel anxious; something is missing; something is not right; for me songwriting is not just a habit, it’s an […]
Tip: Need a melody? Can you hum?
Hum tunes or make up nonsense words while playing along with chords or find melodies by picking out notes from the chords you are playing. ‘Can you hum?‘ was what Lionel Richie was told after asking the in-house songwriters how to write songs..
Let your subconscious write the song
Songwriting – certainly at the start of the process – is not a technical exercise; songs are not mathematics; not a puzzle that requires brain power to solve. Songs are not an Ikea cabinet you are trying to put together. Just get your brain out of the way; the song wants to be written – […]
Play lots and lots of cover versions – it’s the quickest way to learn
Play lots and lots of cover versions. Learn the songs from your favourite bands and solo artist. Playing songs teaches you the language and the vocabulary of songwriting. You will learn musical tension and resolution, chords and chord structures, common chord patterns and common song structures. Use the Udemy coupon below to get over 90% […]