The tonic note is the one that represents the key that your song is in. If your song is in C major, the tonic note is C, and the tonic chord is C as well. If your song changes key, let’s say from an A minor verse to a C major chorus, the tonic note will […]
This post contains some additional thoughts on my previous post about motifs. As you know, a motif is a repeating figure (melodic, rhythmic, or any other musical fragment) that adds strength to the structure of a song. But it begs the question: is it possible for a song to feature too many repeating things? When is […]
There is no question that repetition is one of the most important aspects of the structure of good music. Music where nothing repeats sounds confusing to us. We use repetition as a way of understanding where a song is going. And when it comes to repetition, it’s likely that the hook will jump immediately to your mind. […]
Once in a while I look back in my blog archive just to remind myself of the kinds of things I was writing about a few years ago. I came across an analysis I did in 2013 of the song “Thirteen”, by Big Star, which they wrote and recorded in 1971. That’s a song that still […]
Like anyone who writes music, I could probably write a book regarding advice I’ve been given over the years — advice that’s helped shape the musician I’ve become. The best lessons I’ve learned have come from individuals, not necessarily from the pages of a book. That’s not because books aren’t good; it’s more because I […]
A common stumbling block for songwriters is: how to continue a song once that initial song idea has been created. It can feel very discouraging, because often that first song idea happens easily, and you feel excited for what’s to come. And then… nothing. I wrote about this a week or so ago, and in […]
