A songwriting formula is a process. It’s the way you write, the procedure you follow for creating a new song. And it can be, over the long term, your worst enemy. Here’s why. The very term “formula” implies that it’s a method, or set of steps, that’s been done many times before. The good thing about that is […]
It’s pretty obvious that the most important concern regarding chord progressions is to have one chord move smoothly to the next. There’s nothing worse than chords that just don’t feel right. A bad set of changes can actually kill an otherwise pretty good song. But that’s not the only job of a good progression. It’s important […]
Why do so many songwriters swear by the power of the hook? It’s because the hook, by definition, can reel in a listener, and keep them humming your song all day long, for days, weeks and even years to come You can’t ignore the power of a well-placed, well-composed hook to drive your song into […]
The last two of the eleven principles of songwriting refer to the creation of a hook. A hook is a short, memorable component of a song that occurs from beginning to end. The chief purpose of a hook is tocreate in the listener’s mind something catchy that just won’t go away. I often think that songwriters […]
Writing a good melody requires several things all working together; chief among them are lyric and harmonies. A melody is good if it seems to complement the emotion of the lyric. The harmonies, of course, need to support the melody. Beyond that, there is another important issue which is often overlooked: melodic shape. Melodies need countour. While there […]
The tonic note is the note that represents the key your song is in. So if you’re writing in G major, the tonic note is G. The tonic note is of tremendous value in strengthening your song’s overall structure; its importance cannot be overlooked. How you use it is what Songwriting Principle No. 8 is all about: The presence of […]
