Guitar, Pencil & Paper

When Songs Are Hard to Finish – Reasons and Solutions

Is there anything more frustrating for songwriters than when a song starts easily, but the whole process grinds to a halt before even half the song is finished? There are several potential causes for this sort of thing — and to be honest, you’ll likely encounter each and every one of them at some point. […]

Guitar, paper and pencil

Five Reasons to Keep a Songwriting Journal

“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle” comes with an excellent Study Guide that’s meant to get your songwriting moving in the right direction. Also comes with a FREE eBook, “Use Your Words! Developing a Lyrics-First Songwriting Process.” If you’re a songwriter and you’re looking for ways to improve your skills, one of the best tools […]

Guitar and paper

Thoughts on How to Start a Song

I can say at the outset that there is no one way to write a song, and certainly no one way to begin the process. Songs are judged by how they sound in their finished form, and if the song’s a great one, how you got there — at least at that point — becomes […]

Ed Sheeran

The Best Way to Avoid Accidental Plagiarism

If you’re a songwriter, you probably have experienced this fear at least occasionally: the thought that something you’ve just written has already been written by someone else, and you’ve unintentionally copied it and called it your own. At the least, it’s embarrassing, and at most, it could be a legal liability. The good news is […]

Earth, Wind & Fire

Speeding Up Your Songwriting Process

Whenever anyone asks me how long it takes for the average song to be written, I usually tell them that it takes as long as it takes. That’s my way of saying that there is no norm. A song might come together in fifteen minutes, and it might take weeks or even months or more. […]

Books and music

Remembering the Best Songs You’ve Ever Heard

For most good songs in the pop genres, getting a hook working properly is vital. “Hooks and Riffs: How They Grab Attention, Make Songs Memorable, and Build Your Fan Base” shows you how hooks have made the world’s top songs successful. If you’ve not ever kept a songwriter’s journal, I highly recommend that you start. […]