Switching from Chords-First to Melody-First Songwriting

There are good reasons why so many songwriters like starting the songwriting process by developing a chord progression first. Chief among those reasons is that one good progression gives you the foundation to develop many potential melodies. The problem is that by focusing solely on chords, melodies can sound a bit aimless. If you’re always starting your […]

Not All Songwriting Formulas Are Bad

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-ebook bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _____________ Songwriting formulas are not usually thought of as the friend of serious songwriters. That’s because the word “formula” implies something rather opposite to “imaginative” or “creative”. Normally when you use a formula, you’re following what amounts to a set of instructions that […]

Pre-Chorus: When It Makes Sense To Write One

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-ebook bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _____________ A pre-chorus is that bit of music that songwriters sometimes insert between a verse and a chorus. Not all songs use them; in most cases, it’s completely fine to move straight from the verse to the chorus. But there are songs, and […]

“Moves Like Jagger”: Developing Melodies from a Killer Hook

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-ebook bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _____________ There’s a very catchy little instrumental hook that  happens right at the beginning of Maroon 5’s hit, “Moves Like Jagger” (see link below). It’s part scale, part arpeggio, and instantly appealing. Partnered with an energetic disco-pop accompaniment, the hook is almost strong […]

Starting the Songwriting Process With The Title

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-ebook bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career! _____________ If you’re going through a bit of writer’s block these days, and you’re finding it hard to get anything started let alone finished, here’s an idea that’s bound to help: start with the creation of a song title, and then work frontwards […]

5 Tips for Making a Song Melody Singable

Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 E-book Bundle. Become a top-level songwriter, starting now. _________ When we talk about a song’s melody as being “singable”, we usually mean easily singable. In most cases, it’s what you should be pursuing as a songwriter. And it’s tricky, because the melodies that are the easiest to sing are the ones […]