How Pedal Tones Make Chord Progressions Sound Great

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle is available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ I was a child of the 70s, and loved (and still do) the music of Chicago, Genesis, Yes, Alan Parsons […]

Add Melodic Interest with a Countermelody

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle is available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ A countermelody is a type of melody that not only harmonizes a main melody, but could, if needed, act as […]

6 Tips For Protecting Your Songs Before Shopping Them Around

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle is available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ Judging by the emails I get, many of you are worried about how to shop your songs around without worrying […]

Four Suggestions for Dealing With Writer's Block

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle is available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ As you likely know if you’ve read my blog or my e-books, I am a big fan of not waiting […]

5 Tips For Breaking Into a Youth Market

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • Write great songs consistently with “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle ________________________________ Have you noticed that many of today’s TV ads use pop songs from the 70s and 80s to sell everything from floor cleaners to […]

What Makes a Hit Song?

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • Check out “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle ________________________________ A hit song is one that sells millions of copies and gets tons of airplay. So when you’re assessing whether a song is a […]