Lyrics are the main way you communicate with your audience, but it’s not the only way. What we do with chord progressions, melodic shape, rhythm, and the basic mood we convey with all of those elements, all work together to communicate something to the listener. But lyrics probably stand as the most important way we have […]
Any of you who have read my e-books, particularly my chord progression e-books, know that I often use the analogy of taking a walk to describe how a good chord progression works. It’s a good analogy for many reasons. But here’s the main one: when you take a walk, the path you’re on is like the chord progression […]
The term “modal chord progression” may technically be a bit of a misnomer. But in common usage, a modal progression could best be described this way: a set of chords that points to a note other than the tonic (key) note. In other words, if you’re using what appear to be chords from the key of A […]
Normally, an Italian musical term from the classical music world would send any self-respecting songwriter running for cover. In this case, the daunting word “appoggiatura” can actually become your best friend if you’re trying to find a good way to inject some energy and interest into an otherwise boring melody. Here’s how it works. An […]
Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter ________________________________ How do I write a hook for the song I’ve already composed? Is that possible, or must the songwriting process start with the creation of a hook? In a way, all songs have a hook if they’re memorable. A hook […]
Any working songwriter will tell you that writer’s block is one oftheir fiercest enemies, something they must constantly work against to keep at bay. A bad dose of writer’s block can completely sap the fun and enjoyment out of songwriting, and make you feel like a rank amateur. Writer’s block is, in short, the inability to summon the […]
