Why Chord Progression Formulas Work So Well

While “formula” is often a bad word in songwriting, it’s a good thing when it comes to chords. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ As a composer of music you learn that writing according to a fixed formula is often a bad thing. And while that’s usually true, you […]

Starting Songs With the Melody: It’s Almost Always Better

Starting the songwriting process with a chord progression might be easier, but easier doesn’t mean better. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ You hear a lot about the “killer chord progression” in songwriting discussions, but it’s a bit of a myth. There are certainly progressions that really work well, […]

5 Songwriters’ Ideas For Getting Through the Next Few Months

The festive season will inspire you as a songwriter, but what do you do during the non-festive months? ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ There’s an 80-20 rule that applies to songwriting. Well, who knows the exact percentages, but suffice it to say: 20% of the music you write […]

The Role of the Hook in Verse-Only Songs

The most common song hook is found in the chorus. But in verse-only songs, what role does the hook play? ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ A song’s hook is, theoretically, that thing that keeps bringing listeners back and building an audience base. As the specifics of a song […]

Downward Key Changes Might “Brighten” a Song – Here’s How

If you’re looking for ways to brighten the feel of a song, moving the key downward might (paradoxically) work. Read on.. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and increase your song’s HIT potential. _____________ I’ve written about the matter of changing key within a song before, and most of the time I talk about ways to […]

How the Contrast Principle Makes Songs Better

In songwriting, the contrast principle tells us that listeners need to hear stress and resolution. Here’s how that works. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and kick-start your songwriting career. _____________ The contrast principle states songs should present opposing ideas as it progresses. Song energy is generated every time your audience hears those […]