A Pedal Point Adds Glue to a Wacky Chord Progression

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. Follow Gary on Twitter There are many ways to add a bit of variety to your chord choices. The problem is, the more you stray from the tried and true, the more confusing it can be to the listener. A pedal point is a great […]

Three Easy Steps to Harmonizing a Melody

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. Follow Gary on Twitter   If you’re one of the melody-first writers out there, I applaud you. Writers who work on getting the melody right first have a greater chance of coming up with something that will stay in the listeners’ minds. But how do […]

You Want To Write, But Don't Know What To Write About!

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter The desire to write may be there, but often we get stuck just trying to come up with a topic. It’s frustrating, because you feel that the world doesn’t need another goopy love song. So how do you come up […]

How to Make a Chord Progression More Interesting

Written by Gary Ewer Follow Gary on Twitter First, let me start by saying that most songwriters worry too much about their chord progressions. It’s actually not as important to get an interesting chord progression as it is to get one that actually works. But if you are looking for ways to get a bit […]

Your Song May Be Great, But Are You Missing Your Target Audience?

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter In the pop music world, your song may be great, but if your instrumentation, rhythmic treatment, and other basic components are from a generation ago, you’re probably missing that all-important audience you’re looking for. For pop songs, the target is […]

Adding Innovative Elements to Your Songs Without Being Overly Weird

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. Follow Gary on Twitter Every song should exhibit a balance between traditional, predictable elements, and innovative, unexpected ones. If it’s a hit song you are wanting to write, the balance should definitely be greatly weighted toward predictable ones. But if there is nothing innovative […]