Songwriting Process
Learn The Rules Of Songwriting In Order To Break Them
When I was studying music in High School some years ago, I remember having one of my many intense conversations with my music teacher Mr Morgan about the so-called “rules” of music and why I had to learn them. I remember saying to my Mr Morgan defiantly, “well, if anything goes in music, why are […]
Which Songwriting Process Works For You?
I’ve always been really fascinated with the songwriting process and how there seems to be many roads that can lead to a completed song. You can approach writing a song in a number of ways. 1. Write from a melody or riff2. Write from lyrical ideas3. Write from a song title4. Write with a collaborator […]
Songwriting Process – When Doing Nothing Is Still Doing Something
Writing songs is a cyclic process. Sometimes a song will appear to you and you can get it down with the greatest of ease and sometimes writing songs is like trying to pull teeth out of the mouth of an angry crocodile. I know that this piece of advice is going to sound counter-intuitive but […]
10 Tips To Improving Your Songwriting Process
You might have gathered by now that I am a huge believer that the ongoing and never-ending improvement of your songwriting process will enable you to write better songs regularly and consistently. By evolving your songwriting process (through constant practise) into something that works for you and your way of doing things, gathering ideas for […]
Words First Or Music First? Does It Really Matter?
In my experience, one of the first questions a songwriter will ask about the songwriting process is “What should come first? Words or music?” Well, there’s really no right or wrong answer to that question but I’m sure that if you asked 100 songwriters you’d definitely get 100 (slightly) different answers. First of all let’s […]
12 Ways To Enhance Your Songwriting Process
I realised a long time ago that when it comes to the songwriting process there’s no such thing as the perfect way of writing songs, it can always be improved upon. Listed below are twelve ways in which I think you can enhance, improve and eventually master your songwriting process. Even if you implement just […]
The Joys Of Rewriting Your Songs
Nile Rodgers once said that “…I know how to write and rewrite songs, and the genius is really in the rewriting.” This statement is something that I totally agree with. I reckon, if you’re at the stage with writing your song where you need to go through it and start revisiting parts to ensure that you’re […]
How To Finish That Song That You’ve Been Working On Forever
I must say that I’m one of those songwriters that is an expert at starting off songwriting ideas but really ordinary at finishing them off into completed songs. It’s one of those things that I personally need help with in my own songwriting process. Here is an article by well known producer, author and songwriter […]
Songwriting Process: Oblique Strategies With Brian Eno
Here is a very interesting video I found recently of one of my favourite musicians and sound artists of all time, Brian Eno being interviewed by Jools Holland in 2001. In the video, Eno talks about the concept of his Oblique Strategies cards and how they can be of immense help to songwriters, performers, studio musicians […]
Some Songwriting Resolutions For All Of Us To Consider In 2020
Now that we’re fast approaching the end of 2019, it’s time to really start focussing on your songwriting resolutions and goals for 2020. I’ve put together a list of possibilities to consider when working out what your songwriting goals are for the new year. I’ll certainly be using this list for my own songwriting too. […]