I often tell my songwriting students that I teach tools—not rules. There are no rules in songwriting. Similarly, there is no road map that points the way to guaranteed success. But there are three things I consistently see in those who achieve their songwriting goals. Let’s look at the “3… Read more...
If we were collaborating on a song and I suggested that one particular line of lyric – and the melody that accompanies it – be repeated eighteen times, would you think that would be entirely too repetitive to be successful? How about if, in the same song, I insisted that… Read more...
The chords we choose to accompany our melodies not only contribute to the flavor of our songs, they can provide some of those magical musical moments that make our songs hooky, exceptional, and unforgettable. To keep our listeners’ attention we need to include hooks, elements that are catchy and memorable,… Read more...
Warning: Listening to the songs referenced in this article is likely to result in an inability to get them out of your brain. It is an incredible accomplishment for a song to reach the top of one of the Billboard charts. Occasionally, songs connect with listeners sufficiently to… Read more...
During a recent song critique, I turned off the recording after listening to the first verse and chorus. The writer protested, “But you’ve got to keep listening. It all comes together in the bridge and then the last chorus explodes!” That might have been the case, but the chances are… Read more...
For the latest installment of their collaborative series, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the GRAMMY Museum announced their 2018 Chart Toppers event, featuring panelists and BMI affiliates Ali Tamposi, Andrew Watt, Louis Bell and Brian Lee. Moderated by Billboard’s Melinda Newman, this iteration of Chart Toppers will be held… Read more...
