Using Pandora for songwriting inspiration

By Don • Nov 30th, 2008 • Category: Inspiration

As a regular Pandora listener, I’m not sure where I have been the last year or two. Pandora Presents “Musicology” series is nothing short of phenomenal for songwriters. You want songwriting tips? You got em!

Just seeding stations and listening to similar bands and gaining exposure to bands I’ve never heard of has been inspiring enough as a songwriter. But did you ever wonder how a band creates its unique “sound,” or what makes a particular song so distinctive?

As the Pandora people spend their days dissecting tracks for the Music Genome Project, it occurred to them that most people don’t get to hear songs before they’re finished. They thought it might be interesting for folks to learn more about what goes into songwriting. This Musicology series is their attempt to give you an inside look at the techniques musicians use to put their signature on the music they write and perform.

They do get into a little music theory, but they’ve worked hard to make it interesting and understandable for anyone who’s even just a little curious about music. It is hosted by Pandora music analyst Kevin Seal from the band Griddle.

Definitely check it out! Below is a partial list of some of the great songwriting podcasts they have produced. They are also available as a FREE podcast subscription in iTunes. If you don’t use iTunes, you can also visit their blog and download the podcasts directly.

Check it out:

Pandora Presents … Musicology

Don is the founder, writer and editor of BloggingMuses.com. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
Contact Don | All posts by Don

Recording equipment category at GuitarCenter.com

Here's Some (Theoretically) Related Posts

Radio control is shifting to musicians and songwriters - let’s not squander it.
(Editor's Note: The following was contributed by piano-driven Americana artist Dave Turner of Asheville, NC.) This is a complicated issue, so
Rob Crosby, Music Theory podcast, and other songwriting news
Concrete interview. Nashville Hype interviews hit country songwriter Rob Crosby. "But whether there's alot of lyrical depth or not, craft plays
Songwriting tips by Jesse Harris (video)
Phenomenal songwriter Jesse Harris talks a bit about just getting in there and starting to write. Don't worry about a
Write For Us!
Write an article for Blogging Muses and get exposure to over 1000 unique users per day that come to the
Give February Album Writing Month (FAWM) a try
The thought of doing this last year with a 1 year old in the house was all but incomprehensible, but


Free Monthly Songwriting Newsletter

This newsletter is sent to your inbox once per month and recaps the month of songwriting articles and news on Blogging Muses, as well as some unique content only available to newsletter subscribers.

Name:

E-mail:

6 Responses »

  1. Wow - this is really awesome!

    Can’t wait to get crackin on these podcasts…

  2. Awesome post. I look forward to reading this site on a regular basis!

  3. Welcome and thanks for your comment! We’re always looking for suggestions or contributions as well so come back often :-)

  4. Very good post. Pandora is a miracle of internet radio.

  5. Thanks, Don! (and Brian and Hannah and Carlos.)

    I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying our Musicology Show episodes. Thanks for listening!

    What would you guys like to hear this series cover that we haven’t touched on already?

  6. house and techno music would make me very happy!

Leave a Reply