Written by: Cliff Goldmacher (www.EducatedSongwriter.com) I thought I would take a moment to tell you (and myself while I’m at it) a few of the things we have to be thankful for as songwriters. Songwriting is the kind of pursuit that often takes place in a vacuum with little or no encouragement and is, by [...]

I can safely say that nothing ever moved as quickly as I thought it would and, yet, I’m constantly surprised at the ways that my long-forgotten efforts have come around to generate royalty income.

Although this is often true of beginners, it happens at all levels of ability and experience. It happens to everyone to some degree or another.

Ever wonder how a band creates its unique “sound,” or what makes a particular song so distinctive?

The Atlantic has posted some great videos from two creative icons; David Lynch and Donavon.

When I was 23, I went to Europe for the first time. It was a great adventure and many of the highlights took place in Greece, where I have returned several times in the intervening years. The morning I’m thinking of had to do with Socrates, the Greek philosopher. I had read The Meno by [...]

Are you a family man (or woman)? Some will get up early in the morning, others will wait til the whole family goes to bed at night. Others will have a regular night and will spend the rest of the week capturing songwriting ideas. Maybe you’re not a family man but you DO have a [...]

Jeff Oxenford has been blogging his experience recording demos for the first time. It’s very interesting first-hand experience and worth a read.

Music fans of course, but they do so while reading a book, dancing, or doing something else. By listening like a musician the songwriter can learn a lot more about their own craft. This article is about listening like a musician, and about how doing so with one particular album helped me to learn things I could use in my own songwriting.

At the time of this writing, there is an unfamiliar face at the top of the iTunes Albums list – a songstress named Sara Bareilles and her album “Little Voice”. Some have said she sounds reminiscent of Fiona Apple. The Wall Street Journal seemed to notice and did an article on her. The success point [...]