Archive for the ‘Songwriting Articles’ Category

Book Review: Lyrics - Writing Better Words For Your Songs

By Don • Apr 29th, 2008 • Category: Songwriting Articles, Songwriting Books/DVDs

Last year we reviewed the book How To Write Songs on Guitar by Rikky Rooksby. It still stands up as one of my favorite books for inspiration and creativity. So I was very excited to see this book recently for a deal, which I subsequently purchased and started reading.
Where How To Write Songs on Guitar [...]



How to have a day job AND be a good songwriter

By Don • Apr 3rd, 2008 • Category: Inspiration, Songwriting Articles

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 social [...]



Songwriting is a game: The Manic Tempo of the Gaming Music World

By Don • Feb 6th, 2008 • Category: Songwriting Advice, Songwriting Articles

For those interested in gaming music and the gaming music industry either as a writer or musician. Speaking first hand having had a lot of experience in session playing and gaming music production.



How to write a holiday song

By Don • Dec 10th, 2007 • Category: Songwriting Articles

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with holiday songs. Some of us tire of the constant drumming of holiday music no matter where we go - the post office, the grocery store, church, etc. On the other hand, there are some who love holiday songs because it reminds them of being kids and the [...]



Songwriting and the Importance of Musical Exploration

By Kole • Nov 20th, 2007 • Category: Songwriting Articles

I’ve held the belief that listening to and learning from musical styles that are different from your own, has always been beneficial. However, early in my musical career this wasn’t so apparent to me or some of my students. In fact, some of my students had the misconceived perception that going outside of [...]



The Magical Musical Mystery That is Songwriting

By Don • Nov 20th, 2007 • Category: Songwriting Articles

The question that I’m asked most often is:
“How do you actually write your music?”
The answer is, that Songwriting can be a harsh mistress, and you have to know how to approach her, to turn the mistress into a muse.
Anybody can write a song.
Many people can write good songs.
But how do you write a great song?
Here [...]



Techniques for Songwriters: The Theory of Appreciative Comparison (Part I)

By Kole • Jul 23rd, 2007 • Category: Songwriting Advice, Songwriting Articles, Songwriting Tips, Songwriting Tools

We are adapting this theory to the Musical realm in a practical way so that we (the artists) can more effectively write music and in turn have the audience recognize, understand, and appreciate our music much more.



Another 25 Year old independant female songwriter makes iTunes Top Ten

By Don • Jul 15th, 2007 • Category: Inspiration, Songwriting Articles, Songwriting News

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 - [...]



Songwriter Tom Waits Playboy Interview - March 1988

By Don • Jul 4th, 2007 • Category: Songwriter Interviews, Songwriting Articles

If you want some great songwriting tips and insight, look no further than this interview from 1988 in Playboy magazine with Tom Waits. Tons of nuggets of inspiration and lots to digest.
Tom Waits Playboy Interview March 1988
Most people know singer-songwriter Tom Waits as the poet of late-night metropolitan areas, the bard of smoky lounges and [...]



How do you get into ‘Songwriting Mode’?

By Don • Jun 21st, 2007 • Category: Songwriting Advice, Songwriting Articles

Like a beauty ritual before bed, some people have a few things they need to have in place before they sit down to write a song. What are yours?
Here’s mine:
I like to do a little meditation before I start - even if it is only for five minutes. Usually my songwriting is based on a [...]