In today’s ever changing music landscape, writing music for sync has become an important marketplace for songs and songwriters. More music content is being consumed now than at any other time in the history of the world. And, much of that music is showcased in TV shows, movies, video...
“Today’s music sucks. The stuff artists are putting out is bad music—and it all sounds the same!!” We hear it all the time from songwriters, I used to say it myself. But the truth is, changing your attitude and outlook on contemporary music can actually help you write better songs. Not...
The 9-Minute Songwriter Workout consists of three songwriting exercises designed to get you into the flow of writing without overthinking it. Your best ideas come from the subconscious, and you can tap into this with regular practice. Remember to do these exercises quickly, spending three minutes on each in rapid-fire succession....
Early in my songwriting career, I was driving to a co-writing session with Hall of Fame songwriter Rory Bourke. Traffic was extremely slow that day. I rushed into the writing room and frantically said, “I’m so sorry that I’m late.” Immediately, Rory sang what I had just said: “I’m so...
Want the best set up for your big hooky chorus? Work on your conversation skills — your conversational verse melody skills, that is. Publishers, artists and producers will tell you they are either looking for or trying to create that next hit chorus — or, at the very least, a chorus...
Hey Song Meisters! Are you stuck in a chord rut? Well, I’m going to give you a trick I’ve used when writing hits like Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It by Darius Rucker. It's all about placing the 5 chord in an unexpected place. This is a short video but will...
Songwriting is beautifully complex and yet simple... I am often reminded when teaching aspiring songwriters how simple, and yet complex, writing a song can be. It's a beautiful mix of emotions, wit, determination, and being in the moment. A very common obstacle I see to great writing is what I call...
I’m obsessed with looking under the hood of great songs to figure out what makes them hum. If we listen closely, some feature cool rhythm patterns in the melody, others defy the norms of form, while other songs showcase unique chord progressions. But, what kind of voodoo pulses through the...
At least twice a week I get an email seeking advice on how to overcome writer’s block. For many songwriters the worst part of the whole writing experience is just getting started. Those times when we sit down to write and nothing comes out. We feel like we have...
Over the course of my career, I’ve had a diverse collection of artists sing my songs, from R&B artist Babyface to rocker Darius Rucker to country’s Reba McEntire. I believe the reason for this lies in my ninja power for writing an explosive hit chorus— songs that leap out of...