After writing my first hit song I thought I had arrived but songwriter humble pie wasn't far behind... About 11 years ago, when my son was eight, I was fortunate enough to have a new single on radio. I had moved to Nashville at 32, and eight years later, it...
THE MUSIC LAB #29: “The Songwriter Chord” -Are You Using It?!?! Want to make your songs contemporary but also not lose that classic feel of great songs? Follow along as Clay Mills shares his secret "songwriter chord" that has been used on mega hits throughout many decades of music. Grab...
As a professional writer, learning to boost my creative songwriting power was crucial to my success. I am asked often how I walk into a co-write with superstars like Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, or Lady Antebellum and create songs “on-demand?” Well, I didn’t start out doing this, but...
I have received several emails this week asking about the best approach to recording song demos. There are many things that have changed over the last year since I first blogged about this. Here are a few questions to consider when demoing your songs. 1. Who will be listening?...
How many times have you heard it said that one must "Fake it to make it" or "Act as if you've already achieved your goal." Nice comforting quotes but not a smart strategy for chasing your songwriting goals. I remember starting out years ago, landing my first publishing deal as...
Eight years ago, fellow pro songwriter Marty Dodson and I made a pact to do all we could to keep the craft of songwriting alive. We were chatting at a local coffee shop in Nashville, Tennessee. We discussed how we'd learned early on in our careers from master songwriters...
The number one question that fills our email inbox is “How do I get a song cut by a major artist if I'm an out-of-town songwriter?” "I don't live in a big music city" is the challenge. This strikes at the very core of why Marty Dodson and I created...
Songwriters, like any craftsmen, rely on skill. But skill is largely based on your ability to consistently add tools to your songwriter's toolbox. Here are 4 steps to get you on the path to adding new tools, break out of old ruts, and level-up your writing. Practice Active...
One of the hardest things to come to grips with as a songwriter is other peoples opinions on your songs. Here is a story that can help you navigate those waters. I wrote with a writer last week who is actively looking for a publishing deal. He is a super...
One of the biggest lessons I've learned over my songwriting career is that my songwriting focus constantly needs tweaking. It's easy to lose sight of the important foundational things and veer off into the worlds of negativity or procrastination. So I have a short checklist of things I remind myself...