Author: Clay Mills

  Songwriters... When you have those days of songwriting doubt and wonder why you are chasing your dream....   I wasn't exactly young that day I realized I wanted to be a full-time songwriter. I knew no professional songwriters. Also, I was in...

Following your dreams... When I was 19 years old, I decided to leave my small Alabama hometown and strike out on a journey to the Big Apple: New York City. It took a combination of naivety and hard-headedness, I suppose. After all, I didn’t know...

Throughout my pro songwriting career I have made it my mission to put together a home recording studio that accomplishes 3 things.   1. Sonically, it has to be master record quality. 2. Creative workflow that won't bust my groove! 3. Must be affordable!   Co-writing in rooms with so many great producers and track guys...

  For years I have heard the phrase “Poor Man’s Copyright” thrown around in songwriting circles. The term is often brought up as a cheap alternative to an official $55 copyright from the US Copyright Office. Mailing a song to yourself... Statements are thrown out like: "Don't bother to pay the money for...

  Throughout my 20 years as a professional songwriter, I’ve noticed there isn't always a large difference in talent level among creative people. Why then, do some songwriters seem to have an over abundance of fans buying their music while others struggle to sell the first song? The answer...

Last week in a mentoring session I was offering tips to help a young writer understand a songwriter's Job #1. One of the demos had an extremely long guitar solo after the first chorus. I suggested that: #1- Guitar solos typically are after the 2nd chorus and not the first. #2- The solo...

  One of the top questions I get asked as a pro songwriter is "how do I beat writer's block. The worst part of the whole writing experience for many writers is just getting started. It's those times when we sit down to write and nothing comes out that is...

Songwriters, does this sound familiar? You start out with good intentions to write a new song today and then the phone rings, or you remember an errand you forgot to do, and there‰'s that email you need to reply to. Before you know it you have spent the whole...

"As a songwriter nothing is more important than writing the song in the room and keeping the songwriting flow alive." ~Clay Mills   "Let's write a romantic song. Your record is 80% done and there's no song on it about romance and falling in love." I said those words to Darius Rucker...

Often songwriters in our SongTown classes ask, "How do I write commercial songs without selling out?" They are writers who would like to have commercial success and hear one of their songs on the radio or an album. But they want to know how to accomplish this and still be...